The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but the prospect of customizing everything from scratch can cloud the joy of updating. Fortunately, the MIUI ecosystem offers several ways to transfer data, each of which has its own characteristics, but not all of them are equally effective: application settings are lost, account data is lost, and sometimes synchronization errors occur altogether.
In this article, we will look at all the current portability techniques (including the hidden MIUI 14/15) features, compare them in terms of speed, reliability, and completeness of data storage, and how to avoid typical problems, with a particular focus on porting hidden settings (such as developer settings or screen calibration) that standard tools often ignore.
If you're switching from Redmi Note 11 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra, or you just want to clone your settings to a spare, you'll find a solution for any task, and for those who are afraid of losing data, we've prepared a section with answers to frequent questions and a checklist of critical points.
1.Preparation for transfer: what to do before the beginning
Data portability is not just about copying files, but also synchronizing system settings. To avoid crashes, follow these steps on both devices:
✅ Update MIUI to the latest version. Different firmware builds may conflict when ported. Check for relevance at Settings → About Phone → System Update. If an update is available, install it before you start the transfer.
✅ Clear the application cache. A cluttered cache can cause errors when copying data. Do it in Settings → Applications → Application Management → [Select App] → Clear the cache.
✅ Check the vacant space. The new device should have at least 10-15% of the free space of the data being transferred. For example, if you're carrying 30 GB, the new smartphone should have at least 4-5 GB free.
Update MIUI both-smartphone|Clear the cache of system applications|Check the vacant space (minimum) 10-15%)|Connect both devices to charging|Shut down. VPN firewalls-->
⚠️ Warning: If the old device has Application Protection enabled (in Settings → Privacy), some data may not be transferred. Turn it off temporarily or add portable apps to exceptions.
2 Method 1: Transfer over MI Cloud (official method)
MI Cloud is the easiest solution to move basic data, but it has limitations.
- 📱 Contacts, messages, notes
- 📷 Photos and videos (up to 5GB free version)
- 🎵 Music and documents
- 🔧 Basic system settings (wallpaper, sounds, Wi-Fi)
However, MI Cloud does not tolerate:
- ❌ Installed applications (only their list for re-download)
- ❌ Application-specific settings (e.g., in-game login or filters in the Gallery)
- ❌ Data from some third-party messengers (e.g. Telegram or WhatsApp history)
Step-by-step:
- On your old phone: Settings → Xiaomi Account → MI Cloud → Backup → Select the data to copy and click Start Reservation.
- On a new phone: When you first turn on, select Restore from backup and log in to the same MI Cloud account.
- Choose the latest backup and wait for the recovery to be completed.
⚠️ Warning: If a Xiaomi account has already been set up on the new device, reset it to factory settings (Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset), otherwise the recovery option from the MI Cloud may not appear.
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If you have a lot of photos, upload them to Google Photos or your computer before transferring them via MI Cloud. Xiaomi's free cloud is limited to 5GB, and compressing images can degrade their quality.
Method 2: Cable transfer (most complete method)
Using an OTG cable or adapter (such as Xiaomi Type-C to Type-C) allows you to transfer almost all data, including application settings and hidden system settings, which works even without the Internet and is suitable for devices with MIUI 12 and later.
What's transferable:
- 📲 All installed applications (including APK and data)
- 🔧 System settings (including developer settings, gestures, sound profiles)
- 🎮 Game Save and Application Account Data
- 📂 Files and folders (including hidden ones)
Instructions:
- Connect both phones with a cable. On the new device, when you first turn on, select Data Transfer from another device.
- On the old phone, confirm the connection and select Send data.
- Select categories to transfer (we recommend ticking all boxes) and wait until it is completed. The process can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour depending on the amount of data.
⚠️ Warning: If the new device has already configured the system, reset it to factory settings, otherwise the cable port option may not appear in the initial setup menu.
| Transfer method | Speed. | Completeness of data | Internet is required | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MI Cloud | Medium (depending on internet speed) | Partial (no applications and their settings) | Yes. | 5GB limit, no APK portability |
| OTG cable | Tall. | Complete (including application settings) | No. | Resetting of a new device is required |
| Clone Phone (app) | Low. | Partial (no system settings) | No. | Not all models are supported |
| Manual transfer (files + settings) | Very low. | Selective | No. | Requires technical knowledge |
Method 3: Clone Phone App (an alternative to older models)
If your devices do not support cable transfer (such as the Redmi 4X or Mi A1), you can use the official Clone Phone app from Xiaomi.It works on Wi-Fi Direct and is suitable for transferring between devices with MIUI 10 and later.
