Mi Unlock Tool 1004 Error -

Alex had just bought a used Xiaomi phone. It was a great deal—perfect hardware, a vibrant screen, but it was tied to the previous owner’s MI account. To truly make it his own, Alex needed to unlock the bootloader, the first step to installing a custom ROM or simply freeing the device.

He downloaded the official MI Unlock Tool, connected his phone, and followed every guide. But just as hope peaked, a red message appeared: mi unlock tool 1004 error

In Alex’s case, the previous owner had forgotten to remove their account. For others, it happens when buying “new” phones from third-party sellers who pre-logged into dummy accounts. Alex had just bought a used Xiaomi phone

After 72 hours, Alex unlocked the bootloader successfully. Error 1004 wasn’t a bug—it was a feature to prevent theft. He learned that the error means: “Prove you own this device by using the original account or having it removed properly.” He downloaded the official MI Unlock Tool, connected

He tried the usual tips—rebooting, reinstalling drivers, using a different USB port. Nothing worked. So he dug deeper.

Alex contacted the seller, who thankfully agreed to help. The previous owner logged into their MI account on a browser, went to the Xiaomi Cloud, and removed the device from their trusted list. Then, on the phone itself, they remotely signed out via “Find Device” > “Erase & Remove Account.”