How to transfer data from one Xiaomi phone to another: the complete guide

Buying a new Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone is always a pleasant experience, but it is inevitably overshadowed by the thought of the need to transfer a huge amount of information from the old device. The situation when you turn on a new gadget you find empty memory, no contacts and favorite photos can spoil the impression of any, even the flagship device. Fortunately, the ecosystem of MIUI and HyperOS offers powerful built-in tools that allow you to clone the contents of the old phone in just a few touches.

The process of migrating data has become much easier in recent years, and now you don’t need to be a technician to perform this procedure. Whether you are switching from an ancient Android background to a fresh Xiaomi 14 or simply changing a broken screen to a new case, the algorithm of actions remains similar. The main thing is to understand which tools will be better for your situation: the built-in Mi Mover application, recovery from the Mi Cloud cloud or the classic Google sync.

In this article, we will discuss in detail all possible methods of transfer, paying special attention to the nuances of working with the MIUI shell. We will consider how to save not only contacts and photos, but also the placement of icons, passwords from Wi-Fi and application data. Proper preparation of both devices is the key to success, so ignore the preparatory stage is absolutely not worth it.

Preparing devices for data migration

Before you run any transfer programs, you need to make sure that both smartphones are ready for active operation. First of all, check the battery level on both devices: it is recommended to have at least 50-60% of the power, as the process of transferring large amounts of data can be energy intensive. If the old phone runs out at the most inopportune moment, the process will have to start again, which will take too much time.

The second critical step is connecting to a stable Wi-Fi network. Although the Mi Mover app creates a direct wireless connection between phones, initial setup and checking for updates may require internet access. Make sure both devices have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled, as they are used to detect and pair gadgets.

⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to port data if one of the devices is powered to "Save Energy" or "Super-Energy Saving" mode. The system may force the connection to break to save charge, which will lead to an error when copying files.

It’s also worth freeing up space on a new smartphone. Even if you bought a model with more memory, the system and pre-installed apps have already taken up some of the space. Make sure that the free memory on the new Redmi or Poco is more than the total amount of data you plan to transfer from the old device.

Using the Mi Mover app for full cloning

The most effective and preferred way for users of the Xiaomi ecosystem is to use the Mi Mover app, which is designed specifically for the MIUI shell, and allows you to transfer not only media files and contacts, but also system settings, call history and even shortcuts on the desktop.

To get started, open the app on both smartphones. On the new device, select Recipient and on the old device, Sender. The app automatically scans the available networks and prompts you to create an access point. The new phone will appear. QR-This action will create a secure direct connection between the devices, without consuming traffic from your mobile operator.

Once you pair it successfully, the old phone will have a list of data categories that you can transfer, you can choose all the items you want, or you can manually mark the ones you want, for example, by eliminating heavy video files if you don't need them right now. The copying process depends on the amount of data you have: transferring a few gigabytes of photos can take anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes.

• 📱 Contacts and Messages: All phone book entries, including avatars, and history are instantly transferred SMS and MMS correspondence.
• 📷 Media files: Photos, videos, audio recordings and documents from internal memory are copied while maintaining the folder structure.
• ⚙️ System settings: Wi-Fi passwords, alarm clocks, notes, voice recorder and even desktop wallpaper.
• 📲 Annexes: Installed by themselves APK-Program files, however, some banking applications will have to be re-entered for security reasons.

⚠️ Note: When you migrate apps over Mi Mover, the new phone may not have logins and passwords inside the software. This is normal Android security behavior that requires re-authorization.

Sync with Mi Cloud and Google account

An alternative and sometimes more reliable way is to use cloud services. Xiaomi ecosystem is closely integrated with Mi Cloud, which allows you to store backups of contacts, notes, voice recorder, gallery and system settings. If your old phone was synced, it is enough to simply enter your Mi Account and password on the new device at the first setup.

The process of recovery from the Mi Cloud is automatic after you enter your account. The system will offer to restore data from the last available backup. This is especially convenient if the old phone is already sold, lost or broken so much that it does not turn on. However, it is worth remembering that free storage is limited to 5 GB, so large archives of photos and videos may require a subscription.

In parallel with Mi Cloud, you should not ignore the capabilities of your Google account. Through Google One, you can save a list of installed applications, passwords (via Google Password Manager), calendar and contacts. When you first turn on the new Xiaomi, the system will offer to restore data from the Google cloud if you select the appropriate item in the configuration wizard.

Transfer of multimedia and documents via PC

If wireless methods seem too slow or cause errors, there is always a time-tested way to use a computer. USB-cable in the mode "File transfer» (MTP), You can access the file system like a flash drive, and this is ideal for carrying heavy video files, archives and documents that take hundreds of gigabytes.

Create a temporary folder on your computer, copy the contents of the DCIM folders (camera photos and videos), Pictures, Download and Music from your old device. Once you've finished copying, turn off your old phone and plug in a new one. Just drag and drop the stored data into the appropriate directories on your new smartphone. Android folder structure is universal, so the new Redmi will immediately recognize media files.

For more advanced users who are used to working with the command line or file managers like Total Commander, USB debugging mode is available. However, for normal file rearrangement, standard MTP mode is enough. Make sure that the necessary drivers are installed on the computer, although they are usually installed automatically on Windows 10 and 11.

• 💾 Backup: The PC method creates a physical copy of data that can be stored for years on an external hard drive.
• ⚡ Speed: Through quality USB 3.0 cable transmission speed is much higher than Wi-Fi.
• 🔒 Security: Data is not transmitted over the Internet and is not stored on third-party servers.

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Use the original. USB-A cable or high-quality analogue with data support. Cheap "charging only" cables will not allow a computer to see the phone.

Nuances of transfer WhatsApp, Viber and messengers

Messengers are worth special attention, as their data is often stored in secure memory areas. For WhatsApp and Viber, standard file transfer may not be enough to restore the history of correspondence. The best way to use the built-in backup function inside the applications themselves before resetting the old phone.

In WhatsApp settings, go to Chats → Chat Backup and click Backup. Make sure the copy is created on Google Drive, not just locally. On a new phone, WhatsApp will offer to recover a history from the cloud when you first install it. A similar algorithm works for Viber, which also relies on Google cloud storage.

If you change your phone number, the process will be more complicated and require you to use the Chat Transfer feature inside WhatsApp settings before changing. SIM-map.

⚠️ Note: When transferring messenger data, make sure that the new phone has Google Drive installed and logs in to your account. Without this, WhatsApp will not be able to find a backup copy.

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For instant messengers, it is critical to back up the app on Google Drive, rather than relying only on a general backup system.

Solving and eliminating errors

Despite the fact that things are fine, there are sometimes disruptions, and a common problem is that Mi Mover is interrupted in the middle of the process, usually because one of the phones' screens has gone out and the system has severed the Wi-Fi connection to save power, and the solution is simple: extend the time before the screen is autolocked in the display settings by 2 minutes or 10 minutes before the procedure begins.

Another common situation is conflicting versions of MIUI. If the old phone has a very old version of the shell (for example, MIUI 10), and the new one has a fresh HyperOS, some system settings may not be transferred correctly, in which case it is critical to update the old phone to the latest version of MIUI available to it before starting data transfer, this will ensure compatibility of backup formats.

If you encounter a “Not enough space” error on a new device, even though the memory seems to be there, check the.Trash or Recycle Bin folder in the gallery and file manager. Deleting files from the Recycle Bin will free up real space. It’s also worth checking if some of the memory reserved for system needs or virtual RAM is hidden.