Where is synchronization on Android Xiaomi: all ways to set up

Synchronizing data on Xiaomi smartphones is a key feature that allows you to save contacts, photos, notes and settings in the cloud so that they are available on all your devices. However, many users face difficulties in finding these settings: the MIUI menu often changes the location of items, and in different versions of the firmware paths may differ. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to enable synchronization, from standard Google services to Xiaomi branded solutions, and also consider typical problems and their solutions.

Xiaomi has two cloud services: Mi Account (for backup and synchronization of system data) and Google Account (for contacts, mail, calendar), and settings can be duplicated or conflicted if you are not configured correctly. If you just bought a Redmi, POCO or Xiaomi smartphone, this guide will help you figure out where to look for sync in your version of MIUI and how to avoid data loss when you change your device.

1. Where is the synchronization with the Xiaomi account (Mi Account)

The Mi Account is responsible for backing up system settings, messages, notes and some applications to find these settings:

1. Open the settings (the gear icon on the desktop).
2. Scroll down and select Accounts and Sync (in some versions of MIUI – Passwords and Security → Accounts).
3. Put it on your Mi Account (your email or phone number).
4. Go to Synchronization or Backup.

Here you will see sliders for individual data types: contacts, messages, notes, system settings, etc. Include those you want to sync. Please note: for the service to work properly, you need the device to have the option Automatic Data Sync (usually located in the same section).

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If you don’t see the Mi Account section, check if you are logged in. Go to Settings → About Phone → Mi Account and log in to the profile if necessary.

• 🔄 Backup – Creates a full copy of the system (linked to Mi Account).
• ☁️ Cloud storage – up to 5GB free for photos and files.
• 📱 Synchronization between devices – works only if both gadgets have the same Mi Account.

2. Set up sync with Google (contacts, mail, calendar)

If you use Google services (Gmail, Calendar, Contacts), their sync is set up separately.

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Synchronization.
2. Select Google (your email address).
3. Slip on account sync.

In this menu, you will see a list of services (Contacts, Calendar, Gmail, Google Photos, etc.) with on/off sliders. Importantly, if the synchronization of contacts does not work, check if the background mode for the Contacts app is turned off in the battery settings.

⚠️ Note: If you delete your Google account from your smartphone settings, all synchronized data (contacts, calendar) will disappear from the device but remain in the cloud. To avoid loss, manually export your data before deleting your account.

3. Photo sync: Mi Cloud vs Google Photo

On Xiaomi smartphones, there are two ways to automatically upload photos to the cloud: through Mi Cloud (a proprietary solution) and Google Photos. Both services can work simultaneously, but this leads to duplicate files and traffic consumption.

Mi Cloud (Xiaomi):

• 📸 Automatic boot when connecting to Wi-Fi.
• 🔒 5GB of free storage (expands for a fee).
• 📱 Photos available in the gallery on other Xiaomi devices.

To enable: Gallery → Settings → Cloud synchronization.

Google Photos:

• ☁️ 15GB of free storage (shared with Gmail and Drive).
• 🌍 Access from any device via browser.
• 🔍 Smart search by persons, places, objects.

To enable: Open the Google Photos app → Settings → Backup and Sync.

4. System backup on Xiaomi

Full backup on Xiaomi is created through Mi Account and includes:

• 📱 System settings (Wi-Fi, wallpaper, sounds).
• 💬 Communications (SMS and MMS).
• 📝 Notes and notebooks.
• 🎮 Data from some games and applications.

To create a backup:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup.
2. Select Backup in Mi Cloud.
3. Click Create a backup and wait until it is completed.

⚠️ Note: Backup does not include installed applications (only their data) and after resetting or changing the device, the application will have to be reinstalled via Google Play.

Connect your smartphone to Wi-Fi | Battery charge > 50% |Close all background apps |Check out free space in Mi Cloud-->

5. Why synchronization doesn't work: typical problems

If data synchronization does not work, the reasons may be as follows:

If the problem is not resolved:

1. Check your internet connection (synchronization only works with a stable connection).
2. Update the Mi Cloud and Google Play Services apps to the Play Market.
3. Reboot your smartphone – sometimes it resets the hung synchronization processes.
4. Perform a reset of network settings: Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings.

6. synchronization between Xiaomi devices (Mi Share and Quick Share)

For fast file transfer between Xiaomi smartphones (for example, with Redmi Note 12 on Xiaomi 13T), you can use:

• 📲 Mi Share – proprietary technology from Xiaomi (works only between devices of the brand).
• 🔄 Quick Share – universal protocol (compatible with Samsung, Google, etc.).
• 🌐 Mi Cloud – synchronize notes, contacts and photos.

To turn on Mi Share:

1. Open Settings → Connection and Sharing → Mi Share.
2. Turn on the slider and set the visible name of the device.
3. On the second smartphone, select the file → Share → Mi Share.

Quick Share is set up in a similar way, but requires installing the same app from the Play Market. The transfer speed depends on the version of the protocol: new models (for example, Xiaomi 14) use Quick Share 2.0 with support for Wi-Fi Direct.

7 How to transfer data from the old Xiaomi to the new

When you buy a new Xiaomi smartphone (for example, the transition from Redmi 10 to POCO X6 Pro), the data transfer is carried out in several steps:

Create a backup on your old phone|Sign in to Mi Account on your new device|Connect both smartphones to the same Wi-Fi network|Use Mi Mover (built-in app) or Quick Share-->

Method 1: Mi Mover (recommended by Xiaomi)

1. On the new smartphone, when you first turn on, select Data Transfer.
2. On your old phone, open Settings → About phone → Data Transfer.
3. Scan it. QR-code from the new device.
4. Select data for transfer (contacts, photos, applications) and confirm.

Method 2: Recovery from Mi Cloud

1. On the new smartphone, log in to the same Mi Account as on the old one.
2. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup.
3. Select the latest backup and click Restore.

⚠️ Note: When transferred via Mi Mover, both devices must have a minimum battery life of 30.

8. Alternative synchronization methods (for experienced users)

If standard methods are not suitable, you can use:

• 🖥️ Mi PC Suite - the official program for Windows/macOS, It allows you to create backups and synchronize files through USB.
• 🐧 ADB-commands - for forced synchronization (requires the inclusion of debugging on the USB).
• 🔗 Third-party services – Dropbox, Yandex Drive or Syncthing (for automatic file synchronization).

Example ADB-commands for forced contact synchronization:

adb shell content call --uri content://com.android.contacts --method sync --extra boolean true

For the Mi PC Suite:

1. Download the program from the official Xiaomi website.
2. Connect your smartphone via USB (enable File Transfer).
3. In the program, select Backup or Synchronization.

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To fully synchronize all data (including applications), it is better to use the combination of Mi Cloud + Google Account + Mi Mover.

Frequently asked questions