Buying a new smartphone always brings mixed feelings: the joy of having a fresh device and the slight anxiety about transferring all the accumulated information. This is especially true for users of the Xiaomi ecosystem, where the MIUI or HyperOS interface has its own unique features. The process of migrating data can seem like a complex maze, but modern technology reduces the risk of losing contacts, photos and applications to a minimum.
There are several proven ways to transfer data from one phone to another, and each has its own advantages depending on the condition of the old device and the amount of information. Xiaomi owners are in a winning position, as the company provides powerful built-in utilities that do not require installing third-party software on the new gadget. Below we will discuss in detail all methods, from cloud services to local transmission over Wi-Fi Direct.
Before starting the procedure, make sure that both devices have a sufficient battery life, preferably more than 50%. It is also recommended to check the amount of free memory on the new smartphone so that it exceeds the amount of data you plan to transfer. Ignoring this rule can lead to a halfway interruption, which will require repeating all the actions anew.
Use of the built-in Mi Mover application
The most efficient and quick way to transfer data from Android to Xiaomi is to use the Mi Mover app, which is pre-installed on all smartphones of the brand and optimized for working with the MIUI file system. The utility creates a direct Wi-Fi connection between devices, which provides high speed transmission of even large amounts of data, such as 4K video or heavy games.
To get started, open the app on both devices. On the new Xiaomi phone, select Receiver, and on the old smartphone, Sender. If the old device doesn't have a built-in Mi Mover, you can download it from Google Play or scan it. QR-code that will appear on the screen of the new phone. QR-The device code will connect, and you can select categories to transfer.
⚠️ Note: When transferring data via Mi Mover, the device screens should not go out. Make sure that the old smartphone’s power saving settings set “No Limits” for the Mi Mover app, otherwise the system may break the connection in the background.
The app allows you to flexibly customize content choices, and you can move not only standard media and contacts, but also system settings, including the location of desktop icons and passwords from Wi-Fi networks, which greatly speeds up the initial setup process, making the new phone familiar immediately after turning on.
☑️ Preparation for transmission via Mi Mover
Data recovery via Google Account
The classic method that works on any Android device is sync through a Google account, which is ideal if the old phone is already unavailable or damaged, but the data has already synced with the cloud. When you first turn on the new Xiaomi, the system will prompt you to log into your Google account and restore the backup.
During the recovery process, contacts, calendar events, Google Keep notes, and a list of installed apps are copied. Photos and videos are restored through Google Photos if Autoupload is enabled. It is important to understand that this method does not transfer files from internal memory, such as downloaded documents or messenger cache, unless they were saved to the cloud.
To check the sync status on your old device, go to Settings → Google → Sync, where you can force the update before you buy a new phone, ensuring that the latest contacts and calendar entries are not lost when you switch.
- 📱 Contacts and calendar: Restore automatically when logged in to your account, ensuring continuity of communication.
- 📷 Photos and videos: Uploaded in the background through the Google Photos app without taking up space in the local copy of the system.
- 📦 Apps: The list of apps is downloaded from the Play Market, but their internal data (logins, game progress) is stored only if the developer uses Google Play Games or cloud storage.
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Use Google One to create a full backup of your device before resetting. SMS-Messages and call history that are not normally synchronized separately.
Transferring data from iPhone to Xiaomi
Apple owners who have decided to switch to Android also have an easy migration option. Mi Mover supports iOS, but the functionality is slightly limited compared to transfer between Android devices. To start the process, you need to download the Mi Mover app from the App Store on the iPhone.
The process is similar: Xiaomi chooses to receive data, iPhone to send. After connecting to the Wi-Fi network of the new phone, you can select photos, videos and contacts to transfer. Messages and call history from iOS can not be transferred to Android due to security limitations of the Apple operating system.
⚠️ Note: When transferring from iPhone, photos can be recoded from the format HEIC compatible JPG, Don't interrupt the process, even if it seems to be stuck in the conversion phase.
For users who are actively using iCloud, there is an alternative way: you can log into iCloud via a browser on your computer, upload contacts in vCard format, and then import this file to the new Xiaomi through the Contacts app. This is a reliable way to save the phone book without losing numbering and additional fields.
Migration of WhatsApp and messengers
Special attention should be paid to the issue of preserving the history of correspondence in messengers. WhatsApp uses its own backup system, which is tied to Google Drive on Android. To transfer chat data to the new Xiaomi, it is enough to log into the same phone number and Google account when installing the application on a new device.
The system will automatically detect the backup on the disk and prompt it to recover. It is important that the new phone has the same Google account as the old one, otherwise it will not be possible to restore. For users switching from iPhone to Android, WhatsApp offers a special tool to migrate through the Lightning-to-USB-C cable during the initial setup of the phone.
What if WhatsApp doesn’t see a backup?
Other popular messengers, such as Telegram and Viber, store their correspondence history on their servers. When installing the application and logging in by phone number, all chats (except secret ones in Telegram) will be downloaded automatically. Viber may need to manually back up in the application settings on the old device before switching.
| Method | Speed. | What's transferable | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Mover | Tall. | Everything (photos, apps, settings) | Both phones on hand |
| Google Account | Medium | Contacts, applications, photos | Internet, Google account |
| Bluetooth | Low. | Just files, contacts. | Paired conjugation |
| PC (Copying) | Depends on USB. | Files and media | Computer, cable. |
Manual copying through a computer
If automatic methods cause failures or you need to transfer specific files, you can use the computer as an intermediate. USB-cable and select file transfer mode (MTP). Copy the necessary folders, such as DCIM (Photos, Download (downloads) and Documents, to the hard drive of the computer.
Then, plug in the new Xiaomi and transfer the stored data to the appropriate directories, a technique that is particularly useful for transferring heavy video archives or work project files that were not synced to the cloud, and it also allows you to audit the data and clear the debris before downloading to the new device.
When working with the Android file system, it is important not to break the folder structure, especially if you copy application data manually. However, for most user files (music, documents, photos), it is enough to simply place them in the root or corresponding folders of the internal memory of the new smartphone.
- 💾 Speed: Depends on the speed of the ports USB Class of memory card if used.
- 🔒 Security: Data is not transmitted over the Internet, eliminating the risk of interception in public networks.
- 🗂 Structure: Allows you to immediately sort files by folder on a new device.
Common mistakes and ways to solve them
Despite the fact that processes are fine, users often face problems, and one of the most common mistakes is to interrupt Wi-Fi Direct when using Mi Mover. This can happen if one device is power-saving or sleep-on for Wi-Fi, and the solution is to turn off battery optimization for the carrier application.
Another problem is that there's a lack of space, and before you start, the system checks the available space, but if you've chosen to move all the content and there's a little bit of space, the process will stand up, and it's critical that you first make room on the new device by deleting temporary files or unused applications, and then start migrating.
⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to interrupt the recording process by forced reboot, which may damage the new phone's file system and require a full reset before factory settings.
If contacts are displayed incorrectly or with duplicates after transfer, use the Contacts Unite feature in the Xiaomi Contacts app. It will automatically find duplicate entries and combine them into a single card, saving all numbers and addresses.
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The most reliable way to avoid errors is to carry out data transfer immediately after the first activation of the new phone, before installing additional applications and setting up complex passwords.