Replacing an old smartphone with a new Xiaomi model always causes a natural desire to transfer all the accumulated information as quickly and painlessly as possible. Users often look for a way that does not require installing third-party applications or buying special cables. Using Google's cloud service is the most versatile and reliable method for data migration in the Android ecosystem.
This approach ensures that your contacts, calendar, notes, and even the list of installed applications are automatically restored immediately after logging in. The synchronization process takes place on the company's servers, which minimizes the risk of information loss if the old device is physically damaged.
In this article, we will take a look at all the steps of preparing, configuring, and directly transferring data, which file types are saved in the cloud and which are best copied manually, and will also look at typical synchronization errors and how to fix them without going to the service center.
Preparing a Google account on an old device
Before you start any data manipulation, make sure that your current Xiaomi smartphone is logged into your main Google account. This profile will be the source of all the information for the new gadget. If you use multiple accounts, determine which one is a priority for storing contacts and email.
It's important to understand that not all default data is stored in the cloud. Users often wonder why some numbers or calendar events have disappeared after setting up a new phone, because sync for certain applications may have been manually disabled or downed after a system update.
⚠️ Warning: Make sure you know the password from your Google account. The new device will require authorization, and without a password, it will be extremely difficult to restore access to data.
Check the sync status in your system settings. To do this, go to Settings → Accounts and Sync. This shows a list of all associated services. Click on your Google account name to see the details.
Make sure the switches in front of Contacts, Calendar, Notes and Documents are active. If there is an exclamation point near any point, then sync is suspended due to an error. Try unchecking the tick and re-checking it to start the process of exchanging data with the server.
- 📱 Open your phone settings and find the "Accounts" section".
- 🔄 Select your Google profile from the list of available.
- ✅ Check that all important synchronization switches are included.
- 📡 Make sure you have a stable Wi-Fi connection to download large amounts of data.
Backup of system and application data
In addition to contact information, it is critical to keep your system settings and installed program list. Google One (or Android’s built-in backup feature) allows you to create a cast of the current state of the device. This includes passwords from Wi-Fi networks, call history and SMS-Messages (on some firmware versions).
To create a backup, go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Restore and Reset. Under Google Reservation, click Start Copy. The system will analyze the amount of data and suggest saving it to cloud storage. Please note that the amount of free storage is limited to 15 GB, which is shared between Mail, Drive and Photos.
If there is not enough space in the cloud, the system will offer to purchase an additional tariff or clear the storage, in which case you can exclude heavy files from the backup, leaving only critical settings, the process of creating a copy can take from 10 minutes to several hours depending on the speed of the Internet connection.
☑️ Pre-transfer check
You should pay special attention to photos. Although they often take up the most space, losing them is the most painful. Make sure that the Google Photos app has Autoupload and Sync enabled. The Download Complete status indicates that all your photos are safely stored on servers.
The process of setting up a new smartphone Xiaomi
Once the old phone is ready, you can start setting up a new Xiaomi device. When you first turn on, you will be met by the MIUI or HyperOS Initial Setup Wizard. Choose the interface language and connect to the Wi-Fi network. Without the Internet, you will not be able to take any further steps.
In the "App and Data Copy" phase, the system will offer several options: select the option "Cloud Backup" or "Cloud Recovery" and you will be prompted to enter the username and password from the Google account that was used on the old phone, which is key, because it is the link to this account that will trigger the recovery mechanism.
Once you have successfully logged in, the system will prompt you to select a backup to restore, which is usually marked as "Last" with the date and time of creation, select it and click "Restore." It will start downloading settings, Wi-Fi passwords and application lists.
| Type of data | Method of conservation | Restores automatically |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Synchronization of Google | Yes. |
| Photos | Google Photos/Gallery | Yes (via appendix) |
| Annexes | Google Play Store | Yes (list and installation) |
| Wi-Fi passwords | Google Account | Yes. |
| Files in memory | Mi Mover/PC required | No (only via Mi Mover) |
It is important to note that the application files themselves (APKs) are not stored in the Google cloud in direct user access, only their list is restored. Once the new phone is set up, Xiaomi will automatically download and install programs from the Play Store in the background.
Contact and multimedia work
Contacts are the most important part of a person’s digital profile, and if you’ve set up syncs correctly on an old device, when you sign in on a new Xiaomi account, numbers will appear in the phone book almost instantly, sometimes taking minutes if there are too many contacts.
Multimedia files are more complicated. Google Photos does a great job with pictures and videos, but the originals can be compressed to save space if you don't choose the "Original quality" tariff. For transferring music, documents and files that are not related to media, the Google Drive cloud is less suitable due to volume limits.
If you need to transfer heavy files (movies, archives, projects), it is better to use a specialized tool Mi Mover, which also works in conjunction with the account, but transmits data over a local Wi-Fi channel directly between devices.
⚠️ Note: Bank applications and some secure programs do not transfer their data through the Google cloud for security reasons.
To check the integrity of the data, open the Contacts app and make sure that the filter displays numbers from your Google account, not from your Google account. SIM-This ensures that the data is tied to the cloud and will not be lost when you change your device in the future.
Solving synchronization problems and errors
Sometimes the process of transferring data through Google can be difficult, and one of the most common problems is the error "Sync is suspended" or the endless download process, most often due to an unstable Internet connection or lack of space in the cloud.
If contacts don't show up, try force sync. Go to Settings → Accounts → Google, select your profile and click the menu button (three dots), then select Sync. Also helps to delete and re-add your account in the system.
What if the new phone doesn’t see the backup?
Another cause of failures may be antivirus programs or aggressive MIUI power saving settings that block the background work of Google services, in which case it is worth temporarily disabling battery optimization for Google Play services.
- 🔋 Check the battery level – with a low charge, synchronization can be blocked.
- 🌐 Use a stable Wi-Fi network, avoiding public access points with authorization.
- 🗑️ Free up space on Google Drive by removing unnecessary files from your cart.
- 🔄 Restart both smartphones before starting the transfer procedure.
Completion of migration and data verification
Once the main recovery phase is complete, take your time to reset your old phone to factory settings. Use the new Xiaomi device for a few days to make sure all features are working correctly. Check if notifications are coming, if apps are working and if all files are available.
Pay special attention to two-factor authorization. When changing devices, many services may require login confirmation. Make sure you have access to your phone number or backup codes, as you can use the backup codes. SIM-The card can be moved to the new device, and push notifications come to the old one.
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Keep your backup Google account access codes in a safe place (print or write down) is the only way to restore access if your phone is lost or locked.
Only when you make sure that all the data is in place and the new smartphone is stable, you can start cleaning the old device. Remember to log out of all the accounts on the old phone and perform a full reset (Wipe Data / Factory Reset) so that your personal information does not fall into the wrong hands.
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The full Google transfer cycle takes 30 minutes to several hours, but ensures maximum security of the data structure and system settings without loss of quality.