Changing your smartphone is always stressful, with the risk of losing important contacts, photos or customizations of familiar apps. However, Xiaomi ecosystem owners are more fortunate than users of many other brands, thanks to deeply integrated synchronization tools. Modern devices, whether it is a budget Redmi or flagship Xiaomi 14, allow you to clone the system in almost one click.
In this article, we will discuss all available migration methods, from the regular Mi Mover application to Google cloud services and Mi Cloud. You will learn how to transfer not only media files, but also Wi-Fi passwords, placement of icons on your desktop and even banking application data without losing functionality.
Whether you’re switching from MIUI 12 to MIUI 14 or HyperOS to HyperOS, the basics remain similar, but there are important nuances to know about beforehand.
Preparation of devices before the migration
Before launching any transfer tool, both smartphones need to be trained in basics, a critical step, as power shortages or unstable connections can interrupt the process in the middle, sometimes resulting in damage to application databases.
Make sure that both devices have at least 60 percent battery charge, or better connect them to a power source, and check for free space on the new device: the amount of free memory should exceed the size of the data on the old phone.
If the old phone has a very old version of MIUI and the new one has the latest HyperOS, backup format conflicts may arise.
⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to interrupt the data transfer process by turning off the screen or running other heavy applications.This may cause some contacts or messages to be damaged and not recover.
☑️ Checklist for transfer preparations
Using the Mi Mover app for local transmission
The fastest and most reliable way to avoid Internet is to use the built-in Mi Mover app, which creates a direct Wi-Fi connection between devices, transmitting data at the highest possible speed, often in excess of 20 MB/s.
To get started, open the app on both devices. On the old smartphone, select the role of "Sender" and on the new one, "Receiver." QR-code or suggest entering a pairing code.
Once you connect, you'll see a list of data categories, and you can select Contacts, Messages, Logs, and all the apps and data you've installed, and it's important to note that some banking applications will require re-authorization for security reasons.
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If the process is stuck in the “Waiting for Connection” phase, try turning on and off flight mode on both devices, then restart Mi Mover.
The application interface allows you to flexibly set priorities, for example, if you most important to keep your correspondence history in messengers, make sure that the tick opposite the corresponding item is active.
Why are some apps not portable?
Migration through Mi Cloud and Google
Cloud technology makes the transition as seamless as possible, especially if physical access to the old phone is already lost or faulty. Mi Cloud synchronization is ideal for preserving system settings and desktop structure.
Sign in to your Mi Account on both devices. On your old phone, go to the cloud settings and click "Sync." Make sure you select all the items you need: gallery, contacts, notes and voice recorder.
Google account is critical for these apps and passwords. When you first turn on a new smartphone, log in to the same Google account and the system will automatically prompt you to restore a backup you made earlier.
| Type of data | Mi Cloud | Google Drive | Local (Mi Mover) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts and SMS | Yes. | Yes. | Yes. |
| Photos and videos | Yes (up to 5GB free) | Yes (up to 15GB) | Yes (no restrictions) |
| Wi-Fi passwords | Yes. | Yes. | Yes. |
| Desktop layout | Yes. | No. | Yes. |
Using the cloud is especially useful because your data will remain secure even if your device is physically lost, but you should consider the speed of the Internet connection when you initially download large amounts of data.
Transfer of multimedia and large files
Photos and videos take up the lion’s share of the memory of a modern smartphone. If you have tens of gigabytes of media files, transferring over the cloud can take too long or require a paid subscription.
In this case, it is more efficient to use a direct connection or wire. the File Manager app on Xiaomi has a built-in Wi-Fi file transfer feature that works similarly to Airdrop.
Just open the file manager on both phones, select Send and Receive mode. You can transfer files in packets without interrupting other applications. It's a great way to bring heavy video to 4K.
An alternative for advanced users is to use the PC as an intermediate: plug in an old phone, copy the DCIM and Pictures folders to your computer, then transfer them to a new smartphone.
⚠️ Note: When transferring photos through your computer, make sure you copy files, not shortcuts. The folder structure on the new device must be identical to the old one for the gallery to display correctly.
Nuances of Application Portability and Authorizations
Even with perfect cloning, some applications will require re-entry, a normal security practice, especially for financial institutions and encrypted messengers.
For WhatsApp and Telegram, the process is different. Telegram stores all history in the cloud, so simply type in a phone number. WhatsApp requires you to create a local backup or copy in Google Drive before you switch.
Banking applications (Sberbank, Tinkoff, etc.) most often fly off the authorization, you will need to re-enter the login, password and, possibly, confirm the login via SMS or push notification from another device.
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Key takeaway: Fully automatic transfer is only possible for system data and media files. Social networks and banks require manual verification of the user's identity on the new device.
Some apps may not install automatically if they were downloaded from third-party sources or regional app stores other than Google Play or GetApps.
Solving synchronization problems and errors
Sometimes things can go wrong, for example, a new device might not see the old one on the Mi Mover list, and in these cases, resetting the network settings on both devices helps.
If the transfer hangs on a certain percentage, try deselecting from the largest files, migrating the rest, and then sending the heavy files in a separate batch.
Mi Account authorization errors are often solved by checking date and time. Make sure both devices automatically synchronize time over the network, as desynchronization even for a few minutes blocks a secure connection.