How to Move All Data from Android to Xiaomi: Expert Guide

Buying a new smartphone is always a pleasant excitement, but immediately followed by the need to customize the device. It is especially important not to lose the accumulated over the years contacts, correspondence in messengers and personal photos. For owners of Xiaomi equipment, this process is made easier with built-in tools, but many users still use complex or inefficient methods.

Modern Android smartphones have powerful synchronization capabilities that allow you to transfer digital life in minutes. IT-In this article, we will discuss all the current ways of data migration, paying special attention to the proprietary application Mi Mover and cloud services.

The right method depends on the amount of information and the condition of the old device. Sometimes wireless transmission is faster than using a USB-C cable, and in other cases the cloud is the only salvation, and let's take each option into account in detail so that you can choose the best path for your situation.

Preparing the old and new device for migration

Before you start any copying process, you need to do basic training of both gadgets. Ignoring this stage often leads to connection errors or interruption of transmission halfway. Make sure that both devices are charged at least 50% of the battery, as the process can be energy intensive.

Redmi and Poco owners should know that the new HyperOS shell, or current MIUI, requires certain permissions to work properly. On an old phone, check for free space if you plan to use intermediate storage, although most data is directly flown.

It is also critical to update the system components on both devices to the latest versions, ensuring that transmission protocols are compatible and that there are no bugs that were encountered in early builds.

β˜‘οΈ Checklist before start

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Be sure to check the integrity of Wi-Fi modules, as most methods rely on local networking. If the old device has an aggressive energy saving mode, it is better to temporarily turn it off to avoid disconnection.

Using the Mi Mover app for fast transfer

The most efficient and preferred way for the Xiaomi ecosystem is to use the Mi Mover tool, which is pre-installed on all new devices of the brand and allows you to transfer data without compression and loss of quality. It works on the principle of creating direct Wi-Fi communication between devices.

To get started, open the app on your new smartphone and select Receiver. On your old device (even if it’s not Xiaomi), you’ll need to download a similar app from Google Play or scan it. QR-And then you'll see the code that's going to appear on the screen of the new phone, and then you'll see the detailed data selection menu after you pair it.

⚠️ Warning: While Mi Mover is running, device screens may go out, but don't block them completely.Stop the process due to going to sleep on the old phone can damage the archive with the data.

The app allows you to select specific categories: contacts, messages, call logs, photos, videos, music and even installed applications. that the data of some banking applications and messengers with enhanced security may not be copied directly for security reasons.

The Mi Mover transmission speed is much faster than Bluetooth, and can reach tens of megabytes per second, making it ideal for carrying gigabytes of media.

What if the Mi Mover can’t see the device?
Make sure both phones have GPS and location permission enabled. Often, it's the lack of geolocation that blocks device search on the local network, as Android requires it to run Wi-Fi Direct. Also try rebooting the Wi-Fi module on both devices.

Synchronization through Google Account and Cloud Services

If you don't have a direct connection on hand, the Google ecosystem comes to the rescue, which is the gold standard for any Android system that keeps your data safe even if you lose your physical device. When you first set up a new Xiaomi, you'll be prompted to log in to your existing account.

During the authorization process, the system will offer to restore the backup, so you can select a restore point from the Google Drive cloud, where you store contact lists, calendar events, Chrome passwords, and even desktop icons, which is especially useful if your old phone is already sold or lost, but the backup is still there.

  • πŸ“ž Contacts: Instantly pull up from the Google cloud when you enter a password.
  • πŸ“Έ Photos and videos: Downloaded in the background through the Google Photos app.
  • πŸ“ Notes: Synced if Google Keep was used.
  • πŸ” Passwords: Autocomplete in Chrome and apps will work immediately.

It is important to note that this method requires a stable Internet connection to work properly, and it can take several hours to upload a large amount of photos, depending on the speed of your channel.

πŸ“Š What data transfer method do you use more often?
Mi Mover (locally)
Google Account (Cloud)
Manual copying on PC
Third-party applications like ShareIt

Manual transfer of files through the computer and USB-cable

For users who prefer full control of their data or have terabytes of information, the classic method of copying through a PC remains relevant. By connecting an old phone to a computer in MTP mode, you access the file system like a regular flash drive.

Copy the DCIM, Pictures, Download, and Music folders to your hard drive. Then plug the new Xiaomi and transfer the data to the appropriate directories. The good thing about this method is that it is independent of Wi-Fi speed and does not require you to install additional software on your smartphones.

But there's a caveat: you can't manually migrate system settings, Wi-Fi passwords, or call history, which is a way to only do multimedia files and documents.

MethodSpeed.What's transferableDifficulty
Mi MoverTall.Everything (contacts, photos, apps)Low.
Google AccountMedium (depending on the network)Contacts, settings, photosVery low.
USB Cable + PCTall.Files only (photos, videos, documents)Medium
BluetoothVery low.Individual small filesLow.

When using cable, try to use original or certified wires, as cheap analogs may not provide the stated data rate, especially for files larger than 10 GB.

πŸ’‘

Use a file manager with archiving support (e.g., Mi File Manager or the file manager). CX File Explorer for packing multiple small documents into one ZIP-archive before copying, which will speed up the process and preserve the folder structure.

Transfer of WhatsApp correspondence and messengers

The migration of messenger data deserves special attention, since it often does not store the correspondence history in the shared cloud backup of the system. WhatsApp has a built-in backup mechanism that you need to use on the old device.

Go to WhatsApp settings on your old phone, select Chats β†’ Backup, and click Backup on Google Drive. Make sure the process is complete. On the new Xiaomi, when you first install the app and type in the same phone number, the system will prompt you to restore the story from the cloud.

⚠️ Attention: To restore WhatsApp history, you need to add the same Google account on the new phone that stores the backup.

With Telegram, things are simpler: the entire story is stored on servers, and you just need to log in. However, secret chats (Secret Chats) are not portable and only remain on the old device for security reasons.

In Viber’s case, you can also use the backup feature in your app settings before you upgrade to a new device, a process similar to WhatsApp, but may sometimes require manual backup file selection when you install it.

πŸ’‘

Your correspondence history is not automatically transferred with the application when using Mi Mover. Be sure to back up each messenger separately!

Solving Frequent Problems and Errors in Copying

Even when using debugged tools, there can be disruptions. If Mi Mover is hanging out in the Prep phase, try clearing the app cache on both phones through the Settings menu β†’ Apps β†’ All Apps β†’ Mi Mover β†’ Clean.

A common problem is the incompatibility of Android versions. If the old device is very old version (for example, Android 5 or 6), and the new Xiaomi runs Android 13/14, some system settings may not be transferred, in this case, you should focus on the transfer of media files and contacts, and set the settings manually.

Another common mistake is space shortage: Before you start, check that the amount of free memory on the receiving device exceeds the amount of data transferred by at least 10-15% for temporary files.

What to do if contacts are lost after transfer?
Most often, contacts are not lost, but simply hidden from display. Open the Contacts app, click on three dots (menu) and select Settings β†’ Displayed Contacts. Make sure you tick All Contacts or select the correct account (Google/Phone). Also check the Recycle Bin folder in the Contacts app.
Can the Mi Mover process be interrupted?
It is strongly advised not to interrupt the process by force (by turning off power or closing the application), this can cause files to be damaged (broken archives), and the recipient application will stop working correctly. If the freeze occurs, wait for a timeout or try to restart both devices and start over.
Are passwords from Wi-Fi networks transferred?
Yes, if you use a backup method through Google Account or Mi Mover with full synchronization of system settings. When you connect to the same Wi-Fi network as before, the new phone may automatically suggest using the saved password, or the networks will appear in the list available with the mark "Save".

In conclusion, moving to Xiaomi is a great way to get the digital space in order, using a combination of Mi Mover for the bulk of data and Google Account for critical information, which will ensure maximum reliability and security of your data.