Changing your smartphone, especially the Xiaomi or Redmi ecosystem, is always accompanied by excitement: will important contacts, photos or correspondence be lost? Fortunately, modern technology allows you to migrate content as quickly and painlessly as possible. The process of transferring data from one phone to another is debugged for years and offers several proven methods.
In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can do it, from the built-in Mi Mover tool, which is the gold standard for owners of this brand’s appliances, to classic backups through a Google account, and learn how to save folder structure, Wi-Fi passwords, and even the location of icons on your desktop.
No matter what device you are switching from, whether it is an old Samsung, Huawei or even an iPhone, the algorithm of actions will be clear to even a beginner, the main thing is to prepare both gadgets in advance and choose the most suitable method for your situation.
Preparation of devices before the migration
Before you start the process of cloning information, you need to perform a number of preparatory steps, this is a critical step, ignoring which can lead to interruption of transmission or malfunction of applications on the new device, make sure that on both smartphones the battery level is at least 60-70%.
If one of the devices runs out while copying large amounts of data (for example, a video archive of 50 GB), the process will stop and you will have to start all over again, and it is worth checking the availability of free space on the target device – it should exceed the amount of data transferred.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to transfer data over an unstable Wi-Fi connection or if the mobile network signal is poor if you use cloud methods.
Remove temporary files and cache on your old phone to speed up the process.The garbage cleanup will take a couple of minutes, but will significantly reduce the waiting time.
☑️ Checklist for transfer preparations
It is also important that both devices enable permissions to install apps from unknown sources if you plan to use third-party utilities, although Mi Mover is not usually required as it is a system application.
Using the Mi Mover app for quick transfer
The most efficient and quickest way is to use the proprietary utility Mi Mover, which is pre-installed on all modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones. Its main advantage is the ability to transfer data over a direct Wi-Fi channel, which provides high speeds that do not depend on Internet speed.
To get started, open the app on your new phone and select the "I'm the recipient" role. On your old device (if it's also Xiaomi), the app will already be on the system. If you're switching from another brand, download Mi Mover from the Play Market or scan it. QR-code that will appear on the screen of the new smartphone.
Once you start up on both devices, create an access point. The new phone will form a Wi-Fi network to connect to from the old one. The password will be displayed on the screen. Once you connect, you will see a list of categories: contacts, messages, images, videos, applications and system settings.
You can choose specific data types or you can tag everything at once. Pay attention to the Apps tab -- Mi Mover doesn't just carry it. APK-files, but also data inside them (logins, game progress, cache), if the Android security policy allows.
- 🚀 High speed up to 40 MB/s without using mobile traffic.
- 📱 Preserving folder structure and widget location on the desktop.
- 🔒 Local data transfer provides a high level of confidentiality.
The process can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour depending on the amount of information you have, so don't turn the app down and keep the screens on.
Sync through Google Account and Cloud Services
If you can't physically transfer files for some reason, there's always a time-tested method, cloud sync, which is an immortal way that's been working for decades, and log into your Google account on your old phone and make sure that the sync sliders are active.
Go to Settings → Google → Sync. Here you will see a list of services: Contacts, Calendar, Gmail, Drive, Photos, etc. Click Sync Now to make sure that the latest changes are saved in the cloud.
On the new Xiaomi, when you first turn on, the system will prompt you to log in to the same Google account. Once authorized, the phone will automatically prompt you to restore data from the last backup, you can choose which apps and settings to download.
What to do if your contacts are not synchronized?
Google Photos is a special feature, and if you have Autoboot and Sync enabled, all your photos and videos are already in the cloud, just install the app on a new phone, and the gallery will fill up instantly.
Xiaomi’s Mi Cloud is also available for users of the Xiaomi ecosystem, allowing you to synchronize specific settings, themes and voice recorder data that may not be saved in a standard Google backup.
Transferring data from iPhone (iOS) to Xiaomi
The transition from iOS to Android used to seem complicated, but now it's a regular feature.The Mi Mover app has a special version for the iPhone available in the App Store. The algorithm is similar to porting between Android devices, but there are nuances.
Once you install the app on your iPhone and connect to the Wi-Fi network created by Xiaomi, you can transfer contacts, photos, videos and calendar events. However, apps from the App Store will not be directly transferred – they will have to be downloaded again from the Play Market.
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Use the Move to iOS feature in reverse? No, it's impossible. To switch from iPhone to Android, use only specialized converter apps or Mi Mover.
The history of WhatsApp correspondence when switching between different operating systems is often lost if you do not use the official migration tools that sometimes appear in the settings of the messenger itself when you first start on a new device.
When transferring photos from iOS, make sure that Xiaomi has enough space, as HEIC photos can take up less space on the iPhone, but require more resources when converting or storing in the original.
Solving common problems and errors
Even with advanced tools, there can be disruptions, and one of the common problems is connection interruption, which can be due to aggressive energy savings that kill the background transmission process.
To avoid this, go to the battery settings and set the Mi Mover to "No Limits" and give the application priority in using system resources.
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The phone doesn't see another device. | Different Wi-Fi networks or GPS turned off | Enable geolocation and make sure both phones are on the same network |
| Mistakes in transferring applications | Incompatibility of Android versions | Reinstall applications manually from the Play Market |
| 99% interruption | Lack of space or overheating | Clean up your memory and let the devices cool down. |
| Wi-Fi passwords are not portable | Security Limitations of Android 10+ | Enter the password manually or use it. QR-router |
If it's dead, don't panic. Force the app to close on both devices, restart them, and try to start the transmission again, selecting only the categories of data that haven't been copied.
⚠️ Note: If you use third-party cloning software (not Mi Mover), watch for permissions carefully. Do not give access to the microphone or camera to applications that only deal with files.
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The most common cause of errors is an unstable connection: Keep your phones close together and don't switch between apps during transmission.
Set up a new smartphone after the transfer
Once the migration is complete, the work is not over, either MIUI or HyperOS requires initial setup to work comfortably, and first check the basic functions of calling, Internet and sound.
Go to Settings → About the phone and check for system updates. Often, manufacturers release patches that improve stability in the first days after purchase, and you should also adjust the biometrics - fingerprint and facial recognition.
- 🔐 Set up ad blocking in system applications through the section "Passwords and security".
- 🎨 Choose a design theme to personalize the interface to your taste.
- 🔋 Optimize screen settings (refreshment frequency, brightness) to save charge.
Check if all the apps are working correctly. Banking applications may require re-authorization or an additional security certificate to be installed, which is normal practice.
Where did the icons of some apps go?
Now your new Xiaomi is fully ready to go, and all your data, habits and settings have moved with you, allowing you to continue using your smartphone without wasting time on long adaptations.