“Login to one of the accounts of the owner of this device” on Xiaomi MIUI 11: what to do and how to unlock

Sign in to one of the device’s owners accounts on Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 11 firmware is a common problem that users face after buying a used phone, resetting or updating the system. This lock is due to the Mi Account Lock feature, which binds the device to the previous owner’s account. Without entering the username and password from this account, the phone becomes a “brick”: you can neither use the system nor perform a full reset through standard settings.

Complicating matters, MIUI 11 is not the latest firmware version (released in 2019), and many of the official unlock methods that are relevant to MIUI 12/13/14 will not work here. Xiaomi has tightened security policies: from 2020, removing the lock requires proof of ownership, and informal workarounds (like exploit methods) have ceased to work on most devices.

⚠️ Critical warning: If you bought a phone with your hands and the seller didn’t provide the data from the attached Mi Account, it will be extremely difficult to return the device to working condition. 90% of the time you will need to contact the Xiaomi service center with the purchase documents. Bypassing blocking methods often lead to a complete loss of warranty and the risk of turning a smartphone into a non-working device.

1.Why does the request “Look into the owner’s account” appear?

The message arises from the Factory Reset Protection (FRP) mechanism, a factory reset protection that Xiaomi has implemented in MIUI, similar to Google.

• 🔹 Mi Account was enabled on the device (even if you didn’t create it, the previous owner could have linked the phone to their account).
• 🔹 Reset was performed through the Settings → Additionally. → Recovery and Reset or through Recovery Mode.
• 🔹 There has been a critical update to the system (e.g., with the MIUI 10. MIUI 11), which reset some security settings.
• 🔹 The device was stolen or lost, in which case the original owner could have blocked it via Mi Cloud.

In MIUI 11, the FRP mechanism works differently than in the newer versions. For example, it has not yet been fully integrated with Google FRP (which appears in MIUI 12+), so bypassing through a Google account often does not help. In addition, on some models (for example, Redmi Note 8 Pro or Mi 9T), the lock works even after a hard reset via Fastboot, if previously the Mi Account was attached.

⚠️ Note: If the phone was purchased on the secondary market (Avito, OLX, AliExpress), and the seller claims that he “does not remember the password” or “he does not have an account”, with a 99% probability the device is stolen or blocked for another reason, in which case unlocking through informal methods can lead to loss of the device. IMEI or locking the serial number in the Xiaomi database.

2.Official ways of unlocking (legal)

If you have access to previous owner data or phone IDs, try these methods. They do not violate Xiaomi policy and do not lead to loss of warranty.

2.1 Log in to the tied Mi Account

The easiest way to do this is to type in the username and password from the account that was linked to the device, if you bought the phone with your hands:

• 📞 Contact the seller and ask for login details.Honest sellers usually remove the peg before selling.
• 📧 If the seller does not respond, check the correspondence - it is possible that he sent the data in the messages.
• 🔍 Try to recover your password using account.xiaomi.com if you know the email or phone number associated with your account.

2.2 Unlocking through Xiaomi Service Center

If you cannot contact the seller, contact an authorized service center.

• 📄 Check or sales contract (proof that you are the owner).
• 📱 Serial number of the device (you can find it on the box or under the battery if the phone is collapsible).
• 🆔 Passport for identification.

The service center will send a request to Xiaomi, and if the documents are in order, the lock will be removed within 3-4 days.

Check/purchase agreement | Owner's passport | Phone box with serial number |IMEI device (can be found via *#06#)

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Deletion of the account via Mi Cloud (if the seller agrees)

If the previous owner is willing to help but is far away, he can:

1. Visit i.mi.com from your account.
2. Go to the Devices section → Find the device.
3. Select your phone and click Delete Device.
4. Confirm the action via SMS or email.

After that, the lock should be removed within 24 hours, and if not, try resetting again.

💡

Officially unlocking through the service center is the only legal way if the seller does not provide data from the Mi Account.

3. Unofficial methods of bypassing the lock (at your own risk)

If the legal methods fail, you can try to bypass the lock through technical vulnerabilities, which do not guarantee 100% results and can lead to:

• 🚫 Loss of warranty.
• 🔧 Breakdown of the device (for example, failure of the communication module).
• 🔒 Blocking IMEI Xiaomi.

