How to completely disable Mi Cloud sync on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Xiaomi’s Mi Cloud Cloud Storage automatically syncs contacts, photos, notes and even SMS-For many users, it's convenient, but not everyone likes that personal data goes to the cloud without explicit consent, POCO Mi – the previous owner may have forgotten to untie the account, and the new user is faced with intrusive synchronization.

In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to disable synchronization Mi Cloud – from simply disabling individual options to completely delete your Xiaomi account from your smartphone. You will learn how to stop backup, delete data from the cloud and what to do if the system requires a password from the previous owner. MIUI 12/13/14 HyperOS.

Why does Mi Cloud sync data without demand?

Xiaomi defaults to sync with Mi Cloud immediately after you have linked your account to your phone, which is for convenience: when you change your device or reset your settings, all data is automatically restored, but there are several reasons why users want to turn off this feature:

• 🔒 Privacy – photos, contacts and SMS It is stored on Xiaomi servers, which may not be secure.
• 📱 B/y of the device – the previous owner did not untie the account and the new user cannot disable sync.
• 💾 Save space – backups take up space in the cloud (only 5GB is available for free).
• 🔄 Data conflicts – contacts or notes may be duplicated when synchronized.

It is important to understand that simply turning off sync in settings does not delete data already downloaded from Xiaomi servers. Complete deletion will require additional actions, which we will discuss below.

Method 1: Disable synchronization in Mi Cloud settings

The easiest method is to partially or completely disable sync right in the Mi Cloud menu, which will not remove data from the cloud, but will stop it from downloading.

Instructions:

1. Open the settings on your Xiaomi smartphone.
2. Go to Accounts and Sync → Mi Cloud (in HyperOS, the path may be different: Accounts → Xiaomi Account).
3. Enter your Xiaomi account password if required.
4. Click on Data Synchronization.
5. Turn off sliders opposite unnecessary categories (contacts, photos, notes, etc.) or click Disable All.

If you want to stop syncing completely, but not delete your account, you can also turn off Automatic Backup in the same menu, but note that some system functions (such as device search) may stop working.

Save important data manually (photos, contacts)

Make sure you have access to your Xiaomi account

Check if your payment data is linked to the Mi Cloud

Disable two-factor authentication if it interferes with-->

Method 2: Delete Xiaomi account from smartphone

If you want to detach your device from Mi Cloud completely, you need to delete your Xiaomi account from your smartphone. This is a radical method, but it is guaranteed to stop any syncing. Once you delete your account, you will lose access to Mi Cloud features, including device search, cloud backup and note synchronization.

How to delete your account:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Mi Cloud
2. Click on the profile icon in the upper right corner.
3. Select Account Management → Delete the account.
4. Confirm the action with a password and code from SMS (if two-factor authentication is enabled).

⚠️ Note: On some devices after deleting the account, a factory lock may work (FRP). If you don’t know the password from your previous account (for example, on a used phone), your smartphone can turn into a brick, which requires official unlocking through the Xiaomi service center.

Method 3: Clean up Mi Cloud data via web interface

Disabling sync on your phone does not delete data already downloaded from Xiaomi servers. If you want to completely erase your information from Mi Cloud, do so through the official website:

1. Go to account.xiaomi.com and log in.
2. Select the Mi Cloud tab.
3. Click on Data Management.
4. Select unnecessary categories (photos, contacts, posts) and click Delete.
5. Confirm the action via SMS or email.

Note that deleted data cannot be recovered, and if you plan to sell a phone, we recommend saving important information to another medium.

💡

Before mass deletion, export it to a local file. Mi Cloud has a function to export contacts to.vcf and photos to the local file. ZIP-archive.

Method 4: Disabling backup in MIUI

Xiaomi automatically backs up the system, which is also stored in the Mi Cloud, and these copies can take up a lot of space and contain personal information, so that you can turn them off:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.
2. Click on Local Backup or Backup in Mi Cloud.
3. Turn off automatic copy creation or delete old ones.

If you want to completely remove backups from the cloud, do so via the web version of Mi Cloud (Backups section).Please note that some system copies (for example, for recovery after a reset) can stay on Xiaomi servers for up to 6 months.

💡

Even after you disable backup, Xiaomi can save system logs for diagnosis. To delete them, use the "Data Cleanup" feature in your account settings.

Method 5: Reset the phone to factory settings (last resort)

If no other means help (e.g., someone else's account is left on a used phone), you can reset completely, which will delete all data from the device, including the associated Mi Cloud account.

• 🔐 If the phone is locked on FRP, After the reset, you will need to enter the data of the previous account.
• 📱 On some models (Redmi Note 10, POCO X3 etc.) the reset does not delete the Mi Account completely - additional unlocking will be required.
• ⚠️ The warranty on the device can be canceled if the reset is not made through the official settings.

How to Reset Your Phone Right:

1. Backup your important data (if you have access).
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data.
4. Confirm the action and wait for the completion (5-10 minutes).

⚠️ Note: HyperOS devices may require a new Xiaomi account to be linked within 24 hours after a reset, otherwise some features (such as themes) will be blocked.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When you turn off Mi Cloud, users often experience errors, and here are the most common ones and how to fix them:

If you are buying a used Xiaomi phone, always check if your Mi Cloud account is untied.

• 📱 Show the menu Settings → Mi Cloud and confirm the absence of an associated account.
• 🔄 Perform a reset settings with you.
• 📝 Provide a check or warranty card (to unlock) FRP).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions