How to copy Android phone to the new Xiaomi

Buying a new Xiaomi smartphone is always an exciting moment, but the process of migrating data from an old device is often fearful. Many users postpone the upgrade precisely for fear of losing important contacts, photos or app settings. Fortunately, modern technology allows you to perform full cloning of content almost automatically, regardless of what you had the previous gadget.

Today, we're going to take a look at all the ways you can migrate information, from the Mi Mover utility to Google's cloud services to manual file management, and you're going to learn how to properly prepare both devices so that you can get things done without any problems or errors. It's important to understand that the choice of method depends on the amount of data and the version of the operating system on the old device.

In this article, we will not only list the steps, but also discuss the nuances that are often silent in official instructions, such as how to deal with two-factor authentication or why some applications do not carry logins. The critical step is not the copying process itself, but the preliminary check of free space on the target Xiaomi device, since a shortage of even 100 MB can interrupt the migration of the system. Let’s start preparing right now.

Device preparation and selection of migration method

Before you start taking action, you need to conduct a basic revision of both smartphones. Make sure that the old phone and the new Xiaomi are charged at least 60% of the battery. The cloning process can take anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours, and a sudden power outage can damage the file system or create broken archives.

It’s also worth checking out the Android version on the original device. While the Mi Mover is compatible with most versions starting with Android 4.0, Android 8.0 and higher is desirable for some system settings to work properly. The new Xiaomi phone should already have an up-to-date version of the MIUI or HyperOS shell installed.

⚠️ Note: If the old phone has custom firmware or superuser rights (Root), the automatic transfer of system settings may not be correct, in which case it is better to limit yourself to copying media files and contacts.

There are three main scenarios: quick copying via Wi-Fi Direct, recovery from the Google cloud, and manual copying via PC. For 90% of users, the first option will be the best choice, since it does not require Internet and transfers data at maximum speed.

Choose the method that suits you, based on the technical state of the gadgets. If the old phone is slow, it is better to use cloud services, so as not to load its processor with additional calculations when compressing data.

Using the Mi Mover app for full cloning

The most efficient way to migrate data is to use the built-in Mi Mover tool, which is pre-installed on all Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones, and allows you to transfer contacts, messages, call logs, photos, music, videos, documents, and even installed apps along with their data.

To get started, open the app on both devices. On the new Xiaomi phone, select I'm a recipient and on the old one, I'm a sender. QR-code or connect to a Wi-Fi network created manually, and this channel provides high speed transfer without the use of mobile traffic.

Once you connect, the interfaces sync up, and you'll see a list of data categories to transfer, so you can pick all at once, or you can just tick the right items. Notice the System Data section, which includes alarm settings, designs, and Wi-Fi passwords.

The process of copying large amounts of data (more than 50 GB) can take considerable time. Do not lock the screens of devices and keep them close to each other. If the transfer is interrupted, Mi Mover usually suggests continuing from the stop, but it is better to avoid such situations.

Transferring data through Google Account and Cloud Services

If a direct connection is not possible, the Google ecosystem comes to the rescue, ideal for those who are moving from pure Android or want to have a backup in the cloud, and when the new Xiaomi is set up, the system will prompt you to log in to your Google account.

Once logged in, the smartphone will ask if you need to restore data from the backup. Choose the latest copy of your old device. The cloud stores contacts, calendar events, Google Keep notes, Chrome passwords and a list of installed apps. The apps themselves are downloaded automatically from the Play Market.

It is important to note that Google Photos by default compresses images to save space if you do not have a signed Google One tariff. To transfer photos in their original quality, it is better to use Mi Mover or a computer. Synchronization through Google is convenient in that data is accessible from any device, but requires stable and fast Internet.

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Tip: Before resetting your old phone, be sure to go to settings.google.com and check the date of the last backup. If it's old, click "Create a copy" manually.

Features of transfer of WhatsApp and Telegram messengers

Messengers have a special place in the lives of users, and the loss of correspondence is unacceptable. Telegram works on the basis of the cloud, so just enter the phone number and confirmation code on the new Xiaomi. All secret chats (Secret Chats) are not portable, as they are tied to a specific device.

WhatsApp is more complicated. To successfully transfer your chat history to a new phone, you need to back up Google Drive on your old device in advance. Go to Settings → Chats → Backup Chats and click Create.

When you first launch WhatsApp on the new Xiaomi, the app will find a copy of it in Google Drive and prompt it to be restored, a process that requires the new phone to have the same phone number and Google account as the old one. If you use an iPhone, you'll need a Move to iOS app or a cable adapter, but within the Android ecosystem, everything goes smoothly through Google Drive.

⚠️ Note: Local WhatsApp backups (files in your phone’s memory) won’t be automatically found when you install the app unless you manually move the folder. Android/media/com.whatsapp or WhatsApp/Databases via file manager.

Some users prefer to use the Chat Transfer feature inside WhatsApp itself, which is available from the Settings menu → Chats → Chat Transfer.This method creates a local network between phones and transmits the story directly, bypassing the cloud, which is often faster and more reliable.

Manual copying of files via computer and OTG

For users who work with large amounts of media or specific documents, the classic PC copying method is indispensable. Connect your old phone to your computer in file transfer mode (MTP). Copy the DCIM, Pictures, Download and Documents folders to your hard drive.

Then plug in the new Xiaomi and transfer the data to the appropriate directories, which is good because it allows you to sort out the garbage before transferring it, and you can immediately delete unnecessary screenshots or duplicate photos without clogging the memory of the new device.

If you don't have a computer, you can use a USB-OTG adapter. Modern Xiaomi smartphones support external drives. Upload files to a flash drive from an old phone, and then transfer them to a new one. The transfer speed will depend on the class of your flash drive and the USB standard (2.0 or 3.0).

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Manual copying via PC is the only way to guarantee the structure of folders and metadata files (date of creation, geolocation) without the risk of compression or loss of quality.

When you manually transfer, look for hidden folders that start from a dot (like.config) that can store some application settings or cache, and only make sense if you know exactly what they're responsible for.

Completion of the setup and verification of data integrity

After all the copying procedures are complete, take your time to reset your old phone to factory settings.Do a thorough check on the new Xiaomi. Open the gallery and flip through the albums, make sure the contacts are synced and the alarm clocks are set.

Pay special attention to banking applications and two-factor authentication. Often, a confirmation via text or call is required to log in to a client bank on a new device. SIM-The card is active and receives signals. Authenticator applications (Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator) require special attention: they must either be transferred through a cloud account within the application or re-assign numbers manually.

Check NFC and contactless payments, and on Xiaomi smartphones, Google Pay (or its equivalent) is responsible for this, sometimes requiring you to re-add cards, even if the data has been copied, for security reasons.

Now your new Xiaomi smartphone is fully ready to go.You have saved all the important memories and settings, avoiding tedious manual installation of each app. Regularly backup in the future so that next time the migration goes even faster.