How to transfer your Xiaomi account from one Android smartphone to another: 5 proven ways

Transferring your Xiaomi account to a new smartphone is a challenge that every owner of Xiaomi’s appliances faces, even if you buy a device of the same line (for example, changing the Redmi Note 11 to the Redmi Note 13 Pro).+), The migration process can cause complications, from loss of contacts to problems with authorization in Mi Account. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods of transfer — from standard tools. MIUI Up to Manual Methods for Experienced Users.

The main mistake of beginners is trying to copy data through Settings → Memory without prior synchronization with the cloud, which leads to loss of call history, SMS We will show you how to avoid such problems using both official Xiaomi tools and third-party solutions (including Google Account and Samsung Smart Switch). Particular attention will be paid to the nuances for devices with a locked bootloader - their owners often face an error "Failed to restore backup copy".

1.Preparation for the transfer: what to do before buying a new phone

It is better to transfer your Xiaomi account in advance, before you buy a new device, which will avoid data loss when you configure from scratch.

Update MIUI last-minute|Synchronize contacts with Mi Cloud|Download backup copy manually|Untie the old phone from the Mi Account (optional)-->

First, update the firmware on both devices. To do this, go to Settings. → The phone. → System updates. MIUI 14/15 support improved migration mechanism that reduces transfer time to 40%. If the old phone has an older firmware installed MIUI 12, Use manual transfer via computer (partition) 4).

Be sure to check the free space in Mi Cloud. Free rate provides only 5 GB, which is enough only for contacts and notes.

• 📁 Free up space in the cloud (remove old backups)
• 💳 Buy additional space (from 100 GB for 100 GB)₽/month)
• 🔄 Use alternative clouds (Google Drive or Yandex Disk)

⚠️ Warning: If your old phone has two-factor authentication enabled in your Mi Account, turn it off 24 hours before the transfer, otherwise the new phone may block access to your account for 72 hours.

2.Official method: transfer via Mi Mover (for the purpose of MIUI 12 and newer)

Mi Mover is a built-in application from Xiaomi that automatically copies data over Wi-Fi Direct. MIUI 12+ requires:

• 🔋 Charging the battery of both phones >50%
• 📶 Stable Wi-Fi or mobile internet (to verify your account)
• 🔑 No root rights on both devices

Step instructions:

1. On the new phone, when you first turn on, select Data Transfer → Mi Mover.
2. On the old phone, open Settings → Additional → Mi Mover.
3. Scan it. QR-code from the new device.
4. Select data for transfer (contacts, SMS, photos, applications).
5. Confirm the operation on both phones.

⚠️ Warning: If you see a "Disconnected" error during the transfer, restart both phones and try again. MIUI 15 may need to be disconnected VPN.

3. Transfer through Google Account (universal method)

If you have a Google Account synced to your old phone, you can transfer basic data without Mi Mover.

• 📱 Devices with different versions MIUI (including old models)
• 🔄 Moving from Xiaomi to other brands (Samsung, Pixel, etc.)
• 🔐 Bypassing Mi Account restrictions (if the account is blocked)

Step-by-step:

1. On an old phone: Settings → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization → Turn on all the switches.
2. On the new phone, when setting up, select Copy Data → From the cloud.
3. Log in to the same Google Account.
4. Select data for recovery (contacts, calendar, Chrome bookmarks).

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Works on all Android devices
• ✅ It saves your phone history (unlike the Mi Mover)
• ✅ No need to connect phones to each other.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ I can't stand it. SMS (a separate application is required, for example SMS Backup & Restore)
• ❌ Photos are restored in low resolution only (use Google Photos separately)

💡

If contacts are not displayed after the transfer, check the synchronization settings: Contacts → Settings → Accounts → Google and enable the option "Autosynchronization".

