Changing a smartphone, especially within the same ecosystem, always brings mixed feelings: on the one hand, the joy of a new device, on the other – the fear of losing important contacts or getting confused in settings. Fortunately, Xiaomi has developed several effective migration methods that allow you to transfer information from the old device to the new one in minutes. You do not need to manually type in numbers or search for files in archives, if you know the right approach.
Modern tools like Mi Mover and Mi Cloud sync make it almost automatic. In this article, we’ll take a look at each method, assess their advantages and disadvantages, and answer frequent questions when transferring data, learn how to keep folder structure, Wi-Fi passwords, and even the location of icons on your desktop.
Before you start, make sure both devices are at least 50-60% charged.The copying process can be energy-intensive, especially if you plan to transfer hundreds of gigabytes of photos and videos.It's also worth checking for free space on the receiving device to avoid errors in the middle of the operation.
Using the Mi Mover app for quick migration
The fastest and most reliable way to transfer data between Xiaomi smartphones is the built-in Mi Mover app, which creates a direct Wi-Fi connection between devices, which allows high speed transfer without using Internet traffic.
To get started, open the app on both devices. On the new phone, select Receiver and on the old phone, Sender. QR-code or find a device in the list of available networks, and once paired, you can select specific types of data to copy.
- 📱 Contacts and Messages: Complete preservation of correspondence and telephone book history.
- 🖼️ Multimedia: Photos, videos and music tracks are transferred in original quality.
- ⚙️ System settings: Wi-Fi passwords, alarm clocks, notes and app location.
- 📲 Annexes: Installed APK-files and, in some cases, their data.
☑️ Preparation for transfer via Mi Mover
Importantly, when you migrate apps, your data (logins, game progress) may not be fully copied due to Android security limitations. Banking and government applications are better set up and reconfigured manually, as they often require re-association of the device. Once the process is complete, the new phone can reboot to apply system changes.
⚠️ Warning: Do not interrupt the transfer process or leave the Mi Mover app until a successful termination message appears. Interrupting may cause file damage or malfunction of the system on the new device.
Sync with Mi Cloud and Xiaomi account
If you can’t keep both phones together at the same time, Mi Cloud cloud storage is a great solution, which requires a stable Internet connection and a registered Xiaomi account, and is especially useful for keeping contacts, notes, voice recordings and calendars.
On your old device, go to your account settings and enable synchronization of the desired partitions. Once the data is uploaded to the server, just log in to your account on the new smartphone. The system automatically tightens all the information, and you will not even notice the difference in settings.
The cloud method has its limitations related to the amount of free storage. The base rate usually provides 5 GB, which may not be enough to back up photos and videos in full resolution, in which case it is worth considering a paid subscription or using the cloud only for critical text data.
What to do if the synchronization is suspended?
The advantage of this method is that your data is always safe even if your old phone is lost or broken, and you can access your contacts and notes from any device with Internet access via the i.mi.com web interface.
Backup through Google Account
Google’s ecosystem is the foundation of the Android operating system, so you can’t ignore its capabilities when changing your phone, and it’s universal and suitable not only for the transition between Xiaomi, but also for migration from other brands, and it keeps your contacts, calendar events and installed app list safe.
To activate backup, open your phone's settings and search for the Google section, check the sync status for contacts, calendar and app data, and look at the Backup option, which stores your device settings and Wi-Fi passwords.
| Type of data | Storage area | Recovery speed | Network dependency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Google Contacts | Instant. | Internet is required |
| Photo/Video | Google Photo | Depends on the volume. | Wi-Fi required |
| Annexes | Google Play | Medium | Internet is required |
| Wi-Fi passwords | Google Drive | Automatic. | Internet is required |
When you first set up the new Xiaomi system will offer to restore data from the backup of Google. you will just need to enter the login and password from your mailbox. All applications that were on the old phone will start to load automatically, although their internal state (for example, progress in the game without cloud storage) may not be saved.
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Use Google Photos in Save Space mode to store unlimited photos for free, unless the original quality is critical, and save years of memories without paying for additional storage.
Local backup to a memory card or PC
For users who prefer to keep their data under full control, there is a local backup method built-in Recovery and Reset feature in the MIUI allows you to create a complete image of the system or select data and save them as a file on an internal drive, SD-map.
To create a backup, go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Restore. Here you can choose whether to save: system settings, calls, SMS or multimedia. Once you create a backup file, you need to copy it to an external medium, because when you reset or flash it, the internal memory will be cleared.
The good thing about this is that it doesn't depend on Internet speed or cloud limits, you can keep archives for years, but it takes longer to recover, because it requires manually searching for the backup file on the new device and then unpacking it.
- 💾 Full control: Files are held by you, not on third party servers.
- 🚀 Speed: Copying by USB 3.0 is faster than downloading via the Internet.
- 🔒 Security: Data is not transmitted over the network, eliminating the risk of interception.
It's worth considering that local backups take up a lot of space. SD-card, make sure it has a high write speed class, otherwise the backup process can take several hours.
Transfer of multimedia and heavy files
Special attention should be paid to the transfer of “heavy” content: video to 4K, RAW-Standard synchronization methods can be too slow for gigabytes of data, and in such cases it is better to use direct cable connection or specialized file managers.
If both phones support OTG, you can connect them with a USB-C to USB-C cable. In file transfer mode (MTP), you can simply copy the DCIM and Download folders from one device to another through a standard conductor.
Alternatively, you can use applications to transfer files over a local network, such as Send Anywhere or built-in Wi-Fi Direct. They work faster than Bluetooth and do not require an Internet connection, using only a local Wi-Fi network of the router or a direct connection between devices.
⚠️ Note: When copying media manually, make sure that filename conflicts do not arise. If the destination folder already has a file with the same name, the system may suggest replacing it or omitting it, which may lead to data loss.
After the transfer, it is recommended to check the integrity of the files. Open a few random photos and videos on the new device to make sure that they are not corrupted during the copying process and are displayed correctly.
Possible problems and solutions
Even with smart tools, there can be unexpected challenges, most often users encounter connection errors when using Mi Mover or authorization problems in cloud services, and understanding the causes of these failures will help to quickly fix them.
One of the common reasons for failure is aggressive energy saving: MIUI can “sleep” background data transmission processes if the screen goes out, so it is recommended to keep the screen on or set the sleep timer to maximum value during migration.
Problems can also arise with applications that have access to device administrative rights or are system-specific for a particular carrier, often non-transferable and require manual reinstallation or removal.
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The main secret of successful transfer is the sequence of actions: first create backups of critical data (contacts, photos), and then experiment with methods of porting applications and settings.
If none of these methods work, there is always a clean start option: Reinstall the main apps and log in to your accounts. This will take longer, but is guaranteed to save the new phone from the possible “junk” and errors accumulated over the years using the old device.