The shift from a smartphone to a more modern model is always accompanied by a worry about the safety of the information stored, rather than the device itself. Xiaomi ecosystem owners are in a position to benefit from the powerful tools that the company has developed for seamless migration. The transition has become much easier in recent years, and now it does not require deep technical knowledge or the use of a computer.
However, despite automation, there are important nuances that can lead to loss of data or long-term configuration of a new gadget. Backup is not just a copy of files, but a complex process that affects system settings, passwords and folder structure. In this article, we will discuss all available methods, paying special attention to the native application Mi Mover, which is the standard for devices of this brand.
You'll learn how to prepare both smartphones correctly, which file formats are lost, and how to avoid common errors. We'll look at both wired and wireless connectivity so you can choose the best option for your situation. A competent approach to this stage will allow you to start using the new device immediately without being distracted by routine software installation.
Preparing devices for data migration
Before any transfer process is initiated, it is critical to perform a number of preparatory steps, which ensures the stability of the connection and integrity of the transmitted files, first of all, make sure that both devices, old and new, have a battery charge of at least 50-60%.
You also need to check for free space on the receiving device, the amount of available memory should exceed the size of the data you plan to transfer, and it is recommended to clear the cache in advance or delete unnecessary video files if space on the new smartphone is limited.
⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to start the transfer process if one of the devices is power-saving mode.It may restrict the operation of the Wi-Fi module, which will cause connection breakage and transmission error.
Make sure both smartphones have the latest available updates to the MIUI or HyperOS operating system. Differences in firmware versions sometimes cause conflicts when transferring system settings and passwords from Wi-Fi networks. Check the relevance of the software in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.
If you plan to use cloud services to sync, check the status of your Mi Account. Make sure you remember the password from it, as it will be required to log in to the new device.
Using the Mi Mover application for wireless transfer
The most efficient and quickest way to migrate is to use the built-in Mi Mover app, which is designed specifically for the Xiaomi ecosystem and allows you to transfer data over a direct Wi-Fi connection without consuming mobile traffic, while transferring speeds up to tens of megabytes per second, which is much faster than Bluetooth.
To start the process, open the application on both devices, usually in the Tools folder or searchable by settings. On the old smartphone, select the role of "Sender" and on the new one, "Receiver", and then the devices will start searching for each other.
☑️ Preparation for transfer via Mi Mover
When devices find each other, the screen of the new smartphone will appear QR-Scan it with the camera of the old device to establish a secure connection. Once you successfully pair it, you will see a list of data categories available for transfer.
Select the items you need: contacts, messages, call logs, photos, videos, music and documents, and you can select the installed applications that will be copied along with their data. Press Send and wait until the process is complete. The waiting time depends on the amount of information transferred.
It is important to note that while Mi Mover is running, the screens of the devices may periodically go out, but the process will continue. However, do not turn the application down or go to other menus, so as not to interrupt the flow of data, the system will notify you of the success or failure of the operation.
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If the transfer process is 99 percent frozen, don't panic, often it means finishing the system file record, wait 5-10 minutes before you interrupt.
Sync with Mi Cloud and Google Account
An alternative to direct connectivity is cloud storage, which is ideal if an old smartphone is already sold, lost or inoperable, but the data has previously been synchronized, with Mi Cloud and Google services being the main players.
To work with the Xiaomi cloud, you need to enable sync on the old device in advance. Go to Settings → Mi Account → Sync and make sure that the switches opposite contacts, notes, voice recorder and gallery are active. Once turned on, the data will automatically be uploaded to the server.
On a new smartphone, you just need to log in to the same account, and when you set up the system, it will suggest you recover data from the cloud, and you can choose which categories to download, which is especially useful for restoring contacts and system settings.
| Type of data | Mi Cloud | Google Account | Local storage. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Yeah (full synchronization) | Yes (automatically) | Yes (file.vcf) |
| Photos and videos | Yeah (requires a place in the cloud) | Yes (Google Photo) | Yes (via PC or cable) |
| Wi-Fi passwords | Yes. | No. | Yeah (full backup) |
| Desktop layout | Yes. | Partially. | Yes. |
Google services are great at handling contacts, calendars and passwords stored in Chrome, and when you log in to your account on a new device, that data will be automatically tweaked, but the specific settings of the MIUI shell are not portable through Google.
Data transfer via cable and PC
If wireless methods are unstable or the data is hundreds of gigabytes, the most reliable option is to use a computer. USB-cable and free space on your PC hard drive, but provides maximum speed and control.
Connect your old smartphone to your computer with a cable. In the notification on your phone screen, select the USB File Transfer (MTP) mode. On your computer, open the device that appears in My Computer and copy the necessary folders, such as DCIM, Download, Music and Documents, into a separate folder on the disk.
Once you've finished copying, turn off your old phone and connect a new one. Copy the saved folders from your computer into the internal memory of the new device, keeping the directory structure in mind, which is especially important for multimedia files to be displayed correctly in the gallery.
For deeper backups, including system settings and application lists, you can use the official Mi PC Suite utility or similar programs to create complete system images.
⚠️ Warning: When copying through cable, always remove the device via Safe Retrieval in your computer operating system.Abruptly shutting down the cable can damage your smartphone file system.
Nuances of transfer of messengers and applications
Messengers such as WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber require special attention. Although the Mi Mover app tries to migrate their data, it often happens that the correspondence history is not saved or requires additional manual adjustment.
For WhatsApp, the best way to do this is to use the built-in backup feature in Google Drive. Go to the chat settings in the app itself, select Backup, and create a fresh copy. When you install WhatsApp on a new phone, the system will prompt you to restore your message history from the cloud.
What if the application does not open after the transfer?
High-security banking applications and services (Google Pay, Sberbank, Tinkoff, etc.) are not portable with session retention, but must be reauthorized for security reasons by undergoing identity verification procedures such as password entry, SMS-code.
It’s also worth considering that some apps may not be compatible with the new version of Android installed on your new smartphone, and in such cases, you’ll have to look for alternatives or updates from developers.
Common mistakes and ways to solve them
Users often face a number of common problems when migrating, and understanding the causes of these problems helps to quickly resolve problems without going to a service center, and one of the most common mistakes is interrupting Wi-Fi Direct connections.
This can be due to interference in the air, if there are many other wireless devices nearby, or because of an aggressive energy saving policy, in which case, try to move to another room or temporarily turn off Bluetooth on both devices to free up the radio channel.
Another common problem is space shortage: the system may not correctly calculate the required amount if the new phone already has a system cache or hidden files, always leave a minimum of 10-15% of the total storage space.
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The most reliable way to avoid errors is to carry out data transfers in stages: first contacts and photos, then applications, and at the end heavy media files.
If you encounter a “failed to recover data” error, try restarting both smartphones and repeating the procedure, and in rare cases, resetting network settings on both devices helps before starting the process.