Sync in Xiaomi Redmi 8 phone: a complete guide to setup and restore data

What is synchronization and why is it important for Redmi 8

Synchronization on the Xiaomi Redmi 8 smartphone is the process of automatically saving and updating data between the device and cloud services. Without it, you risk losing contacts, photos or settings when you reset your phone, replace your battery or update your firmware. Unlike flagship models, the Redmi 8 does not have built-in protection against hardware failures, so backup through synchronization becomes critical.

The main purpose of synchronization is to allow access to your data from any device, for example, if you add a new contact on Redmi 8, it will automatically appear on a tablet or other phone that is linked to the same Mi Account, which works not only for contacts, but also for notes, call history, messages (in some firmware), as well as system settings - from wallpaper to Wi-Fi settings.

On Redmi 8, synchronization is implemented through two main channels: 1) Xiaomi Cloud (Mi Cloud) is a proprietary service with 5 GB of free space; 2) Google Services – synchronization through a Gmail account, which often duplicates the functions of Mi Cloud, but with other limits.

What data can be synchronized on Redmi 8

Not all data on the smartphone is automatically synchronized. On Xiaomi Redmi 8 with MIUI 11/12 firmware, the following options are available:

• 📇 Contacts – synced through both Mi Cloud and Google Contacts, with the last saved option prioritizing conflict.
• 📝 Notes are only available through Mi Cloud (Notes from Xiaomi) and notes from Google Keep are synced separately.
• 📷 Photo and video - optionally, through the Gallery → Mi Cloud. By default, only thumbnails are downloaded to save traffic.
• 🔄 Call history – saved in Mi Cloud, but restored only on Xiaomi devices.
• 📱 System settings -- wallpaper, sound circuits, network settings -- doesn't include Wi-Fi passwords!
• 📅 Calendar – synced via Google or Mi Account, but events from Xiaomi Calendar are not automatically transferred to Google Calendar.

It is important to understand that synchronizing SMS/MMS messages on Redmi 8 is not officially supported – they can only be saved manually through export to the file.

• 🎮 Installed apps (only listing them through Google Play)
• 🔐 Passwords from Wi-Fi and accounts
• 💳 Bank card data in Google Pay/Mi Pay

How to enable sync via Mi Cloud on Redmi 8

By default, the sync is off to save battery power and mobile traffic.

1. Open Settings → Mi Account (cloud icon).
2. Sign in to your Xiaomi account (if not registered, create it directly on your phone).
3. Go to Mi Cloud → Synchronization.
4. Activate sliders in front of the desired categories (contacts, notes, gallery, etc.).
5. Click Sync Now to start the process manually.

For automatic synchronization:

1. Return to Mi Cloud → Synchronization settings.
2. Enable the Autosynchronization option.
3. Choose Network: Wi-Fi only (recommended) or Wi-Fi and mobile data.

⚠️ Note: If you use two of these SIM-Redmi 8 cards, contacts can be duplicated when synchronized. SIM, Which ones are in the phone memory, through Contacts → Contact management → Imports/Exports.

Syncing with Google Account: an alternative to Mi Cloud

If you prefer the Google ecosystem, Redmi 8 can sync data through a Gmail account, a method that is convenient for users who often switch between devices of different brands (for example, from Xiaomi to Samsung).

To set up sync with Google:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Select your account (or add a new one).
3. Activate the sliders for the desired categories: 📇 Contacts – synchronize with Google Contacts 📅 Calendar - Events from Google Calendar 🌐 Application data – settings of Chrome, YouTube, etc. 📁 Backup – Keeping a list of apps and some settings

More. → Synchronize now

The main difference from Mi Cloud is that Google does not sync notes from Xiaomi’s standard Notes app, call history and wallpaper, but it does back up app data (such as game progress) that Mi Cloud does not.

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If Google sync is not working, check if Google Play Services are disabled in the battery settings (Settings → Applications → Application Management → Google Play Services → Battery → No Limits).

How to Recover Data on Redmi 8 After Reset

If you have made a factory reset or bought a used Redmi 8, you can restore data in two ways:

Method 1: Recovery through Mi Cloud

1. When you first turn on your phone, select the language and region.
2. On the Data Recovery screen, click Restore from Mi Cloud.
3. Enter the username and password from Mi Account, which was tied to the phone before the reset.
4. Select a backup (sorted by date) and click Restore.
5. Wait until it is completed – the process can take up to 30 minutes depending on the amount of data.

Method 2: Restore through Google Account

1. At the stage of setting up the phone, select Copy Data.
2. Log in to the Google Account that was synced earlier.
3. Choose which data to recover: 📱 Annexes - list of installed programs 📇 Contacts 📅 Calendar 🌐 Google Chrome settings

Confirm the recovery and wait for completion.

Important: photos and videos are only restored through Google if they were uploaded to Google Photos before reset, and if you only synced the gallery through Mi Cloud, you can only restore them in the first way.

Common synchronization problems and their solution

Redmi 8 users often experience sync errors, and here are typical scenarios and ways to fix them:

⚠️ Note: If you change region to Mi Account (e.g. from Russia to China), previously created backups may become unavailable.

How to Disable Synchronization and Remove Data from the Cloud

If you want to save battery power or free up space in the cloud, sync can be turned off or configured selectively.

Disable synchronization in Mi Cloud:

Delete data from Mi Cloud:

Turning off Google Sync:

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