How to transfer data from Android to Xiaomi Redmi: the complete guide

Buying a new smartphone, especially the popular Xiaomi Redmi, is always accompanied by a pleasant anticipation, which, however, can be overshadowed by the prospect of a long and tedious setup. Transferring all the accumulated contacts, photos, apps and correspondence over the years seems to be a technical challenge that only specialists can afford. In fact, modern Android operating systems and the shell of MIUI or HyperOS offer many built-in tools to automate this process.

The main thing you need to know before you start the procedure is the importance of preparing both devices. It doesn't matter what old phone you have: Samsung, Huawei, Honor or any other budget Chinese. The algorithm will be almost identical, because the basic logic of the operating system is the same for everyone. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of migration, from cloud services to local transmission over Wi-Fi Direct, so you can choose the most suitable for your situation.

It's worth noting that the success of the transfer depends on the state of the battery and the stability of the connection. Full charging of both smartphones is mandatory before you start synchronizing large amounts of data. If the process is interrupted in the middle, you risk getting broken files or an incomplete list of contacts, which will take much longer to recover than the original setup itself. Let's look at each of the available methods Step-by-step.

Using the Mi Mover app for quick migration

The most efficient and quickest way to transfer data between devices is using the proprietary Mi Mover app, which is designed specifically for the Xiaomi ecosystem and allows you to transfer information over a direct Wi-Fi channel without using Internet traffic. The transfer speed is limited only by the wireless modules of your phones, which allows you to pump tens of gigabytes in minutes.

The process starts with installing the app on an old device, and if you have a new Redmi in your hand, the app is already built into the system and is in the Tools folder. On an old phone, download Mi Mover from the Google Play store or through a scan. QR-The code that will appear on the screen of the new smartphone after the program launches, and after launch, you will need to select the role of the device: "I send" on the old phone and "I receive" on the new one.

When the devices find each other and establish a secure connection, you will see a list of data categories available for transfer. The system will suggest choosing what exactly you want to copy: contacts, messages, call history, installed applications, system settings, images, music and video. You can mark all points at once or select only critical files to speed up the initial setup.

• 📲 Contacts and messages: Instant transfer of the entire telephone book and SMS-archive without loss of formatting.
• 📸 Media Files: Copying photos and videos in original quality, including hidden albums.
• 📱 Annexes: Transfer APK-Program files, although data within some applications (e.g. banking) may require separate logins.
• ⚙️ System settings: Transfer Wi-Fi passwords, alarm clocks and interface preferences.

⚠️ Note: When transferring data via Mi Mover, do not leave the application or block smartphone screens. Screen saver or go to sleep mode can break the Wi-Fi Direct connection, and the process will have to start again.

Once the transfer is complete, the new Xiaomi will begin the process of installing apps and indexing files, which can take some time, especially if you are carrying thousands of photos, at which time it is better not to use the phone, so as not to put extra strain on the processor and disk drive.

Synchronization through Google Account

The classic method, which works on any Android device, regardless of brand, is that all your data is uploaded to Google servers in advance and automatically downloaded back when you sign in on a new Redmi, ideal for those who want to maintain continuity of service usage and do not want to depend on physical proximity devices.

The first step is to make sure that your old phone is synced. Go to settings, find the Accounts or Users and Acca section, select your Google account and check if the check boxes are ticked against the right ones: Contacts, Calendar, Notes, Photos (via Google Photos). If you use Google Photos with the download enabled, your photos are already in the cloud and you don't need to transfer them separately.

On the new Xiaomi, when you first start up, the system will prompt you to enter Google's login and password. If the phone is already configured, you can add an account through Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google. Once authorized, the system will offer to restore data from the backup. You will see a list of available backups with a date of creation - choose the latest one.

It's important to understand the difference between synchronization and full backup. Contact and calendar syncs are real-time, and recovery of apps and their data requires a backup created in Google Drive. If you've never done a full backup of a system, then apps will install, but progress in games or settings within programs may not be saved.

