How to completely remove Family Link from your Xiaomi phone in a child: 5 proven ways

Linking a child’s device to a Xiaomi family group via Family Link or Mi Account Child often causes conflicts: parents want to control the use of the gadget, and children want to get complete freedom. If you are faced with the need to remove family communication on a Redmi, POCO or Xiaomi smartphone (including models from 2023-2026), it is important to understand that the process depends on the version of MIUI, account type and access rights. In some cases, it is enough to disable the binding in the settings, in others – you will need to reset to factory or even work with ADB.

This article covers all the current ways to delete Family Link, taking into account the latest MIUI 14/15 updates and Google Family Link policy. We will understand how to get around the restrictions without losing data, what to do if the phone is locked, and why standard methods sometimes do not work. Particular attention is paid to the unique nuances of Xiaomi: for example, on some models (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5), after removing the binding, you may need to re-authorize to Mi Account with SMS confirmation.

1.How Family Link on Xiaomi is Different from the Standard Google Family Link

Many users confuse two different services:

• 🔹 Google Family Link is an app from Google that manages Play Market access, usage times and content restrictions.It works on all Android devices, including Xiaomi.
• 🔹 Mi Account Child (family group Xiaomi) – own control system from Xiaomi, integrated into the system of the company. MIUI. Blocks the change of system settings, installation APK And even resetting the phone without parental permission.

Major differences:

Important: If the phone is active, both services need to be disabled separately. Since MIUI 14, Xiaomi has tightened control, so that when you try to delete Mi Account Child, the system can request the password of the Mi parent account, even if Google Family Link is already disabled.

2. Method 1: Remove Family Link via phone settings (if no lock)

This is the easiest method, but it only works in two cases:

• 📱 The phone only uses Google Family Link (without linking to Mi Account).
• 👤 You have access to the parent Google account that manages the device.

Instructions:

1. Open the Family Link app on your child’s phone (a multi-colored ring icon).
2. Select your child’s account → Settings Management → Device Information.
3. Click Delete Device → confirm the action with the password of the parent account.

If this doesn't work, it means that the phone is active on the Mi Account binding. Go to the next method.

Method 3: Disconnecting Xiaomi Family Group (Mi Account Child)

If the phone is linked to the parent's Mi Account, standard deletion via Google Family Link will not help.

1. Go to Settings → Accounts → Mi Account.
2. Select a child profile → Family group.
3. Click Leave the Family Group and enter the password of the Mi parent account.

Problem: Starting with MIUI 13, Xiaomi added additional protection: If the phone was added to the family group through parental control settings, the system can block deletion without confirmation by SMS or email of the parent, in which case only a reset via Fastboot (method 4) or bypass through ADB (method 5) will help.

Method 3: Resetting the phone to factory settings (with data loss)

If the previous methods didn't work, it's a hard reset, but there's some nuances.

• ⚠️ On the phones with MIUI 12+ and active binding to Mi Account after reset may require entering the password of the parent account at the first setting (the so-called lock). FRP).
• ✅ If the phone is not tied to Mi Account, the reset will delete all data, including Family Link.

How to reset:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the power button + volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
4. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.

⚠️ Note: On Redmi Note models 11/12 and POCO X4/X5 After the reset, you may be asked to confirm ownership of the device through the Mi Account, and if you don't know the password, the phone will turn into a brick, in which case only unlocking through the Fastboot (partition) will help. 4).

5. Method 4: Unlocking via Fastboot (for advanced users)

This method is suitable if:

• 🔧 Phone locked after reset (requires Mi Account password).
• 📱 The bootloader is unlocked on the device (Bootloader).
• 💻 There is a computer with drivers installed ADB/Fastboot.

Instructions:

1. Download Google’s Platform Tools and unpack.
2. Connect your phone to your PC in Fastboot mode (clip the power + volume down when the phone is off).
3. In the command line (in the folder with fastboot) enter: fastboot oem clean_frp For some models (Redmi) 9A, POCO M3) You may need to: fastboot erase frp
4. Reboot your phone with the command: fastboot reboot

Important: On new models (Xiaomi) 13, Redmi Note 12 Pro+) team clean_frp It might not work because of the updated protection, and it might require a firmware through the EDL (Only for experienced users).

fastboot oem device-info

If the answer is Device unlocked: true, you can continue. If false, first unlock Bootloader through the official Xiaomi tool (you will need to be tied to Mi Account).-->

Method 5: Bypass Family Link through ADB (no reset)

This method allows you to remove Family Link restrictions without losing data, but requires:

• 🔌 Included debugging by USB (If it is blocked, it will not be possible to turn on).
• 💻 Computer with ADB and administrator rights.
• 📲 Phone with unlocked bootloader (not necessarily, but increases the odds).

Step-by-step:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
4. In the command line, type: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.apps.kids.familylink To delete Mi Account Child: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.xiaomi.childaccount

⚠️ Attention: MIUI 15 Xiaomi has added protection against removing system applications through ADB. If the team returned the Failure error [DELETE_FAILED_DEVICE_POLICY_MANAGER], This means that bypassing is impossible without root or dumping rights.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When you try to remove Family Link, users face typical problems:

1. Unlock via Fastboot (if the bootloader is unlocked).

2. an official appeal in support of Xiaomi with proof of purchase (check, warranty card).

3. Firmware through EDL (Only for experienced users, an authorized Xiaomi account is required).-->

8. Alternative solutions: what to do if nothing helps

If all of the above methods have not worked, consider the following options:

• 📞 Appeal in support of Xiaomi: provide proof of ownership of the device (IMEI, In some cases, support can remove the lock remotely.
• 🔧 Firmware through EDL: This method requires special equipment (EDL cable) and MiFlash command knowledge. Redmi/POCO on Qualcomm processors.
• 🛒 Contact the service center: if the phone is warranty, the masters can reset the binding to the Mi Account through official tools.

Last tip: If the phone was bought from hand and tied to someone else's Mi Account, return it to the seller or demand unlocking.According to Xiaomi's policy, handing over the device with an active family-based link is considered a violation of the rules of use.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions