How to sync Xiaomi smartphones with each other and other devices

Synchronizing data between Xiaomi smartphones is a key feature for users who want to have access to contacts, photos, notes and apps across all their devices. The brand offers several ways to sync: through the MIUI Cloud cloud, a Google account, a Mi Share local network or even a physical cable connection. But not all methods are equally convenient, and some require pre-configuration.

In this article, we will discuss all the current synchronization methods, including nuances for different versions of MIUI (12 to 14), features of working with Android 13/14 devices, as well as solving typical problems - from authorization errors to data loss when switching between accounts.

1. Synchronization through MIUI Cloud: step-by-step instructions

MIUI Cloud is Xiaomi’s proprietary cloud storage that automatically backs up and syncs data between devices under one Mi Account. The service supports contacts, messages, photos, notes, call history and even system settings. However, it has limitations: only 5 GB of memory is available for free, and for some regions (for example, Russia) some functions can be blocked.

To enable synchronization:

• 📱 Open Settings → Mi Account (or Xiaomi Account in the newer versions MIUI).
• 🔑 Sign in or create a new account if you don’t have one.
• ☁️ Go to MIUI Cloud and activate sliders in front of the desired categories (e.g. Contacts, Gallery).
• 🔄 Click Sync and wait for the process to be completed.

Enable Wi-Fi or mobile internet

Check the free space in the cloud (minimum 1 GB)

Update MIUI to the latest version

Shut down. VPN (It can block access to Xiaomi servers)-->

Important: If you are switching from one Xiaomi smartphone to another, data from MIUI Cloud can be restored when you first turn on the device. To do this, at the configuration stage, select Restore from a backup and specify your Mi Account.

⚠️ Warning: When you change your account region (e.g., from China to Global), previously synchronized data may become unavailable. Before changing your region, make a local backup via Settings → About Phone → Backup.

2. Sync through Google account: a universal method

If you use Google services (Gmail, Drive, Photos), syncing through a Google account will be easier and more reliable than MIUI Cloud, which works not only between Xiaomi smartphones, but also with devices from other brands on Android.

• 🌍 Cross-platform (access from iPhone, tablets, PC).
• 📁 15GB of free storage (vs. 5GB in MIUI Cloud).
• 🔒 More transparent privacy policy.

To enable synchronization:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Select your account (or add a new one).
3. Activate sliders for the desired categories: Contacts, Calendar, Google Photos, etc.
4. Click Sync Now (or wait for automatic sync).

Critical: If you sync through MIUI Cloud and Google at the same time, the data can be duplicated. For example, the same contact will appear twice from Mi Account and from Google. To avoid this, disable the sync of contacts in one of the services.

MIUI Cloud

Google Account

Both options

Another (e.g. iCloud)

I don't use synchronization-- >

3. Local synchronization via Mi Share (wireless transmission)

Mi Share (formerly Xiaomi Share) is a wireless file transfer technology between Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices over Wi-Fi Direct protocol. It works without the Internet and allows you to transfer photos, videos, documents and even applications at speeds up to 20 MB / s. The main advantage is the lack of data limits (unlike cloud services).

How to use Mi Share:

1. On both devices, turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
2. Open Settings → Connections and Sharing → Mi Share.
3. On the first phone, select the files to transfer (for example, in the Gallery, click Share → Mi Share).
4. On the second phone, confirm receipt of the files.

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If Mi Share doesn’t find the device, try restarting Bluetooth on both smartphones or temporarily disabling the VPN. Also make sure the distance between the devices is less than 10 meters.

The limitations of Mi Share:

• 🚫 Does not work with devices from other brands (except for some Oppo and Vivo models with Cross-Device Transfer support).
• 📶 Requires a stable connection - with a weak signal, transmission may be interrupted.
• 🔋 Consumes more battery than cloud synchronization.

Cable synchronization: reliable but slow

If wireless methods are not available (for example, there is no Internet or Wi-Fi), you can synchronize data via the USB- cable. This method is suitable for transferring large files (video in 4K, application backups) or when you need to transfer data from your old smartphone to a new one. Xiaomi has two options:

Method 1: File Transfer Mode (MTP)

1. Connect both phones to your PC via USB (use the original cables!).
2. On the smartphone screen, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
3. Copy data from one device to a PC and then to a second phone.

Method 2: Direct Connection (OTG)

If you have a USB-OTG adapter, you can connect one smartphone to another directly:

1. Enable USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times, then go back to Additional → For Developers).
2. Connect the first phone to the second via OTG.
3. On the second phone, a notification about the connected device will appear – open the file manager and copy the data.

