Back in May, Xiaomi rolled out 2-step verification to Mi Cloud, its cloud-based service for storing and syncing photos, messages, contacts and notes.This adds a nice boost to security for the service.
With this new implementation, you’ll need to enter the verification code which will be sent to your mobile number, after entering your username and password on Mi Cloud.
While 2-Step verification using SMS text message is easy, you can get a bit worried about the SMS charges especially if you need to travel abroad quite frequently.
If that is the case, you can use the Xiaomi Authenticator app to generate the verification codes for you. Alright, that’s the good news.
The bad news ? In order to use Xiaomi Authenticator, you’ll need to activate it. As of right now, its activation page is only available in Chinese. So it’s impossible for non-Chinese readers to do that.
Knowing such a problem exists, I’ve documented the steps I took to activate this service recently based on the guide drafted by “meredithhan” from MIUI forum.
If you can’t wait for Xiaomi to offer this service in English, here’s how I did it.
- On your computer, access https://account.xiaomi.com/ on your web browser.
- Click on Simplified Chinese.
- Now, you can sign in using your Xiaomi username and password.
- On the Login protection field, click Activate.
- Click Activate now.
- Click Get a verification code. The verification code will be sent to your mobile phone. Once you get it, you’ve to enter the code here, then click Next.
- Next, you are given 2 options to download the Xiaomi Authenticator app. For this tutorial, I’ll choose option 1: Scan the QR code to download. Tip: If you’re using a Xiaomi phone, you can launch the Camera app to scan the QR code, and then follow by downloading the app.
- Once you’ve downloaded the apk file, you can install it on your device.
- After the installation completes, you can launch the Xiaomi Authenticator app to set it up.
- Tap Continue.
- Draw a pattern.
- Draw the same pattern again, then tap Confirm.
- Tap Activate Now to launch the viewfinder. You’re now ready to scan the QR code to activate the Xiaomi Authenticator app. Let’s get back to the browser to get the QR code.
- Back to the browser, tap Next after you’ve completed the Xiaomi Authenticator app installation.
- Next, you’ll see the QR code that is used to activate the Xiaomi Authenticator.
- Bring your device’s viewfinder over the QR code to scan it. Once activated, you should see a random 6-digit verification code appears on the app.
- Enter this number on your browser, then click Next.
- That’s it. You’ve successfully activated the Xiaomi Authenticator for 2-step verification. On this page, you are given 2 backup solutions to overcome the problem of losing your phone and thus can’t receive the verification codes.
- Add a backup phone number to receive the verification code.
- A list of 10 backup (static) verification codes, you can use in the event you lose your phone.
- If you’ve done everything you need to do, click Complete.
How to sign Mi Cloud using Xiaomi Authenticator ?
Signing in Mi Cloud or any other Xiaomi services using Xiaomi Authenticator is easy. Here’s how:
- Go to https://i.mi.com (or any other Xiaomi services)
- Enter your usual username and password, then hit Enter.
- Now, you should get the 2-step verification prompt.
- Launch the Xiaomi Authenticator on your mobile device to get the verification code.
- Enter the verification code on the 2-step verification prompt, then hit Confirm.
Thejashwini says
Hey Ethan..kindly help me to get my pics back. I stored all my pics to cloud album but now am unable to find .
Ethan says
So sorry to hear what happened to your photos. Honestly, I’ve no idea on how to recover loss pictures in iCloud. Maybe you can try asking in the official MIUI forum. The forum have more experienced users that hopefully can advise you.
yk maheshwari says
I found replies are very good and you seems to be very knowlegeable. Can you let me know if I can download all cloud based back up on my laptop, since my MI3 goes dead sometimes.
I do not wish to buy a new battery .. I may upload the photos into new phone.
Currently , it only backsup between phone and cloud.
There is no restore possible to laptop or pc.
Ethan says
As far as I know not all items are given the direct PC download option. You can do so for recording files and photos.
purva says
hey ethan i stored some of my images in cloud album and signd out…nxt tym wen i signed in there wer no pictures … how do i find those pictures
Ethan says
Have you signed in to Mi Cloud to confirm those pics?
Thejashwini says
Hey purva did u find ur pics
aks says
If I miss my mobile the person who took my mobile may format or sigb out the mi cloud account means how do I find the location of my mobile! Kindly do the needful.
Ethan says
I’m afraid there’s nothing much you can do.
vignesh says
Hi Ethan ,
How to send Mi cloud messages to another xiaomi user?
Ethan says
Kindly check out this tutorial.
Niharika says
Hi Ethan, M from India, bought redmi 1s on 10th oct. My problem is my mobile unable to connect to my home wifi network. atfirst it works i download 2 apps (skype, whatsapp). but after that its showing “Obtaining IP Address” and hangs on. Pls help me urgently..
