Changing the ecosystem from iOS to Android often causes users to feel mixed feelings: on the one hand, a new world of possibilities and customization opens up, on the other – there is a fear of losing important data during the transition. Switching to the flagship Xiaomi 10 becomes a great motivation, but requires a competent approach to migration of information. Unlike sharing between devices of the same brand, cross-platform copying requires the use of specialized tools and adherence to the sequence of actions.
The process of transferring data from the iPhone to the Xiaomi smartphone has become much easier thanks to built-in MIUI features and third-party applications that minimize the risk of information loss. You do not need to be an expert in programming or have special cables for synchronization, although understanding the basic principles of file systems will help avoid errors. Modern methods allow you to transfer contacts, photos, videos, calendars and even message history from instant messengers, preserving the structure of folders and file metadata.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available migration options, evaluate their pros and cons, and provide a checklist of actions that ensures a successful outcome. You will learn how to prepare both devices, which applications are best used for specific types of data, and what to do if the process is interrupted. The main thing is to take your time and carefully follow the instructions steps so that the new smartphone becomes your faithful assistant from the first minute of use.
Preparing devices before data migration
Before any copying process begins, it is critical to properly prepare both smartphones, not just a formality, but a prerequisite for the stable operation of the software-migrating. Make sure that the iPhone has the latest available version of iOS, and Xiaomi 10 has updated the MIUI shell to the current state. Older versions of the software may contain bugs that prevent reliable connection between devices.
Both smartphones must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Data transfer speed is directly dependent on the bandwidth of your wireless network, so using guest Wi-Fi with restrictions or Internet in a cafe can cause the connection to break at the most inopportune moment. Also check the battery level: it is recommended to have at least 50-60% charge on both devices or connect them to power sources so that a sudden shutdown does not damage the file system.
⚠️ Note: Do not use the "Energy Saving" mode on Xiaomi 10 during data transfer.The system can forcely break the Wi-Fi connection or restrict background activity of the migration application, which will lead to a copy error.
Free up space on the new device in advance. Although the Xiaomi 10 has an impressive amount of internal memory, the system should have a reserve for temporary files and decompress archives during the import process. Remove unnecessary pre-installed applications or large files if memory is busy to make the process as smooth and fast as possible.
☑️ Preparation for data portability
Using the Mi Mover app to migrate fully
The most effective and native way to transfer data is to use the proprietary application Mi Mover, which is preinstalled on all Xiaomi smartphones. This tool is designed specifically for working in conjunction with iOS and allows you to transfer contacts, photos, videos, audio files and even some system settings. The main advantage of the method is the lack of need for third-party services and high speed transmission over the local network.
To get started, open the Mi Mover app on Xiaomi 10 and select Receiver. QR-On an iPhone, you need to download the Mi Mover app from the App Store, run it, select the Sender role, and scan the code from the screen of the new smartphone. Once the device is connected, they will create a secure data channel.
In the iPhone app interface, you'll be asked to select the types of data you want to copy. You can tick contacts, images, videos, music and documents. The copying process is in the background, and you can see the progress in percentages and the time you have left. It's important not to switch to other heavy apps on the iPhone during the transfer, so you don't break the connection.
- 📱 Contacts: Moved along with profile photos and additional numbers.
- 🖼️ Media files: original quality of photos and videos is preserved without compression.
- 📅 Calendar and notes: Events and text recordings are imported if the format allows conversion.
- 🔒 Security: Data transfers over local Wi-Fi channel, bypassing cloud servers.
What to do if the Mi Mover is frozen?
Synchronization through Google Account and Cloud Services
An alternative and often more reliable way to transfer contacts, calendars and events is sync through Google Account.This method is especially effective for users who plan to actively use Google services on the new Xiaomi 10. Since Android is deeply integrated with the Google ecosystem, data uploaded to the cloud will appear on the new device automatically immediately after logging in to the account.
On iPhone, you need to go to the App Store and download the Google app. After installation, open the app and log in to your Google account (or create a new one). Then go to the app settings and select Sync or Backup. Here you need to activate the switches for Contacts and Calendar. iOS will request permission to access the data, which you need to confirm.
