The transition from the Android ecosystem to iOS always brings mixed feelings: on the one hand, it is the excitement of owning a new flagship, on the other hand, the fear of losing important files or getting confused in an unusual interface. If you own a Xiaomi smartphone and plan to buy an iPhone 11, you need to think ahead with a strategy for data migration, since direct synchronization between these platforms is limited.
Unlike switching between devices of the same brand, you won’t just log in to your account and get all the settings back, but you’ll need to use specialized tools like the official Move to iOS app, cloud storage, or manually copying multimedia, a process that requires careful attention, especially when transferring instant messengers.
In this guide, we will discuss all the nuances that will help you change Xiaomi to iPhone 11 as comfortably as possible, we will look at the official methods, workarounds for WhatsApp and Google Photos, and also point out the typical errors that can lead to data loss.
Preparation of devices before the migration
The first and most critical step is to properly prepare both smartphones.Make sure your iPhone 11 has the latest version of the iOS operating system installed.If the phone has already been in use and has data you don't need, it's recommended to perform a full factory reset to avoid synchronization conflicts.
Xiaomi also needs to do a storage audit, remove unnecessary files to speed up the transfer process, and check the battery level — it should be at least 60%. Both devices should be connected to the same Wi-Fi network, preferably at 5 GHz for higher data rates.
⚠️ Warning: Do not interrupt the migration process and do not leave the carrier application on both devices until the process is 100% complete.
If you are moving from a Xiaomi model to 256 GB, and the new iPhone 11 has only 64 GB of memory, you will have to pre-sort photos and videos, removing the excess, or use cloud services to store the archive.
Use of the Move app to iOS
Apple has developed a special application Move to iOS, which is the only official way to automatically transfer data from Android to iPhone, which is available on the Google Play store on Xiaomi devices, and allows you to transfer contacts, message history, photos and videos, as well as email accounts and calendars.
The process starts with launching the app on the iPhone 11 in the initial setup phase (“Programs and Data”). If the phone is already configured, you will have to reset, you will have a six-digit or ten-digit code on the screen that you want to enter in the app on Xiaomi, and then the devices will create a temporary secure Wi-Fi network.
- 📱 Download the “Move to iOS” app from Google Play on Xiaomi.
- 🔗 On iPhone 11, select “Move data from Android” in the settings menu.
- 🔢 Enter the code displayed on the iPhone screen into the app on Xiaomi.
- 📂 Select content to transfer: contacts, messages, photo gallery.
It’s important to understand that the app doesn’t carry apps (since they’re different for Android and iOS), but only tells you which apps are available in the App Store, and music that isn’t purchased through iTunes and files in download folders may not be automatically transferred.
What to do if the code is not accepted?
If the code is not received or the connection is broken, try Xiaomi to turn off mobile Internet (data transfer), leaving only Wi-Fi on. Also make sure that Xiaomi does not turn on the “Smart Wi-Fi” mode, which can switch the network when a weak signal.> Transfer photos and videos through Google Photos For Xiaomi owners who are actively using the Google ecosystem, the easiest way to transfer media library is the Google Photo service. This solution avoids long wired copying procedures and works even after you have already started using the new iPhone 11. On Xiaomi device, make sure that the Google Photos app includes the function “Autoload and synchronize your photos while you can take up your video in the time. High Quality Outdoors Occupyed Place Unlimited (compressed) Limit 15GB (free) Photo Quality Up to 16MP Unchanged Download Speed Faster Slower After syncing on iPhone 11, install the Google Photos app from the App Store and log into the same account. All your pictures will be available instantly. If you need to physically move them to the iOS gallery ("Photo"), you can select them and select the "Save to the device" option, but this will take time and space on the disk. Migration of WhatsApp correspondence and Viber Transferring the history of correspondence - one of the most difficult tasks with the Meta application now, but it is impossible for the company to transferring the iOS application. When you configure the iPhone 11 with a Lightning-to-USB-C cable (or via Wi-Fi in the Move to iOS app on new versions of iOS), you can select the transfer of WhatsApp data. QR-The code that you need to scan with the camera inside WhatsApp, and then you start backing up in a special format that iOS understands. 🔄 Make sure both phones have the latest version of WhatsApp installed. 📱 On iPhone, select “Move chats from Android” from WhatsApp chat menu. 🔌 Maintain active connection between devices until the end of the process. 🔐 Do not block smartphone screens during database migration. ⚠️ Note: After transferring WhatsApp chats to the new iPhone, the old chats on the Android device will be deleted.This is a security measure to avoid duplicate messages and statuses being desynchronized. With the Viber messenger, the situation is different: it does not support direct transfer of correspondence history between Android and iOS due to differences in the structure of backups. You will have to start from scratch or use third-party paid programs for PC that do not guarantee 100% result. Contacts and calendar synchronization The most reliable way to transfer contacts and calendar events is to use a Google account. On Xiaomi, the default contacts are saved there. To see them on iPhone 11, you just need to add your Google account to the iOS settings. Go to Settings → Contacts → Add accounts → Add a few minutes to the application. If you have used local contact storage on Xiaomi (only for the SIM-In the card or in the memory of the phone without reference to the cloud, export them to the file format.vcf. This can be done through the application "Contacts" on Xiaomi: select "Import / Export" → "Export to internal memory. Send the resulting file to your email or Telegram, open it on your iPhone and confirm the import. Frequent problems and their solution During the migration process, users often face technical difficulties. For example, the iPhone 11 may not see the Wi-Fi network created by Xiaomi, or the process hangs in the middle. VPN-Another common problem is the lack of space. If you're trying to move 200 GB of data onto an iPhone with 64 GB of storage, it just won't start. In this case, you need to manually sort photos and videos on Xiaomi, leaving only the most important, or use cloud services for partial portability, HEVC in certain modes), may not play on the iPhone without converting or installing a third-party player like VLC. Why don't you port apps from Xiaomi to iPhone? Apps are built for different operating systems (Android and iOS) and have different architectures" APK-You have to re-download all the apps you need from the App Store, some paid apps you have to re-buy if the developer doesn't support cross-platform subscriptions, can you transfer your call history? It is not possible to transfer the call log from Android to iPhone by official means. Google Play apps that promise to do this often require complex setup and do not always work consistently. The easiest way to accept losing your history is to use carrier apps if they store your history in the cloud. APK? Files. APK They're only for Android. On iPhones, they're useless. If you have important documents inside your archives, they're useless. APK (And that's rare, and you have to extract them on your computer before you go. APK-You can delete files. Is it safe to use third-party software for PCs? Programs like iCareFone or AnyTrans can help in difficult cases, but they require access to all your data. Use only official software from well-known developers and be sure to check files with antivirus. The official method through Move to iOS remains the safest. SIM-- A map from Xiaomi before you start? SIM-You don't need a card in advance. What's more, if you have an iPhone 11 that supports two. SIM (One physical and one eSIM or two physical in the Chinese version, you can use the "Portable Number" function right during the setup process, if your operator supports this technology.