Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face an obsessive system requirement to insert SIM-A card to activate the device. This is a feature known as Mi. SIM Activation Service is designed to protect the gadget from theft by linking it to a specific phone number and Mi Account account. However, in some situations, for example, when using the device only through Wi-Fi or after flashing the global version to the Chinese, this service becomes a serious obstacle.
The system can request verification indefinitely SIM-This is especially true for devices purchased at foreign sites or restored after resetting to factory settings. Understanding the mechanism of the activation server is necessary to successfully bypass the lock without loss of warranty or data.
In this guide, we will look at proven ways to deactivate the SIM card verification service, and learn how to use the engineering menu, special commands, and third-party utilities to fix the bug.
Reasons for requesting SIM activation
Appearance of window with requirement to insert SIM-The card doesn't always mean that it's broken. It's usually a regular operating system response. MIUI or HyperOS to change hardware configuration. The activation service starts automatically when you first boot after you reset or update the firmware, checking for compliance IMEI-Device code and inserted SIM card with data on the manufacturer's servers.
One of the main reasons is regional binding: If you purchased a smartphone intended for the Chinese or Indian market and try to activate it in Europe or the CIS, the server may not accept the request, in which case Mi SIM Activation will cyclically request confirmation, since the region of the device does not coincide with the region of the SIM card.
⚠️ Warning: An infinite activation cycle may occur after a failed attempt to unlock the bootloader or install a custom recavator if system files were corrupted in the process.
The problem is often time desynchronization: if the device has a date and time down, a secure connection to the SSL/TLS activation server cannot be established, the security protocol perceives the time discrepancy as a potential attack and blocks data transfer, leaving the user alone with the waiting screen.
Preparation of the device before disconnecting the service
Before you start taking drastic measures, you need to perform a number of preparatory steps, which minimize the risk of data loss and ensure the stability of the system during the debugging process. First of all, make sure that the battery charge is at least 50-60%, since the process can take time, and a sudden shutdown is unacceptable.
Be sure to check the stability of the Internet connection. Some methods require access to local servers or download small data packets. Connect to a reliable Wi-Fi network with a good signal to prevent timeout errors when accessing system services.
☑️ Checklist of preparations
An important step is to back up your critical data, and even if you plan to just turn off the service, there is a risk of accidentally resetting your settings, saving your contacts, photos and documents to the cloud or external storage, which will allow you to quickly recover information in case of unforeseen circumstances.
Emergency call method and engineering codes
One of the quickest ways to get around the activation screen is to use the phone engineering menu, which works on many versions of MIUI and allows you to access hidden testing settings where you can force the verification process to complete.
To start, open the dialing app and enter a special character combination. Most often, the code ##6484## or ##4636## works. If the code is entered correctly, the menu will open. CIT (Customer Interactive Testing) or the testing menu. We are interested in the section related to information about the test. SIM-map.
##6484##
##4636##Inside the menu, find the option "SIM Card Status" or similar. Try to switch the preferred network mode or temporarily disable the SIM card programmatically if such an option is available. Sometimes it helps to reset the call counters or data, which forcibly restarts network services and can "leak" the activation stage.
Using ADB to Deactivate the Service
A more advanced and reliable method involves the use of the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) debugging tool, which allows you to send commands directly to the operating system, bypassing the graphical interface, which can be blocked by the activation screen.
To start, activate the developer mode. If the phone screen is available, go to Settings → About Phone and press 7 times on the MIUI version. Then, in the advanced settings, enable “Debugging USB.” If the screen is locked, this step may require connecting the keyboard via OTG or using previously installed permissions.
Connect your smartphone to your computer and open the command line, and type a command to disable the activation pack, and that will stop the background verification process.
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.simactivationIf the standard packet manager doesn't respond, you can try forcefully stopping the service via am (Activity Manager).Adb shell am force-stop com.miui.simactivation will terminate the process instantly.
Change of region and reset network settings
Often the problem lies in conflicting regional settings: Activation servers can block requests from certain countries or require a SIM card for a particular operator, and changing the region in the device settings sometimes helps to “cheat” the verification system.
Go to Settings → Additional Settings → Region. Try to select a country other than your current one, such as India, the United States or China. After changing region, the device may need to reboot. In some cases, this action resets the activation waiting flag.
It also works by completely resetting your network settings, which will remove stored Wi-Fi passwords and Bluetooth settings, but will clear up any errors in your modem configuration.
- 📱 Go to Settings. → Connections and sharing.
- 🔄 Select "Reset Wi-Fi, mobile networks and Bluetooth».
- ✅ Confirm the action and wait for the restart of communication modules.
After reset, don't rush to connect to Wi-Fi. Try inserting it first. SIM-If the system accepts the new card and does not request re-activation, then the problem was in the specific operator profile or network cache.
Comparison of activation disabling methods
The choice of the right method depends on your technical training and the condition of the device. Below is a table comparing the effectiveness and complexity of the methods considered.
| Method | Difficulty | Efficiency | Risk of data loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Change of region | Low. | Medium | No. |
| Engineering menu | Medium | Tall. | Low. |
| ADB team | Tall. | Very high. | No. |
| Full reset (Hard Reset) | Low. | Guaranteed | High (100%) |
As you can see from the table, using ADB commands is the best way to do this without having to delete personal files. However, the method of changing the region is the safest for beginners. If none of the soft methods worked, there is a full reset option, but it requires a prior backup.
⚠️ Warning: Full flashing of the device can permanently lock the phone if it is listed in the database of stolen or has the status of Lost Mode in the Mi Account.