Transferring data through cloud services

Beyond the Google ecosystem, Xiaomi users have access to their own Mi Cloud, a powerful tool that is deeply integrated into the MIUI shell, allowing you to store not only contacts and photos, but also voice recordings, notes and even the location of icons on the desktop. 5 GB of free space is available for new users, which is enough for critical data.

To use this method, sign in to Mi Account on an old device (if it is also Xiaomi) or install the Mi Cloud app on any Android. Upload the necessary data to the cloud. On the new Redmi, just log in to the same Mi Account when you first set up. The system will offer to recover data from the Xiaomi cloud, which is often even more convenient than the standard Google backup, thanks to more detailed settings.

For photos and videos, many users prefer third-party cloud storage, such as Yandex.Disk, Cloud Mail.ru or Dropbox. By installing the app on both phones, you can enable the gallery autoload.This is not a direct one-to-one transfer at the time of setting up, but ensures that no frame is lost when you change your device.

Clouds are especially important if your old phone is broken or not turning on, but the data in the cloud is still there, so the new Redmi will be your window into the digital world, instantly pulling all the information from the network.

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Tip: Enable high-quality photo compression in Google Photos to save space in the cloud, but maintain acceptable quality for viewing on your smartphone screen.

Local Copying via USB and Computer

For users who prefer complete control over their data and don't trust the cloud, there's a good old-fashioned PC copying method, which is also indispensable if you want to transfer very heavy files, like videos to 4K, that are downloaded over the Internet for a long time. You'll need a USB cable and access to the file system of both phones.

Connect your old phone to your computer and select File Transfer Mode (MTP). Copy DCIM (photo and video), Download, Music, and other important directories to your computer's hard drive. Then disable your old smartphone, connect your new Xiaomi, and copy those folders to the appropriate sections of the new device's internal memory.

Special attention should be paid to the Android/data folder if you want to transfer the cache of some games or applications, although modern versions of Android restrict access to this folder for security. For contacts, this method is less convenient, since it requires exporting to the.vcf file through the contact application and then importing this file on the new device.

⚠️ Warning: When copying folders manually, strictly follow the directory structure. If you put photos in the wrong folder, the gallery MIUI They may not see them or, conversely, clog the albums with system debris.

This is a great way to be versatile, even if it works with different generations of phones and different versions of Android, and the computer acts as a neutral intermediary that simply copies bytes from one point to another.

Transfer of WhatsApp and messengers

The transfer of the history of correspondence in instant messengers deserves special attention, as it is often the most important part of the user’s digital life. WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber have their own backup mechanisms, which do not always depend on the common system.

For WhatsApp, it is critical that a fresh backup is created on an old phone in Google Drive. When you install the app on a new Redmi and log in to the same phone number, the system will detect the backup itself and suggest that you restore your message history and media files. Without this step, the correspondence will remain on the old device.

• 🟢 Telegram: No backup, all the history is stored on the server.
• 🟣 Viber: Requires you to back up your app settings before switching to a new phone.
• 💬 Signal: Has a transfer function through QR-code within the application, cloud backups have appeared recently and work specifically.

If you use chat encryption on WhatsApp, make sure you remember the backup password or have access to the encryption key, otherwise it will be impossible to recover data even technically.

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Key point: WhatsApp can only be ported if the new phone uses the same phone number and Google account where the copy is located.

Frequent problems and their solution

Despite the automation of processes, there can be errors, such as the new Redmi may not see the old phone in the Mi Mover, or sync may freeze by 99%, often with power saving settings that aggressively kill background data transfer processes.

If the transmission is interrupted, try to turn off mobile internet on both devices and leave only Wi-Fi. Also helps to reboot both smartphones before retrying. In rare cases, antivirus programs on an old phone can block the creation of a connection.

Once you've transferred the data, make sure you check the integrity of the information. Open the gallery, make sure the photos are uploaded, check the phone book. If some files are corrupted, you might want to repeat the procedure for a particular data category, selecting only that.