How to transfer data from Android to Xiaomi: a step-by-step guide

Moving to a new smartphone is always an exciting process, but often overshadowed by the fear of losing important information or spending hours manually tuning. Technology has made it much easier, especially when it comes to moving into the Xiaomi ecosystem. Manufacturers have provided several effective tools to clone the contents of an old device into a new one with little or no user input.

The biggest challenge in migrating is not so much memory as compatibility of operating system formats and versions. However, thanks to the unification of the Android platform, most data, including contacts, call history and media, is transmitted without loss of quality. The key here is choosing the right transfer method, which depends on the amount of information and the speed of your Internet connection.

In this article, we will take a closer look at all the synchronization options available, from native Mi Mover apps to cloud services and manual PC copying, and learn how to avoid common mistakes and prepare both gadgets for a seamless transition by keeping folder structure and app authorization.

Preparation of devices before the migration

Before you start the copying process, you need to perform a number of preparatory steps that will ensure the stability of the connection. First of all, check the battery level on both devices: it should be at least 50%, and ideally, both smartphones should be connected to a power source. Unstable Wi-Fi module or a sudden disconnection of one of the devices can damage the archives with data.

It's also worth freeing up space on the receiving device. Even if you bought a model with a lot of memory, system files and pre-installed MIUI or HyperOS applications take up a significant portion of the space. Make sure there's more free memory than the weight of the data you plan to carry.

An important step is to clear the messenger cache on your old phone, unless you plan to transfer your correspondence history through special features within the applications themselves, which will help reduce transfer time and avoid database version conflicts.

• 🔋 Charge both smartphones to at least 60% or connect them to chargers.
• 📶 Make sure that both devices have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled.
• 🗑️ Free up space on the new Xiaomi by deleting unnecessary temporary files.
• 🔒 Unlock the screens of both devices and set the “Do not sleep” mode in the display settings.

Using the Mi Mover application for wireless transfer

The most efficient and quickest way to migrate is to use the proprietary Mi Mover utility, which is designed specifically for Android-Xiaomi, and allows you to transfer data over a direct Wi-Fi connection without consuming mobile traffic, while transferring speeds can reach tens of megabytes per second, which is much faster than standard Bluetooth.

To get started, install the app on your old device (if it's not there) and run it on your new Xiaomi. On the receiving smartphone, select "I'm the recipient" and on the old one, "I'm the sender." The system will create a secure access point that the second device will need to connect to. Once you establish the connection, you will see a detailed list of data categories available for copying.

The app allows you to flexibly adjust transmission settings. You can choose to transfer only system settings and contacts, or copy the entire array of media, including heavy video files and application installation packages. The process is fully automated, but requires that phone screens remain active.

⚠️ Warning: Do not switch to other apps or lock the screen while Mi Mover is running, as this may break the Wi-Fi Direct connection and interrupt file transfers.

Sync through Google Account and Cloud Services

A classic method that remains relevant for those who do not want to install additional software. Google ecosystem allows you to save contacts, calendar events, notes and even passwords in the cloud. When you first activate the new Xiaomi, you just need to enter a login and password from your Gmail account, and the system will prompt you to restore data from the backup.

This method is especially useful for porting operating system settings, Wi-Fi network lists and installed applications, but it is worth considering that photos and videos are not always fully portable unless you have Google Photos sync activated or purchased additional storage.

For users who are actively using Xiaomi Cloud services, an alternative path is available: By logging into your Mi Account on an old device and enabling synchronization, you can instantly access the gallery and contacts on the new smartphone immediately after logging in.

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Use Google Photos in Original mode before you switch to compress media files without losing any visible quality and save space in the cloud for quick sync.

Transferring data through a computer and USB-cable

If wireless methods raise doubts about speed or stability, you can always resort to a proven method using a PC: Connecting an old phone to a computer, copy the DCIM, Pictures, Download and Documents folders to your hard drive. Then connect the new Xiaomi and move the files to the appropriate directories.

This is ideal for carrying huge amounts of data, for example, if you're shooting 4K video and you've accumulated hundreds of gigabytes of archives, a wired connection ensures that there's no loss of packets and allows you to control the copying process.

But there's a caveat: applications and data cannot be moved this way, you can only access files, and you have to restore system settings and logins manually or through cloud services.

• 🖥️ Connect your old phone to your PC in File Transfer mode» (MTP).
• 📂 Copy the necessary folders into temporary storage on your computer.
• 🔌 Connect the new Xiaomi and copy the data to the root folder or related sections.
• ✅ Check the integrity of files after copying is completed.

Features of transfer of messengers and applications

The most delicate part of the process is the migration of messengers such as WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber, which, unlike simple apps, store the history of correspondence in secure databases that are not always correctly copied by standard Android tools.

There is a built-in backup feature for WhatsApp. On an old phone, go to Settings → Chats → Backup Chats and create a fresh copy in Google Drive. When you install the app on a new Xiaomi and type in the same phone number, the system will prompt you to restore your message history from the cloud.

Bank and government applications require re-authorization for security purposes, and make sure you have access to the SIM card to receive SMS confirmation codes, as migrating authorization sessions through Mi Mover usually doesn’t work in these cases.

⚠️ Warning: Before deleting your old smartphone, make sure to check that all chats in messengers have opened on the new device. After erasing the data on the old phone, it will be impossible to restore deleted correspondence.

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For instant messengers, always use built-in backup features within the app itself, not just the overall backup of the system.

Solving problems and errors when copying

Users may experience various technical difficulties during migration, most often due to incompatibility of Android versions or insufficient memory. If the transfer is interrupted in the middle, try restarting both devices and repeating the procedure by selecting only the types of data that caused the error.

Sometimes, there is a situation where applications are ported but not opened or crashed, due to differences in operating system versions, in which case it is recommended to remove the problematic application and download it again from the Google Play store or GetApps.

If you use SD-map, it is better to remove it before the process and insert it into the new phone after the setup is completed, so that the system correctly indexes media files and does not create duplicate folders.