You opened your security settings on your Xiaomi to check your phone’s location or remotely lock it, but you saw the message “Find Device Service is off.” This feature is a key tool to protect your smartphone from loss or theft, but by default it can be deactivated.In this article, we will discuss why this happens, how to turn on the service through standard settings and what to do if the option is not available due to failures in the service. MIUI Problems with your Mi Account.
The problem is particularly relevant for users who have purchased a phone from hand, performed a reset or updated firmware manually. In some cases, the service is disabled automatically after a hard reset or link to a new account. We will consider all possible scenarios from basic activation to restoration of access through the engineering menu (for advanced users).
Important: If you see a notification that a service is not available in your area, this is a separate issue – the solution is described in the last section of the article.
Why is Find Device disabled on Xiaomi?
There are several reasons why the device search function may be deactivated:
- 🔹 Mi Account Absence: Without Xiaomi’s authorization, most cloud services, including device search, are not available.
- 🔹 Manual disabling in settings: the user or previous owner could deactivate the option in Settings → Mi Account → Find the device.
- 🔹 Factory Reset: After Hard Reset, all cloud services are automatically disabled.
- 🔹 Region restrictions: In some countries (e.g. China), the function works differently or requires additional customization.
- 🔹 Outdated firmware: on versions MIUI Below 12.5, there may be no modern synchronization protocols.
The most common situation is that the user simply does not know that the service needs to be enabled manually. Unlike Google Find My Device, which is activated automatically when you add a Google account, Xiaomi requires explicit confirmation.
Standard way to enable through MIUI settings
If the service is disabled, but your Xiaomi is connected to the Internet and is authorized to Mi Account, follow the following steps:
- Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
- Scroll down and select Mi Account (or Xiaomi Account in newer versions of MIUI).
- Enter your account password if required.
- Go to Find the device (or Find Device in English firmware).
- Activate the slider Find this device.
- Confirm the inclusion by pressing OK in the dialog box.
Once activated, the service will start synchronizing location data in the background to check its performance:
- 📍 Open i.mi.com on your computer or other device.
- 🔑 Sign in with the same Mi Account as on your phone.
- 🖥️ In the Devices section, your device with the latest coordinates should be displayed.
Sign in to Mi Account on your phone|
Enable geolocation and mobile data|
Activate the “Find the Device” option in the settings|
Check the phone display on i.mi.com-->
Important: if the service still does not work after turning on, check:
- 📶 Internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data).
- 📍 Permission to access geodata for the Mi Account application.
- 🔄 Updates MIUI (In older versions, there may be synchronization bugs).
What if the “Find Device” option is not on the menu?
If there is no Find Device option in Mi Account settings, the problem may be related to:
- Outdated firmware: MIUI The function below 12.0 was called Remote Control and was in another section.
- Regional restrictions: in Chinese firmware (China) ROM) service may be hidden.
- No account binding: If the phone is not logged in to Mi Account, the option will not appear.
Decisions:
- 🔄 Update the firmware: go to Settings → The phone. → Update the system and install the latest version MIUI.
- 🌍 Change the region: if you have Chinese firmware, install Global ROM via Fastboot or Recovery.
- 🔑 Link your account: log in to Mi Account through Settings → Accounts. → Add an account.
How do I find out the firmware version?
If the option never came up after the update, try an alternative way to enable via Xiaomi Cloud:
- Open your browser and go to i.mi.com.
- Sign in with your Mi Account.
- In the Devices section, find your phone and click Find the device.
- The system will offer to turn on the service - confirm the action.
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If you bought the phone with your hands, make sure the previous owner untie the device from his Mi Account, otherwise you will not be able to link it to your account and activate the search.
Enable via the Engineering Menu (for advanced users)
If the standard methods do not work, you can try to activate the service through hidden settings. MIUI. This method is suitable for users with root rights or unlocked bootloader.
Warning: Incorrect actions on the engineering menu can cause your phone to malfunction, and use this method only if you are confident in your skills.
⚠️ Note: Before working with the engineering menu, back up your data. Changing the persist settings or ro.miui.region may result in resetting your network settings or locking your device.
Instructions:
- Install the MTK Engineering Mode app (for MediaTek processors) or Qualcomm EngineerMode (for Snapdragon) from Google Play.
- Open the app and go to Connectivity or Location Based Service.
- Find options related to Xiaomi Cloud or Find Device (names may vary).
