How to completely delete Mi Account on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Deleting Mi from Xiaomi is a procedure that you might need when selling a smartphone, switching to another brand, or if you just want to get rid of your attachment to the Mi ecosystem. However, many users face difficulties: the system requires a password, there are synchronization errors, and after resetting the account remains active. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways of deleting from standard to alternative, including bypassing the lock without access to mail.

It's important to understand that the Mi Account is integrated into the MIUI firmware at the system level. Deleting it is not tantamount to deactivating it, it requires completely untying the device from Xiaomi servers. If you plan to sell the phone, it's not enough to just log out of the account: the new owner may encounter Mi Cloud Lock (activation lock).

Why can't you just log out of your Mi Account?

Many users mistakenly believe that leaving the profile in the settings (Settings → Xiaomi Account → Log Out) is enough to completely delete, in fact it only leads to local logging.

• 🔗 Mi Cloud binding: Backup data, notes, contacts and photos remain on Xiaomi servers and can be restored when re-entered.
• 🔒 Block activation: When resetting the phone will require the username / password of the previous owner (Mi Cloud Lock).
• 📱 Hidden services: Features like Find Device or Mi Pay will remain active.
• 🔄 Automatic synchronization: The next time you connect to the Internet, your device can re-connect to your account.

Another trap is cached data, which even after logging out, /data/system/users/ and /miui/backup/ store files with user IDs, which must be manually deleted (see the Deep Cleanup section for more on this).

⚠️ Note: If you sell a phone and a customer is unable to activate it because of the Mi Cloud Lock, this may be a refund under consumer law!

Method 1: Delete Mi Account through phone settings

The simplest method that works on most Xiaomi devices (including Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 11, etc.) is suitable if you remember the password and have access to the mail/phone for confirmation.

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings. → Xiaomi account (or Mi Account on English firmware).
2. Slip on the profile avatar at the top of the screen.
3. Select Account Management → Delete the account.
4. Enter the password and confirm the action via SMS/email.
5. Wait until the process is completed (it can take up to 5 minutes).

Once removed, the device will automatically log off and the Mi Cloud data will be erased from the phone, but the Mi Cloud Lock will remain if you don’t turn it off separately (see section below).

Make a backup copy of important data|Disable Device Search (Find Device)|Ensure a stable Internet connection|Remember your login/password in case of an error-->

Method 2: Delete via the Mi Account website

If your phone is lost, stolen or unable to access it, you can delete your account through Xiaomi’s official website, a method that is also useful if the device has a broken screen or is locked.

Step-by-step:

1. Go to account.xiaomi.com and log in.
2. In the Devices section, find your smartphone (if not, update the page or check your phone’s internet connection).
3. Click on three dots next to the device and select Remove the device.
4. Confirm the action via SMS or email.
5. Return to Security Settings → Delete your account and complete the process.

Important: after deleting through the site, be sure to reset your phone settings (Settings → About Phone → Resetting). Otherwise, your account data may be stored in cache.

Method 3: Remove Mi Cloud Lock (Block Activation)

If you reset your phone to factory settings, and when you turn on, you see a request for the previous owner's login/password, this is Mi Cloud Lock. This lock occurs if the account was not untied before the reset, and you can bypass it in several ways:

Official method (if you are the owner)

If your phone is yours, but you forgot your password:

1. Go to the password recovery page.
2. Enter the linked email or phone number.
3. Confirm your identity via SMS/email and set a new password.
4. Enter new data on the phone lock screen.

Unofficial methods (if you are not the owner)

If you bought a phone with your hands and the seller did not untie the account, try:

• 📞 Contact the seller: Ask them to remove the device from their account via account.xiaomi.com.
• 🔧 Use it. EDL-Mode: For power users – requires unlocking the bootloader and firmware through MiFlash (more in the next section).
• 🏢 Contact the service center: Xiaomi can remove the lock on the purchase check (only for official dealers).

⚠️ Warning: Buying Mi Cloud Lock phones is a risky venture. Even after bypassing the lock, some features (such as Mi Pay or air updates) may not work. Always check your account status before buying!

Method 4: Deep Cleaning (for experienced users)

If standard methods don’t work and the activation lock is still there, you’ll have to manually clean up your system files, which requires an unlocked bootloader and access to an ADB or Fastboot.

Instructions for ADB:

adb shell


su




rm -rf /data/system/users/*




rm -rf /miui/backup/*




rm -rf /data/data/com.xiaomi.account/*




reboot

For Fastboot (via MiFlash):

1. Download the official firmware for your model from the Xiaomi website.
2. Unpack the archive and find the file. flash_all_lock.bat (cleaned).
3. Connect your phone in Fastboot mode (press Power + Vol- when the device is off).
4. Launch it. flash_all_lock.bat and wait for the firmware to be completed.

Important: This method completely erases all data on the phone, including internal memory, and only use it if other methods have failed.

💡

Before you run through Fastboot, check the bootloader (BL) version of your device. If it is older than 3.0, you may need to log in via the Mi Unlock Tool.

Method 5: Appealing for Xiaomi

If all previous methods have failed, the last chance is official Xiaomi support.

• 🔐 Loss of access to mail/phone associated with the account.
• 📱 Buying a used phone with Mi Cloud Lock lock.
• 🔧 Errors when deleting an account (e.g., "Can't delete your account. Retry again later").

How to contact support:

1. Write to the chat on the Xiaomi Support website (available in English and Chinese).
2. Please specify the IMEI of the phone (you can find it on the box or via *#06#).
3. Attach a purchase check (if the phone is new) or proof of ownership.
4. Describe the problem in as much detail as possible (for example: "I bought POCO X3 b/w, the previous owner did not untie the Mi Account, please remove the lock").

The timeframe for the request is 3 to 7 days, and in most cases Xiaomi is willing to meet the deadline if you can prove that you own the device legally.

💡

Official support is the only legal way to unseal the Mi Cloud Lock without a password, and all other methods (like “bypassing the test mode”) violate the user agreement and can lead to locking the device.

Frequent mistakes and their solution

When deleting a Mi Account, users often face some problems, and here are the most common ways to fix them:

If you see an error not listed in the table, try:

• 🔄 Restart the phone and try again.
• 🌐 Use it. VPN (Some of the errors are related to regional restrictions).
• 📱 Update the firmware to the latest version (in Settings) → The phone. → Updating the system).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions