Changing your smartphone, especially within the same ecosystem, is often accompanied by a desire to instantly transfer all the accumulated data to a new device. Xiaomi and Redmi users are in a great position, as the MIUI and HyperOS shell offer built-in migration tools that do not require complex third-party software. The transition process can take from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the volume of your gallery and the number of applications installed.
But despite the apparent simplicity, many people face challenges: Wi-Fi passwords are not portable, desktop icons are lost, or bank authorization settings are reset. To avoid disappointment, you need to understand the differences between simple file copying and full system migration. In this article, we will explore all the nuances of how to transfer data as efficiently as possible.
It’s also important to consider the operating system version. If you move from Android 10 to Android 14, there may be nuances of compatibility for some older apps. However, the built-in Mi Mover engine handles most of these tasks automatically, checking packet integrity before installing.
⚠️ Warning: Before any data transfer operations are started, make sure that both phones are at least 50% charged.
There are several proven synchronization methods, such as using a proprietary application, a Mi Cloud cloud service, or manually copying via a PC, and the choice of the specific method depends on your goals: whether you need to clone the system one-to-one or just save photos and contacts.
Preparing devices for data migration
The first and most important step is getting both smartphones properly prepared, and don't ignore this step, because it solves 90 percent of potential transmission speed and stability issues, and make sure that both devices are Bluetooth and GPS enabled, even if you plan to use a Wi-Fi channel.
Check the space on your new phone. It should be more than the data volume on your old device. If you plan to move 60 GB of data and only 50 GB is free, the process will either not start or end up with an error in the middle. Clear the cache or delete unnecessary video files in advance.
- 🔋 Charge both smartphones to the level 60-80% Or connect them to power sources if cables allow.
- 📶 Turn off mobile internet on your old phone, leaving only Wi-Fi to avoid traffic consumption.
- 🔒 Unlock the screens of both devices and make sure they do not have aggressive antiviruses that block the connection.
It is also recommended to update the system application Security on both phones to the latest version via Settings → About Phone → System Update. In new versions of MIUI, migration tools are built into this system module, and its relevance is critical.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to port data if one of the phones has Do Not Disturb mode on, blocking all notifications, as this may interrupt handshakes between devices when creating an access point.
Using the Mi Mover app for full cloning
The most effective way to transfer data from one phone to another is to use the built-in Mi Mover app, which allows you to transfer not only media files, but also system settings, alarm clocks, voice recorders and even widgets, which does not require a computer or a stable Internet.
Run the app on both devices, and on the new phone, select "I'm the recipient" (New Phone) and on the old phone, "I'm the sender" (Old Phone). QR-code or find the device via Bluetooth, and when paired, the category selection menu will open.
You can choose specific types of data: images, videos, contacts, messages, apps. Pay attention to the System Settings section. If you want the new phone to behave exactly like the old one (the same sounds, vibrations, fonts), this is a must-see item. However, if the Android versions are very different, it is better to port only user data.
Transfer speeds depend on the supported Wi-Fi frequencies. Ideally, both phones should support 5GHz. If the connection is through 2.4GHz, the process can take significantly longer, especially when transferring heavy video files to 4K.
What if the transmission is 99% down?
Often, the process hangs over the final stage of app installation, so you don't have to panic or restart your phone. 10-15 If you're not making progress, interrupt the process and try to migrate only System Settings and Contacts, and install the apps manually from Google Play, which will take longer, but will ensure system stability. Xiaomi’s cloud service is a reliable way to save the most important data: contacts, notes, recordings and photos. Unlike local transfer, the cloud allows you to recover information even if your old phone has already been sold or lost. You will need a Mi Account to work. Go to the cloud settings on your old device along the Settings path → Mi Account. → Mi Cloud. You need to activate the synchronization of the right points. The system will automatically upload data to the company's servers. Free storage is limited to 5 GB, so full app backups and photos in their original quality will not fit there without a subscription. Data type Synchronized Limit (free) Contact Restoration Yes Up to 5000 pcs. Automatically Gallery Yes (compressed) 5 GB When logging in to the account Notes Yes No Limits* Instantly Through the Application List Only Not Applicable Through GetApps/Play On a new phone, it is enough to enter the login and password from the mobile phone, the Accuploader, the system quickly requires access to the last one's mobile phone, and the phone number to restore the mobile phone, and the mobile phone. Simply copying the application files is not enough – you need to save the history of correspondence. On WhatsApp, this is done through the built-in backup on Google Drive. Go to Settings → Chats → Backup Chats and click Save. On the new phone, WhatsApp will offer to restore the history from the cloud when you first start. Make sure you use the same phone number and the same Google account. Without this, you can not restore it. On Telegram, the history is stored on the server, so just log in, all the chats will appear instantly. With banking applications, the situation is more difficult because of security requirements. They can not just “reflip” with saving the history from the cloud. You will have to save the system, you will have to connect to Sberbank, for example, you will have to the system, you will have to the password, you will have to the bank, you will have to the system. 📱 Take screenshots of important QR-Entry codes for corporate tokens, if you have them. 🔐 Prepare. SIM-card, as to enter most banking applications will require SMS. 💳 Check in advance with the bank support if a visit to the branch is required when changing devices to confirm transactions.Dealing with Google Account and Contacts Despite the availability of Xiaomi services, Google Account remains the foundation of the Android system. This is where the contacts synchronize if you don’t use them. SIM-Check on the old phone, where the numbers are stored: in the phone memory, on the phone. SIM If contacts are stored in your phone's memory, export them. Go to Contacts, select Settings or menu (three dots) and find Export/Import. Select.vcf and save the file. This file can be flipped over Bluetooth or messenger and opened on a new device. However, the most reliable way is forced synchronization. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google. Make sure that the tick opposite "Contacts" is active, and click "Sync". After that, on the new phone, when you enter the same Google account, all the numbers will appear automatically in a few minutes. Also, through Google Account, passwords saved in Chrome and a list of previously installed applications are restored. This allows you to quickly find the desired program in Play, for example, if the "Synclosell the new" in the "Sempt, the "Sempt" section, you can easily see the new "Semptom, even if the new" in the "Semptoms, the "Semptoms, the "Semptoms, or the new" in the "Semptoms, the "Sellection" in the "Seges, it can be in the "Seges, the "Sellection" section, The system can aggressively close the background processes, considering them (energy-intensive). If the connection breaks, try to turn off the mobile network on both phones, leaving only Wi-Fi. Also helps to reboot both devices before you try again. Make sure that the new phone doesn’t have a too complex lock screen password, which the security system may perceive as an obstacle to recording data. MIUI (for example, MIUI 10) for new (MIUI 14), the folder structure may not be transferred. The photos may end up in a common pile, not in the Camera, Screenshot, etc. In this case, only manual sorting through the Gallery or using a computer to structure files will help (FAQ) Will Wi-Fi passwords be transferred when using Mi Mover? Yes, if you choose the "System Settings" port option, in which case the new phone will automatically connect to known Wi-Fi networks, and you won't have to re-enter passwords, but passwords from some corporate networks with complex authorization may require re-entering. Should I insert? SIM-If you want to send a card to a new phone before you start transferring it, you don't have to, but you want to. SIM-The card will be inserted later, you still have to go through the activation procedure again, which can be inconvenient. What if the new phone has less memory than the old one? In this case, full transfer over the Mi Mover is impossible. You have to choose the data manually: transfer only contacts, messages and most important photos. The rest of the files (video, music) should be transferred to the computer or the cloud, freeing up space on the old phone before you try again. When using Mi Mover and selecting the System Settings port, the launcher (desktop shell) will try to recreate the previous picture. The icons will fall into place, the widgets will remain. But if the new phone has a different version of Android or a different screen resolution, the system can automatically rearrange the icon grid for convenience. Can you interrupt the transfer process and continue later? Unfortunately, the standard Mi Mover tool does not support the function"Pause/Resume" (Pause/Continue) in the middle of the session. If the process is interrupted, it will have to start again. However, if you have already selected specific files for transfer, the system can skip the already copied, but it is more reliable to start the process again.