⚠️ Note: Most of the “universal” instructions on the Internet are designed to MIUI 12/13 and not working MIUI 11. Below are only the methods that are confirmed by users for this firmware version.

Bypassing Recovery Mode (for some models)

This method is suitable for devices on MIUI 11 with Qualcomm processors (for example, Redmi Note 7/8, Mi 9, Poco F1).

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Volume Up + Power to Enter Recovery Mode.
3. Select a language (if available) and go to Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
4. If the lock is still locked after the reset, try:

1. In Recovery, select "Connect with MiAssistant" (if any).


2 Connect your phone to a PC with the Mi Flash Tool installed.




3. Sweat the device through Fastboot with complete data erasure (clean all option).

⚠️ Important: Some models (e.g. Redmi Note 8 Pro with Mediatek chip) will not work with this method – you will need an authorized account for firmware.

3.2. exploiting a vulnerability in Mi Account (method for MIUI 11)

On some devices with MIUI 11, you can bypass the lock by resetting the Mi Account password directly on the lock screen.

1. On the screen with the request to log in to the account, click Forgot the password?
2. Enter any email (e.g. test@test.com) and click Next.
3. The system will give an error, but in some cases this allows you to go to Settings.
4. If you can, go to Settings → About your phone and click on the MIUI version several times to activate the developer mode.
5. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
6. Connect your phone to your PC and use ADB to execute the command:

adb shell am start -n com.android.settings/.Settings

If everything goes well, you can go to the settings and reset without locking.

Firmware via Fastboot (for power users)

If other methods fail, you just have to flash your phone through Fastboot and erase it completely.

• 🖥️ Computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and Mi Flash Tool.
• 📥 Fastboot firmware ROM For your model (you can download it on the official website).
• 🔧 Cable USB (preferably original).

Procedure:

1. Turn off the phone and press Volume Down + Power to log in to Fastboot.
2. Connect the device to the PC.
3. In the Mi Flash Tool, select the downloaded firmware and press Refresh (your device should be displayed).
4. At the bottom, select the clean all option and click Flash.

⚠️ Note: On models with a locked bootloader (bootloader) will require unlocking through the Mi Unlock Tool, which is impossible without the tied Mi Account.

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Before you run the firmware, check the bootloader version! If it is locked and you don’t have data from the original account, firmware via Fastboot won’t help – the phone will turn into a brick.

Table of compatibility of methods with popular models

Not all methods work on all devices, and here is a table of proven methods for popular smartphones on MIUI 11:

If your model is not in the table, check the information in the forums (for example, 4PDA or XDA Developers).

5. What should I do if nothing helps?

If all of these methods fail, you have a few options:

• 🔧 Contact an informal service. Some workshops offer removal services. FRP-locks for 2,000-10 000 rubles, but the risks are high: you can lose IMEI Or get a phone with a broken module 4G.
• 📱 Use your phone as a media player, and if the lock doesn't allow you to log in, but the phone turns on, you can connect it to the TV through the phone. HDMI-Adapter and use it to watch movies.
• 💰 Selling parts: A working display, battery or camera can make 30 to 50 percent of a phone's value.
• ⚖️ If the phone was bought from hand and the seller hid the information about the lock, you can try to return the money through the court (Article 475 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation - "Disadvantages of the goods»).

⚠️ Note: If you bought your phone abroad (e.g. on AliExpress or on a trip), unlocking through Xiaomi’s Russian service center may not be possible, leaving only unofficial repairs or limited use of the device.

💡

If the phone is locked because of Mi Account and the seller is not making contact, you have the legal right to demand a refund or replacement of the device.

6.How to avoid blocking when buying used Xiaomi?

To avoid the problem of “Login to the account of the owner”, when buying a phone from hand:

• 📱 Check the lock status. Ask the seller to go to Settings. → Mi Account and show that the device is not tied to the account, if he refuses, it is suspicious.
• 🔍 Make sure you exit Mi Account. The seller must make log out in the account settings and erase all data.
• 📄 Demand a check or a sales contract, and without documents, the service center won't remove the lock.
• 🔗 Check it out. IMEI. Go to imei.info and make sure that the phone is not blacklisted (not stolen or blocked by the operator).

If the seller claims that the phone is clean but refuses to show the settings, it is better to refuse to buy, the probability of running into a locked device in this case is ~70%.

7. Frequent Questions (FAQ)