Changing the operating system is always stressful for the user, especially when the transition is made from an open Android platform to a closed Apple ecosystem. Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the need to migrate data when buying a new iPhone, and this process requires a clear understanding of the algorithms of actions. The main difficulty lies not in the physical transfer of files, but in the adaptation of the data structure and the right tools for conversion.
There are several proven ways to do this, each with its own limitations and features: Apple's official app, cloud services, and manual copying all save important information, but work differently, and it's important to prepare both devices in advance to avoid losing contacts, photos, or messaging.
In this article, we will discuss the most effective transfer methods, paying special attention to the nuances of working with MIUI and iOS, you will learn how to avoid typical errors, why interruption can be fatal, and what data requires special attention.
Preparing devices for data migration
Before any copying process begins, you need to make sure that both smartphones are in good condition and ready to work.The battery charge on both devices should be at least 50-60%, since active data transfer over Wi-Fi Direct, which is used by most applications, is significantly energy consuming. It is also recommended to free up space on the iPhone, if it is not new, so that the receiving party can accommodate the entire amount of information from the old phone.
Particular attention should be paid to connection stability. While many rely on a home router, it is better to use a direct connection between devices during the migration process or make sure that both gadgets are connected to the same 5 GHz Wi-Fi network without traffic restrictions. On Xiaomi smartphones with a MIUI shell or HyperOS, it is worth temporarily disabling aggressive power saving functions that can break the background connection of the application for transfer.
- 🔋 Charge both smartphones to at least 60% and connect them to chargers during the process.
- 📶 Make sure both devices have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled to detect nearby gadgets.
- 🧹 Free up space on your iPhone by removing unnecessary apps or photos if the amount of data is large.
⚠️ Note: Do not start the migration process if the Xiaomi phone activated the “Flight” mode or enabled mobile Internet, which may conflict with the local Wi-Fi connection.
Verify operating systems. Android devices should have the latest available security updates, and iPhones should have the latest version of iOS, which minimizes the risk of software conflicts when converting file formats, especially if it is specific metadata photos or contact groups.
Use of the Move app to iOS
The most official and preferred way for new users is the Move to iOS utility developed by Apple engineers. This app creates a secure local network between your Xiaomi and iPhone, through which contacts, message history, photos, videos, web bookmarks and email accounts are transmitted. It is important to note that for the method to work, the iPhone must be in the initial setup stage (Hello screen).
The process begins with downloading the Move to iOS app from the Google Play store to a Xiaomi phone. During the iPhone setup phase, select “Move data from Android.” After that, the Apple smartphone screen will appear six-digit or decimal code that you need to enter on the Xiaomi device.
☑️ Checklist for Move to iOS
Once the connection is established, the system will suggest selecting content to port, and you should be careful: the application does not copy the programs themselves, but only their free counterparts from the App Store, if they exist, Paid applications or those that are not in the Apple Store will have to install and configure manually, and passwords stored in the Google password manager or MIUI will not be transferred, they must be exported separately.
- 📲 Download the Move to iOS app on Xiaomi from the official Google Play store.
- 🔢 Enter the code displayed on the iPhone screen in the appropriate field on Android.
- 📸 Select the types of data (photos, contacts, messages) that you need to transfer.
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If the process is stuck in the "Time Assessment" or "Transfer" phase, don't panic. Leave the phones alone for 15-20 minutes, sometimes the system just takes a long time to analyze the file size.
Transferring your contacts and calendar through Google
For users who have been actively using the Google ecosystem on Xiaomi, the transfer of contacts and calendar events is almost invisible. Since iOS has deep integration with Google services, just add your account to your phone settings so that all information is synchronized into the native apps Contacts and Calendar.
