How to transfer data from Xiaomi to Xiaomi: full instructions

Changing a smartphone always brings mixed feelings: on the one hand, the joy of a new gadget, on the other – the prospect of long hours of customization and transfer of contacts, photos and applications. Fortunately, the Xiaomi ecosystem offers several effective tools that allow you to migrate from one device to another in minutes.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available ways to clone information, from using a proprietary application to cloud services, how to avoid common errors and ensure the safety of important files. The process does not require deep technical knowledge, but knowing the nuances will save time.

Preparation of devices for the migration procedure

Before you start directly transferring information, you need to perform a number of preparatory steps: make sure that both the old and the new smartphone have sufficient battery power, preferably more than 60%. The process can take time, and suddenly shutting down one of the devices will interrupt the transmission, which will damage the archives.

Also check for free space on the receiving device. If you plan to transfer a full clone of the system with all photos and videos, the memory of the new phone should be equal to or exceed the amount of space occupied on the old one, it is recommended to remove unnecessary debris in advance or temporarily transfer heavy files to the computer.

⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to interrupt the data transfer process, even if it is frozen. Forced reboot can cause system applications to malfunction on the new device.

Both smartphones must be connected to a stable Wi-Fi network if you use cloud-based methods, or be in close proximity to work over Wi-Fi Direct. Turn on Bluetooth and GPS on both devices, as some system services require them to be activated to detect devices.

It is important to remember the password from your Mi Account or Google account beforehand. After transferring the data, the system may require authorization to confirm ownership of the device and unlock security features.

Using the Mi Mover app for full cloning

The fastest and most efficient way is to use the built-in Mi Mover app, which is designed specifically for the Xiaomi and Redmi ecosystem, allowing you to transfer contacts, messages, call history, applications, system settings, and multimedia files, and can transfer speeds up to tens of megabytes per second.

To get started, open the app on both devices. On the new smartphone, select Recipient and on the old one, Sender. The app will create a secure Wi-Fi network that the old phone will need to connect to. The password is usually displayed on the screen of the new device or automatically inserted.

Once connected, the device interfaces synchronize, and you see a list of data categories available for transfer, you can select all items or mark only the ones you need, such as only the gallery and contacts, and the system automatically analyzes the amount of data and the time it takes to complete the operation.

• 📱 Contacts and call history are transferred without duplicates.
• 📷 Photos and videos retain original quality and metadata.
• ⚙️ System settings, including Wi-Fi passwords and alarm clocks, are copied in full.
• 📲 Applications are installed automatically, but the entrance to them is authorization.

While the apps themselves will be installed, WhatsApp or Telegram correspondence history may require separate backups within these programs. Mi Mover may not always correctly transfer the cache of secure applications for security reasons.

Sync with Mi Cloud and Google Account

An alternative to direct connectivity is cloud storage, which is ideal if you don't have both phones on hand at the same time or your old phone is already sold/lost, and synchronization with Google and Mi Cloud keeps your data safe even when your device breaks.

To work with Google, make sure your old phone has your contacts, calendar, and notes synced. Go to your account settings and click Sync. On the new device, just type the same username and password when you first set up, and the data will automatically pull up.

Using the Mi Cloud provides deeper integration with the MIUI shell, where you can save not only contacts, but also desktop layout, alarm settings and even voice recorder recordings. However, free space is limited to 5 GB, which may not be enough for high-resolution backup photos.

It is important to understand the difference between a local backup and a cloud one: a local copy is stored in the phone’s memory and can be lost along with the device, whereas the cloud ensures that data is available from anywhere in the world, and combining these methods gives maximum reliability.

Local backup and recovery

Built-in local backup function in MIUI allows you to create a full picture of the state of the system, which is stored in the internal memory or on the SD-It's a powerful tool for advanced users who want to have complete control over their data without depending on the Internet.

To create a backup, go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Restore. Here you can select categories of data to save. Once the process is complete, the backup file will be in the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder.

To transfer to a new phone, copy the backup file you created via your computer or Bluetooth, placing it in a similar directory on the new device. Then select Restore from the recovery menu and specify the desired restore point. The system will suggest a reboot to apply the changes.

⚠️ Attention: Local backups do not contain passwords and bank application data for security purposes.Be prepared to re-enter logins and passwords after recovery.

This method is especially useful when switching between Android versions when cloud sync may not work properly, it also allows you to transfer data from applications that do not support cloud redundancy. However, the file size can be significant, so make sure you have free memory.

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To speed up the search for a backup file on a new phone, use a file manager and sort by date of creation. The file name usually contains the date and time of the copy creation.

Transferring Multimedia through Computer and Cable

If the volume of photos and videos is in the hundreds of gigabytes, wireless methods can be too slow, in which case the most rational solution is to use the personal computer as an intermediate storage.

Connect your old phone to your PC via USB-cable and select file transfer mode (MTP). Copy the folders. DCIM, Pictures, Download and Music to your computer's hard drive. Then plug in the new phone and move the files to the appropriate directories.

• 📂 folder DCIM/Camera It contains all photos and videos from the camera.
• 📥 Download folder contains files downloaded from the Internet.
• 🎵 Music is often stored in a music folder or Android/media.
• 📝 Documents can be found in the root of memory or in the Documents folder.

With this method, it is important to keep the folder structure, especially for media files, so that the gallery of the new phone indexes them correctly, and the computer also allows you to audit the files and delete duplicates before downloading to the new device, which will save precious space.

Using a USB-C to USB-C cable (if both phones support OTG) allows devices to be connected directly without a computer, in which case the receiving phone will identify the connected device as an external drive and prompt you to copy the data, which is much faster than wireless protocols.

Solution and troubleshooting

Even with proven methods, there can be technical difficulties: users often find that the process hangs on a certain percentage or some files do not open on a new device. In most cases, the problem lies in unstable connection or incompatibility of Android versions.

If the transmission is interrupted, try to turn off the power saving on both phones. Aggressive charge saving algorithms can kill background data transfer, and it is also worth turning off VPNs and third-party antiviruses during the migration.

If you have problems with your contacts, make sure they are saved in your Google account or on your website. SIM-Import with the card, not just in the phone's memory. SIM-The cards are made through the “Contacts” application in the settings menu.

⚠️ Note: After transferring data to the new phone, it is recommended to perform a full restart of the device, which will allow the system to correctly index new files and update application databases.

If notifications from messengers do not work, check notification settings and permissions for specific applications. When cloning a system, privacy settings may get lost, and applications will not be eligible for background work.

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The most reliable result is a combination of methods: Mi Mover for applications and settings, plus manual copying of heavy media files via a PC or cable.