Ethan says
These are the things I’ll do :
1. Check the Wi-Fi signal to confirm it’s strong.
2. Restart the phone and router and try connecting again.
3. Forget the WiFi network, and try connect and set the password again.
4. Try connecting other Wi-Fi networks to make sure your phone Wi-Fi is in working condition. If you can’t connect to any Wi-Fi network, I would suggest that you bring it to the nearest service center.
Marios PSaras says
Please help me. I cannot log in into my Micloud account. I wipe&reset all date from my mobile phone, and lost the keys that Xiaomi sent me, and the SMS function is not working. I need to get into my MIcloud account, as I have all my photos and contacts in there. Is there an way to get in the Account? I cannot log in into Micloud through web (PC) as I need the token. please please help me.
Ethan says
Check out this thread. This user was lucky enough to get help directly from the administrator. It’s better you report your problem in the MIUI forum. I know you need to receive the verification code in order to get into mi cloud and verify the token again.
MArios Psaras says
Thanks, But I cannot login to MIUI leave message as it requires the Token. I’m desperate.
Ethan says
As far as I know, signing in to en.miui.com forum on your desktop doesn’t need to enter the verification code.
If all these are too overwhelming, I would suggest you seek help at the nearest Xiaomi service center.
Marios Psaras says
I managws to leave a message there, I’m waiting for a response. Is there any other solution?
sulakshana says
Hi Eathan,
M form India, newly bought redme 1s. so face 2 problem
1)My mobile screen keep going into sleep mode in 5 seconds, even after i changes its setting to 1 min
2? is there any way other than to press that small button to wake up the screen from sleep? becasue i am afrain that button will get ruined in short time, if i keep pressing it few every 5 seconds whole day.
Ethan says
1. Update your Redmi 1S the latest firmware.
2. Ensure you have adjusted the duration at the Settings app > General settings > Display > Sleep.
3. If you notice that this problem only happens during call, ensure that’s nothing covering the proximity sensor. With proximity sensor feature enabled, the screen will off immediately when it detect something is near the sensor.
4. You can enable the volume buttons to wake the screen. Go to the Settings app > General settings > Buttons > Wake with Volume buttons
Ibrahim says
Hi
Need help pls
I have created mi cloud account and downloaded photos
I tried to retrive photos using my Apple laptop but unable -no photos appear only a blank page
However, when using my wife’s Windows laptop and handphone, I am able to see the downloaded photos
Pls assist so that I could also vew the photos via Apple laptop, thanks
Ethan says
I’ve tested downloading photos using Chrome, Firefox and Safari on my Mac. All of them gave me intermittent results, which means sometimes I could do it, but sometimes I couldn’t. For your problem, I could only advise, make sure you’ve the photos fully downloaded before opening it. Also, in my testing, I had better luck with Chrome.
Bryan Noronha says
Thanks a ton Ethan.
Umberto says
Hi, I have difficulties to activate my security token,
I can get to the step:
– Activate My Security Token
Open the My Security Token app and touch “Add user”
but when Bring your device’s viewfinder over the QR code to scan it, camera malfunction, can not open the camera app, you may need to reboot your device.
what do I do?
Ethan says
Sorry Umberto, I don’t know why it keeps crashing every time you try to bring up the viewfinder on your Xiaomi Authenticator app. You can try reinstalling the Authenticator app and follow the steps here to activate it. Alternatively, I was told by Nagra (see comment above) that you too can use the Google Authenticator. You can give it a try. I’ve yet to have the time to try it.
Umberto says
Thank you Ethan,
I managed to activate the token ….
the problem was that in the settings miauthenticator the camera did not have permission ….
now everything is ok, token activated ….. sorry for my english
Ethan says
You’re most welcomed. Good to hear that.
nagra says
FYI, you can also use Google’s Authenticator app instead of Xiaomi’s which uses Chinese language. Both produce the same code. I’ve verified myself.
Ethan says
Thanks for the information.
Plastatik says
After put my email and password,i need put the damn Token,that i dont know if are the key that authentification gave me or is another thing.
I do put the authentification code and says me error.
I do try with another ways of do login with my phone number.Xiaomi send me a code to my phone.I do put the code on the window…says me error again!
Before the las update with security from Xiaomi,i can do login without problems.Mi phone number was authentified and all was good.
But after the last security update,i need put a code,after type my password and email but none of the ways work and can not do login and use mi cloud or xiaomi web account…
What i do wrong?
Ethan says
Sorry, I’ve no idea what’s causing this issue. Do copy/paste this question in the MIUI forum, and hopefully the admin or developers can help you.
shubham says
Hi team,
I factory reset my redmi mobile .
I unable to login to mi cloud with mi old account.I tried to generate the verification code but all attempts are fail i did’nt received any code how will I login to my account without tokken and verifications code.
Ethan says
MAny people have reported this issue. Check out this thread. This user was lucky enough to get help directly from the administrator. It’s better you report your problem in the MIUI forum.
lakshya says
thanks mate it helped me so much…:))