How to Prepare Your Old Xiaomi / Redmi Phone Before Selling or Trading In

Skipping any of these steps can leave your personal data or Mi Account on the device. Follow this checklist in order.

Step 1 – Back Up Everything First

Before erasing, make sure you have backups of:

• Photos → Google Photos or Mi Cloud
• Contacts → Google Account sync
• WhatsApp / WeChat → follow the app-specific backup guide
• Authenticator codes → migrate Google Authenticator or Authy

Step 2 – Remove Mi Account (Critical!)

If you skip this, the next owner cannot use the phone without your password.

1. Go to Settings → Mi Account.
2. Scroll down and tap Sign Out (or Delete Account if permanently leaving Xiaomi).
3. Confirm with your Mi Account password.
4. The phone will unlink from your Find My Device / anti-theft protection.

Tip: On HyperOS, go to Settings → Your Account Name → Sign Out.

Step 3 – Remove Google Account

1. Settings → Accounts & sync → Google → [your account].
2. Tap Remove account.
3. Repeat for any other Google accounts added.

Step 4 – Factory Reset

1. Go to Settings → Additional Settings → Backup & Reset → Erase All Data (Factory Reset).
2. On HyperOS: Settings → General Settings → Reset → Erase All Data.
3. Confirm with PIN/password.
4. The phone reboots to the setup wizard — confirm it shows the first-boot screen before handing it over.

Step 5 – Physical Preparation

• Remove your SIM card(s) and microSD card (if any).
• Wipe the screen and body with a microfiber cloth.
• Collect original box, charger, and cable if available — increases resale value.

Checklist Summary

Pro Tips

• Never factory-reset before removing Mi Account — if you forget the account password later, the phone may be permanently locked.
• After factory reset, verify by booting the phone: it should not ask for any previous account on the activation lock screen.