4. Manual transfer via computer (for advanced users)

This method is suitable if:

• 🚫 Mi Mover is not working due to errors
• 📦 You need to transfer more than 5 GB of data.
• 🔧 Selective copying of files is required

You will need to:

• 💻 Computer with Windows/macOS
• 🔌 USB-cables (preferably original)
• 📂 Programme Mi PC Suite (official utility from Xiaomi)

Instructions:

1. Download and install Mi PC Suite.
2. Connect your old phone to your PC in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
3. In the program, select Backup. → Complete.
4. Once completed, disconnect the old phone and connect the new one.
5. Choose Recovery. → From a local file.

The alternative is the use of ADB (for advanced users):

adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab


adb restore backup.ab

⚠️ Note: When manually transferring through ADB Some system applications, such as Mi Fit or Mi Home, are not being restored.

5. Transfer applications and their data (without loss of progress)

Standard methods (Mi Mover, Google Account) are only transferable APK-- application files, but do not store their data. To avoid losing progress in games or settings of messengers, use:

To transfer data to WhatsApp:

1. On an old phone: Settings → chat → Backup copy.
2. Copy /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases folder on your PC.
3. On your new phone, install WhatsApp and restore the copy.

For games with Google Play Games support:

1. Open the game on your old phone.
2. Go to the game settings and find the option “Cloud Sync”.
3. On the new phone, log in to the same Google account.

💡

To transfer data to banking applications, NEVER use backups. log in again via SMS Biometrics is the security requirement of most banks.

Problem Solving: Transfer errors and their correction

Even with the right preparation, mistakes can occur, and here are the most common ways to correct them:

If they're missing after the transfer SMS, try:

1. Install SMS Backup & Restore on the old phone.
2. Create a backup and save it to Google Drive.
3. Restore SMS on a new phone using the same app.

To solve the problem with the blocked Mi Account:

• 📧 Write in support of support@mi.com Theme: Unlock Mi Account".
• 📄 Attach a check about buying a phone and a screenshot of the error.
• ⏳ Expect a response up to 48 hours (up to 5 days on peak days).

7. Transfer to phones of other brands (Samsung, Pixel, iPhone)

If you're switching from Xiaomi to a different manufacturer, the standard Mi Mover methods won't work.

For Samsung:

• 📱 Use Smart Switch (available in the Galaxy Store).
• 🔗 Connect the phones through USB-OTG or Wi-Fi.
• ⚠️ Only contacts, photos and videos are transferred (SMS — partly).

For the iPhone:

• 🍎 Install Move to iOS on the old Xiaomi.
• 🔄 Set up your new iPhone before the Data Transfer stage".
• 📡 Connect to the temporary Wi-Fi network created by the iPhone.

For the Google Pixel:

• 🔧 Use Google One to backup your work.
• 📁 Transferred: contacts, SMS, Photos, applications (without data).
• 🔐 Authorization is required in the same Google Account.

One important point: when you switch to iOS, you will lose:

• 🎵 Music not downloaded via iTunes
• 📱 Settings MIUI (dark theme, gestures)
• 🔋 Data from some Chinese applications (Mi Fit, Mi Home)

8.Optimize the new phone after the transfer

After successful data transfer, it is recommended that:

• 🔄 Reboot a new phone (this clears the cache of system applications).
• 📱 Check account settings: Settings → Accounts. → Mi Account/Google.
• 🔒 Enable Find Device for protection against theft: Settings → Mi Account → Find Device.
• 🚀 Optimize performance: Settings → Special facilities → Optimization.

To improve battery life:

1. Turn off autosynchronization of unnecessary data: Settings → Accounts. → Autosynchronization.
2. Set up Adaptive Charging: Settings → Battery → Adaptive charging.
3. Limit the background activity of applications: Settings → Applications → Permissions → Auto Run.

If after transferring the phone began to brake, do:

adb shell pm compile -m speed -f package_name

(substitute package_name in the name of the problem app).

💡

After the transfer, be sure to check the Settings section → Passwords and security. Often, older devices remain on the trusted list, putting data at risk of leakage.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the transfer of the Xiaomi account