How to transfer everything to the new Xiaomi phone: the complete guide

Buying a new smartphone is always a pleasant experience, but it is often overshadowed by the chilling prospect of transferring hundreds of photos, contacts and settings from an old device.The owners of the Xiaomi ecosystem are in a prime position as the company has developed powerful tools for data migration that make the process as simple and fast as possible.You don't need to be a technician to perform this operation, follow the steps carefully enough.

In this article, we will discuss in detail a few ways to transfer everything to the new Xiaomi phone, including using the built-in Mi Mover app, Google cloud services and manual copying. We will look at the nuances of working with the Android operating system, the features of data transfer from the iPhone and the typical errors that can occur in the process. The right method will allow you to start using the gadget immediately after turning on, without spending hours installing applications and entering passwords.

Before we start, it's worth noting that the migration process requires some preparation of both devices. Regardless of the method chosen, connection stability and battery level are critical. Ignoring basic safety rules can lead to a process interruption or loss of information, which is especially frustrating with a large amount of data.

Preparation of devices for information transfer

The first and most important step is to properly prepare both smartphones: Make sure that the old and new devices have a battery level of at least 60%. The process of copying large amounts of data, especially high-resolution photos and videos, can significantly consume energy, and suddenly turning off one of the devices will interrupt the operation. If you can not charge the devices, keep them connected to the power source.

You also need to check for free space on your new smartphone. The amount of available memory on the receiving device should exceed the amount of data you plan to transfer. You can check this by going to the Settings menu → About phone → Memory. If there is not enough space, it is recommended to pre-clean the cache or delete unnecessary files on the old device.

Be sure to connect to a stable Wi-Fi network if you plan to use cloud synchronization methods. Data transfer over a mobile network can be slow and lead to unexpected traffic costs. Local transfer via Mi Mover does not require Internet, as devices create a direct wireless connection.

⚠️ Warning: Before any manipulations are initiated, it is strongly recommended to back up important data to an external medium or computer, which will protect you from accidental loss of information in the event of a software failure.

Mi Mover Method: A Standard Solution from Xiaomi

The most efficient and quickest way to transfer everything to the new Xiaomi phone is to use the built-in Mi Mover app, which is designed specifically for the MIUI and HyperOS ecosystem, providing not only multimedia, but also system settings, desktop icons, and application data.

To get started, open the Mi Mover app on both devices, usually in the Tools or Services folder. On the new phone, select the Receiver role, and on the old phone, the Old phone, the receiver will create a Wi-Fi hotspot that the old smartphone needs to connect to, and the search and pairing process takes literally seconds.

Once the connection is established, the system will suggest selecting data categories to transfer, you can choose all at once, or you can specify specific file types: contacts, messages, call logs, applications, images, music and video. The compression algorithm used by the application allows you to significantly speed up the process of transferring large files.

It is important to understand that data from banking applications and some secure messengers may not be automatically transferred for security reasons, and in such cases, you will need to re-authorize.

Using a Google account to sync

The classic method that works on any Android device is sync through a Google account, ideal for those already using the search giant’s services. When you first turn on a new Xiaomi, the system will prompt you to log into your Google account, and after authorization, you will automatically download contacts, calendar events, notes and a list of installed applications.

To make this method work properly, you need to make sure that the old phone has been synced, check this in Settings → Accounts → Google. Make sure the switches opposite Contacts, Calendar, Drive and other important items are active. Photos and videos are usually saved in Google Photos if Autoboot and Sync is enabled.

The main advantage of this method is that it is independent of the old phone model, you can flip data from any Android smartphone, even if it is a budget model from another manufacturer, but it is worth remembering that free cloud storage Google Drive is limited to 15 GB, which may not be enough for users with a large archive of media files.

• 📱 Contacts and calendar are automatically restored immediately after logging in to your account.
• 📸 Photos are uploaded as needed from the Google Photos cloud without taking up space immediately.
• 📝 The list of applications will be formed in the Play Market, but they will need to be installed manually or through the “Install all” function".

If you use two-factor authentication to protect your account, prepare a second way to confirm your login (such as a backup code or phone number access) in advance so you don’t lock yourself into a new device when you sign in.

Transferring data from iPhone to Xiaomi

Switching from iOS to Android used to be a difficult quest, but today the Mi Mover app supports the iPhone. To start the process on the new Xiaomi, run the Mi Mover and select the import option from iOS. QR-On the iPhone, you need to download the Mi Mover app from the App Store, run it and scan the code.

The system will request permission to access contacts, photos and other data on the iPhone, and once the rights are granted, the transfer will begin. It is important to note that due to the limitations of the iOS operating system, you will not be able to migrate installed applications, their data, Wi-Fi passwords and some system settings, the main thing that you can save is media files and contacts.

For porting iMessage messages and call history, standard methods may not be suitable. In some cases, using the "Move to Android" function inside the settings of the iPhone itself (Settings → Main → Portage or Reset iPhone) helps if the new phone is not already activated. However, for Xiaomi, the most reliable is the Mi Mover bundle + manual application installation.

⚠️ Note: When transferring from iPhone photos can be saved in format HEIC. Some older Android apps may not support this format.It is recommended that you select Compatibility or use a converter before transferring your iPhone.

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Tip: For maximum convenience after switching from iOS, install the new Xiaomi Gboard keyboard and adjust the input to get used to the new system faster.

Manual copying through a computer

If wireless methods seem too slow or cause doubts about reliability, there is always a time-tested way to copy through a computer. USB-cable and select file transfer mode (MTP). Copy the folders. DCIM (Photos and videos), Download, Music and others on your computer hard drive.

Then, plug in the new Xiaomi and transfer the stored data to the appropriate directories. Android folder structure is standardized, so file recognition problems shouldn't arise, a method that is particularly useful for transferring heavy video files to 4K, which can be copied over Wi-Fi for hours.

For contacts and calendars, you can use export to a.vcf file. On an old phone, open the Contacts app, find the Export function, and save the file to internal memory. Remove this file to a new phone and open it, the system will automatically prompt you to import all entries into the phone book.

• 💾 Reliability: The cable provides a stable speed without interference.
• 🔋 Independence: No charging is required during the process (unless the laptop is discharged).
• 📂 Control: You see each file and can sort out the unnecessary before downloading.

When you manually copy, pay attention to hidden folders that start with a dot. They often store application settings and cache. It usually makes no sense to copy them, since on a new system, the paths to the files may differ, which will lead to errors in the operation of programs.

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Manual copying via PC is the best choice for transferring over 50GB of video archives when Wi-Fi speeds are not enough.

Frequent problems and ways to solve them

Users often face a number of common difficulties in migrating, including the interruption of Mi Mover connections, which can be caused by energy-saving modes that kill the background transmission process, and it is recommended to turn off the power saving mode and unlock the screen of both devices during the transfer.

Another problem is the incompatibility of Android versions, where if you move from a very old version (like Android 6) to a new one (Android 13/14), some apps may not be installed because developers have stopped supporting them, in which case you will have to look for analogues in the Play Market.

Sometimes, after the transfer, the contacts can be duplicated, which happens if you used Google sync and import from the same location. SIM-It's done through the Contacts app" → menu → "Contact management" → "Combine duplicates. The system will put on the repeating records and combine them.