Changing the ecosystem from iOS to Android is always stressful, with the risk of losing personal information. Users often worry that when switching to a Xiaomi smartphone they will not be able to withdraw their contacts, photos and correspondence from the familiar Apple environment. However, modern technology allows you to migrate data with almost no losses and technical difficulties, if you know the correct algorithm of actions.
The process of transferring information has become much easier thanks to specialized utilities that developers implement directly into the shell of MIUI and HyperOS. You do not need to be an IT expert to successfully complete this operation, just follow the step-by-step instructions. The main thing is to ensure a stable connection and sufficient memory on the new device.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all the sync options available, from Mi Mover’s proprietary application to cloud services and manual file transfers. We will also look at the nuances that are often overlooked, such as porting Wi-Fi passwords and alarm settings, which will allow you to get started with a new gadget as comfortably as possible.
Preparing iPhone and Xiaomi for migration
Before you start the copying process, you need to do a series of preparatory activities on both devices, which is a critical step, ignoring which can lead to a connection break or errors in the transfer of files. Make sure that the iPhone has the current version of iOS, and Xiaomi has the latest version of the firmware.
Both smartphones must be powered or have a battery charge of at least 60%, the process of transferring large amounts of data, especially video files, is energy-intensive and can quickly discharge the batteries, and check the availability of free space on the target device: it must exceed the amount of information transmitted.
⚠️ Warning: Do not interrupt the data transfer process or switch between apps on smartphones during migration.This can cause file damage or sync stalling.
To work, you’ll need a stable Wi-Fi connection if you plan to use cloud-based methods, or simply enabled Wi-Fi modules to create a local access point between devices. Bluetooth is also best kept activated for initial gadget detection.
☑️ Ready for transfer
Use of the Mi Mover app
The most efficient and quickest way is to use the Mi Mover tool, which is pre-installed on all Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones. This application creates a direct Wi-Fi connection between devices, bypassing the Internet channel, which ensures high speed transfer and data privacy.
On the new Xiaomi smartphone, find the app in the Tools folder or through settings search. Run it and select Receiver. The app will create a Wi-Fi hotspot that you need to connect to from your iPhone. The iPhone also needs to install the Mi Mover app from the App Store if it is not built into the system.
After the scan. QR-If you have a code or manual password, you'll start analyzing the contents of the old phone, and you can select specific categories of data to transfer, and the system will automatically sort the files and show the time you're done.
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If Mi Mover can’t see the iPhone, try temporarily turning off mobile internet (4G/5G) on both devices, leaving only the Wi-Fi module on for local communication.
Importantly, Mi Mover portes not only media files, but also system settings, which include alarm clocks, Wi-Fi hotspots, a blacklist of numbers, and even the layout of icons on the desktop, if the shell version allows.
- 📱 Contacts and call logs are automatically transferred to the appropriate sections of the phone book.
- 📸 Photos and videos are saved in original quality without compression.
- 📝 Calendar and notes are imported if they are stored locally or in standard applications.
- 🔒 Wi-Fi passwords will be automatically applied to the new device.
Synchronization through Google Account
An alternative and often more reliable method is to use the Google ecosystem, which, because Android is based on Google services, allows for deep data integration, and you need to install Google or Gmail on your iPhone and log in to your account.
In the iOS app settings, you need to activate the synchronization of contacts and calendar, after which all the entries from the Apple phone book will be in the Google cloud. On Xiaomi, you just add the same account in the Settings → Accounts and Sync section.
This is ideal for those who plan to run cloud services, and it ensures that even if you lose your phone, your data is not lost, but it's worth remembering that Google's free storage is limited to 15GB, which is shared between email, photos and drive.
| Type of data | Mi Mover | Google Sync | Manual method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts | ✅ Yes. | ✅ Yes. | ✅ Yes. |
| Photo/Video | ✅ Yes. | ✅ (Google Photos) | ✅ Yes. |
| Messages (SMS) | ✅ Yes. | ❌ No. | ❌ No. |
| Annexes | ⚠️ Partially. | ✅ List of lists | ❌ No. |
Transfer of multimedia and documents
To transfer heavy files like video to 4K or document archives, the best way to do this is to use your computer as an intermediary: connect your iPhone to your PC, copy your DCIM and Documents folders. Then connect Xiaomi and move the files to the appropriate internal memory directories.
If you can't use a computer, you can use cloud storage like Google Drive, Dropbox or Yandex.Disk. Upload files from your iPhone to the cloud, and then download them to Xiaomi. This requires a fast Internet connection.
When manually sorting, look at file formats. Videos shot on an iPhone in HEVC format may not play on older Xiaomi models without installing additional codecs, in which case you’d better convert them immediately or use a universal player like VLC.
⚠️ Note: When copying through a computer, make sure you copy the original files, not the optimized versions of iCloud, which may have low resolution.
Nuances of Message Transfer and WhatsApp
Transferring SMS and iMessage message history is only possible through Mi Mover. Standard Android tools can not read iOS databases. After transferring old SMS will be available in the standard application "Messages".
WhatsApp is more complicated because of different encryption systems, and the official method requires the use of Chat Transfer within the WhatsApp app itself when you first install it on a new phone. QR-code that will appear on the Xiaomi screen using the iPhone camera.
It is important not to delete WhatsApp from your old phone until you have completed the check on your new phone. If the process is interrupted, you will have to back up again.
What if WhatsApp doesn’t see a backup?
Frequent problems and their solution
When migrating, users often experience a situation where the transfer freezes by 99%, which usually means that the system completes the indexing of files. Don't rush to restart the device, wait 10-15 minutes.
If Mi Mover gives you a connection error, try resetting the network settings on both phones, and disabling VPNs and antivirus programs that can block local traffic between devices also helps.
In some cases, contacts can be duplicated, this happens if sync was enabled through both Google and Mi Mover, and you can solve the problem through contacts.google.com using the "Cancel Changes" or "Combine Duplicates" function.
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The cleanest result is a combination of methods: contacts and calendar through Google Sync, and photos and system settings through Mi Mover.
Completion of the new smartphone setup
Once the data is successfully transferred, it is recommended to check the integrity of the information: go through contacts, open a few photos and check the application. Be sure to log out of iCloud on an old device if you plan to sell or give it away.
You also need to set up biometric protection and two-factor authorization for your Google and Mi Account, which will keep your data safe in the new ecosystem, and you can now take full advantage of all the features of Android.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with the MIUI interface settings. The theme, control gestures, and additional features can significantly improve the user experience compared to iOS.