To do this, Xiaomi needs to make sure that sync is enabled. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google and check if the check boxes are in front of Contacts and Calendar. If there is data, then once you enter your username and password on your iPhone in Settings → Contacts → Accounts, the phone will automatically pull all the information from the cloud.
| Type of data | Synchronization method | nuance |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Google Account | It can be duplicated if the SIM card has been used before. |
| Calendar | Google Calendar | Events appear in the iOS Calendar app |
| Post | IMAP/Exchange | Requires manual server configuration for corporate mail |
| Notes | Not synchronized. | Requires a separate export or Google Keep app |
However, if you did not store your contacts on Google, but locally on your phone or on your phone. SIM-The process will require additional action. SIM-The cards can be imported into the memory of Xiaomi phone, and from there already exported in.vcf format and sent to the post or uploaded to the website contacts.google.com. This ensures that no number is lost when changing the platform.
What to do if your contacts are not synchronized?
Migration Multimedia: Photos and Videos
Transferring a media library is the most voluminous part of the process. Photos and videos taken with a Xiaomi camera usually take tens of gigabytes. The easiest way is to use Google Photos cloud storage. Install the app on your iPhone, log in to your account, and your entire gallery will be available in high quality. However, for original quality and traffic savings, it is better to use a computer or a direct connection.
When using a computer, you can simply copy DCIM and Pictures folders from a Xiaomi phone to a hard drive, and then sync them to an iPhone via iTunes (on Windows) or Finder (on macOS), a method that is reliable but requires a cable and a PC. The alternative is Send Anywhere, or analogues, which allows you to transfer files over Wi-Fi directly between devices without limiting the speed of the provider.
- ☁️ Use Google Photos for fast but condensed album sync.
- 💻 Apply. iTunes/Finder Transmitting the originals in full resolution.
- 📤 Use transfer applications to quickly transfer large video files.
It is important to remember formats. Xiaomi often shoots in HEIF/HEVC format to save space, which is well supported by iOS. Problems can arise with.mkv files or specific codecs that the standard iPhone player does not play, in such cases, you will need to install a third-party player, such as VLC or Infuse, or convert files before transfer.
⚠️ Note: When transferring photos via cable, make sure that the file transfer mode is selected on the Xiaomi screen (MTP), Not Charge Only, otherwise the computer will not see the device’s internal memory.
Transfer of WhatsApp correspondence and messengers
The question of saving WhatsApp’s correspondence history is one of the most critical when switching from Android to iOS. For a long time this was impossible without third-party paid software, but now there is an official free method: it requires a cable (Lightning to USB-C or USB-C to Lightning depending on the iPhone model) and the Move to iOS app or a feature inside WhatsApp itself when initially set up.
The process is as follows: at the stage of setting up the new iPhone, you select the option to transfer data from Android. In the list of applications for transfer, you must select WhatsApp. QR-The code that you need to scan with your phone's camera, and then you start backing up the chats, which you can then recode and transfer to your Apple device, and it's important that the Telegram chats are automatically transferred over the cloud when you log in to your account, and you don't need a reservation.
If the initial setup stage is already over and the phone is set up as new, the only way to move WhatsApp without losing history is to completely reset your iPhone to factory settings. Third-party programs like iCareFone or Dr.Fone may offer a reset-free solution, but they are often paid and do not guarantee 100% security of media files inside chats.
Alternative methods and working with the file system
The Android file system is open, while iOS is sandbox-based, which means that you can't just copy a document folder or a game cache from Xiaomi to your iPhone. The best way to transfer documents (PDF, DOCX, ZIP) is to use cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox or Yandex.Disk. By installing the app on both devices, you can access the files at any time.
For music, the situation is similar: the built-in Xiaomi player reads files from any folders, and Apple Music or third-party players require downloading tracks to their media library through a computer or subscriptions. Local files can be dropped through iTunes, but this often causes difficulties for beginners. It is easier to use streaming services, where your playlists are synchronized with your account.
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Use cloud storage as a temporary buffer for documents and rare files to keep your iPhone memory cluttered and access data from any device.
Two-factor authentication is important, and when you change your number or device, many services (banks, social media) may require a sign-in confirmation. SIM-A card linked to accounts or authentication applications that can be migrated through cloud backups (e.g., Authy or Google Authenticator with cloud sync) are installed).