How to transfer data from Xiaomi to Xiaomi through Google account: the complete guide

Changing your smartphone, even to a newer model of the same brand, always comes with a certain stress associated with losing your environment and data. Owners of the Xiaomi ecosystem often face the need to quickly migrate to a device with a MIUI shell or a new HyperOS. Despite the availability of proprietary utilities like Mi Mover, using Google cloud storage remains the most versatile and reliable way to transfer basic information. This method ensures that your contacts, calendars, notes and even passwords are restored automatically immediately after logging in.

The Google account sync process is based on the principle of constantly updating your cloud profile, making it an ideal solution for long-term data storage. Unlike local backups, which can be lost when an old phone breaks, the Google Drive cloud provides access to information from any device. When you switch to a new Redmi or POCO, you do not need to look for a cable or install additional software - it is enough stable connection to the Wi-Fi network and your credentials.

In this article, we will take a look at each step of preparing your old device, setting up sync options and activating your new smartphone. You will learn which data types are migratable through standard Android tools and which are better stored separately. Using Google One’s capabilities correctly, you will be able to recreate a digital copy of your phone in minutes, saving folder structure and action history.

Preparing a Google account and an old smartphone

Before starting the procedure, you need to make sure that the old device is logged in to the correct Google account. This profile will be the source of truth for all your data. Check if sync is activated in the system settings, as by default some options can be disabled to save traffic. Open the Settings menu, find the Accounts and Sync section and select your email address.

Make sure that the sliders in front of important items like Contacts, Calendar and Google Notes are active.The system should show the time of the last sync; if it was done a long time ago, click the Forced Update button.This is a critical step, since data not sent to the cloud before the old phone is reset or turned off will be lost irrevocably.

⚠️ Note: If you use two authentication factors, make sure you have access to your phone number or backup codes to have no problem logging in to your account on your new device.

Google Photos is a special feature, and although it often goes hand in hand with your account, its backup settings may be different from system sync. Open the app, click on your profile avatar, and check the status of “Autoboot and Sync.” If the status of “Download is complete”, then all your media files are safely stored in the cloud.

Configuring data synchronization parameters

To successfully migrate, it is important to understand what types of data support cloud sync through a standard Google profile. Not all applications and files can be moved this way, so it is worthwhile to make a list of critical information in advance. The main categories that are guaranteed to be saved include system settings and user content.

• 📞 Contacts and numbers: fully restored from Google Contacts, including subscriber photos and additional numbers.
• 📅 Calendar and Events: All appointments, reminders and recurring events from Google Calendar will automatically appear.
• 📝 Notes and Tasks: Information from Google Keep and Google Tasks is synced instantly when the relevant apps are first launched.
• 🔑 Passwords: Stored in Google Smart Lock or Password Manager, site login data will be available in Chrome browser.

It is worth noting that the synchronization of applications does not occur in the form of ready-made APK-When you first set up a new phone, Xiaomi will offer to install previously used programs. However, data within applications (game progress, messaging) are only stored if the apps themselves support backup in Google Drive.

For users who store documents in the cloud, the process is as simple as possible: files in Google Docs, Sheets and Drive do not take up space on the device until the moment they are opened, so their transfer is invisible to the user. Just log in, and all working documentation will be available over the network.

The process of initial setup of the new Xiaomi

Once the old phone is ready, you can start setting up a new Xiaomi device. Turn on your smartphone and wait for the welcome screen to appear. Choose a language and connect to the Wi-Fi network, because the mobile Internet may not be stable enough to download a lot of data. The system will suggest upgrading to the current version of MIUI or HyperOS, which is preferably done before data recovery.

In the “Copy Apps and Data” or “Restore from Backup” step, select the option “Restore from the Cloud” or “Copy from the Cloud” and you will be prompted to log in to your Google account, enter the login and password that was used on the old device, and if two-factor protection is enabled, confirm the login via the SMS or authenticator application.

Once you have successfully logged in, the system will prompt you to select a backup to restore, which is usually the most recent copy, marked with date and time, select it and click Restore. The process of downloading the list of applications and system settings will begin, the screen may go out or the device may reboot, which is normal behavior during the configuration update.

Recovery of applications and system settings

One of the key features of recovery through Google is the ability to return not only data, but also the usual structure of the desktop. Android remembers the location of icons, widgets and even wallpaper if you used a standard launcher or launcher from Google. When you restore on the new Xiaomi, app icons will begin to appear on the desktop with the caption “Download”.

It is important to understand that the application files themselves (APK) They download from the Google Play store, rather than being copied directly from your old phone, which means you'll always get the latest, secure version of the program. However, if an app has been removed from the Play Market, it will not install automatically and will have to be searched manually or installed via a mobile app. APK-file.

⚠️ Warning: Banking applications and programs with high security requirements will not restore their login settings, but you will have to re-identify and customize the biometrics for each application.

System settings such as language, font size, screen brightness and special features will also be copied, creating a “magic” effect where the new phone behaves exactly like the old one. The MIUI shell can also reset some theme settings if they were associated with a Mi Account, but the basic interface personalization falls on the shoulders of the Google account.

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Don’t try to use new applications while you are actively downloading and installing old ones, which can slow down the process and cause system errors.

Synchronize multimedia and files through Google Photos and Drive

Although contacts and settings are quickly restored, media files (photos and videos) require a separate approach, as they take up a significant amount of memory. Google Photos is the main tool here. After logging in to an account on a new phone, open the Google Photos app. You will see all your images, but they can be in low resolution (sketch) until the originals load.

To get a full picture experience, make sure Google Photos has Sync enabled, which will allow new photos taken on the new Xiaomi to automatically fly to the cloud, and if you run out of 15GB free space, the system will offer to vacate space or purchase a Google One subscription.

The files stored in Google Drive don't take up space on your device until you open them for editing or download them for offline access, which makes it easy to work with documents even on devices with a small amount of internal memory. Just install the Google Drive app, and all your folders will be available as they were.

Decision and verification of data integrity

Once you have completed the initial setup and downloaded all the apps, it is recommended that you do a thorough check: Open the phone book and make sure that all the numbers are in place and allocated to the correct groups. Sometimes contacts are stored in the phone memory, not in the Google account, so they will need to be moved manually through the contact management menu.

If you notice that some apps are not installed, go to Google Play Market, click on your profile avatar, select App and Device Management, and go to Not Installed on this device, which will list all the programs that have ever been downloaded to your account, and you can select the ones you want and start the installation.

⚠️ Note: If there is no data in the applications (such as notes or game progress) after recovery, check inside each application whether the same account is logged in (Facebook, VK, playful ID), previously used.

If you have sync issues, try clearing the Google Play cache. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Google Play Services → Storage and click Clear Cache. After that, restart the device and check the sync status again, most often this solves the problems with the “hung” data.

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It can take hours to fully sync a lot of data. Don't panic if photos or apps are gradually coming in, which is the normal work of Android background processes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)