- Enable Cloud Service and Enable Device Location.
- Restart your phone and check for Find the device in your Mi Account settings.
For devices with Qualcomm Snapdragon can be used ADB-team:
adb shell settings put global xiaomi_find_device_enabled 1
adb shell am broadcast -a com.xiaomi.finddevice.ACTION_ENABLEAfter you execute the commands, restart your phone. If the service is still not activated, check the logs via adb logcat for sync errors with Mi Cloud.
Mi Account Problems: What to Do If You Can't Sign In?
Without linking to Mi Account, you can't turn on Find the Device**. If you're having problems logging in, use these tips:
| Problem. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Password not accepted | Outdated password or server failure Xiaomi | Reset your password via account.xiaomi.com or use the recovery email/SMS |
| The device is linked to another account | The phone was not untied by the previous owner. | Contact the seller to remove the device from their account or unlock through the Mi Unlock Tool. |
| Error "Device is not supported" | Unofficial firmware or modified build.prop | Install the original firmware via Fastboot or Recovery |
| Error code 10403 or 20030 | Xiaomi servers are temporarily unavailable | Try to log in later or use it. VPN Singapore or Hong Kong |
If you have purchased your phone from your hands and can’t untie it from your previous account, try:
- 📧 Contact the seller and ask to remove the device from his Mi Account via i.mi.com.
- 🔓 Use the official Mi Unlock Tool (requires unlocking the bootloader).
- 📱 Reset your phone via Fastboot with a complete persist partition cleanup (for power users).
⚠️ Warning: If the phone was stolen and you try to bypass the Mi Account lock, it violates Xiaomi's terms of use.
Alternative ways to find a Xiaomi device
If the standard service “Find a device”** has not worked, use alternative methods:
- 📍 Google Find My Device: Works on all Android devices as long as geolocation and sync with Google Account is enabled: google.com/android/find.
- 🔍 IMEI-Trackers: services like IMEI Tracker or Lost Phone Tracker can reveal the last known location IMEI (The accuracy is sufficient only to determine the city).
- 📱 Third-party apps: Cerberus, Prey Anti Theft or Where's My Droid offer advanced search features including covert photography and audio recording.
- 📡 Operator: some operators (for example, MegaFon or Beeline) provide search services for the device by phone number.
Comparison of alternative methods:
| Method | precision | Conditions required | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Find My Device | Tall (up to 10 m) | Authorization in Google, included GPS | It doesn't work without the Internet. |
| IMEI-tracker | Low (city/district) | Knowledge IMEI, operator support | The data is updated every few hours. |
| Cerberus/Prey | Tall. | Installation of the application, root rights for full functionality | Paid subscription for premium functions |
| Communications operator | Middle (base station) | Active. SIM-card, support of the service operator | Only for subscribers of a particular operator |
If you have chosen Google Find My Device, make sure that on your phone:
- 🔘 Location option is included in the settings.
- 🔘 Synchronization with Google Account is activated.
- 🔘 Background data allowed for Google Play Services.
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Google Find My Device is the most versatile way to search, but it won’t be able to lock a device through Mi Account or erase data from Xiaomi-specific sections (like Mi Cloud).
Regional Restrictions: How to Include Service in Unsupported Countries
In some regions (e.g. China), Find Device* works differently or requires additional steps. If you see a notification saying “Service is not available in your region”, try the following methods:
- 🌐 Change region to Mi Account: Go to account.xiaomi.com. In your account settings, find the section Country/Region. Select a supported region (e.g. Singapore or India). Save changes and reboot your phone.
- 📡 Use of the VPN: Install. VPN-App (e.g. ProtonVPN or NordVPN) Connect to a server in Hong Kong, Singapore or India. Try to enable Find your device via settings or i.mi.com.
Installation of Global ROM
- Download the official global firmware for your model from the Xiaomi Firmware website.
- Run your phone through Fastboot or Recovery.
- After installation, log in to Mi Account and activate the service.
Important: a change in region in Mi Account can affect:
- 💳 Payment methods in the Mi Store.
- 📱 Availability of updates MIUI.
- 📡 Some system applications (e.g. Mi Pay).
If the problem persists, contact Xiaomi Support via:
- 📧 Email: support@xiaomi.com
- 🌐 Chat on the site: mi.com/global/support
- 📞 Phone: 8 800 775-66-64 (for Russia)