Changing your smartphone is always an exciting process, often overshadowed by the fear of losing important photos, contacts and settings. Fortunately, the Android ecosystem, and in particular the MIUI or HyperOS shell on Xiaomi devices, offers powerful built-in tools for migration.
Using a Google account is the most reliable and versatile way to transfer data, as it does not depend on the model of the old device; you do not need cables, special intermediary applications or complex manipulation of root rights.
In this article, we will discuss how to properly prepare your old phone, set up sync and start the recovery process on your new gadget, and doing each step correctly ensures that your digital life is safe.
Preparing the old device for synchronization
Before you start the transfer, make sure that all the important data on your old phone is uploaded to Google’s cloud storage, a critical step that should not be missed.
Check which Google account is used as the main one, which will store all the data, and if you use multiple accounts, choose the one that will be the main one on the new Xiaomi.
Make sure your old device has synced for all categories you need. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync and check the status of the switches.
- 📞 Contacts: Make sure they are stored in Google instead of memory SIM-maps or locally on the phone.
- 📸 Photo and video: Check the Google Photos app and status "Shoot and sync".
- 📝 Notes and Calendar: Make sure the data in Google Keep and Google Calendar is updated.
- 📱 Application List: The system will automatically create a list of installed programs for quick download on the new device.
☑️ Pre-transfer check
Note that syncing can take time if you have a lot of high-resolution photos or videos.
Setup of backup of applications and data
Beyond media and contacts, it’s important to keep the system structure and application data intact, and in modern Android versions, this is done through a built-in backup mechanism.
Go to Settings → System → Backup. Here you will see when the last copy was created and what exactly it includes.
Click "Start Copy" or "Create Copy Now" and the system will collect data about Wi-Fi passwords, screen settings, audio profiles and call history.
⚠️ Note: Some banking and instant messenger applications (such as WhatsApp) may not be stored in a shared Google backup, but require separate setup within the app itself.
Once you have completed the process, you will see a time stamp of the last successful download, write down that time or take a screenshot to make sure the data is up to date.
What to do if the synchronization is suspended?
First launch of new Xiaomi and account login
When you turn on the new Xiaomi smartphone for the first time, it will offer you to choose a language and connect to the Wi-Fi network.
Once connected to the Internet, the system will prompt you to copy applications and data, select "Copy data from the cloud" or "Restore from Android backup".
Enter your Google account login and password. If two-factor authentication is enabled, confirm the login via SMS code or authentication application.
The system will suggest selecting the device from which to recover data. Select your old phone from the list and click "Next".
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Use stable 5GHz Wi-Fi to speed up the process. Mobile internet can be too slow or interrupted, leading to errors when loading large amounts of data.
At this point, the phone can hang on the logo or boot screen for a long time, which is normal behavior, as the system configuration is actively loading.
Selection of categories for recovery
Once authorized, Xiaomi will suggest you choose what you want to move, and you don’t have to restore everything if you’re planning a clean installation.
You'll see a list of categories: Contacts, Messages, Call Log, Applications, Device Settings. Check the boxes.
| Data category | What's transferable | Time to load |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Numbers, names, email addresses, positions | Instantly. |
| Annexes | List of lists APK-files (data may not be stored inside) | Depends on the amount. |
| Settings | Wi-Fi passwords, alarm clocks, wallpaper, calls | A few seconds. |
| Messages (SMS) | Texting and MMS | 1-5 minutes |
It is important to understand the difference between installing an app and recovering its data: Google often restores only the app’s “shortcut” itself, and logging into accounts inside games or social networks will have to be done again.
If you’re migrating data from an iPhone, this step will be different, as you’ll need to use a Move to iOS app or a dedicated cable, but the process is unified within the Android ecosystem.
Synchronization of multimedia through Google Photos
The gallery is the most heavyweight storage for any user, and the best way to transfer photos and videos is to use the Google Photos cloud service.
On the new Xiaomi, just log in to the Google Photos app under the same account. All your pictures will appear in the feed automatically as you download.
If you want to store photos locally on your device for fast access without the Internet, you'll need to download them. Open the photo, click on three dots in the corner and select Download to the device.
⚠️ Attention: The quality of the photos you upload depends on your Google account settings. If you used Savings storage, the originals can be compressed. Check the download quality settings.
Xiaomi users also have access to Xiaomi Cloud’s own cloud service, which can sync the gallery separately from Google, creating a double backup.
Solving and completing the setup
After the main port phase is complete, the phone may be slower for a while, because the background is indexing files and loading heavy applications.
Check the key features: call someone, open a gallery, start a navigator, make sure all drivers and services are working correctly.
Some applications, especially banking ones, will require re-authorization and device binding, a security measure that cannot be circumvented by data transfer.
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Full synchronization of all background processes can take up to 24 hours after the phone's initial setup.Don't panic if the battery runs out faster than usual on the first day.
Now your new Xiaomi is fully ready to work with the familiar set of data and settings. The old phone can be prepared for sale or transfer to relatives by pre-reset.