How to copy Xiaomi phone completely: the complete guide

Changing a mobile device, especially within the same manufacturer’s ecosystem, always raises questions for users. When you purchase a new Xiaomi smartphone, whether it’s the flagship Mi series or the popular Redmi line, maintaining the familiar digital environment is a top priority.

The process of transferring information has become much easier thanks to built-in shell tools MIUI And the new HyperOS. You don't have to be an expert in the field. IT-And the current algorithms allow you to transfer not only photos and videos, but also folder structure, Wi-Fi passwords, and even the location of icons on your desktop.

In this article, we will take a closer look at all the ways you can back up and deploy it on your new device, look at both the Mi Mover app and the capabilities of Xiaomi Cloud, and explore the nuances of transferring data from other brands, and understand these processes to ensure that you don’t lose any important files when you move to a new device.

Preparation of devices for full cloning

Before you start migrating data, you need to do a number of preparatory steps, which is a critical step, because unstable connection or low battery charge can lead to interruption of transmission and damage to archives. Make sure that both smartphones, old and new, have a battery charge of at least 50-60%.

It’s also worth checking if there’s space available on the receiving device. The amount of memory available on the new phone should exceed the amount of data you plan to transfer. If you’re using a wireless connection, make sure both devices have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled, as they’re used to create a local network.

It’s important to note that some methods may require you to log in to the same Mi Account on both devices, remember your account password in advance, or make sure it’s saved in the password manager, which will make it easier to sync system settings and purchased content.

⚠️ Warning: Do not interrupt the preparation process by closing background applications or locking the screen for a long time. Some energy saving systems can break the connection between devices if the screen goes out.

Using the Mi Mover application for wireless transfer

The most effective and quick way to fully copy Xiaomi phone to a new one is to use the proprietary Mi Mover application. This tool is pre-installed on all modern devices of the brand and optimized for working with the shells MIUI and HyperOS. It allows you to transfer data directly over Wi-Fi Direct without consuming mobile Internet traffic.

To get started, run the app on both smartphones, select Receiver on the new device, and Sender on the old one, and automatically create an access point or prompt you to connect to an existing network. QR-code or password entry will begin searching for available files to transfer.

The interface allows you to flexibly customize the choice of categories. You can select only certain types of data, such as system settings and applications, leaving heavy media files for separate transmission. The algorithm compresses data before sending, which speeds up the process, but when transferring a large amount of information (more than 50 GB), the latency can be from 30 minutes to an hour.

• 📱 Contacts and Messages: Complete preservation of correspondence and telephone book history.
• 📸 Multimedia: Photos, videos, audio recordings and voice recorder files.
• ⚙️ System settings: Wi-Fi passwords, alarm clocks, wallpaper and location of widgets.
• 📲 Annexes: Installation APK-Files and data storage within applications (where permitted).

Once the transfer is complete, the new device will begin installing applications and decompressing data, during which time the phone can heat up, which is the normal reaction of the processor to intensive work, and wait for the notification of the successful completion of the migration.

Backup through Xiaomi Cloud

Xiaomi Cloud provides a convenient way to back up key data, which, unlike local porting, requires a stable Internet connection and free quota in the cloud, and provides 5GB of free space for users, which is enough for contacts, notes, calendars and some system settings.

To activate sync, go to your phone's settings and select "Mi Account." From the cloud menu, select the categories you want to save. The system will automatically upload current data to the company's servers. On the new device, just log in to the same account, and the information will be automatically pulled up.

For deeper cloning, including applications and their data, use the Backup feature in advanced settings. The created archive can be saved to internal memory or to an external medium, and then transferred to a new phone. However, root access or specific conditions are often required to recover from such an archive, so Mi Mover is preferable for most users.

Transfer data from Android to other manufacturers

If your previous smartphone was not released under the Xiaomi brand, the cloning procedure is also possible, but requires the installation of additional software. The Mi Mover app is available for download on Google Play for most devices based on Android version 4.0 and higher, as well as for some iPhone models.

The process is almost identical to working within the same ecosystem: install the app on an old phone, launch it and select sender mode. On the new Xiaomi, run the embedded receiver app. Devices will find each other, and you can select the data to transfer.

Note that when you switch from a different Android shell (such as Samsung’s OneUI or OPPO’s ColorOS), some system settings may not be portable due to differences in file structure, but user-generated content—photos, documents, contacts—will be copied in its entirety.

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If Mi Mover can’t see the device, try temporarily turning off mobile internet on both phones and leave only Wi-Fi. Also make sure that the old phone has all the necessary permissions to access files and geolocate.

In some cases, especially on older versions of Android, it may be necessary to manually grant permissions to access storage.The security system of newer versions of Android strictly controls access to files, so without explicit permission, the application will not be able to read data for copying.

Cloning through a computer and local backups

For users who prefer full control of the process or don’t have a fast Wi-Fi connection, there is a method of creating local backups through a computer, which allows you to create an accurate image of the system that can be deployed later, which requires a USB cable and software installed on the PC, such as Mi PC Suite (for older models) or a standard Windows Explorer.

First, create a full backup on your old phone through the settings menu. The path usually looks like: Settings → About Phone → Backup and Restore. Select "Device Backup" and tick all the necessary items. Once the process is complete, the backup file (usually has the.bak extension) will be saved to the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder.

Copy this folder to your computer by connecting your phone to USB in file transfer mode. Then connect the new phone, copy the backup folder to the same directory on the new device. Then select Device Recovery from the new phone from the recovery menu and select the copied file.

⚠️ Attention: When restoring the local backup on a new device version of the shells MIUI If the new phone has an Android version or MIUI significantly newer, restoring system settings can cause errors or cyclical reboot.

This method is particularly useful for cloning the settings of specific applications that do not store data in the cloud, but it requires careful understanding of the file structure of Android.

Solving problems and completing the setup

Once the cloning process is complete, don't start operating immediately; give the new phone time to index files and load data in the background. In the first hours after the migration, the device can run slower than usual and heat up more — this is a normal process of optimizing the database.

A common problem is the lack of notifications from some apps (like Viber or Telegram) after the transfer.This is due to the aggressive MIUI energy saving system. You may need to manually set up autoruns for important messengers in the "Applications" → "Permissions" → "Autostart".

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Full cloning of a phone is not just about transferring files, it's about adapting the system to new hardware, so give the device 1-2 days to fully optimize the algorithms.

Also check biometric protection: fingerprints and facial data are never transferred between devices for security reasons; you need to re-register your biometric data in your new smartphone settings.

• 🔋 Battery Optimization: Let the phone run out completely and charge up to 100% to calibrate the controller.
• 🔐 Change passwords from important accounts if you suspect an old phone will be sold or disposed of.
• 🗑️ Cleanup: Remove backups from your old device before selling it so that the data doesn’t end up with third parties.

If you encounter some apps not opening or crashing, try uninstalling them and installing them again from Google Play or GetApps. APK-Files may not be compatible with the new version of the operating system.