Xiaomi smartphones have been leading the market for many years due to their excellent value for money, and the Redmi 5 model is no exception, remaining a popular device even years after its release. However, when selling a gadget, transferring it to another user or simply wanting to start from scratch, the owner faces the critical task of completely erasing all personal data and untie accounts. Failure to do this procedure can lead to the locking of the device with FRP (Factory Reset Protection) protection system, which will turn the phone into a “brick” for the new owner.
The process of unbundling Google and Mi Account accounts on Xiaomi Redmi 5 has its own technical nuances that differ from the standard actions in other Android shells. Unlike many competitors, Xiaomi security requires a strict sequence of actions: first you need to exit the manufacturer’s cloud service, and only then move to resetting. Ignoring this rule often leads to the fact that after a reboot, the phone will require a password from the previous owner, which may already be forgotten or unavailable.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all the steps in preparing your Redmi 5 for transfer to a new host or flashing. We will look not only at standard methods through the settings menu, but also at ways to solve problems if the device is already reset or locked. Understanding the MIUI security architecture will help you avoid unnecessary headaches and keep access to your data in the cloud.
Device preparation and data backup
Before embarking on radical account removal measures, make sure that important information is not lost forever. Synchronization is the first step to saving contacts, photos, notes and call history in cloud storage. For Xiaomi users, the most convenient tool is the built-in Mi Cloud, which is integrated directly into the system and works more stable than third-party counterparts at the level of deep system settings.
But relying on just one service is risky, so power users always create a local copy of the data. USB-cable DCIM, MIUI This is especially true for high-volume media files, which can take up a significant portion of Redmi 5’s internal memory. It’s also worth checking if two-factor authorization is activated for your accounts so that there are no problems restoring access to other services after a reset.
⚠️ Note: Before starting any data deletion operations, be sure to extract SIM-MicroSD card and memory card. If you forget to do this, there is a risk of accidentally formatting the external drive or losing contacts saved on the SIM card.
Once you have backups, you should check the list of installed apps. Often users forget to untie the device from services that have administrator rights or access to payment data. Remove the bank card binding from Google Pay (now Google Wallet) and log out of all messengers so that new owners do not have access to your correspondence. This is a basic level of digital hygiene that can not be ignored.
☑️ Preparing for account deletion
Unbundling Mi Account through system settings
The safest and most effective way to delete your Mi Account is to log out through the system settings menu, which ensures that Xiaomi servers receive a signal that the device is no longer associated with your profile and that activation lock will not work after resetting. To do this, go to Settings, find Mi Account (usually located at the top of the list or in the Accounts and Sync section) and click on it.
In the profile management menu that opens, you scroll to the bottom of the page, and you'll find the exit button, and the system can request a password confirmation from your Mi Account, or a text message code sent to the linked phone number, which is a security measure to prevent attackers from deleting your account in the event of a phone theft, enter the requested data and confirm the action.
Once the system is successfully released, you will be asked to choose what to do with the data stored on the device, and you will be offered options: delete all data from the phone or leave it. Since our ultimate goal is to completely clean up the Xiaomi Redmi 5, it makes sense to choose the deletion option so that you do not do this work twice. However, if you plan to just change your account but save files, select the appropriate option.
What to do if you forget your Mi Account password?
Deleting Google Account and Protecting FRP
Android’s security system, known as FRP (Factory Reset Protection), tightly ties the device to the last Google account you used. If you reset without deleting your Google account from the menu, the phone will require you to enter a password from that account when you first activate it, which is designed to protect against theft, but often creates problems when you legally sell the device.
To avoid activating FRP, you need to manually delete your account from the trusted list. Go to Settings, select Accounts and Sync (or just Accounts depending on the version of MIUI). In the list, you will see all the associated services: Google, Xiaomi, possibly Facebook or Skype. Click on Google account, then call the additional menu (three dots or button "More") and select Delete account.
It's important to understand the difference between simply logging out and uninstalling. Some firmware versions may call it "Exit," but functionally, it removes the device's association from the account. Once you do that, there should be no records associated with your Gmail account, and then you can safely move on to a full reset.
| Action. | Risks of ignoring | Required data |
|---|---|---|
| Deletion of Mi Account | Blocking Xiaomi activation | Password Mi/SMS code |
| Deletion of Google Account | FRP (Google Lock) Locking | Gmail password |
| Resetting settings | Data loss without backup | No. |
💡
The main rule is to always delete Google and Mi accounts through the settings menu BEFORE you run Hard Reset to avoid blocking activation.
Complete reset (Hard Reset)
Once all accounts are untied and important data is saved, you can start the final step of completely resetting your settings to factory status. On Xiaomi Redmi 5, you can do this in two main ways: through the settings menu (if the phone is turned on and working properly) or through the "recovery" mode (if the system is not booting or you want to be sure of a complete cleanup).
The first is the easiest and most recommended method for most users: Go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Restore and Reset. Select Reset. The system will once again warn you that all data will be destroyed. Make sure the phone is connected to the charger, as the process can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes depending on the amount of memory filled.
The second way is to use the body buttons, which is useful if the touch screen is not working properly or you're preparing your phone for flashing.
- Turn off the phone completely.
- Press the Volume Up and Power buttons at the same time.
- Hold them until the Mi logo appears, then release the power button while continuing to keep the volume.
- From the Recovery menu, select the language (English or Russian) and click Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
- Confirm the action and wait for the process to end.
⚠️ Note: During the reset process, you should not interrupt the power of the device.Switching off the phone at this point can damage the userdata system partition, which will lead to a cyclic restart (bootloop) and require complex recovery through the computer.
Problems with activation and bypassing blocking
Even with all the precautions, sometimes there are situations when the phone after reset requires a password from the previous owner, this can happen if the sync with the server did not pass before turning off, or if a custom firmware with modified security behavior was installed. In the case of Mi Account, the activation screen will require the entry of a password from the Mi ID.
If you bought a phone with your hands and you're faced with a lock, the only legal way to unlock it is to contact the previous owner, who has to remotely remove the device from the list of his trusted gadgets via i.mi.com, and then just reboot the phone and the lock will disappear. No magic button combinations will help here, since the check is on the server side.
There are also specialized service tools such as Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools that can help in some scenarios, but using them requires an unlocked bootloader.If the bootloader is locked (which is the standard for most devices), using third-party FRP bypass software can be regarded as a violation of the terms of use and requires deep technical knowledge.
💡
When buying used Xiaomi, always ask the seller to reset your settings and show the welcome screen where there is no request to enter an old account.