Changing your smartphone is always a joyful experience, especially when you move to a more powerful model, but the process of data migration is often a concern. Xiaomi ecosystem users who decide to buy a device brand POCO, are in a winning position, as both companies use a single software shell MIUI or HyperOS. This means that the folder structure, the location of system settings and the logic of the interface remain familiar, which greatly simplifies the task.
You don't have to learn complex developer tools or manually rewrite phone numbers from an old notebook. Current methods allow you to clone the contents of internal memory in almost automatic mode. In this article, we will detail how to transfer data from shaomi to poko, using built-in system tools and cloud services, so you can start using a new gadget immediately after unpacking.
Preparing devices for synchronization
Before the active phase of the transfer, you need to perform a number of preparatory steps that ensure the stability of the process. First of all, make sure that both the old Xiaomi and the new POCO are charged at least 60-70%. The process of copying a large amount of files, especially photos and videos, can be energy-intensive, and a sudden disconnection of one of the devices will lead to an interruption of the operation.
It is also critical to check for free space on the receiving device: If you plan to transfer the entire library, which is 100 GB, and the new phone is only free 50 GB, the operation will end in error, it is recommended to clear the cache in advance or delete unnecessary files if the amount of data exceeds the available space.
Both smartphones must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Although some methods use direct Wi-Fi connection between devices, having a stable internet is often required to log in to accounts and check application versions. Make sure the network does not require additional login activities, such as entering code through a browser at public access points.
⚠️ Warning: Don’t try to interrupt the transfer process by turning off the screen or closing the migration application. Even if it seems like the process is stalled, wait a few minutes, as copying thousands of small files can take time.
Make sure that both devices have Bluetooth and geolocation enabled, and these protocols are used by the operating system to detect devices in close proximity and establish a secure communication channel. Without activated geolocation, modern versions of Android can block the search for neighboring gadgets.
Using the Mi Mover app for migration
The most efficient and quick way to transfer data from shaomi to shaomi or POCO is to use the Mi Mover application, which is pre-installed on all devices in the line and optimized for work within the ecosystem, which ensures maximum compatibility of file formats and system settings.
To start the process, find the application in the Tools folder or search by settings. On the old smartphone, select the role of “Sender” (Old phone), and on the new one, select the role of “Sender” (Old phone). POCO — «Recipient: New phone, after the roles are confirmed, the new device will appear on the screen. QR-The code that needs to be scanned with the camera of the old phone.
- 📲 Click the Connect button after scanning the code to create a secure tunnel between devices.
- 📂 Select data categories to copy: contacts, messages, call logs, apps, photos, videos and music.
- 🚀 Start the process by clicking the “Send” button and wait for the progress indicator to complete.
The main advantage of the Mi Mover is that it portables not only files, but also folder structure, as well as most of the system settings. You get a virtually accurate copy of the old phone's interface on the new device, including the location of icons on the desktop, eliminating the need to reconfigure the usual widgets and wallpaper.
☑️ Check before launching the Mi Mover
The data rate is directly dependent on the Wi-Fi modules in smartphones. If both devices support the 5 GHz standard, the process will go much faster than using the 2.4 GHz band. However, even on older modules, the transfer of a gigabyte of data usually takes no more than a few minutes.
Sync with Mi Cloud and Google Account
An alternative and more cloud-based method is to use sync via Mi Account and Google accounts, which is ideal if you don’t have a cable on hand or want to transfer data without direct device contact, such as if an old phone has already been sold or lost but a backup has been made.
Log in to the Mi Cloud settings on your old device and make sure the sync sliders for contacts, notes, voice recorder and gallery are active. Click on Sync to make sure all recent changes are uploaded to the server. Then log in to the same account on the new POCO.
| Type of data | Synchronization method | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts, Calendar | Google / Mi Account | Text and dates only |
| Photos, Videos | Mi Cloud / Google Photo | Depends on the volume of the cloud (5-15 GB free) |
| Wi-Fi passwords | Google Account | Android 9+ is required |
| Notes | Mi Notes | Only through Mi Account. |
Full recovery of data from the cloud may require a stable Internet connection for a long time.If you plan to recover tens of gigabytes of photos, it is better to connect your phone to your home Wi-Fi and leave it on charge overnight.
What to do if the synchronization is suspended?
System settings, widgets and passwords from some specific applications may not be portable by this method, unlike Mi Mover.
Manual transfer of multimedia and documents
If automatic methods don't work for some reason, or you only need to transfer heavy files, you can use manual copying, which requires connecting both phones to a computer or using an OTG cable, but gives you complete control over which files will be copied.
Connect your old Xiaomi to your computer in file transfer mode (MTP). Copy the DCIM (camera), Pictures (screenshots and app images), Download and Music folders to your PC hard drive. Then plug in the new POCO and move the files to the appropriate directories.
- 💾 Use the file manager to check the integrity of the copied data before deleting the originals.
- 🔌 Cable USB-C to USB-C It allows you to connect two smartphones directly without a computer, if both support data transfer.
- 📁 Don't forget to copy the folder. Android/data, if you need to transfer the cache of games or data messengers (caution is required).
When you manually copy, it is important to keep the folder structure, especially for media files, so that they are correctly displayed in the gallery of a new phone. DCIM/Camera, a uploaded files - in Download.
💡
When manually copying via PC, create temporary folders with clear names so you don’t get confused in files with similar names, such as"IMG_2023_old" and"IMG_2026_new".
Features of transferring applications and their data
The portability of apps is one of the subtlest things, although the Mi Mover is able to copy. APK-Most software files, internal data (logins, game progress, correspondence) may not be transferred for security reasons. Android isolates application data and direct access to them is limited.
For instant messengers like WhatsApp or Telegram, you need to use built-in backup features. On WhatsApp, go to Settings → Chats → Backup Chats and create a copy in Google Drive. On a new phone, when you first launch, the app will prompt you to restore your correspondence history.
⚠️ Note: Banking applications and some secure enterprise services are not portable with authorization data, but you will have to re-enter them, confirming the login via SMS or authentication application.
Games linked to Google Play Games, Mi Game Center or social media (Facebook, VK) accounts will automatically adjust your progress once you log in to your account, but games without cloud-based anchoring may require manual porting through the Local Backup feature if supported by a specific game launcher.
Some apps may require upgrading to the latest version before migrating, and if a new POCO has a more recent version of Android installed, older versions of the software may not work properly or may not be installed at all.
Solving problems and errors during transfer
Users may encounter various technical difficulties in migrating, and one of the common problems is that the message “Not enough space” is not available, even if there is visually free space, because the system needs a buffer for temporary files in the process of unpacking data.
Another common situation is a disconnection during transmission, which often happens if the old phone has power saving mode on, which aggressively strangles the background processes. Before starting the transfer, turn off all power saving modes on both devices.
- 🔋 Turn off Flight mode after setting up is complete to restore network connection.
- 🔄 Restart both smartphones if the process is stalled in the initial detection phase.
- 🔐 Make sure both devices have the same Mi Mover versions from Mi GetApps.
If you are migrating data from a very old device (Android 6-7) to a new POCO with HyperOS, some system settings may not apply due to incompatibility of configuration file structures, in which case it is recommended to transfer only personal files and set the settings again.
💡
The most reliable result is a combination of methods: Mi Mover for applications and photos, plus manual check of important documents and login to banking applications.