How to untie your Xiaomi account from your phone: 5 proven ways

Linking a Mi Account to Xiaomi smartphones is standard practice, providing data synchronization, access to cloud services and additional security features. However, there are times when a user needs to untie an account from the device: when selling a phone, transferring it to another person or if there are problems with authorization. The process seems simple, but in practice many people face difficulties - especially if they forgot their password or the phone is blocked.

In this article, we will look at all the current ways to unblock your account (including official and alternative), explain why some methods stopped working after the MIUI updates, and give a checklist for securely removing the anchor, and pay special attention to the risks of locking the device — they are often overlooked, but they can turn a smartphone into a brick.

If you are planning to sell or transfer your phone, you must untidy your account, otherwise the new owner will not be able to use the device to its fullest extent, and if you just want to change your account, it is important to do so correctly so that you do not lose access to Mi Store purchases or backups.

1. Official method: uncoupling through phone settings

The easiest and safest method is to use the built-in MIUI tools. It is suitable if you have access to the phone, you remember the password from the Mi Account and the device is not locked.

To untie the account:

• 📱 Open the Settings app on your phone.
• 👤 Go to Accounts and Synchronization → Mi-account.
• 🔄 Click on the icon. ⚙️ (gear) in the upper right corner and select Delete account.
• 🔐 Enter the password from the Mi Account to confirm.
• ✅ Confirm the deletion – the phone will be untied from the account.

After that, the device will automatically leave all Xiaomi services (cloud, app store, contact sync). Importantly, if the phone is enabled Find the device, it must also be disabled in advance, otherwise after deleting the account, the phone may lock.

Turn off the "Find Device" function in the Mi Account settings

Make a backup copy of important data (photos, contacts)

Make sure your phone is connected to the internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network)

Remember the password from your Mi Account or restore it in advance

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⚠️ Note: If the phone requests a re-authorization when it is turned on, after deleting the account, it means that the device was tied to the Mi Cloud Lock (protection against theft.

2. Unleash via the Mi Account website (if the phone is lost or unavailable)

If you don't have physical access to your phone, but you remember the data from your Mi Account, you can delete the device's association via the web interface, which is useful if the phone is stolen, lost or locked.

Instructions:

1. Go to account.xiaomi.com and log in.
2. In the Devices section, find your phone in the list of tied gadgets.
3. Click on the basket icon (🗑️) near the device and confirm the removal.

After that, the phone will be untied from the account, but this will not reset the data on the device. If you are selling the phone, be sure to reset to the factory settings before transferring to the new owner.

⚠️ Note: If you removed your phone from the device list on the Mi Account site but did not reset the device itself, the new owner will not be able to log in to your account without your password.

3. Unlock after reset to factory settings (if the phone is locked)

One of the most common problems is that the phone requires you to enter your Mi Account data after you reset it via Recovery or Fastboot, and this is because of the Mi Cloud Lock feature, which is activated when you reset it on your linked account devices.

If you have forgotten your password or cannot confirm your account ownership, there are two options:

• 🔄 Restore access to your Mi Account via email or phone (forgot your password? link on the lock screen).

If the phone is hand-buyed and the previous owner has not untie the account, the only legal way to unlock it is to contact them and ask them to remove the device from their Mi Account via the website. Otherwise, unlocking is only possible through informal methods (about them in the next section), but this violates Xiaomi’s terms of use.

4. Alternative methods: unbundling without password (for advanced users)

If the official methods do not work (for example, the password is forgotten and recovery is not available), some users resort to informal methods.

• 🚫 Breaking the guarantee.
• 🔧 Lead to unstable operation of the phone.
• 🚨 Lock the device permanently (if something goes wrong).

However, let’s look at the two most common methods:

Method 1: Fastboot (for models up to 2021)

On some older models (Redmi Note 8/9, Mi 9/10), you could reset your Mi Account via Fastboot mode with the command:

fastboot oem clean_all

But since 2022, Xiaomi has closed this loophole – on new devices, the team does not work, and its use can lead to hard-brick (complete loss of performance).

Method 2: With the help of EDL-The mode (only for experienced users)

EDL (Emergency Download Mode) allows you to flash your phone at a low level, bypassing the locking of your account.

• 🖥️ Computer with Qualcomm drivers installed.
• 🔌 Cable USB Type-C (original).
• 📁 Firmware for your model (you can download it at xiaomifirmwareupdater.com).
• 🛠️ Mi Flash Tool or QFil.

It's a complicated and risky process, and if you make a mistake, your phone can turn into a brick, and you can only use this method if you understand what you're doing.

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Before use EDL-Check if your model supports this feature, for example, on the Redmi Note 10 Pro and later. EDL Often blocked at the hardware level.

5. How to avoid problems when untiing an account: security checklist

To avoid having your phone locked or data lost, follow these rules:

Check if the “Find Device” function is disabled (Settings → Mi-account → Find the device)

Backup your data (photos, contacts, messages) via Mi Cloud or locally

Make sure your phone is not tied to Mi Cloud Lock (check Settings → Memory → Encrypted Data)

If you sell a phone, reset to factory settings before transferring to the buyer.

Save a check or warranty card – it may be needed to unlock through support

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If you buy a phone with your hands, make sure to check if it is untied from your previous account.

1. Ask the seller to reset the phone to factory settings with you.
2. After reset, turn on your phone and reach the settings screen – if it doesn’t require you to enter a Mi Account, it’s okay.
3. If you have a request for authorization, ask the seller to untie the device through your account.

⚠️ Attention: Starting with MIUI 13, Xiaomi tightened security policies. Now, when reset via Recovery, the phone can require a password from the Mi Account even if the Find Device feature has been disabled.This mechanism is called Factory Reset Protection (FRP) It works similarly to protection on Android devices of other brands.

6. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Many users make the same mistakes when unbundling a Mi Account, which leads to locking the phone or loss of data.

• 🔄 Resetting the phone without turning off Find the device → This is done through the Mi Cloud Lock.
• 📱 Delete your account through settings, but without resetting data → Your new owner will see your files.
• 🔐 Using unofficial firmware to bypass the lock → The risk of turning your phone into a brick».
• 📧 Attempt to restore password through other people's data → Your account may be blocked for suspicious activity.

One of the most dangerous mistakes is to buy a phone with a linked account, and even if the seller promises that "everything will work," the phone can lock up after a reset. Check this before you pay!

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If the phone requires you to enter a Mi Account after a reset, it is NOT a defect - it is a job of protection against theft.The only legal way to unlock is to contact the previous owner or provide documents in support of Xiaomi.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions