Buying a new smartphone is always accompanied by a pleasant anticipation of getting acquainted with more powerful hardware and fresh design, but this process overshadows the need to transfer all the accumulated information. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices are in a favorable position, because the company has developed its own tools that make data migration as simple and fast as possible. You do not need to be a technician to successfully complete this process, just follow the logic of actions.
There are several proven synchronization methods, each with its own characteristics and suits different use cases. The wireless method is ideal for most users who want to save all settings with one touch, whereas backup on a PC will be appreciated by those who are used to keeping full control of their files. The choice of the specific path depends on the amount of information transferred and the state of your current device.
In this article, we will take a look at all the options available so you can choose the best one for yourself. We will look at the Mi Mover application, the capabilities of Google cloud service and classic cable connection. Proper preparation before starting the procedure will save you from losing important contacts or photos.
Using the Mi Mover app for quick migration
The most efficient and preferred way for Xiaomi owners is to use the built-in Mi Mover tool, which is pre-installed on all modern models and allows you to transfer data over Wi-Fi Direct, which ensures high speed transfer without using Internet traffic.
On the new smartphone, you need to select the role of the Recipient, after which the screen will appear QR-The old device, whether it's another Android or iPhone, has to scan that code to establish a direct connection, and the speed of transmission in this mode is much faster than over Bluetooth, and is comparable to a wired connection.
- 📱 Select the data type: contacts, messages, calls, applications, photos and videos.
- ⚙️ Set up the settings: you can rule out system settings if you want a clean installation.
- 🚀 Start the process: wait until the transfer is over without turning off the device screens.
⚠️ Note: Do not interrupt the transfer process or switch to other applications while Mi Mover is running, as this may damage the data archive and cause you to start the procedure again.
Particular attention should be paid to compatibility of versions of MIUI or HyperOS. If the old device has a very old version of the firmware, some system settings may not be transferred correctly, in this case, it is better to limit the transfer of media and contacts, and the settings are made manually.
📊 What kind of data transfer do you prefer?
Mi Mover (Wi-Fi)
Google Account (Cloud)
Manually through the computer
Third-party applications (Cloneit, etc.)
Sync through Google Account and Cloud Services
The Android ecosystem offers a native backup mechanism that is deeply integrated into the operating system. When you first set up a new Xiaomi phone, you will be prompted to enter your Google account details. Once authorized, the system will automatically prompt you to restore your app list, contacts, calendar events, and even the location of icons on your desktop.
This method is particularly convenient because it doesn't require the old device to be on hand when you set up the new one. All the data is already in the cloud, and you only need a stable Internet connection. However, it's worth considering that Google Photos has limits on free storage, and full-size videos can take up a significant amount of disk space.
For owners of Apple equipment, there is also the possibility of migrating through the cloud, but it will require the installation of additional applications or the use of an intermediate stage. In the case of a transition from iOS to Android, the “Data Transfer” feature when initially set up will allow you to download contacts and media files directly.
| Type of data | Synchronization of Google | Mi Cloud | Local backups |
|---|
| Contacts | Automatically. | Automatically. | Requires manual selection |
| Photos and videos | Through Google Photos | Through the Gallery | Full copy of the files |
| Annexes | List and data | Only a list. | APK files and data |
| Wi-Fi passwords | Yes. | No. | Yes. |
It’s important to check what data is synced in your account beforehand. Go to your phone’s settings, select Accounts and Sync, and make sure the switches are active, ensuring that no important contact is lost when you change device.
What to do if the synchronization is suspended?
If the recovery process from the Google cloud is stalled during the Download Apps phase, try to interrupt the process, restart your phone and log in again. Sometimes cleaning up the cache of Google Play services through the Apps menu helps» -> «All applications» -> «Google Play Services» -> «Memory» -> «Manual file transfer via computer and cable For users who are used to storing huge archives of photos, music and documents, the most reliable remains the “good old” method of connecting to a computer. USB-You can use a cable to access the file system like a flash drive, so you can structure the data into folders before you transfer it to a new device. USB In the notification - File transfer (MTP). In Charging Only, the computer will not see the phone’s internal memory. This method is ideal for copying heavy video files in resolution. 4K, which can be transmitted over the air for a long time. MIUI Photos are usually stored in a directory. DCIM/Camera, When you manually copy documents, it is important not to break this structure if you want the applications on the new phone to immediately “see” the files. 💾 Create a backup on your hard drive before deleting data from your old phone. 📂 Copy the entire WhatsApp or Viber folder to save your email and media history. 🔌 Use the original cable to ensure a stable data rate. ⚠️ WARNING: When copying system folders or files with.root rights (if the phone is rooted) to a new device, be careful – this can cause conflicts in the operation of the operatic system. Once you have finished copying files to your new phone, it is recommended that you check the integrity of the data, open some random photos and documents to make sure they are not corrupted during transfer, and then format or clean the old device. Transferring messages and call history One of the most delicate tasks is to preserve the history of the message. SMS-Standard file copying methods won't help here, because this data is stored in secure databases of the system, and to transfer it, you can go back to the Mi Mover application or specialized gates. If you use Mi Mover, make sure that the selectable data list is ticked against Messages and Call Log. The application will create a temporary backup file that will be unpacked on the new device exactly, restoring even the time of receiving messages. For users switching from iPhones, the situation is more complicated. iMessage's history doesn't carry over to Android due to Apple's closed protocol. SMS-Messages can be carried forward when you initially set up a new phone, when the system suggests connecting a Lightning-to-USB-C cable or using the Move to iOS app in the opposite direction (although the latter rarely works a tab). In some cases, especially on older versions of Android, you may need to create a local backup through the recovery menu. → The phone. → Backup and restore. You can create a backup file here, which you then copy to your PC and transfer to the new phone in the same directory. 💡The most reliable way to save SMS and calls – using the regular Mi Mover, as it works at the system level and ensures the compatibility of databases. Popular messengers deserve special attention, as they store the history of correspondence in their own databases. Telegram in this regard is the most convenient: All the data is stored in the cloud, and you just log in to the new device to see the story. WhatsApp is different. To transfer the history of correspondence, you need to pre-backup Google Drive on your old phone. Go to WhatsApp settings. → chat → Backup chats and click on “Backup.” On the new phone, when you install the app, you will be asked to restore data from the cloud. Viber also requires you to create a local or cloud copy. ✅ Check that the new phone has the same number. SIM-card or you have access to its confirmation code. 📶 Make sure you have a stable Wi-Fi connection to download media files from the messenger cloud. 🔐 Don’t forget two-factor authentication: make sure you have access to the mail or number tied for recovery. ⚠️ Note: When transferring WhatsApp from iPhone to Android via cable (the feature is available on the new Xiaomi with Android 12)+), The history of the correspondence is preserved, but the status of "Been online" and some privacy settings can reset. Typical errors and ways to solve them Despite the debugging of processes, users often face problems. One of the most common is the lack of space on a new device. Before you start migrating, always check the space available. If you copy 100 GB of data and only 80 GB is free, the process will stop or new data will not be written. Another common problem is the Wi-Fi Direct connection break when using Mi Mover, which can be due to energy saving or the intervention of third-party antiviruses, in which case it is recommended to turn off aggressive energy saving modes during the transfer. If contacts are not displayed correctly (duplicate or unnamed) after transfer, check which account they are displayed in the phone book. SIM-Maps, from Google, from phone memory, and Contacts has a "Joint Duplicates" feature that solves this problem, and in rare cases, apps may not open after transfer. This is because some banks and secure applications are tied to a particular device or its security certificates. These apps will have to be removed and reinstalled from Google Play or GetApps, after logging in again. Passwords from Wi-Fi networks are only transferred between devices with the same version of Android or when using a Google account with network synchronization enabled. On older versions. MIUI This function could be unstable. SIM-- before the data transfer? SIM-Moreover, for some functions, such as confirmation of the number in messengers or access to the mobile Internet (if Wi-Fi is not available), SIM-However, if you use the Wi-Fi Direct method, make sure that the phone doesn't try to switch to mobile data in the process? If the screen isn’t working, but the phone is on, try connecting. USB-mouse-wise OTG-If the phone doesn't turn on at all, you can only recover data from previously created cloud copies (Google Photos, Mi Cloud) or by pulling out the memory card if it was used to store files. 64 GB of data? Using Mi Mover and Wi-Fi 5 The GHz process takes approximately 15-25 - I'm just going to go through Wi-Fi. 2.4 GHz time may increase to 40-60 Through the Google cloud, the speed will depend solely on the speed of your Internet channel. Can you interrupt the transfer and continue later? In most cases, the Mi Mover app does not support the "pause and continuation" function in one session. If the process is interrupted, it is recommended to start over, as partial data can cause errors in the system on the new phone.