Once synced to your iPhone is complete, pick up Xiaomi 10. When you first set up or in Settings → Accounts and Sync, log in to the same Google account. The system automatically tightens all your saved contacts and calendar events. This method doesn’t require devices to be constantly nearby and works even when there is an unstable connection between them, as the buffer is the cloud server.
| Type of data | Synchronization speed | Internet is required | It keeps the structure. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Instantly. | Yes (Wi-Fi/4G) | Yeah (groups, tags) |
| Calendar | Quickly. | Yes (Wi-Fi/4G) | |
| Photo (Google Photo) | Depends on the volume. | Yes (preferably Wi-Fi) | Yeah (albums) |
| Notes | Instantly. | Yes (Wi-Fi/4G) | Partially (text only) |
For users who are actively using iCloud, it is possible to upload contacts via a web interface. Go to iCloud.com from a computer, export contacts in vCard (.vcf) format, and then import this file through the Google Contacts interface on your computer. This is a “old-fashioned” but incredibly reliable method that works even if the apps on your phone behave incorrectly.
Transfer of multimedia: photos, videos and music
Multimedia content usually takes up the lion’s share of smartphone memory, so it’s worth paying special attention to porting it. If you don’t want to depend on Internet speed and cloud storage limits, the best solution is to use a PC or Mac as an intermediary. Connect your iPhone to your computer, copy DCIM and Media folders to your hard drive, then connect Xiaomi 10 and transfer files to the appropriate directories.
When using Windows to work with iPhone files, you may need to install drivers or use the Photos app. After connecting your phone, select Trust This Computer mode on the iPhone screen. Files will appear in the Explorer as an external device. For Xiaomi 10, when connecting to a PC, you need to select USB MTP (File Transfer) mode so that the computer can see the internal memory of the smartphone.
If you can't use a computer, you can use cloud storage like Google Photos, Dropbox or Yandex.Disk. Install the app you select on your iPhone, enable autoloading photos and wait until the process is complete. Then install the same app on Xiaomi and all your pictures will be available in original quality. This method is convenient because it creates an additional backup of your memories.
⚠️ Note: When transferring video in format HEIC/H.265 Some older Android video players don't support this codec. MIUI set up VLC Player that supports all formats.
Music and other files are easiest to transfer through a file manager. 10 There's a powerful Explorer tool built in that allows you to manage files over the network. IP-address (e.g, ftp://192.168.1.5:2121) And you type it into the address bar of the Explorer on your iPhone (via the Files app) or on your computer, and you can upload files directly without cables.
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Use the JPG format instead of HEIC for maximum compatibility. In the iPhone camera settings, you can switch the format to "Most Compatible" in advance so that you don't have problems with displaying photos on other devices when you transfer them.
Migration of messengers: WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber
Transferring the history of correspondence from instant messengers is the most delicate part of the process, since data is often protected by end-to-end encryption. Telegram and Viber usually do not have problems: just install the application on Xiaomi 10, log in to your phone number, and the history of correspondence (except secret chats) will be downloaded from the servers automatically. Telegram stores the entire history in the cloud, so it does not need a local transfer.
WhatsApp is more complicated because it stores its email archives locally or on iCloud, and it has long been impossible to transfer directly from iOS to Android, but now there is an official method through Google’s Move to Android app, which can be found on the App Store, or through the migration function inside WhatsApp itself when you first set up.
The process looks like this: on the new Xiaomi 10, when you initially set up (or after reset), select the option to transfer data from the iPhone. Follow the instructions on the screen, connect the iPhone with a cable (Lightning to). USB-C) through QR-WhatsApp will offer to back up your iPhone, which can then be deployed on Android.
- 📲 WhatsApp: Requires the use of an official migration tool or cable.
- ✈️ Telegram: Fully cloud-based, enough login and password (2FA).
- 📞 Viber: Google Drive backup doesn’t work with iOS, only cloud-based contact and media sync (message history may not be saved entirely without paid Viber Out or special terms and conditions).
- 💬 Signal: Requires backup on iPhone and transfer backup file to Android manually.
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For WhatsApp, it is critical to perform the port at the time of initial setup of Xiaomi 10. If the phone is already configured, you may need to perform a factory reset to activate the chat migration function.
Frequent problems and their solution
Despite the fact that processes are fine, users may encounter technical difficulties, and one of the common problems is the “Not enough space” error, even when there is free memory, often because the Android file system requires contiguous space to write large files, or hidden system partitions are overflowing with cache, which helps to clear the application cache before migrating.
Another problem is that the Wi-Fi Direct connection breaks while using the Mi Mover, which may be due to the aggressive MIUI energy saving policy, which kills background processes. To avoid this, open the battery settings, find the Mi Mover and set the "No Limits" mode. Also, turn off automatic switching to mobile data if the Wi-Fi signal becomes weaker.
If contacts were transferred without names (numbers only), this means that the sync was incorrect or an unsupported vCard format was used. You can solve the problem by importing contacts through Google Contacts on your computer: download the file, fix duplicates and naming errors, and then perform re-synchronization on the phone.