Buying a new Xiaomi smartphone is always a joyous event, but it is often overshadowed by the prospect of a long and tedious setup. Mi ecosystem owners are more fortunate than users of other brands, as the manufacturer has provided a powerful built-in tool for rapid migration.
Unlike manually copying files through a computer, specialized algorithms allow you to transfer not only media files, but also system settings, call history and passwords from Wi-Fi networks. The cloning process takes from 15 minutes to an hour depending on the amount of information, which is much faster than manually installing applications.
In this article, we’ll look at all the synchronization options available, from the regular Mi Mover app to cloud services and local backups. You’ll learn about the nuances of transferring encrypted messenger data and how to avoid common mistakes that can interrupt the process halfway. Proper preparation of both smartphones ensures that you start working on a new device immediately, without losing important contacts or photos.
Device preparation and selection of migration method
Before you start the active transfer phase, make sure that both smartphones are fully ready to work. Charge both devices to a minimum of 60-70%, as intensive data transfer over Wi-Fi Direct consumes a lot of battery power. Also check the availability of free space on the new phone: the amount of free memory should exceed the size of the data you plan to move.
There are three main ways to solve the problem: using the built-in Mi Mover application, recovering from the Mi Cloud cloud, or creating a local backup on a PC. The first method is considered the best option for the Xiaomi-Xiaomi pair, since it does not require Internet and works directly between devices. However, if the old phone is damaged or the screen does not respond, you will have to resort to cloud technology or a computer.
⚠️ Note: Before any data transfer, be sure to back up important information to an external medium in case of an unforeseen system failure.
Make sure both devices have current versions of the MIUI or HyperOS operating system. Differences in firmware versions can sometimes cause conflicts when transferring system settings, although the underlying data usually migrates without problems. If the old phone is running a very ancient version of Android, you may need to upgrade beforehand.
☑️ Ready for transfer
Using the Mi Mover application for direct transmission
The Mi Mover app is a standard tool preinstalled on all modern Xiaomi smartphones. Its main advantage is to create a direct Wi-Fi hotspot between devices, which provides high transfer speeds without using mobile operator or home Internet traffic. You can run the utility through the settings menu in the Additional → Data Transfer section or by finding an icon in the Tools folder.
The process begins with choosing the role of the device. On the new smartphone, click "I am the recipient" (Reciever), and on the old one, "I am the sender" (Sender). QR-If you have a code, or you can connect to a Wi-Fi network manually, and once you have a connection, the algorithm will scan the contents of the old phone and suggest you select categories to copy.
You can selectively transfer contacts, messages, call history, notes, voice recordings, and installed applications and their data. Pay special attention to check boxes in front of items related to multimedia, as photos and videos occupy the lion's share of memory. The process is displayed as a progress bar, and it is not recommended to interrupt it so as not to damage the databases.
- 📱 Contacts and Calls: Instantly Transfer All Phone Books and Call History.
- 📸 Gallery: Copying photos and videos in original quality without compression.
- 📱 Annexes: Installation APK-files and data transfer within them (where permitted by the system).
- ⚙️ System: Settings alarm clocks, Wi-Fi passwords and desktop design.
Working with the Mi Cloud cloud service
If direct contact between phones is not possible, the great solution is the cloud service from Xiaomi. To do this, you need to sign in to the same Mi Account on both devices. On the old phone, go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud and make sure that the sync of the necessary elements is enabled and completed.
Once logged in to the new device, the system will prompt you to recover data from the cloud, you can choose a full backup or restore only certain types of data, such as contacts and notes, the speed of the process depends on the quality of the Internet connection, so it is recommended to use a stable Wi-Fi channel.
The cloud method is particularly convenient because it allows you to prepare data in advance, even before you buy a new phone. You can store backups for a long time and activate them at any time. However, it is worth remembering the limits of free storage, which is 5 GB, which may not be enough to fully copy the system with photos.
⚠️ Warning: Deleting data from Mi Cloud on one device can cause them to disappear on all synchronized gadgets, be careful when cleaning storage.
An important advantage is the ability to access data even from a computer through the i.mi.com web interface. This allows you to pull out contacts or notes, even if the phone itself is lost or broken, the main thing is to remember the password from the account. Two-factor authorization here acts as a guarantor of the security of your personal data.
Comparison of data transfer methods
To make it easier for you to decide on how to migrate, we have prepared a comparative table that will help you weigh the pros and cons of each method, depending on your current conditions and technical capabilities.
| Parameter | Mi Mover | Mi Cloud | Computer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed. | High (locally) | Depends on the Internet. | Medium (USB 2.0/3.0) |
| We need the Internet. | No. | Yes (required) | No. |
| Limit of volume | No (memory only) | 5GB (free) | No (only disc) |
| Difficulty | Low. | Low. | Medium |
As you can see from the table, Mi Mover is a winner in speed and no volume constraints, making it a leader for all-to-one migration. The cloud is convenient for synchronizing small amounts of critical data such as contacts and calendar. The computer remains a reliable archaic method for those who are used to controlling each byte by hand.
WhatsApp's portability nuances
Transfer of data messengers and specific applications
Special attention deserves messengers such as WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber. Although Mi Mover tries to copy their data, it often happens that when you first run on a new device, the application requires you to revert and recover the history from the cloud backup (Google Drive or iCloud). APK-Data file is usually not enough.
For Telegram, the situation is simpler: all chats are stored on the server, so just enter a phone number and the correspondence will be downloaded automatically. Secret chats, however, are never transferred for security reasons. In the case of banking applications and authenticators (Google Authenticator), data transfer is impossible for security reasons - they will have to be re-associated.
Before you start migrating, you should open the settings of each important messenger and make sure that the backup function is activated and the last copy is created recently. This will save your correspondence in case the automatic transfer of data by the applications does not work correctly. Remember that the same Google account must be active to restore from Google Drive on the new phone.
- 💬 WhatsApp: A separate backup on Google Drive is required inside chat settings.
- ✈️ Telegram: Synced automatically through the server, secret chats burn.
- 📞 Viber: Uses Viber’s own cloud or Google Drive to restore history.
- 🔐 Banks: Require re-authorization and re-assignment of the device.
Local backup through PC
For users who prefer full control, the local backup method is available. By connecting an old phone to a computer, you can copy DCIM, Download, MIUI, and others folders manually, but to save the structure of applications and settings, you can use the Local Backup feature in the phone settings.
By creating a full system backup through the Settings menu → About Phone → Reservation and Restore, you get a file in.bak format. This file needs to be transferred to your computer, and then, by connecting the new phone, copy it to the appropriate folder and start recovery. This method is good because it allows you to “make” the system at a particular time.
⚠️ Note: Local backup files can take up tens of gigabytes. Make sure your computer's hard drive has enough free space before starting the procedure.
The downside is that it is time consuming and dependent on having a computer at hand, and restoring a full system to a device with a different version of Android can cause some system applications to fail, and use this method if other methods are not available or you are an experienced user.
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Save the backup file to an external hard drive or to a reliable cloud storage (not Mi Cloud) to have insurance in case both phones are lost at the same time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I interrupt the Mi Mover data transfer process?
Are passwords from Wi-Fi networks transferred?
What to do if your new phone doesn’t have enough memory?
Do you need the internet to run Mi Mover?
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The fastest and most reliable way to transfer all data from Xiaomi to Xiaomi is to use the built-in Mi Mover app over a direct Wi-Fi connection, as it retains the folder structure and does not require internet.