Changing a mobile device is often perceived as a stressful process associated with time loss and hassle. But the Xiaomi ecosystem provides powerful tools to make migrating to a new gadget almost invisible to the user. Modern shells MIUI and HyperOS can clone folder structure, Wi-Fi passwords, alarm clocks and even placement of icons on the desktop.
Before you start taking action, you need to do basic training on both devices: make sure that the old smartphone is at least 60 percent charged and the new one is fully charged, and check for free space on the target device, as the amount of data being transferred can be significant, especially if you store a lot of high-resolution video.
There are several proven methods of synchronization, each of which has its own advantages depending on the amount of information and the speed of the Internet connection, we will consider the most effective ways to ensure the safety of your personal data, including correspondence in messengers and system settings.
Using the Mi Mover app for quick migration
The most efficient and quickest way is to use the Mi Mover tool, which is pre-installed on most of the brand’s smartphones and allows data to be transmitted over a direct Wi-Fi connection without consuming mobile traffic, and can reach speeds of 20-40 MB/s, which is much faster than Bluetooth or cloud services.
To get started, open the app on both devices. On the old phone, select the role of Sender and on the new one, Receiver. QR-code or connect to the access point created. It is critical not to leave the application or block device screens until the process is complete, as this can break the connection.
The interface allows you to flexibly customize the selection of data, you can only transfer contacts and messages, or copy the entire array of media and installed applications, the algorithm itself determines the compatibility of applications and will try to install their analogues on the new device.
☑️ Ready to transmit via Mi Mover
Once the data analysis is complete, the direct transfer of files will begin. The time of the process depends on the amount of information: transferring 64 GB of data can take from 15 to 40 minutes, during which time it is recommended to keep the devices close to each other.
⚠️ Warning: If there is a mistake or the process is 99% down, don’t try to interrupt immediately. wait for a timeout or try restarting the application on both devices by clearing the cache.
Sync with Mi Cloud and Google account
The alternative to direct transfer is cloud synchronization, which is ideal if you don’t have physical access to both phones at the same time or want to back up just in case. Xiaomi’s ecosystem is tightly integrated with Google’s services, allowing you to combine these methods.
To work with Mi Cloud, you need to log into your account on your old device and enable synchronization of the necessary sections: contacts, notes, voice recorder, gallery. Once turned on, the data will automatically be uploaded to the company's servers. On the new phone, you just need to enter the same credentials, and the information will "fly" automatically.
Contacts, calendars and apps are best trusted with Google services, which ensures that even when you switch to a different brand in the future, your basic data set will be preserved.
Free cloud limits
It's important to distinguish between where the data is stored. Photos can be duplicated in both clouds if the corresponding option is enabled in the Gallery app, which creates redundancy, but increases the reliability of storage.
| Type of data | Mi Cloud | Google Account | Local (Mi Mover) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Yes. | Yes. | Yes. |
| Photos and videos | Yes (with limit) | Yes (Google Photo) | Yes (full quality) |
| Icon placement | Yes. | No. | Yes. |
| Wi-Fi passwords | Yes. | Yes (via Google) | Yes. |
| Call records. | Yes. | No. | Yes. |
Transfer of messages and call history
One of the most delicate tasks is to preserve the history of SMS and call logs. Standard Android tools often restrict access to this data, but Xiaomi tools allow you to bypass these restrictions. When using Mi Mover, this data is transferred automatically in the background.
If you use the cloud method, make sure that the Messages and Call Logs are activated in the Mi Cloud sync settings. Once you activate the new device and log in, the system will prompt you to restore this data from the cloud.
For users who prefer manual control, there is an option to create a local backup. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Restore. Here you can create a backup system that will save SMS, MMS and call history to the file, which then need to be manually copied to the new phone.
- 📱 The local copy is stored in the folder MIUI/backup/AllBackup inner-memory.
- 🔄 Recovery from a local copy requires a backup file on the new device.
- ⏳ The recovery process may take time depending on the number of messages.
⚠️ Attention: Local backups are not encrypted by default with account binding. Do not share backup files with third parties, as they may contain sensitive information.
Migration of data messengers: WhatsApp and Telegram
Messengers require special attention, as they often store their correspondence history locally or on their servers. Telegram syncs all chats through the cloud automatically when you log in to your account. Just install the application and enter the phone number.
WhatsApp is more complicated. When you migrate through Mi Mover, the app will be copied, but to save your correspondence history, you need to back up inside the messenger itself before resetting your old phone. Use the Backup feature in the WhatsApp chat settings by selecting Save to Google Drive.
On the new device, when you first log in, WhatsApp will offer to restore your history from the cloud. Make sure you log in to the same Google account that was used to create the backup. Without this step, you'll get a "clean" messenger without the old messages.
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For WhatsApp, there is an experimental function of transferring chats without the cloud through the Internet. QR-It is available in WhatsApp chat settings on Android, with both phones on hand.
Transferring High-Definition Photos and Videos
Media files take up the lion's share of smartphone memory, and if you have gigabytes of photos and videos, cloud sync can take too long or require paid storage expansion, and in this case, the most rational use of a direct connection.
Mi Mover allows you to select specific albums or folders to transfer. You can filter files by date or type. This is convenient if you want to transfer only fresh images, leaving old archives on an external drive.
Alternatively, you can use your computer as an intermediate, plug an old phone into a USB, copy the DCIM and Pictures folder to your hard drive, and then transfer them to your new smartphone, which provides top speeds with USB 3.0.
- 🖼️ Make sure that your new phone has enough memory.
- 🔋 Use the original cable for a stable transmission speed.
- 📂 Do not interrupt the process of copying large video files.
⚠️ Warning: When transferring photos through your computer, make sure that the phone has selected the mode of operation. USB «File transfer» (MTP), It's not just charging, otherwise the computer won't see the internal memory of the device.
Frequent Questions and Problem Solving (FAQ)
Even with instructions, users often encounter nuances, and the following are answers to the most popular questions to help avoid common mistakes.
Why doesn't Mi Mover see the second phone?
Can the transfer process be interrupted and continued later?
Will passwords from bank applications be transferred?
What if the new phone runs out of memory in the process?
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The most reliable method is a combination of methods: Mi Mover for heavy files and settings, Google Account for contacts and applications, manual check of important messengers.
Following these guidelines, you can quickly and without loss of data to upgrade to a new Xiaomi device, and the right preparation and choice of the right method will make this process easy and understandable even for an inexperienced user.