How to Move to the New Xiaomi: A Step-by-Step Guide to Data Migration

Buying a new smartphone is always a joyous event, but it is often overshadowed by the need to transfer a huge amount of accumulated information. Owners of the Xiaomi ecosystem are in a favorable position, as the Chinese giant has developed powerful tools for seamless migration. The process of transitioning from an old device, whether it is another Android, iPhone or previous model Xiaomi, has become as automated as possible.

However, despite the availability of automated assistants, there are nuances that can lead to the loss of important correspondence or settings. Proper preparation of both devices before the procedure is critical to the success of the operation. In this article, we will discuss in detail all available methods, from the proprietary utility Mi Mover to Google cloud services, so you can choose the best option for your situation.

Don't rely solely on automatic backups to ensure that the system solves all the problems. Manually checking key parameters before starting will save you hours of troubleshooting in the future. We'll look at not only standard scenarios, but also complex cases where you need to migrate specific data from banking applications or two-factor authenticators.

Preparation of devices before the migration

The first and most important step is to check the battery power on both smartphones. The process of copying data, especially if we are talking about tens of gigabytes of photos and videos, can take considerable time and require significant energy resources. 70-80%, Avoiding a sudden shutdown at the most critical time.

The second step is to have a stable connection, and if you're going to use a wireless method of transmission, both phones should be in close proximity to each other. VPN-services and antiviruses during the procedure, as they can block the creation of a local network between devices. Also make sure that the receiving smartphone (new Xiaomi) has enough free space in memory.

Finally, it's worth doing a review of what you want to move, and often users drag along "digital junk" -- old apk files, remote game cache and duplicate photos -- cleaning up the storage before moving it, speeding up the process and allowing you to start life with a new device from scratch, leaving only the really important ones.

Using the Mi Mover application for wireless transfer

The most effective and preferred way for owners of Xiaomi equipment is to use the Mi Mover application, which is pre-installed on all modern devices of the brand and allows you to transfer data without using the Internet, creating a direct Wi-Fi connection between gadgets, the transfer speed with this method is much higher than through Bluetooth or cloud services.

To start the process on the new smartphone, you need to open the application and select the status "I am the recipient." On the old device, select "I am the sender." QR-code or connect to a Wi-Fi point you've created manually, and once you've established the connection, you'll have a data selection interface where you can flexibly configure which file categories you want to migrate to.

Importantly, Mi Mover is able to port not only media files and contacts, but also system settings, including the location of icons on the desktop and passwords from Wi-Fi networks. Local data transfer ensures that your personal information does not leave the perimeter of your devices and is not uploaded to third-party servers.

⚠️ Note: When transferring large amounts of data (more than one) 50 GB may take up to 40-60 Do not break the connection or block smartphone screens during the active copy phase to avoid file writing errors.

Sync through Google Account and Cloud Services

An alternative and reliable method is to use Google cloud storage, ideal if you don’t have an old phone at the time of setting up a new one, or if you are switching from a different device, and when you first turn on a new Xiaomi, the system will prompt you to log in to your Google account, after which you will automatically suspend contacts, calendar events and a list of installed applications.

To make this method work properly, you need to make sure that the old device has been synced, check this in the Settings menu → Accounts and Sync → Google. Contacts, Calendar and Chrome Data should be active here. Photos and videos are usually synced through a separate Google Photos app if Autoboot and Sync is enabled.

The main advantage of this approach is independence from the physical condition of the old phone. Even if the previous device crashed or lost, you can recover key data just by logging in to your account. However, it is worth remembering the limits of free Google storage, which is 15 GB, which may not be enough to fully back up media files in their original quality.

Transferring data from iPhone (iOS) to Xiaomi

Moving from the Apple ecosystem to Android previously seemed like a difficult quest, but modern tools of Xiaomi reduced this process to a few clicks. the Mi Mover app has an iOS version that you need to download from the App Store on your iPhone. Once installed, the algorithm of actions is similar: creating a pair between devices and choosing types of data to transfer.

Unlike Android-to-Android, you can’t migrate apps (since file formats are different), their settings within programs, and some system settings. However, contacts, photos, videos, calendar events, and notes can be easily transferred. Messengers like WhatsApp may need a separate backup procedure inside the app itself.

When transferring photos from your iPhone to Xiaomi, look for the HEIC format. New iPhones are shot in this format to save space, but on Android, it can be difficult to display them. Mi Mover usually automatically converts them to a compatible JPEG, but this process can take additional time.

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Before transferring from your iPhone, turn off iMessage if you plan to use the old one. SIM-It's a card in the new phone, and it'll prevent you from losing it. SMS-Messages from other Apple users.

Manual file transfer via computer and USB

For users who prefer full control of the process, or with terabytes of data, the best choice is a computer. By connecting an old smartphone to a PC in file transfer mode (MTP), you can copy the contents of the DCIM, Download, Documents and Music folders to the hard drive.

This method allows you to selectively clean up at the copying stage, so you can sort files right away, delete unnecessary screenshots, and spread documents to new folders on your computer, especially for those who haven't audited their gadget's file system in years.

The best way to move contacts and calendars over a PC is to use web interests: export.vcf contacts through Google Contacts or iCloud, save the file to your computer, and then import it on the new device through the Contacts app, which ensures that numbering and names are safe even if air syncs are disrupted.

Transfer of messages and call history

One of the most delicate tasks is to keep the history of correspondence in SMS and call logs. Standard Android tools often ignore this data with simple synchronization. Here again comes the Mi Mover, which is able to pull SMS and MMS messages, as well as the history of calls from an old Android device and embed them in the corresponding databases of the new phone.

If you're moving from an iPhone, it's more complicated. Because of the closed nature of iOS, it's almost impossible to transfer iMessage history and regular SMS to Android using regular means. There are paid third-party PC snails (like iCareFone or analogues) that can upload your correspondence history to a readable format, but native integration into the Messages app on Xiaomi is often absent.

For instant messengers like Telegram and Viber, the situation is easier to solve, since they store the history on their servers or allow you to make a local backup. Telegram just log in to your account, and all chats will be downloaded automatically. Viber and WhatsApp need to back up in the application settings (usually in Google Drive or iCloud) in advance to restore it when you first start on a new device.

⚠️ Note: Two-factor authentication (2FA) In authentication applications (Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator) do not automatically port, be sure to use the function of exporting accounts within these applications or restore codes, otherwise you may lose access to important services.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The perfect migration is a combination of methods: use Mi Mover for system settings and applications, Google Photos for media archives, and manually verifying critical data (banks, 2FA) for complete security.