Buying a new Xiaomi smartphone is always a pleasant experience, but it is often overshadowed by the need to transfer information from an old device. Modern technology allows you to make this process as automated and painless as possible, especially if you use the Google ecosystem. Unlike manually copying files through a computer, cloud synchronization ensures the safety of your contacts, calendar, notes and even passwords from Wi-Fi networks.
The basic mechanism of work is based on linking your Google account to the Android operating system, and when you log in to this account on a new device, the system automatically prompts you to restore previously stored data, a universal way that works equally well when you switch from another Xiaomi, and from devices from other manufacturers, whether it is Samsung, Honor or pure Android One.
In this tutorial, we will discuss in detail all the steps of preparing an old phone, setting up your backup options and correctly activating a new gadget. You will learn what data should be stored in the cloud and what is better to copy manually to avoid losing important files. A competent synchronization setting is the key to ensuring that you start working on the new phone from the same point where you left off on the old one.
Preparing an Old Smartphone for Data Migration
Before you start the transfer process, you need to make sure that your current device meets all the prerequisites.The first and most important step is to have a stable Wi-Fi connection. Transferring large amounts of data, such as photos and videos, over the mobile Internet can take a long time or lead to unexpected traffic costs.
Go to your device settings and find the account section. You need to log in to your Google profile if you haven't already. This account will be the key to your data. Make sure you remember the password from it, as it will be required to log in to the new Xiaomi.
It's also worth checking the amount of free space in your Google Drive cloud storage.The standard tariff provides 15GB, which is shared between mail, photos and system backups. If the space runs out, sync may not go through completely.
⚠️ Warning: Make sure the old device has backup enabled in Google's settings. Without activating this switch, the data will not be uploaded to the cloud.
Set up backup in Google One
Modern versions of Android use Google One to manage backups, which allows you to flexibly configure what data will be stored. To access settings, open the phone's settings menu and follow the Google → Backup path.
In the menu that opens, you'll see a list of data categories that are available for synchronization. SMS-Messages, call history, device settings, and application data. It's important to understand that not all applications support saving progress through the cloud, but most popular services do so automatically.
- 📸 Photo and video: sync status checks in Google Photos app.
- 📞 Contacts: Make sure they are saved to your Google account, not in memory SIM-map.
- 📱 Application data: list of programs that agree to save settings in the cloud.
To start the process, click either Start Copy or Backup. The latency depends on your Internet connection speed and the amount of information you have, and during this process, the phone screen may remain on and notifications will show download progress.
💡
Use the “Storage Cleanup” feature in the Google One app to remove blurred photos and screenshots, making room for an important backup.
The initial setup process of the new Xiaomi
When you first turn on a new Xiaomi smartphone, the initial setup wizard will start. One of the first steps is that the system will ask you to connect to a Wi-Fi network. Once you connect successfully, the phone will prompt you to restore data from the backup. This is the exact moment you need your Google account.
Enter the login and password from the account that was used on the old device. Google’s security system can request login confirmation via a notification on the old phone or through a code from SMS. Once you have successfully logged in, you will be shown a list of available backups with the date they were created.
Settings → About the phone → Reservation and recoveryAt this point, MIUI (Xiaomi’s shell) may offer to use its own Mi Cloud service or third-party solutions, but for the method through Google, you need to choose the recovery option from Google.
⚠️ Warning: Do not interrupt the initial setup process or turn off the phone screen while the application list and system data are loading.
☑️ Checklist when setting up
What is transferred and what remains
It’s important to understand the limits of cloud sync capabilities. Google is great at structured data, but has limitations on file types. Below is a table showing what to expect from a standard recovery process.
| Type of data | Transfer status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Complete. | Synchronize instantly after entering |
| Photos | Full (via Google Photos) | Requires separate synchronization activation |
| Annexes | Partial | The label is downloaded, the data inside may not be saved |
| Files in folders | Untolerated. | Need a Google Drive or manual transfer |
| Wi-Fi passwords | Complete. | Automatic connection to known networks |
Banking apps and instant messengers deserve special attention. For security reasons, bank keys and accesses are never stored in the cloud, you have to re-enter pin codes and identify each application separately, which is normal security practice.
Messengers like WhatsApp or Telegram have their own backup mechanisms. Telegram stores the history of correspondence on its servers, so just log in to your account. WhatsApp needs to back up chats in Google Drive in advance through the settings of the application itself.
Where does the data go if there is not enough space?
Solving problems in synchronization
Sometimes it can be a mess. Users often experience a situation where contacts have been uploaded and photos have not. First of all, check if you have chosen the right account to sync in your Google Photo settings. Often, photos are uploaded to a profile different from the one you logged in to on your new phone.
Another common problem is app downloads hanging out, and if you see that the app icons are gray and the word “Waiting to download” doesn’t disappear, try going to Play Market → App and Device Management, where you can pause and resume downloads, or delete the queue and start the installation manually.
- 🔄 Sync Error: Try to delete your account from your settings and add it again.
- 📉 Slow speed: turn off VPN, If it is active, it can block Google services.
- 🔋 Battery discharge: connect your phone to the charger, the system can limit background activity at low charge.
If the new Xiaomi has an aggressive energy-saving MIUI shell, it can kill the synchronization process in the background, in which case it is worth temporarily turning off the charge savings for Google system processes.
💡
The most common cause of problems is unstable Wi-Fi or enabled traffic saving mode, which blocks the background loading of large amounts of data.
Final inspection and optimization of work
Once all the data is uploaded, don't rush to delete the information from your old device. Do a thorough review of your new smartphone. Open the gallery and make sure all the albums are in place. Check the phone book by calling someone or sending a test message.
Pay attention to notification settings. When you transfer data to Xiaomi from other brands, application permissions may be lost. Go to notification settings and check that messengers and email clients that are important to you are allowed to display pop-ups.
Now that your new phone is fully configured, it is recommended to perform the first full charge to 100%, which will help the Android system to properly calibrate the battery indicator, and it is also worth checking for system updates in the Settings → About Phone → MIUI version, as fresh software often contains sync error fixes.