How to use:
- Install Clone Phone on both devices from Google Play or App Store.
- On the old phone, select I am the old device, on the new one, I am the new device.
- Scan it. QR-code for Wi-Fi Direct connection.
- Select data for transfer (applications, contacts, photos) and confirm the beginning of the process.
⚠️ Warning: Clone Phone cannot handle:
- 🔄 System settings (e.g., screen or battery settings)
- 🔐 Data from some banking applications (due to security restrictions)
- 📁 Folders with custom scripts or configuration files
Why does Clone Phone not port some apps?
5. Method 4: Manual transfer for advanced users
If you need to move hidden settings (such as sensor calibration, build.prop settings, or ADB configurations), standard methods won’t work.
What can be transferred manually:
- 📄 Files from /data/data/ (application settings)
- 🔧 Configurations from /system/etc/ (e.g. network settings)
- 🖥️ Profiles ADB and automation scripts
Instructions (root rights required):
- Install Root Explorer or Total Commander with root plugin.
- Copy folders: /data/data/ – application settings /system/etc/ – system configurations /data/misc/ – various service data
- Move files to the new device in the same directories (with the permissions saved).
- Reboot your smartphone.
⚠️ Warning: Incorrect copying of system files may result in boot (cyclic reboot) or loss of functionality. Before manual transfer, create a full backup via TWRP or MIUI Backup Tool.
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Manual transfer of system files is the only way to keep unique settings (such as screen calibration or kernel settings), but it requires root rights and technical knowledge.
6. Data transfer of messengers and social networks
Standard methods of transfer often ignore the data of messengers. Here is how to save the history of correspondence and media files:
WhatsApp:
- 📲 Create a backup to Settings → Chat → Backup.
- 🔄 Transfer the msgstore.db.crypt14 file from /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases/ to the new device.
- 🔑 Install WhatsApp on your new phone and restore data when you first start.
Telegram:
- ☁️ All chats and media are automatically synced to the cloud, and you just have to log in to the new device.
- 📁 For local transfer, copy the /sdcard/Telegram/ folder to the new device.
VK, Facebook, Instagram:
- 🔄 Log in to the new device – the message history will be downloaded automatically.
- 📷 To transfer downloaded media files, copy the /sdcard/Pictures/Instagram/ and /sdcard/DCIM/VK/ folders.
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If you use Viber, export your correspondence history to Settings → Account → Backup. You can transfer the file to a new device and restore it through the same section.
7. Transfer of hidden settings and developer parameters
Many users forget that in addition to the obvious settings (wallpaper, calls) there are hidden options that can also be transferred:
- 🔧 Developer settings (including Debugging on USB, Do not turn off screen, etc.)
- 🎛️ Calibration of sensors (e.g., gyroscope or compass)
- 📡 Network settings (static IP, proxy, VPN- profiles)
- 🔊 Equator and sound profiles
How to move:
- For Developer Settings, export them via ADB: adb shell settings list global > global_settings.txt adb shell settings list system > system_settings.txt Then import on the new device: adb shell settings put global [key] [value]
- Use the engineering menu (#4636##) to calibrate the sensors and save the profiles manually.
⚠️ Warning: Moving some parameters (e.g. ro.build.fingerprint) may cause the system to run in an unstable way. Before changing system settings through ADB, make sure you understand the consequences.
8. Frequent problems and their solutions
Even with proper transfer, errors can occur, and here are the most common ways to correct them:
Problem 1: Applications are moved, but not opened.
- 🔄 Reinstall them via Google Play (the data will be saved).
- 🔧 Check permissions in Settings → Applications → Permissions Management.
Problem 2: Wi-Fi or Bluetooth settings are not moved.
- 📶 Manually export configurations from /data/misc/wifi/ (root required).
- 🔄 Or just reconnect, and the passwords will be saved to your Google account.
Problem 3: After transferring the battery quickly goes down.
- 🔋 Reset the battery statistics to the → Battery Settings → ⋮ → Reset.
- 🔄 Reboot the device — sometimes the background transfer processes continue to work.