The transition from Apple’s ecosystem to Android, particularly to Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphones, is often a source of concern, with many fearing losing important contacts, photos or correspondence history, but modern developer tools have made it much easier to migrate, making migration almost invisible to the owner of the device.
Changing the operating system is not just a hardware replacement, it's a transition to a new digital environment with its own rules. iOS and Android have different file structures, but that's not an obstacle. The main thing is to prepare both smartphones correctly and choose the right method of transferring information to avoid data loss.
In this article, we will take a look at all the stages of the transfer, how to use the Mi Mover app, what data can be transferred and what you will have to reconfigure, and we will also look at the nuances of working with messengers and cloud services.
Preparing devices before migration
Before you start the copying process, you need to perform a number of preparatory steps, which is a critical step, ignoring which can lead to errors in the transfer of files, make sure that both smartphones are charged at least 60%, as the process can take a long time and require significant resources.
Both devices must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Connectivity stability directly affects the speed and success of the operation. If the router is not at hand, the new Xiaomi phone can create its own access point to which the iPhone will connect.
⚠️ Note: Do not interrupt the transfer process and do not switch between applications on the iPhone during the migration, this can lead to the freeze of the intermediary program.
It is also worth checking the amount of free memory on the new device, which should exceed the amount of data you plan to transfer, and if there is not enough space, it is better to immediately clear the cache or delete unnecessary files.
☑️ Preparation for transfer
Use of the Mi Mover app
The main tool for migration is the Mi Mover utility developed by Xiaomi. It is pre-installed on all modern models of the brand, but it can also be found on Google Play. On the iPhone you need to download a similar application from the App Store.
Once installed, run the program on both devices. On Xiaomi, select "I'm a recipient" and on iPhone, "I'm a sender." QR-code that will appear on the screen of the new phone, and it will create a secure communication channel between the gadgets.
The interface is intuitive, and you'll be asked to choose the types of data to transfer, and the algorithm allows you to flexibly configure the process:
- 📸 Multimedia: photos, videos, music and audio recordings of the recorder.
- 📞 Contacts and Messages: Phone Book, SMS and MMS (If supported by the iOS version).
- 📱 Annexes: list of installed programs (by themselves) APK-iOS files cannot be transferred, Android analogues will be found).
- ⚙️ System settings: alarm clocks, wallpaper, Wi-Fi network settings.
After selecting categories, click send. The speed of transfer depends on the version of the Wi-Fi module and the amount of data. On average, transferring 50 GB of information takes about 20-30 minutes.
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If the process is stuck in the Connection phase, try temporarily disabling the VPN on your iPhone or resetting the network settings on both devices.
Transfer of contacts and multimedia
The most valuable data for any user is contacts and photo archives. When transferring from iPhone to Xiaomi, images are often saved in HEIC format, which is not always correctly displayed in the Android gallery without conversion.
Mi Mover automatically converts photos to a compatible JPEG format during transmission, but if you use other methods, such as manually copying via a computer, you may have trouble reading files. Contacts are usually portable without problems, even saving additional fields like email addresses and birthdays.
| Type of data | Mode of transfer | nuance |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Synchronization with Google/Mi Mover | Avatars and notes are retained |
| Photo/Video | Mi Mover / Google Photo | Requires conversion of HEIC to JPEG |
| Calendar | Google account | Events can be duplicated with double synchronization. |
| Notes | Manual export / Email | Direct transfer of native notes Apple is impossible |
For users who have a photo archive stored in iCloud, an excellent alternative solution is to install the Google Photos app on the iPhone, which automatically uploads all the images to the Google cloud, from where they instantly appear on Xiaomi after logging into the same account.
What to do with the HEIC format?
Migration of WhatsApp and Telegram correspondence
The most pressing issue is the transfer of the history of correspondence, messengers store data in different ways, and there is no problem with Telegram at all: just enter a phone number on a new device, and all cloud chats are synchronized automatically.
WhatsApp is more complicated, with the official transfer of chat history from iOS to Android being made possible relatively recently, requiring a Lightning-to-USB-C cable (or adapter) and the Move to Android app (although Xiaomi is better at native settings).
If your phone is already set up, use the built-in export feature inside WhatsApp:
- Open WhatsApp settings on your iPhone.
- Go to the Chats section → Backup copy of the chat.
- On Xiaomi, when you first start WhatsApp, select recovery from backup if the system offers such an option, or use third-party utilities.
⚠️ Note: Local WhatsApp backups from iPhones can’t just be copied to your Android folder and expected to work.
Working with Google Account and Services
The Android ecosystem is tied to a Google account, and when you first turn on Xiaomi, you'll be asked to enter your Gmail data, which is the key point: this is where contacts, calendar events and documents come in.
On iPhone, you need to make sure sync is enabled. Go to Settings → Mail → Accounts and check if the sliders are activated against contacts and calendar for your Google account. If you used iCloud for this data, you will have to export them manually or transfer them via your computer.
Google Drive is the perfect tool for documents and spreadsheets. Install the app on your iPhone, upload all the important files there. On Xiaomi, they'll be available immediately after you log in. It's a universal bridge between the two operating systems.
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A Google account is the hub for managing your digital life on Android, and the more data you link to it during the transition, the more comfortable it will be to use a new smartphone.
Application and game compatibility issues**
One of the main difficulties of the transition is the lack of some applications in Google Play. apps purchased in the App Store are not portable to Android, and they will have to be purchased again if the developer supports a cross-platform license (which is rare).
Game progress may not be sustained either. Many games use Game Center for saves that don't work on Android. However, popular projects often allow you to link an account via Facebook, VK, or your own developer account. Check the game settings on your iPhone before resetting.
Xiaomi’s banking and government apps are working normally, but may require re-authorization and biometrics. Some banking apps may not work on re-interlinked versions of MIUI (Global instead of CN), but official global firmware usually doesn’t have problems.