Changing a smartphone is always an exciting process, but it is often overshadowed by the fear of losing important files or facing hours of manually configuring a new device. Xiaomi ecosystem owners are more fortunate than users of many other brands, as the company's engineers have implemented a powerful native tool for migration. The phone's Clone app (Mi Mover) allows you to transfer gigabytes of information in minutes without losing the quality and structure of folders.
Unlike cloud services, which may require paid storage expansion or stable high-speed Internet, local cloning works directly between devices, which ensures high speed transfer and guarantees confidentiality, since your personal data does not pass through third-party servers.
There are several ways to sync, but it's the standard solution from Redmi and Poco that shows the best compatibility with system settings, you can transfer not only media files, but also the location of icons on your desktop, Wi-Fi passwords and even call history. Let's look at how to prepare for the procedure so that it goes smoothly.
Preparation of devices before the migration
The success of the operation depends on the correct pre-preparedness of both smartphones. Before starting the cloning process, you need to make sure that both devices have sufficient battery power, the optimal solution is to connect both devices to a power source or make sure that the charge level exceeds 50% to avoid a sudden shutdown at a critical moment.
It is also important to check whether there is space on the new Xiaomi phone, the amount of memory available should exceed the size of the data you plan to transfer from the old device. If the old phone is occupied by 100 GB, and the new one is free only 80 GB, the process will either be interrupted or end in error.
Be sure to enable wireless modules. While the app may suggest creating an access point, having Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled on both gadgets will greatly speed up the detection of devices from each other. Make sure that the screens don't have aggressive energy-saving themes or live wallpapers that can interfere with the system's operation during transmission.
☑️ Checklist of preparations
Installation and launch of the Clone Phone application
On the new Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones, the Phone Clone app is already pre-installed in the Tools folder, and can be found by the dual-arrow icon or the name "Mi Mover." If you haven't found the standard utility, it can be downloaded for free from the official GetApps store or Google Play, although the system version is preferable for deep integration.
On an older device, if it's not Xiaomi, you'll need to install the app manually. Once you run on both phones, you'll need to accept the user agreement. The interface is minimalistic, and you'll want to choose the role of the device: "I'm the sender" (old phone) or "I'm the recipient" (new Xiaomi), a choice that's critical to getting the connection right.
The app will request the necessary permissions to access contacts, messages, gallery and system settings, without granting all the requested rights, the program will not be able to read data for transfer. The new device may also require permission to install apps from unknown sources if you are porting APK-file-setting.
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If the app doesn’t run on an old phone, try clearing its cache in Android settings before re-starting.
Creating a connection between smartphones
After selecting the Recipient role on the new Xiaomi, the device will create a temporary Wi-Fi hotspot. QR-It's a code that you need to scan with your old phone, and you select a scan option on the sender, and you hover over the code, and it's the fastest pairing method that doesn't allow you to manually enter passwords.
In some cases, if the camera is not working properly or the screens are damaged, you can use a manual connection. The application will suggest finding the device in the list of available Wi-Fi networks. The connection is always created directly between phones (P2P), Internet is not required. Transfer speeds can reach 20-40 Mb / s, which is much faster than Bluetooth.
Once you've successfully scanned or networked, the devices will connect, and you'll see an interface where the old phone is displayed as the source and the new phone as the target device. If the connection breaks, try to turn off the mobile Internet on both devices so that the system doesn't try to switch to the carrier.
Selection of data types for transfer
The Phone Clone interface offers flexible customization of what will be copied. Automatically kategoriziruet data for user convenience. You can select individual categories or use the "Select All" feature, if the memory capacity of the new device allows.
It is important to note the difference between the transfer of applications and their data. APK-Program files are copied almost always, and logging into accounts inside banking applications or instant messengers often requires re-authorization for security reasons.
Special attention should be paid to the “System settings” section, which portables Wi-Fi passwords, alarm clocks, blacklist of numbers and even the location of widgets on the desktop, which allows you to make the new Xiaomi almost a complete copy of the old, minimizing the time to get used to the new interface.
- 📸 Multimedia: Photos, videos, music and dictaphone recordings are transferred in original quality without compression.
- 📞 Communications: Contacts, SMS, MMS and call logs are retained in full.
- 📱 Applications: The programs themselves are installed, but the data inside them may require separate synchronization.
- ⚙️ Settings: Alarm clocks, screen lock, wallpaper and system settings.
Transfer process and possible limitations
Once the selection is confirmed, the direct data transfer begins, the progress bar and the approximate time until the operation is completed will be displayed on the screen, at which time it is not recommended to fold the application or block the device screens, since some Android models can interrupt background processes to save energy.
The speed of copying depends on the volume of data and the technical condition of both smartphones. 50 GB of data can take from 10 to 30 minutes. If the process is still in place (for example, 99%), do not rush to interrupt it. Often the system completes the background indexing of files, and in a couple of minutes the process will be completed successfully.
⚠️ Note: If during the transfer of applications on the new phone there is a request for installation from an unknown source, be sure to confirm it, otherwise the download will be interrupted.
There are technical limitations to some types of data, such as login data on a Google account is not portable for security reasons — you will need to re-enter the password, and you may not copy the data of secure folders or encrypted storage if the old device used third-party encryption.
What should I do if the transmission is interrupted?
Methods Comparison: Phone Clone vs Google Account
Users often wonder which migration method is more effective. To understand the difference, let's compare Xiaomi's native app to standard synchronization via Google. Each method has its own advantages depending on the situation.
Google Account is ideal for saving contacts, calendars and photos (via Google Photos), but it can’t port installed apps with their data, system settings or files outside of cloud folders. The phone clone works at a deeper level, copying the structure of the file system.
| Parameter | The Clone of the Phone (Mi Mover) | Google Account |
|---|---|---|
| Speed. | High (locally) | Depends on the Internet. |
| Annexes | Copy APK and data | Only a list to download |
| Wi-Fi settings | Yes. | Partially (through reserve) |
| Network requirement | Not required | I'll be sure. |
| Photos and videos | A full copy of the folders | Only synchronized |
Using a “Clone Phone” is especially important when you don’t have fast Wi-Fi or limited mobile traffic, and it also allows you to keep the structure of the albums in the gallery, which is often lost when synchronized through the cloud, as all the photos are piled up in one pile by date.
Completion of migration and initial setup
When the progress bar reaches 100%, the new phone can restart or simply notify you of the end. After that, do not remove the application from the old phone immediately.
Note the gallery. Sometimes it takes time to build thumbnails for thousands of photos after the transfer, during which time the phone can get a little warmer — that's normal processor work, not a sign of malfunction. Let the system complete the indexing.
For instant messengers like WhatsApp or Telegram, it may take a separate step. Even if the app has moved, the history of correspondence is often restored only if you have a backup in Google Drive created on your old phone before transferring. Go to the chat settings on your old device and create a fresh backup before migrating.
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The ideal scenario: Use a phone clone for the system and apps, and for WhatsApp, make a separate backup to Google Drive before the process begins.
⚠️ Note: After transferring banking applications, you will need to re-assign the device. This is standard security procedure, and no application will allow you to log in without confirmation via SMS or push notification.