Buying a new smartphone is always an exciting moment, especially when you have a fresh model from Xiaomi with a bright screen and a powerful processor. However, euphoria often gives way to mild panic when you think about the thousands of photos, contacts, correspondence and installed applications that need to be moved from the old device. Fortunately, the Android ecosystem and the Chinese giant’s own development offer several effective solutions to this problem.
The data migration process can take anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours, depending on the amount of information and the method chosen. Modern tools allow you to do this almost in a single click, but there are nuances that you need to know about in advance to avoid losing important files or long downloads. In this article, we will discuss all the available methods, from the built-in Mi Mover application to classic cloud redundancy.
Make sure that both smartphones are charged at least 60-70%, as active data transfer can significantly consume battery power, and check the availability of free space on the new device - it must exceed the amount of information transmitted with a margin of 10-15% for the correct operation of the file system.
Using the Mi Mover app for quick migration
The most effective and preferred way for owners of Xiaomi and Redmi equipment is to use the Mi Mover tool, which is designed specifically for seamless transition between devices and supports the transfer of not only multimedia, but also system settings, the location of icons on the desktop, as well as passwords from Wi-Fi networks.
To get started, you don’t have to search for an installation file on the Internet. On the new smartphone, the app is already preinstalled in the Tools folder or available through Settings. → Additional settings → On an older device, if it's not Xiaomi, you'll need to download it. APK-file or find an app on Google Play, although on many popular brands it installs automatically when scanned QR-code.
The process starts with the choice of the device role. On the new phone, click "I am the recipient" and on the old one, "I am the sender." QR-The connection is via a local Wi-Fi hotspot created by the new phone, so there is no internet required, which guarantees high transfer speeds of up to 40MB/s.
⚠️ Warning: While Mi Mover is running, do not switch to other apps or block the screen of an old smartphone, as this can break the connection and interrupt file transfer.
The interface allows you to flexibly customize the choice of categories. You can only mark contacts and messages, ignoring heavy video files if you plan to move them later. After selecting categories, click the "Send" button and the copying process begins. The progress bar will show an approximate end time, which is calculated dynamically depending on the current write rate to the drive.
☑️ Checklist before Mi Mover launch
Syncing through Google Account: The Classic Method
If you’re switching from any Android smartphone, the most reliable way to save contacts, calendar and notes is to sync through Google Account.This method doesn’t require any additional software installation and works at the operating system level, making it a versatile solution for any brand.
On your old device, make sure sync is enabled. Go to Settings → Accounts → Google and check if the check boxes are ticked against Contacts, Calendar, Notes and Drive. Press the sync button (usually three dots in the corner or a separate button) to make sure all the data has gone to the cloud.
When you first set up a new Xiaomi, the system will prompt you to enter your Google account details. Once you enter your login and password, the phone will automatically pull up all the saved contacts and calendar events. For applications, the situation is slightly different: Google Play will offer a list of previously installed programs, and you can choose which ones you need to download to the new device.
What to do if no contacts appear?
It’s important to understand the limitations of this method. It does a great job with text information and app listings, but it won’t transfer your photos to the gallery (unless you upload to Google Photos) or save logins and passwords inside third-party apps, and alarm settings and some system preferences can be reset to factory values.
Transfer of multimedia through the computer and USB-cable
For users who have a huge archive of high-resolution photos and videos, the most controlled way is to manually transfer over a PC, which allows you to structure files, clean up debris before downloading to a new phone, and is independent of wireless connection speed.
Connect your old smartphone to your computer through USB-In the connection notification, select the File Transfer mode» (MTP). On the computer, open the disk that appears, go to the folder DCIM → Camera (or Pictures) and copy the files you need to your hard drive, as you would with Download, Music and Documents.
Once the data is copied to your computer, disable the old phone and connect the new Xiaomi. In file transfer mode, simply drag and drop the saved folders to the corresponding directories of the new device. The MIUI system automatically indexes the media files, and they appear in the gallery and player.
| Parameter | Wi-Fi (Mi Mover) | USB-cable) | The cloud (Google) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed. | High (up to 40 MB/s) | Maximum (depending on the cable) | Low (depending on the internet) |
| Type of data | All (including settings) | Files only (photos, videos, documents) | Contacts, applications, photos |
| Stability | Medium (may be interrupted) | Tall. | Tall. |
| Difficulty | Low. | Medium | Low. |
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Use the original. USB-cable or certified support analogue USB 3.0 for maximum data speeds when connected to a PC. Cheap charging cables can severely limit speeds.
Working with WhatsApp and messengers when changing your phone
The transfer of the history of correspondence to WhatsApp deserves special attention, since standard methods of copying files here often do not work because of the encryption of the database.
On your old phone, open WhatsApp → Settings → Chats → Chat backup. Click Backup and wait for the process to complete. Make sure the copy is created on Google Drive, not locally. On the new phone, when you first launch, WhatsApp will offer to restore the history from the cloud — agree.
⚠️ Warning: The phone number on the new device must match the number to which the backup was made. When you change the number, restore first to the old number, and then use the function of changing the number inside the application.
For Telegram and Viber, the process is simpler: Telegram stores all history on its servers, so it is enough to simply log in. Viber requires you to create a local or cloud copy in the application settings before transferring, similar to WhatsApp, but also supports porting over the app. QR-code if there is a function Add device».
Problem Solving and Frequent Transfer Errors
Even with automated tools, there may be disruptions, and users often experience a situation where Mi Mover hangs on a certain percentage or issues a “Not enough memory” error, in which case the first thing to do is to free up space on the receiving device by deleting temporary files or cache of system applications.
Another common problem is Wi-Fi Direct disconnection. This can happen if the old phone has power saving mode on, which aggressively kills background processes. Before transferring, go to the battery settings and select Performance mode or add Mi Mover to the exceptions.
If you migrate data from iOS to Xiaomi, the functionality will be limited. You can transfer contacts, photos and videos, but applications and their data (save in games, logins) will not be able to move due to differences in operating systems. For iOS users, it is better to use cloud services or specialized software on a PC.
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If the transfer is interrupted 90-99%, Don't start over right away. Check which files haven't been copied, and try to migrate only those files so you don't waste time duplicating the data you've already saved.