Buying a new smartphone is always a pleasant thrill, but the process of transferring information from an old device often turns into a real stress test for the nervous system. Owners of the Xiaomi ecosystem are in a better position than users of other brands, thanks to built-in migration tools that make life much easier. You do not need to manually rewrite numbers or search for lost photos if you approach the question systematically and choose the right copying method.
Modern technology allows you to clone the contents of an old gadget to a new Redmi or Poco in just a few clicks, even saving the placement of icons on the desktop. However, there are nuances related to the Android versions, the type of old operating system and the amount of internal memory that can affect the speed and success of the operation. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to make the transition as smooth as possible.
Preparation of devices before the migration
Before launching any transfer tools, it is critical to perform a series of preparatory actions that are often ignored in a hurry: both devices must be charged at least 60-70% or connected to a power source, since the process of transferring large amounts of data through Wi-Fi Direct actively consumes battery energy.
You also need to make sure that both smartphones have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled, even if you plan to use a cable connection for safety nets. On an old phone, it’s worth freeing up some space by removing temporary cache files to speed up data scanning. If you’re using third-party launchers or specific themes, it’s best to temporarily return to the standard interface to avoid conflicts when you restore settings.
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Before you start the transfer, make sure to check that the new phone has the latest MIUI or HyperOS update installed, as older versions may not work properly with new data protocols.
Remember to remember your Google account password and passwords from important apps like bank clients or instant messengers in advance. In some cases, the security system may request re-authorization, and access to confirmation codes should be at your fingertips. Checking these little things now will save you hours of troubleshooting in the future.
Using the Mi Mover app for full cloning
The most effective and native tool for owners of Xiaomi equipment is the Mi Mover application, which is preinstalled in the system or available for download. MIUI It allows you to transfer not only media files, but also system settings, call history, SMS-It's optimized for high speed data transfer over a local Wi-Fi channel.
It starts with running the program on both devices, and on the new phone you choose the Recipient role, and on the old phone you choose the Sender role. QR-If you have a code or manual connection to a Wi-Fi network you've created, you can choose the categories of data you want to transfer, and you can choose to migrate selectively, leave the garbage on your old device, or you can copy everything.
☑️ Checklist for Mi Mover
It is worth noting that when migrating from iOS to Android, functionality can be limited to basic contacts and photos due to the closed Apple ecosystem. However, when migrating between two Android smartphones, especially if both brands are owned by Xiaomi Inc., it reaches almost 100%.
Setting up a Google Account and Syncing the Cloud
An alternative and often more reliable way is to use Google’s cloud services, which are deeply integrated into the Android operating system. When a new smartphone is turned on for the first time, the system will suggest restoring data from a backup created earlier, an ideal method for those who want to get a clean system without unnecessary garbage, carrying only the most important things: contacts, calendar, notes and a list of installed applications.
To successfully implement this method, you need to make sure that the old device in the Settings → Google → Backup was performed recent sync. The Google Drive cloud usually gets Wi-Fi settings, passwords saved in Chrome, and call history. Photos and videos are better checked separately in the Google Photos app, making sure that all photos are uploaded to the cloud before resetting or replacing the old phone.
⚠️ Note: When recovering from a Google backup, some specific MIUI settings (such as themes, controls, and system sounds) may not be portable because they are not part of standard Android.
Once you enter an account, the new device will start to load applications in the background, which can take time depending on the speed of the Internet connection and the number of programs, and the advantage of this method is that it works even if the old device is no longer available, broken or lost, provided that the backup was made in advance.
What if two-factor authentication blocks the entry?
Comparison of data transfer methods
The choice of migration depends on your priorities: speed, completeness of the copy or cleanliness of the system. Below is a comparative table that will help determine the optimal strategy for your situation. Each method has its strengths and limitations that are worth considering.
| Parameter | Mi Mover | Google Backup | Manual transfer (PC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed of operation | High (local Wi-Fi) | Medium (depending on the Internet) | High (USB cable) |
| Transfer of MIUI settings | Complete. | Basic | Absent. |
| The Necessity of the Internet | Not required | I'll be sure. | Not required |
| Risk of data loss | Minimum | Medium (net break) | Low. |
Local transfer via Mi Mover is a great deal faster, as data is not sent through external servers, but is transmitted directly between devices, especially when transferring tens of gigabytes of photos and videos. However, if you plan to switch to a different brand phone in the future, Google’s method will be more versatile and manufacturer-independent.
Manual transfer over a computer should be considered as an additional security measure for archiving critical documents. By connecting your phone in file transfer (MTP) mode, you can copy DCIM, Download and Documents folders to your hard drive, which will create a physical copy of the data that is independent of the state of accounts or the operation of cloud services.
Transferring WhatsApp and Viber messages
Messengers deserve special attention, as they often store the most important correspondence and media files. Standard copying methods may not save the history of chats within the applications themselves unless a special procedure is performed. WhatsApp needs to back up in the settings of the application itself by choosing to save to Google Drive.
When you first install WhatsApp on a new phone, it automatically detects presence in the cloud and offers to restore your message history. It is important to use the same phone number and the same Google account as on your old device. In the case of Viber, the process is similar: settings → account → Viber backup, after which the recovery is automatically when you log in to your account.
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The main secret of successful transfer of messengers is to create a fresh backup immediately before replacing them. SIM-card.
If you're switching from iPhone to Android, the process can be more complicated. In some cases, you need to use a Lightning-to-USB-C cable when you first set up a new Android smartphone so that the system can pull out an encrypted chat database directly. Without this step, WhatsApp's history may not be transferred, only the media files stored in the gallery will remain.
Solving common problems and errors
During the migration process, users may face various technical difficulties, such as the process hanging at a certain percentage or the disappearance of a part of the files. Often the cause is an aggressive energy saving system that can "sleep" the background data transfer process on one of the devices.
Another common problem is the incompatibility of Android versions. If you are migrating data from a very old Android (like version 6 or 7) to the latest Android 14, some system files may be ignored by the new device for security reasons, in which case you should focus on manually copying media content.
⚠️ Note: If the new phone is slow or has an interface failure after the transfer, it is recommended to perform a full Factory Reset on the new device and repeat the setup process from scratch, selecting only the basic data.
Also, some banking apps and secure corporate customers are not portable with data for security reasons, and will have to be re-downloaded from the Google Play Market and logged in, possibly via text or call. Prepare in advance for some sites to require sign-in confirmation from a new device.