How to make a full copy of Xiaomi smartphone and transfer data

Owners of the Xiaomi ecosystem often face the need to transfer information when buying a new device or creating a backup before risky operations. The process of cloning data on devices with a MIUI shell or HyperOS has its own unique features that distinguish it from standard Android.

There are several proven ways to make an exact copy of the content of your gadget: you can use the built-in system, cloud services Xiaomi Cloud or specialized software for the PC. The choice of method depends on what exactly you need to save: only media files, a full cast of the system or a list of installed applications.

In this guide, we will discuss all current methods, focusing on data security and the stability of the device after the procedure. It is critical to use original cables and a stable Wi-Fi connection when cloning large amounts of data to avoid recording errors. Proper preparation ensures the success of the operation in 99% of cases.

Using the Mi Mover application to transfer data

The fastest and most efficient way to make a copy of Xiaomi on a new phone is to use the Mi Mover app, which is pre-installed and optimized to work with the company's data protocols, and allows you to transfer contacts, messages, call history, images, videos, music, documents, and even alarm settings.

To start, you need to open the app on both devices. On the old smartphone, select the role "Sender" and on the new one, "Receiver". QR-The transmission process will begin with the code or manual connection via Wi-Fi Direct, and can reach speeds of up to 40 MB/s, which is much faster than Bluetooth.

• 📱 Supports the transfer of contacts, SMS, call history and notes.
• 🖼️ Copy photos, videos and music files without loss of quality.
• ⚙️ Transfers system settings and the location of icons on the desktop.

However, Mi Mover does not carry Wi-Fi passwords and data from some banking applications for security reasons, and the process can be interrupted if the screen of one of the devices goes out, so it is recommended to turn off autolock during the operation.

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For maximum transfer speeds over Mi Mover, keep the devices close by and make sure none of them are connected to a 5GHz network, better use the 2.4GHz band or access point mode.

Backup through Mi Cloud and Google Account

Cloud technology allows you to create a virtual copy of your smartphone, accessible from anywhere in the world. In the Xiaomi ecosystem, Mi Cloud is responsible for this service, which is deeply integrated into the system. It allows you to synchronize the gallery, voice recorder, notes, contacts and messages.

In parallel, a standard Google account stores a list of installed apps, Chrome passwords, Google Fit data, and contacts, and the combination of the two services provides almost complete recovery of a user’s digital profile when a device is lost or replaced.

To activate sync, go to the settings menu. The path to the desired settings is: Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud. Here you need to select the types of data to back up and enable automatic download.

⚠️ Warning: Free storage capacity of Mi Cloud is limited to 5 GB. To create a full copy of the system with photos and videos, this may not be enough, you will need to expand the tariff.

It is important to check the status of the latest sync regularly, sometimes the system can “hang” when downloading large video files, in which case it is worth clearing the cache of the MIUI Cloud Service service through the application management menu.

Local system backup on Xiaomi

The unique feature of MIUI and HyperOS shells is the ability to create a full local backup system, which creates an archive of settings, applications and data that is stored in the phone's internal memory, ideal for those who plan to flash or reset to factory settings.

Local copy is created through a hidden recovery menu, and unlike cloud-based methods, it even stores data from some games and messengers that are not normally synchronized, which can be as large as tens of gigabytes.

To create a copy, perform the following actions:

1. Open the settings and go to About Phone.

2. Click on the kernel version or MIUI logo several times until the notification “Additional Features Enabled” appears.

3. Go back and find Advanced Settings → Reservation and Restore.

Once you've created an archive, it's important to copy it to a computer or external drive. The path to the files is usually at MIUI/backup/AllBackup. If you reset the phone to factory settings without copying that folder, all the data will be lost forever.

Cloning applications and creating virtual copies

Often, when users ask how to make a copy, they mean that they can run two accounts of the same app on the same phone, and Xiaomi uses App Twin to create two independent instances of the messenger, like WhatsApp or Telegram, with different phone numbers.

The activation of the function occurs in the system settings section, where you select the application you want to clone, and a second icon will appear on the desktop with a yellow icon indicating that it is a copy, and the data of these applications is stored in an isolated container.

It is worth noting that cloning consumes additional RAM and battery power, which means that the system has to keep two processes in memory instead of one, and on budget models with little RAM, this can lead to more frequent unloading of background applications.

• 📲 Supports WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber, Facebook, Instagram.
• 🔒 The data of cloned applications is protected by a separate password or fingerprint.
• ⚡ Notifications from the copy come with a characteristic "2" icon on the icon.

Some users try to clone banking apps, but MIUI often blocks this capability for security reasons.Back-ways exist, but they require super-user rights, which is not recommended for ordinary users.

⚠️ Note: When you remove the main application, the cloned version will also be removed. First, remove the clone, then the main application if you plan to completely clean up.

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The app cloning function works at the system level, so it is more stable and safer than third-party counterparts like Parallel Space.

Create a full copy of the firmware through Recovery and Fastboot

For advanced users who are engaged in system modification, the issue of creating a full firmware dump is relevant, which allows you to save the original state of the boot, system and recovery partitions before installing custom assemblies. TWRP.

The procedure requires connecting the smartphone to the PC and having an ADB/Fastboot driver installed. The command to create a partition backup looks complicated, but it gives full control of the device. For example, to save the boot partition, the command is used:

adb pull /dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/boot boot.img

However, for the average user, a safer method is to create a restore point through TWRP Recovery, which creates a data partition image that contains all the apps and settings installed, and it takes a few minutes to recover from that image and returns the phone to the “as it was.”

It is important to understand the risks: improper creation or restoration of the dump system can lead to a “brick” of the device. If you are not sure about your actions, limit yourself to the standard redundancy methods described in the previous sections.

• 💾 It allows you to maintain the system state by 100%.
• 🛠 Requires an unlocked bootloader (Bootloader).
• ⏳ It takes a lot of time and requires technical skills.

Frequent errors and problems in data cloning

Despite the fact that processes are fine, users often face difficulties, and one of the most common problems is the lack of space on the receiving device, which can start the process, but interrupt it halfway, causing some files to be damaged.

Another common mistake is using an unstable Wi-Fi connection, where when you transfer large amounts of data over Mi Mover or the cloud, a disconnection can cause a data integrity check error, in which case you have to start over.

Also worth mentioning is the issue of Android version compatibility: When you switch from a very old MIUI (e.g. Android 9) to a new one (Android 13/14), some old application database formats may not convert correctly, and in such cases it is recommended to back up important data separately, manually.

⚠️ Warning: Never interrupt the recovery process from a local copy by forced restart, which can damage the file system and require a call to a service center.

If you notice that contacts are not displayed correctly or photos are missing after recovery, check the.thumbnails folder in the gallery. Sometimes the system takes time to re-index media files after transfer.

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Always check the space available on the target device: it should be 1.5 times larger than the size of the copy being created.