How to sync data to Xiaomi via Google account: the full guide

Syncing data through a Google account on Xiaomi smartphones is not just a convenient way to back up, but a necessary tool to seamlessly work with contacts, calendars, photos and even passwords. Many users face problems when switching between devices or after resetting when important data suddenly disappears. This article will help you understand how to properly configure sync, what data can be stored in the Google cloud, and what to do if the process is error-free.

Xiaomi devices have their own Mi Account ecosystem, which often conflicts with Google services, and we’ll take a look at how to avoid data duplication, why some elements don’t sync automatically, and how to manually update information in the cloud, and we’ll also learn about hidden settings that the manufacturer doesn’t advertise, but which can significantly speed up the process.

It’s important to understand that syncing through Google and Mi Account are two different processes. This article will focus exclusively on Google services, as they provide a more versatile solution for users who work with multiple brands of gadgets. If you only use Xiaomi devices, you might be more likely to sync through Mi Cloud — but about that another time.

What data can be synced through Google on Xiaomi

Google offers synchronization of a wide range of data, but not all of it is equally useful to Xiaomi users.The main categories that are worth configuring in the first place:

• 📇 Contacts are the most critical category. Without synchronization, you risk losing all numbers when you reset your phone or switch to a new device.
• 📅 Calendar – Events, reminders and schedules will be available on all devices where you are logged in.
• 📎 Google Keep Notes – If you use this app, all records will automatically be saved to the cloud.
• 🔑 Passwords from Google Password Manager – synchronize saved logins and passwords from the Chrome browser.
• 📁 Backups of settings – some system settings (Wi-Fi network, wallpaper, screen brightness) can be saved.
• 📷 Photos and videos – via Google Photos, but this is a separate setting that is not included in the standard synchronization.

It is important to note that synchronizing SMS and call history via Google is not officially available to Xiaomi users – this data can only be stored through Mi Cloud or third-party applications.

• 🎵 Music and playlists (except uploaded to YouTube Music).
• 📄 Files and documents (only if not manually uploaded to Google Drive).
• 🎮 Game and App Data (except for those that Google Play Games itself supports).

If you use Gmail, emails and contacts are synced automatically when you add an account, but for full operation, it is recommended to manually enable synchronization of all available categories.

Step-by-step: how to enable synchronization with Google

The sync setup process on Xiaomi is slightly different from standard Android due to the MIUI shell. Follow this instruction to avoid errors:

1. Open the settings on your Xiaomi smartphone.
2. Scroll down and select Accounts and Sync (on some versions of MIUI, this item may be called Passwords and Accounts).
3. Click on Google – if no account is added, the system will prompt you to sign in or create a new one.
4. After logging in, you will see a list of data that can be synchronized, activate the switches next to the desired categories (it is recommended to include at least Contacts, Calendar and Drive).
5. In the upper right corner, press three dots (⋮) and select Sync Now to start the process manually.

If you have multiple Google accounts, repeat the steps for each. MIUI 12+ Additional confirmation may be required through security (PIN-code or fingerprint) at the first time synchronization is activated.

Once enabled, sync will occur automatically when you connect to the Internet, but sometimes the process will freeze, in which case forced launch through the same settings section will help.

Problem Solving: Why Data Is Not Synchronized

Even after you set it up correctly, synchronization may not work, and here are the most common reasons and ways to fix them:

If the problem persists, try the following:

• 🔄 Reboot your phone – it often helps with temporary crashes.
• 📱 Delete and re-add Google account in settings.
• 🛠️ Reset your Google Play Services settings through Settings → Annexes → Google Play Services → Warehouse → Drop it.

⚠️ Attention: If you are using MIUI 14 and later, check the Special Permissions section in the Google app settings.

To diagnose problems with contact synchronization, you can use a hidden menu: open the Contacts app, click on three points (⋮) → Settings → Contact management → Import/Export: Here you will see which accounts are linked to your contacts.

How to transfer data from Mi Account to Google

Many Xiaomi users initially use Mi Account for backup, but then decide to switch to Google for versatility.

1. Export contacts from Mi Cloud: Go to i.mi.com. Go to Contacts. Click Export and save the file in.vcf.
2. Import contacts to Google: Open contacts.google.com. click Import and select the saved file.

For photos, use Google Photos:

• Install the application if it is not installed.
• Enable autoload in the settings.

To save traffic, it is recommended to limit automatic synchronization only when connecting to Wi-Fi:

• 📶 Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Transfer of data.
• 🔄 Find Autosynchronization of data and disable it for mobile network.

On devices with MIUI 14, Intelligent Synchronization has been introduced, which analyzes your habits and updates data in the background only at the optimal time (for example, at night when charging).

1. Go to Settings → Accounts and Synchronization → Synchronization settings.
2. Activate the Intelligent Synchronization Switch.

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If you travel frequently, turn off automatic synchronization to save battery power, instead manually run it 1-2 times a week.

Security: How to Protect Your Data on Google

Syncing through Google is convenient, but requires attention to security. Here are the key precautions:

• 🔐 Use two-factor authentication for your Google account, which will protect your data even if your password is compromised.
• 📱 Check your active devices regularly in your account: go to myaccount.google.com/device-activity and remove unknown gadgets.
• 🔍 Set up alerts for suspicious activity: Security → Security settings → Security alerts.
• 🗑️ Periodically clean up unnecessary data in Google Drive to free up space and reduce the risk of leakage.

Pay special attention to application permissions. On Xiaomi, some system utilities (like Security or Cleanup) may request access to your data on Google. Check them in the menu:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Permissions Management.
2. Select Contacts, Calendar or Warehouse.
3. View the list of apps with access and disable permissions for suspicious programs.

⚠️ Note: If you sell or transfer your Xiaomi to another person, it’s not enough to simply delete your Google account. → The phone. → Reset settings and select Delete all data. Otherwise, the new owner will be able to restore your synchronized data through factory settings.

For additional protection, you can use Google Password Manager to generate and store complex passwords.

1. Open Chrome or go to passwords.google.com.
2. Enable the option of Autocomplete passwords.
3. Activate Offer to save passwords.

Hidden synchronization features on Xiaomi

There are a few non-obvious features in MIUI that will help optimize synchronization:

• 🔄 Forced synchronization through ADB: If standard methods do not work, you can run synchronization via the command: adb shell bmgr run This will force backup at the system level.
• 📥 Selective Contact Synchronization: Contacts can select which groups to sync. To do this, click three dots (⋮) → Settings → Contact management → Select a Google account and select the groups you want.
• 🔍 Sync Logs: To see detailed information about recent syncs, use the Logcat app (Developer Mode needs to be enabled.

On devices with MIUI 12.5+, cross-device synchronization has been introduced, which allows you to exchange data between Xiaomi devices via Mi Account, but it can be disabled to avoid conflicts with Google:

1. Go to Settings → Connections and Sharing → Cross-device synchronization.
2. Turn off the switch for unnecessary data types (such as clipboard or images).

If you use Xiaomi with HyperOS (new firmware instead of MIUI), the path to sync settings may be different.

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Synchronization.
2. Select Google and set up the settings as described above.
3. For backup, go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions