Buying a new Xiaomi Redmi smartphone is always a joyous occasion, opening up access to a more powerful processor, a better screen and an improved camera. However, the euphoria of a new gadget often hides a routine but necessary task: transferring all the accumulated information from an old device, which for many users is alarming, because losing contacts or important photos can be a real tragedy.
Fortunately, the Android ecosystem and Xiaomi’s proprietary designs offer several efficient ways to migrate data. You don’t have to be a technician to do this, but you just have to choose the right method and follow the instructions clearly, so that in a few minutes your new phone will be a complete replica of the old one, but with increased performance.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all the current portability practices, from the built-in Mi Mover app, which is the de facto standard for Redmi owners, to cloud services and manual methods. We will also touch on the nuances of password transfer, messages and call history, which often become a stumbling block when changing devices.
Preparing devices for data migration
Before you start any copying software, you need to properly prepare both smartphones. Ignoring the preparatory stage can lead to errors, interruption of the process or incorrect display of data on the new device. Make sure that both phones are charged at least 50-60%, as active transmission of large amounts of information through Wi-Fi Direct or cable can significantly consume energy.
The second critical step is to check the space available: the new Xiaomi Redmi should have enough memory to house all the files from the old device. If you plan to transfer photos and videos in high resolution, and the internal memory of the new device is filled with system files, the process can stop halfway.
⚠️ Note: Make sure that both devices are Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled before you start the transfer. Even if you are using a cable, some backup systems require activation of these modules for handshake protocol.
It’s also worth checking the operating system version. While current methods are cross-platform, working with current versions of MIUI or HyperOS ensures that there are no compatibility bugs. Update all system applications on both devices to the latest available version through the Google Play store or GetApps.
- 🔋 Charge both smartphones to at least 60% or connect them to power supplies.
- 📶 Check the availability of free space on the new Xiaomi Redmi.
- 🔄 Update system software and key applications on both devices.
- 🔒 Unlock the screens of both phones and allow access to files when connected.
Using the Mi Mover app for full cloning
The most efficient and preferred way for Xiaomi owners is to use the Mi Mover tool, which is pre-installed on most modern Redmi models and allows data to be transmitted without using Internet traffic, creating a direct Wi-Fi connection between devices, while transferring speeds can reach tens of megabytes per second.
The process starts with installing or running an app on both smartphones, and on the new phone you choose the "I'm a recipient" role, and on the old phone you choose the "I'm a sender" role. QR-code or connect to the Wi-Fi network you have created manually, and once you have established the connection, Mi Mover will analyze the contents of the old device.
☑️ Check before launching the Mi Mover
The application interface allows you to flexibly configure what you want to migrate, you can select only contacts and messages, or copy everything, including installed applications, system settings and media files. Note that you can only migrate applications if they are compatible with the new Redmi processor architecture.
⚠️ Note: When transferring data via Mi Mover, do not switch to other apps or turn off the smartphone screen, as this may break the Wi-Fi Direct connection and interrupt the transfer.
The feature of the method is the ability to transfer even system settings and desktop layout, which means that the icons on the new device will be located in the same way as on the old one, which greatly accelerates the addiction to the new gadget, and after the process is completed, the new phone will restart, and you will see all your data in place.
- 📲 Run Mi Mover on both devices via menu or search.
- 🔗 Scan it. QR-pairing-code.
- 📂 Select data categories for copying (photos, contacts, applications).
- ⏳ Wait for the process to be completed without interrupting the connection.
Synchronization through Google Account and Cloud Services
An alternative and time-tested method is sync through a Google account, ideal if you don’t have a cable on hand, or if you’re switching from a device of another brand where installing the Mi Mover is difficult. When you first turn on the new Xiaomi Redmi, the system will prompt you to log into your Google account.
Once logged in, the smartphone will automatically prompt you to restore data from the last backup. The cloud can store contacts, calendar events, notes, passwords from the Chrome browser, and even a list of installed apps. Photos and videos are usually synced through Google Photos, if the appropriate option was enabled.
