Moving from the Apple ecosystem to Android often seems like a complex process that requires deep technical knowledge, but modern tools Xiaomi and Google have reduced this procedure to a minimum. iPhone owners who decide to switch the platform to Redmi or POCO devices may face the question of saving important information: photos, contacts and notes. Fortunately, developers have provided several reliable ways of migration that do not require a computer or special cables.
The challenge is not the process of copying files, but the proper preparation of both devices. Wi-Fi is a key element of success, ensuring high speeds of transferring large amounts of data. Before starting work, make sure that both smartphones are charged at least 60%, as active radio modules can significantly consume battery power.
In this article, we will take a closer look at Mi Mover, the native tool that is pre-installed on most MIUI and HyperOS shells, and explore alternative methods through cloud services. You will learn how to avoid common media transfer errors and what to do if the process hangs in the middle. The right sequence of actions ensures that your new Xiaomi will become a full replacement for the usual iOS gadget.
Preparing devices for data migration
The first step is to carefully prepare both smartphones. On iPhone, you need to make sure that the operating system is updated to the latest available version, as older versions of iOS may have problems with the compatibility of data protocols. Also check the availability of free space on the target Xiaomi device: the amount of free memory should exceed the size of the data transferred by at least 20%.
Both phones must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. This is critical, as the transfer app creates a local network between devices or uses a router to tunnel traffic. If you use mobile internet, the process can be interrupted or lead to unforeseen traffic costs.
On the Android side, make sure that the permissions for system applications are not limited to the aggressive power saving settings that are sometimes found in custom firmware.
⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to interrupt the preparation process or restart devices after synchronization has started, as this may cause file tables to be damaged and some contacts to be lost.
☑️ Ready for transfer
Using the Mi Mover application for portability
The most effective regular migration tool is the Mi Mover app. On Xiaomi smartphones, it is usually in the Tools folder or in the About Phone settings section. If the app is removed or missing, it can be downloaded free of charge from the Google Play store or GetApps. On iPhone, you need to download a similar app from the App Store.
When you run the program on both devices, select the role of each smartphone: on Xiaomi, click "I'm a recipient" and on iPhone, "I'm a sender." QR-code that will appear on the screen of the new phone, or connect to the created access point manually. Once successfully paired, you will see a list of data categories available for copying.
The interface allows you to flexibly customize content choices, so you can only transfer contacts and messages without heavy video files, or copy all the contents of the gallery, and the speed of the transfer depends on the quality of the wireless connection and the amount of data, on average, the process takes from 15 minutes to an hour.
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If Mi Mover doesn’t see the iPhone, try temporarily disabling the VPN on both devices and make sure the iPhone allows the use of the local network in the privacy settings.
Importantly, Mi Mover automatically converts some file formats for Android compatibility.For example, live wallpaper can be replaced with static images, and some specific HEIC metadata can be simplified to JPG for better compatibility.
Sync with Google Account and Cloud
An alternative and often more reliable way is to use Google’s cloud infrastructure, which is ideal for transferring contacts, calendars and notes that are linked to an account, and you need to install Google or Gmail from the App Store on your iPhone and log in to your account.
Once logged in, go to the app settings and activate the contact and calendar sync. The system will prompt you to copy data from iCloud or your phone's local memory to Google's cloud, a process that can take time depending on the number of entries in the phone book.
On the new Xiaomi, you just need to log into the same Google account when you first set up the system or in the settings menu. All contacts, calendars and notes will appear automatically within minutes. You can transfer photos through the Google Photos app by enabling the autoboot and sync function.
| Type of data | The method through Mi Mover | The method through Google | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Complete transfer | Autosynchronization | Google is preferred for continuous updates |
| Photo/Video | Fast Wi-Fi transmission | Through the cloud (Internet required) | Mi Mover is faster for larger volumes |
| Messages (SMS) | Supported | Not supported | Only local transfer |
| Calendar | Deferral of events | Full synchronization | Better to use Google Calendar |
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Using a Google Account ensures the safety of data even in the event of loss or breakdown of a physical device, since the information is stored on servers.
Transfer of multimedia and documents
The Android and iOS file systems are very different, requiring special attention when transferring documents and media. While the iPhone hides the file structure from the user, Xiaomi provides full access through the Explorer app. The best way to transfer heavy videos and archives is to use a direct connection via Mi Mover.
If you use cloud services like Google Drive or Dropbox, the process is simplified: upload the required documents to your iPhone to the cloud, then download them to Xiaomi. Note that free cloud storage rates are often limited to 15GB, which may not be enough for a video archive.
For users who are used to the iCloud ecosystem, there is a web version of the service. You can manually download photos and documents from your browser on Xiaomi to iCloud.com, but this is inconvenient for large amounts of data due to browser limitations on mobile devices.
⚠️ Attention: Format HEIC, The default iPhone may not open in some Android apps without first converting.Mi Mover usually resolves this issue automatically.
Music and ringtones require a separate approach: files purchased on iTunes with protection DRM, They won't play on Android. You need to use files in the format. MP3 or AAC without protection, which can be transmitted via Bluetooth or USB-cable by connecting both phones to the computer.
Application and Message Compatibility Issues
One of the biggest challenges in switching from iOS to Android is migrating the history of messaging apps, apps like WhatsApp have built-in chat portability, but they often require a Lightning-to-USB-C cable and Google’s official “Move to Android” app, which can be installed on iPhones.
Apps purchased from the App Store don’t automatically migrate to Google Play. You’ll have to re-download them on a new device. If the app is paid, check if the developer has an Android version; often the licenses aren’t cross-platform and you’ll have to re-purchase.
Apple system apps like Notes (partially), Reminders and iMessage are not directly analogous or work differently. iMessages will not arrive on Android until you untie your number from the iMessage service on Apple’s website, otherwise other iPhone users will continue to send you messages in a closed format that you will not receive.
How to untie a number from iMessage?
High-security banking applications and services may require re-identification or not work on devices with unlocked bootloader rights. Standard Xiaomi with global firmware usually have no banking software issues.
Set up a new smartphone Xiaomi after the transfer
After the data migration is complete, it is important to initially configure the MIUI or HyperOS interface. The system can suggest optimizing the operation of applications to save battery life. It is recommended to carefully study these proposals, since aggressive energy saving can block the operation of the background processes of messengers.
Check the touch screen and adjust the controls, which may differ from the usual in iOS. Xiaomi has a wide customization: themes, fonts and widgets can be changed through the app "Themes", which will make the interface more similar to the usual or, conversely, completely update the visual style.
Don’t forget to check security and system updates in Settings → About Phone → System Update. New firmware versions often contain compatibility bug fixes and improved stability of communication modules.
The final step is to remove the extra apps and clean up the temporary files that may have been left behind after the transfer process, and using the built-in Security app will help optimize the new gadget and free up space.