How to Transfer Information from Android to Xiaomi: The Complete Guide

Changing your smartphone is always an exciting process, especially when you need to carry a huge bag of digital information. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices often face the need to transfer all data from an old Android smartphone to a new device, preserving the structure of folders and settings. Fortunately, modern technology allows you to do this as quickly as possible and without losing important files, whether it is correspondence in messengers or archived photos for several years.

In this article, we will take a look at all the migration options available, from embedded system utilities to cloud services, how to avoid the typical errors in cloning a system and why Google’s standard methods may not always be effective when switching to a MIUI or HyperOS shell. Preparation for the process will take a minimum of time, and the result will allow you to start using a new gadget immediately without spending hours on manual configuration.

Preparing devices for data migration

Before any copying process begins, make sure that both devices are ready to work. First of all, check the battery level on both devices: it should be at least 50-60%, since the active transfer of large amounts of information consumes significant energy. It is also crucial that both smartphones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, preferably at 5 GHz to speed up the transfer of files.

Free up space on the receiving device if it has already been used, remove unnecessary applications or temporarily transfer large files to your computer. Pay attention to the operating system version: both devices should be able to install the latest available security and system software updates to avoid file format compatibility conflicts.

⚠️ Warning: Do not interrupt the migration process, even if it seems to be getting stuck at one percent.Forced reboot can cause file system damage or partial loss of contacts.

Make sure your old phone has mobile data or stable Wi-Fi enabled, as some system settings can be downloaded from the internet in the background. Check for free space in Google Drive or Mi Cloud if you plan to use a hybrid backup method.

Using the Mi Mover app for full cloning

The most effective and native way for Xiaomi app owners is to use the Mi Mover app preinstalled.This tool is designed specifically for migration between devices running MIUI, but also supports working with other Android smartphones. To get started, open the app on a new phone through the Settings menu → About Phone → Mi Mover or find it in the Tools folder.

On an older device, if it’s not Xiaomi, you’ll need to install an app from Google Play or scan it. QR-The code that will appear on the screen of the new smartphone. After you start, select the role of the device: "I am the recipient" on the new gadget and "I am the sender" on the old one. The system will create a Wi-Fi hotspot that the second device needs to connect to organize a direct communication channel.

• 📱 Select the data type to transfer: contacts, messages, call log, images, videos, music and documents.
• ⚙️ Pay attention to the section "System settings": here you can copy the layout of the desktop and the settings of alarm clocks.
• 🔒 Applications will be automatically transferred, but some banking applications will have to be logged in again for security reasons.

The speed of the transfer depends on the amount of data and the quality of the wireless connection, and in the process, you can see the progress bar and the approximate time to completion, and after the operation is over, the new phone will suggest rebooting to apply all the changes and index the files.

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If Mi Mover shows a connection error, try temporarily disabling mobile internet (LTE/5G) on both devices, leaving only the Wi-Fi module.

Migration through Google Account and Sync

The classic method that works on any Android device involves using Google’s cloud profile. This is ideal for transferring contacts, calendar, notes and installed app list. Go to Settings → Accounts and sync on your old phone and make sure all the necessary switches are active.

When you first set up a new Xiaomi, it will prompt you to log into your Google account, and then you'll start back-loading contacts and installing apps that you've downloaded before, which is a good way to be versatile, but has limitations on how much media you can transfer.

It is important to understand that photos and videos are synced separately through Google Photos, and make sure that your old device has fully uploaded media files to the cloud before opening the gallery on your new phone.

Work with Mi Cloud and Local Backups

Xiaomi’s ecosystem offers a powerful storage tool, Mi Cloud. If you’re switching from another Xiaomi phone, this method will be the most complete. Create a backup on your old device via the Settings path → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Backup.

A local copy is created in the internal memory or on the SD-This file can then be transferred to a new phone via Bluetooth or cable and restored through the same settings menu. This is a great way to save specific application settings and system preferences.

⚠️ Note: System backups created on one version of Android (e.g. Android 11) may not work properly or recover on another version (e.g. Android 13) due to changes in file structure.

For users who store data in Mi Cloud, it is easy to log into their Mi Account on a new device, the gallery, voice recordings and contacts will appear automatically after synchronization is enabled, which frees up internal memory and ensures data is stored even when the device is lost.

Transferring Multimedia and Large Files by Hand

When it comes to gigabytes of photos, videos in 4K In the case of heavy documentaries, cloud-based methods can be too slow, and in those cases, the best way to do this is to connect both phones to a computer. USB-cable DCIM, Download and Documents by copy-paste method».

Alternatively, you can use Wi-Fi Direct technology or create a shared folder on the local network. On the new Xiaomi phone, you can create an access point, and on the old one, you can connect to it through a file manager (for example, on the new Xiaomi phone, ES File Commander or Explorer transmit data to FTP.

• 📂 WhatsApp folder requires special attention: media files can be copied manually, but to restore the history of correspondence you need a backup in Google Drive.
• 🎵 Music and podcasts are often in hidden folders of applications, use the function “show hidden files” in the explorer.
• 💾 When copying to a memory card, make sure it is formatted in the exFAT file system or FAT32 compatiblely.

Be sure to check the integrity of the copied files. Open some random photos and videos on your new device to make sure they are not corrupted during the transfer, especially when using unstable Wi-Fi networks.

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For transferring files larger than 30 GB USB-Cable and PC are always faster and more reliable than any wireless method.

Problem Solving and Frequently Asked Questions

Users often face typical difficulties in migrating, such as the Mi Mover app may not see a device if one of them is powered or the aggressive energy saving MIUI, so add the app to the exceptions and allow it to run in the background.

Another common problem is space shortage: If a new phone has less memory than the old one, the system will suggest selecting only a portion of the data, in which case it is wiser to move contacts and messages first, and to throw heavy media files later, after cleaning the storage.

⚠️ Note: When you transfer data from Samsung to Xiaomi via Mi Mover, some system settings (such as alarm clocks or OneUI-specific gestures) may not be copied due to differences in shells.

If contacts are not displayed correctly or duplicated after transfer, go to the Contacts app, select settings, and click “Combine Duplicate Contacts.” This is the standard procedure for cleaning the phone book database.