How to transfer data to the new Xiaomi phone: the full guide

Buying a new smartphone is always accompanied by a pleasant excitement, which quickly turns into anxiety about the safety of personal information. Owners of the Xiaomi ecosystem are in a favorable position, as the company has provided powerful built-in tools for migration.

The process of transferring information can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours, depending on the volume of your photos and the applications installed. Mi Moover is a regular application that greatly simplifies the task, allowing you to clone the contents of an old device to a new one in one session.

In this article, we will take a look at all the options available so that you can choose the one that suits your situation, whether you have an old Android, iPhone or a device from another manufacturer, there is a solution, and the main thing is to prepare both gadgets for work and choose the right algorithm for actions.

Preparation of devices for information transfer

Before any manipulations begin, it is critical to ensure stable power to both devices. The process of copying large amounts of data, especially high-resolution photos and videos, consumes a significant battery charge. If a new phone runs out in the middle of the procedure, you risk getting damaged files or interrupted installation of applications.

It's also worth freeing up space on a new device if it's not new out of the box. Although the system often suggests clearing the memory automatically, manual verification won't hurt. Make sure both smartphones have Wi-Fi enabled, as wireless data transfer is faster and more stable than mobile internet.

β˜‘οΈ Readiness for migration

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Don’t forget to check the version of the MIUI or HyperOS operating system. Sometimes synchronization tools need to be upgraded to the current version, which is especially true if you’re moving from a very old model to a flagship one where data protocols may have changed.

⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to interrupt the transmission process, even if it is 99% frozen. Forced reboot at this point may lead to the need to completely reset the new device.

Using the Mi Mover app for quick migration

The most effective way to transfer data to a new phone is to use the proprietary utility Mi Mover, which is pre-installed on all modern models of the brand and is available for download on Google Play for other Android smartphones, it creates a direct Wi-Fi connection between devices without wasting traffic to your mobile operator.

To start, run the app on both phones, select Reciever on the new device, and Sender on the old one. QR-This is a code that will appear on the screen of the new smartphone, and this action will automatically configure the high-speed communication channel.

Once you connect, you'll see a list of data categories that you can transfer, you can choose to selectively sync or copy everything at once, and the algorithm allows you to save folder structure and even the placement of icons on your desktop, which creates a sense of "native" device immediately after you turn it on.

What if the Mi Mover can’t see the device?
Make sure both phones have GPS and location permission on, sometimes to detect devices on the local network, and try to temporarily turn off mobile internet on both devices, leaving only Wi-Fi.

The Mi Mover app is the only regular tool that can correctly transfer the history of SMS and MMS from the old Android to the new Xiaomi without losing investment. Third-party services often ignore multimedia messages.

Transferring data from iPhone to Xiaomi

The proprietary Mi Mover app supports the iPhone, although the functionality is slightly narrower than that of Android-Android. The main limitation concerns applications: you can’t automatically install iOS versions on Android, as they are different operating systems.

The process starts in the same way: download Mi Mover from the App Store to your iPhone. When choosing a data type, note that the program will be able to copy contacts, photos, videos and notes. Calendar and events are also migratory if they are stored locally or in a standard Apple app.

Type of dataTransfer from AndroidTransfer from iPhone (iOS)Note
ContactsYes (full)Yes (full)Numbers, names, addresses are retained
Photos and videosYes.Yes.You might not be able to move Live Photos.
AnnexesYes (APK)No.You need to download again from Google Play
Messages (SMS)Yes.No.iMessage is not supported
Wi-Fi settingsYes.Partially.Passwords may not be saved.

Once you have finished copying your library to your iPhone, it is recommended that you sign in to your Google account on the new Xiaomi, which will synchronize email, documents and contacts that are stored in the Google cloud, rather than in the phone’s memory, and this combined approach ensures maximum data completeness.

πŸ“Š What device do you use to switch to Xiaomi?
From an old Android smartphone
With iPhone (iOS)
From the button phone
From another brand (Samsung, Huawei)
This is my first smartphone.

Sync through Google Account and Cloud Services

If a direct connection is not possible or you want to back up "just in case," use the power of the cloud.A Google account is the foundation of the Android ecosystem.When you first turn on a new phone, just type in your login and password and the system will prompt you to recover data from the last backup.

The cloud stores contacts, calendar events, Chrome browser passwords and a list of installed apps. However, photos and videos take up space in a storage that is often limited. For Xiaomi owners, Xiaomi Cloud (or Mi Cloud) is a great addition, which is integrated deeper into the system and allows you to synchronize specific settings such as themes and wallpapers.

To activate photo sync, go to the gallery settings and turn on cloud sync. This will take time if you have thousands of snapshots, but you will access your archive from any device just by logging in, which is especially useful for those who often change equipment or use multiple gadgets at the same time.

⚠️ Note: When you restore from a Google backup, apps will download automatically, but you will have to re-sign in to most of them (banks, social networks) for security reasons.

Transfer of messengers: WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber

Messengers deserve special attention, as they store their correspondence history in their local databases. Telegram works on a cloud-based basis: just enter the phone number and confirmation code, and all chats (except secret ones) will appear instantly. No additional actions are required.

WhatsApp is more complicated. When you migrate from Android to Android via Mi Mover, chat history is often automatically transferred. If that doesn't happen, use the built-in backup feature in WhatsApp settings on your old phone (via Google Drive). On the new device, when you first start, the app will detect the backup and prompt you to restore it.

Viber users also need to back up their old device through the app settings by selecting a save on Google Drive. Viber will ask the new phone when logging in to their account if they need to restore their message history from the backup they found. It is important to use the same Google account as the previous device.

πŸ’‘

Before resetting your old phone, be sure to log out of all accounts and untie your device from Google and Mi Account services so that the new owner does not get access to your data.

Common mistakes and ways to solve them

Even with powerful tools, users often run into problems, and one of the most common is space shortages, if you copy 200 GB of data and 150 GB is free on a new phone, the process will stop, and always leave 10-15 percent of the total storage space for the system to work properly.

Another common mistake is using an unstable connection. If you use a USB-OTG adapter for a wired connection, make sure it supports data transfer, not just charging. Cheap cables often cause connection breaks in the middle of the process.

If the process is stuck in the Initialization stage, try restarting both devices and disabling any devices. VPN-services or antiviruses that can block local network traffic, sometimes helping to temporarily shut down mobile Internet so that the phone does not try to switch from Wi-Fi Direct to the cellular network.

πŸ’‘

The most reliable method is a combination of Mi Mover for files and applications, and Google cloud sync for contacts and settings.

Questions and Answers (FAQ)

Can I transfer data if the screen of the old phone is broken?
If the sensor is not working, but the image is, you can connect it. USB-mouse-wise OTG-Adapter to control: If the screen is black but the phone is working, try unlocking it with voice or fingerprint (if configured) and plug it into your computer to manually copy files, or use Mi Mover if it was previously configured.
How long does it take to transfer 100 GB of data?
With Mi Mover and Wi-Fi Direct connections, speeds can reach 20-40 MB/s. 100 GB of data will be transferred in about 40-80 minutes.