Buying a new Xiaomi Redmi Note smartphone always brings mixed feelings: on the one hand, the joy of owning a modern gadget, and on the other – the fear of losing important contacts or photos when transferring. the process of migrating data from one Android device to another has become much easier in recent years, but users still have many questions about how to do it as quickly and without loss.
Xiaomi owners have a unique advantage in the form of a pre-installed system MIUI (or its global version of HyperOS, which offers native tools for cloning information. IT-But knowing the nuances will help avoid common mistakes. We'll look at all the current synchronization methods, from cloud services to direct cable.
Before you start the action, make sure that both devices are at least 60 percent charged, the transfer process can be energy-intensive, especially if you plan to roll over gigabytes of photos and videos, and prepare a stable Wi-Fi connection, as some methods require significant traffic that can be exhausted when using mobile data.
Preparation of devices and backup
The first and most important step is to prepare the original smartphone. Regardless of which brand your old phone has (Samsung, Honor, Realme or whatever), the basic principles are the same. Backup is insurance in case something goes wrong. It is recommended to check whether Google account is activated, as this is the foundation for the Android ecosystem.
On your old device, go to the settings and find the System or Google section. Make sure that contacts, calendar and notes are synchronized. For photos, the best way to use Google Photos or Mi Cloud storage is if you already use Xiaomi services, which will keep media files intact even if the physical data transfer is interrupted.
⚠️ Note: If the older phone has a significantly older version of Android (such as 6.0 or 7.0), some modern apps may not display correctly on the new Redmi Note.
Make sure that the new Xiaomi Redmi Note has enough space to receive all the data, and if the internal memory of the old device exceeds the available space on the new one, you will have to choose only the most important or use external drives.
☑️ Checklist before migration
Using the Mi Mover application for direct transmission
The most efficient and quickest way to transfer is to use the Mi Mover app, which is designed specifically for the Xiaomi ecosystem and allows you to transfer data without compression and loss of quality. The app is usually pre-installed on all Redmi Note smartphones, but if it is not available, you can download it from the GetApps store or Google Play.
Run the app on both devices. On the new Xiaomi Redmi Note, select Recipient, and on the old phone, Sender. QR-code or connect through device search. Once you have established the connection, you will see a list of data categories available for portability.
- 📱 Contacts and Messages: Instantly Transfer Phone Book and History SMS.
- 🖼️ Multimedia: Photos, videos and music files in original quality.
- 📲 Annexes: Installation APK-File transfer and data transfer within applications (if supported).
- ⚙️ Settings: Wi-Fi passwords, alarm clocks and system preferences.
It is important to keep the screens on and the speed of the transfer depends on the amount of data and the quality of Wi-Fi modules in smartphones. For large files (over 10 GB), the process can take from 15 to 40 minutes.
What if Mi Mover can't see an old phone?
Sync through Google Account and Cloud Services
If direct porting is not possible for some reason, the classic Google Account sync method comes to the rescue, the most versatile method that works equally well on any Android device. When you first set up a new Redmi Note, the system will prompt you to enter your Google login.
Once logged in, you’ll automatically download contacts, calendar events, and set up a list of apps you’ve used before. Google Drive can also store backups of some apps’ settings, and even screenshots if the appropriate option was enabled on the old device.
For photos and videos, Google Photos is the best option. Install the app on your old phone, turn on autoload and wait for the process to complete. On the new Xiaomi Redmi Note, it’s easy to log in to the same account, and your entire gallery will be available in the cloud, taking up minimal space on the device.
| Type of data | Google's method | Free tariff limits | Recovery speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Google Contacts | 15 GB (total) | Instantly. |
| Photo/Video | Google Photo | 15 GB (total) | Depends on the Internet. |
| Files. | Google Drive | 15 GB (total) | Medium |
| Annexes | Play Market | No Limits (List) | Depends on size. |
The main disadvantage of this method is the dependence on the speed of the Internet connection. If you have tariffed traffic, be careful with the amount of data you download. For owners of Xiaomi, Mi Cloud is also relevant, which offers similar functionality with integration into the system.
Transferring Multimedia and Files via PC
For users who have a huge archive of files (tens of gigabytes of video, music, documents), the most reliable way is to use a computer, which allows you to visually control the process and sort data before downloading to the new Redmi Note.
Connect your old smartphone to your computer through USB-cable and select the "File Transfer" mode» (MTP). Copy the folders. DCIM, Download, Documents and other required directories to your PC hard drive. then plug in the new Xiaomi and transfer the data to the appropriate folders.
The advantage of this approach is that you can clean up the garbage before transferring it, and it’s convenient to remove duplicate photos or unnecessary APK installation files that may have accumulated over the years of using an old Android device.
⚠️ Note: When copying through a PC, the folder structure may change slightly. After transfer, check if the photos are displayed in the gallery. If not, use the built-in media scanner or restart the device.
Use quality USB Type-C or Micro-USB cables to ensure a stable transfer rate. Cheap charging cables may not support data mode or run extremely slow.
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Use Android File Transfer (on Mac) or Explorer (on Windows) for easy file system management. Xiaomi also has a useful Explorer app for sorting files after copying.
Migration of data messengers: WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber
Messengers require special attention, as their correspondence history is often stored locally or in specific clouds. WhatsApp has a built-in backup function. On an old phone, go to Settings → Chats → Backup and create a fresh backup in Google Drive.
When you install WhatsApp on the new Xiaomi Redmi Note, the app will automatically detect a backup in the cloud and prompt you to restore your message history.It is important to use the same phone number and the same Google account as on the previous device.
With Telegram, everything is simpler: the messenger is completely cloud-based, just enter your phone number and confirmation code, and all your chats, channels and media (within the cache) will be downloaded automatically.
- 💬 WhatsApp: Google Drive Backup and the Same Account Required.
- ✈️ Telegram: Full autosynchronization, backup is not needed.
- 📞 Viber: Uses Viber Backup (Google Drive) or local backup.
- 📸 Instagram/Direct: All data is stored on the servers of the social network.
For Viber, the process is similar to WhatsApp: you need to back up your app settings before you switch to a new phone, and when you first start on a new device, Viber will ask if you need to restore a history from the backup you found.
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The history of correspondence in messengers is not automatically transferred through Mi Mover in full. Be sure to make separate backups inside the apps themselves before changing the phone.
Problem Solving and Post-Mobility Optimization
Once the data migration is complete, the new smartphone can run slower than usual in the first hours, because Android and the MIUI shell index files and optimize applications in the background, and don’t panic if the battery is running faster or the phone is heating up.
Check all portable applications. Some banking applications or enterprise services may require re-authorization or reconfiguring the biometrics (fingerprint, face) for security reasons.
If you find that some contacts are not displayed correctly (for example, without names or with duplicates), use the service contacts.google.com. There is a convenient feature “Rect and manage” that allows you to combine duplicates and restore deleted records for the last 30 days.
⚠️ Note: After transferring data from another Android brand (such as Samsung or Huawei), some system calls or specific settings may not be ported due to differences in shells. → Annexes.
Finally, it is recommended to remove the Mi Mover app and other temporary utilities if you no longer plan to use them, which will free up space and reduce the RAM load of your new Redmi Note.