It is important to understand the difference between on-premises backup and cloud. Cloud requires a stable and preferably fast Internet connection. It can take a considerable amount of time to download a large amount of data (for example, 20-30 GB of photo), but this method ensures the safety of data even in the event of physical loss or failure of an old device.
What to do if the synchronization is suspended?
Mi Cloud is also available for users who appreciate Xiaomi’s ecosystem, and works on a similar principle, but allows you to synchronize specific data such as voice recorder, design themes and alarm settings that are not stored in a standard Google profile.
- ☁️ Log in to the same Google account on the new device when you first set up.
- 📸 Make sure Google Photos has finished downloading all photos from your old phone.
- 📞 Check the Contacts section in Google Settings to confirm sync.
- 🔐 Use Google Password Manager to recover passwords from websites.
Data transfer by means of USB-cable
For users who prefer full control of the process and have large amounts of data, the classic method of copying via a computer is relevant, this method does not depend on the speed of the wireless connection and allows you to manually sort files before moving them to the new Xiaomi Redmi.
You will need quality. USB-cable and computer with Windows or macOS. Connecting the old phone, select the mode of operation USB «File transfer» (MTP). A file manager will open on your computer, where you can copy folders. DCIM (Photos and videos), Download, Documents and Music on hard drive.
Then connect the new Redmi smartphone to your computer. Android memory folder structure is standardized, so you can just drag the copied folders to the root of the internal memory or to the memory card of the new device. It's a great way to transfer heavy video files that take a long time to load through the cloud.
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Use a USB 3.0 cable or higher and a USB 3.0 port on your computer for maximum copy speed of large files. The cables included often only support charging or slow data transfer.
It is worth noting that this method cannot transfer installed applications, their settings or call history, this method is designed exclusively for media files and documents, but for contacts and calendar, it is still better to use the synchronization of accounts described in the previous section.
Comparison of transfer methods: Characteristics table
To make it easier for you to choose the best way, we have prepared a comparison table that will help you weigh the pros and cons of each method depending on your specific situation and the type of data being transferred.
| Method | Speed. | What's transferable | We need the Internet. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Mover | Tall. | Everything (including apps and settings) | No (Wi-Fi Direct) |
| Google Account | Medium | Contacts, photos, passwords, list of applications | Yes (required) |
| USB-cable + PC | Very high. | Files only (photos, videos, documents) | No. |
| Bluetooth | Low. | Individual small files | No. |
As you can see from the table, Mi Mover is the most versatile solution for Xiaomi owners, combining high speed and the ability to transfer system settings, which is not available with the cloud or cable. However, if you need to transfer only a couple of documents, you will be faster to use messengers or Bluetooth.
Message transfer nuances and call history
One of the most painful topics for Android users is portability. SMS-Google's standard sync tools often ignore this data for privacy reasons or because of system limitations.
The Mi Mover app can port SMS and call history, but only if both phones are running MIUI. If you are switching from a pure Android (like Pixel or Motorola), the regular utility may not see these sections, in which case it is recommended to use specialized assistant applications, such as SMS Backup & Restore.
The process looks like this: on the old phone, a backup copy of messages is created in the XML-A file that is stored in memory or the cloud. The new Xiaomi installs the same app that finds the backup and restores the system log messages, and then you can delete them so you don't take up space.
⚠️ Note: When recovering messages from third-party apps on a new phone, they may appear as “new” incomings, and sending times may be confused if the device time zones differed.
For instant messengers like WhatsApp, Telegram or Viber, there are different rules. Telegram stores the entire history on the server, so just enter the phone number. WhatsApp needs to make a local backup on Google Drive through the settings of the messenger on the old device before switching.
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Use the built-in backup function inside each messenger (WhatsApp, Viber) before resetting your old phone, as the Android system backup doesn’t always keep your chat history completely.