Changing the operating system is always stressful for a user who has been accustomed to the Apple ecosystem for years. The transition from iOS to the shell of MIUI or HyperOS seems a difficult process, full of technical obstacles and format incompatibility.
You no longer have to manually interrupt hundreds of contacts or search for lost photos in archives. The key to a successful move is to properly prepare both devices and choose the right transfer method. In this article, we will break down all the nuances from using the built-in Mi Mover app to working with cloud storage.
It's worth noting that some data, such as apps you bought or your call history, may not be migrated due to differences in operating system architecture. However, the bulk of user information -- media files, contacts, calendars and notes -- is available for portability without loss of quality. Let's look at how to make this process as fast and secure as possible.
Preparation of devices before the migration
Before you run any portable software, you need to do basic hardware training: Make sure your iPhone has the latest available iOS update installed, and Xiaomi has updated firmware to the current version, which minimizes the risk of compatibility errors between data protocols.
Both devices must be connected to a power source. The cloning process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours depending on the amount of information, and battery drainage at a critical moment can cause files to be damaged or connection to be interrupted.
⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to interrupt the data transfer process by turning off the screen or switching to other applications.This may result in some files remaining unpatched and the system requiring the procedure to be restarted.
For stable wireless transmission methods, make sure that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are activated on both devices. If you plan to use the cable method (not available for all models), check for the original Lightning cable and USB-C adapter.
☑️ Preparation for transfer
Using the Mi Mover application for wireless transfer
The most effective and official way to migrate is to use the Mi Mover utility, which is pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones and allows you to create direct Wi-Fi connection between devices, bypassing Internet traffic, and the transfer speed with this method is much faster than through cloud services.
On the new Xiaomi phone, launch the app and select Receiver. QR-On the iPhone, you need to download the "Mi Mover" app from the App Store, launch it and select the role of "Sender", then scan the code from the screen of the new device.
Once the connection is established, the system will suggest selecting data categories to copy.
- 📞 Contacts and Call History (if supported by iOS)
- 📷 Photos and videos from the gallery
- 📅 Calendar events and notes
- 📱 Installed applications (only list, themselves) APK I'll have to download it)
It is important to understand that due to the security limitations of iOS, the application does not have access to system settings and Wi-Fi passwords. the Mi Mover application cannot transfer WhatsApp data directly due to the encryption of the database on the iPhone, for instant messengers requires a separate procedure within the application itself.
What if Mi Mover can’t see the iPhone?
Sync with Google Account and iCloud
If wireless transmission is not possible for some reason, you can use cloud services. This is the most reliable way to save contacts and calendars. First, on the iPhone, you need to go to Settings → [Your name] → iCloud and make sure that the switches opposite Contacts, Calenaries and Notes are activated.
Then, on your computer or directly on the new Xiaomi, through the Safari or Chrome browser, log into iCloud.com. From there, you can export contacts in vCard (.vcf) format and import them to Google Contacts, which will automatically reach your Xiaomi phone after you enter your Google account.
For photos, the best solution is to install Google Photos on your iPhone, and enable Autoboot, and all your photos will appear in the gallery of the new phone immediately after you log in to the same Google account, eliminating the need to manually copy thousands of files.
Transferring Multimedia Files through a Computer
For users who have a huge archive of videos in 4K or RAW-So, the best solution is to use a PC or Mac as an intermediary, and this requires cable and basic skills with file managers.
Connect your iPhone to your computer. If you're using Windows, you may need iTunes or Photos to import media. Copy DCIM folders and other media directories to your hard drive. Then connect Xiaomi, select USB mode as File Transfer (MTP), and copy the data to the appropriate internal memory folders.
The structure of folders on Android is different from iOS, so files are better placed in standard directories:
- 📁 /DCIM/Camera — for photos and video from the camera
- 🎵 /Music — audio-file
- 📥 /Download — document-uploader
After copying, it is recommended to restart the Xiaomi smartphone so that the system media server scans the memory and new files are displayed in the gallery and player. This method guarantees 100% preservation of metadata (EXIF) and original file quality.
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When copying large amounts of data via USB, use USB 3.0 ports (blue) on your computer – this will speed up the process 3-4 times compared to USB 2.0.
Comparison of data transfer methods
The choice of method depends on your priorities: speed, data volume or availability of additional equipment. Below is a comparative table that will help determine the optimal migration method for your situation.
| Method | Speed. | I need a PC. | What's transferable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Mover | Tall. | No. | Contacts, Photos, Videos, Applications |
| Google Account | Medium | No. | Contacts, Calendar, Notes |
| Through PC (Cable) | Very high. | Yes. | All files, Music, Documents. |
| The cloud (iCloud) | Low. | No. | Photo, Backup copies |
The most versatile solution is a combination of methods: use Mi Mover to quickly move the main dataset, and for heavy video files, if the process takes too long, use a cable connection via a computer.
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The combination of Mi Mover for settings and contacts plus Google Photos for media files is the gold standard migration, providing reliability and speed.
Problem Solving and Application Compatibility
After data transfer, users often find that some apps behave differently or are not available in the Google Play Market, which is because the Apple and Google ecosystems are fundamentally different, and paid apps purchased from the App Store will have to be repurchased on Google Play, since licenses are not transferred between stores.
Messengers require special attention. WhatsApp on Android has an official chat port feature, but it only works when you first set up your phone or reset it completely. If you have already set up your phone, you will have to do Factory Reset to activate the option to transfer your iPhone history.
⚠️ Note: iMessage may cause problems getting SMS on a new phone if you haven’t untied your number from Apple ID. Be sure to go to Apple’s website and turn off iMessage before taking it out. SIM-iPhone-card.
Also worth considering is the difference in screen resolutions and aspect ratios.Apps optimized for the narrow screens of older iPhones may look stretched on Xiaomi's modern wide-form displays.In most cases, the system automatically adjusts the scale, but some games or older utilities may have black bars around the edges.