⚠️ Warning: When using the OTG- cable, avoid connecting to unknown devices - this can lead to malware infection. Always check files with an antivirus (e.g. Google Play Protect) after transfer.

5. Synchronizing notes, calendar and passwords

In addition to files and contacts, Xiaomi users often need to synchronize notes, calendar events and saved passwords.

MIUI notes are synced only through MIUI Cloud, and if you want to transfer them to Google Keep:

1. Export notes to a.txt or.zip file via Notes Application → Settings → Export.
2. Import the file to Google Keep via the web version (keep.google.com).

The calendar can be synchronized through:

• 📅 Google Calendar (configured in Settings → Accounts → Google → Calendar Synchronization).
• 📅 Mi Calendar (only through Mi Account, data is not exported to other services).

Passwords from Mi Browser or Settings → Passwords are synced only through Mi Account to transfer them to Google Password Manager:

1. Export passwords to the.csv file (if the feature is available in your version of MIUI).
2. Import them to Google Chrome through Settings → Passwords → Import.

6. Solving synchronization problems

Even with the right setup, synchronization can fail, and let's look at the typical errors and their solutions:

If syncing through Google is not working:

• 🔄 Reset the device.
• 🔧 Delete your Google account and add it again (Settings) → Accounts. → Google → Delete the account).
• 📱 Check if the sync in your account settings is disabled.

For problems with MIUI Cloud:

• 🌐 Make sure that Xiaomi servers are available (check status.mi.com).
• 📡 Try changing DNS to 8.8.8.8 (Google) or 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare).
• 🔄 Reset network settings (Settings → Wi-Fi → Additional → Network Reset).

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If sync is not restored after all the manipulations, back up the data manually through Settings → Additional → Backup and reset the phone to factory settings. This is a radical method, but it helps 90% of the time.

7. Alternative synchronization methods

If standard methods do not fit, you can use third-party services:

1. Cloud storage:

• 📁 Yandex Drive (comfortable for users from Russia, 10 GB free).
• 📁 Dropbox (integrates with many apps, but only 2GB is free).
• 📁 OneDrive (5GB free, tight integration with Microsoft 365)

2. Applications for file transfer:

• 📲 Send Anywhere (transfer by link or P2P, without registration).
• 📲 Files by Google (built-in Sharing Near).
• 📲 Snapdrop (a web service for local area network transmission).

Synchronization of messages:

For backup SMS and call history suitable:

• 💬 SMS Backup & Restore (saves messages in.xml on Google Drive).
• 📞 Super Backup (copies calls, SMS and applications)

Warning: When using third-party sync apps, never back up your files in public cloud storage folders (such as public Google Drive links).

8.Sync security: What you need to know

Synchronization of data always involves the risk of information leakage, to protect your data:

1. Set up two-factor authentication (2FA):

• For Mi Account: Settings → Mi Account → Security → Two-step verification.
• For Google: myaccount.google.com/security.

2 Encrypt backup copies:

In MIUI, you can encrypt a local backup copy with a password:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Backup.
2. Select Local Backup → Settings → Encrypt a copy.
3. Set a strong password (at least 12 characters).

3. Avoid public networks:

Don't sync data over public Wi-Fi (cafes, airports).

• 📶 Mobile Internet (3G/4G/5G)
• 🔒 VPN (e.g., ProtonVPN or Warp from Cloudflare).
• 🏠 A personal hotspot (tetering) from another device.

⚠️ Warning: If you sell or transfer your Xiaomi smartphone to another person, be sure to: Sign out of Mi Account and Google. Make a factory reset (Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset). Delete all data from the MIUI Cloud (if the phone was linked to an account). Otherwise, the new owner will be able to recover your personal data! FAQ: Frequent questions on synchronization Xiaomi ❓ How to transfer data from the old Xiaomi to the new one when you first start a new smartphone, select the option Data Transfer. Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network. On the old device, confirm the data transfer (via QR-code or PIN). Select categories to transfer (contacts, photos, apps). If the option does not appear, use Mi Share or Google Account. ❓ Why does the MIUI Cloud not sync photos? Possible reasons: 📸 The MIUI Cloud settings have disabled Gallery sync. 📱 Not enough cloud space (check Settings → Mi Account → MIUI Cloud). 🌍 Regional restrictions (e.g., China and Russia have blocked some features). Clean the cloud of unnecessary files or use Google Photos. ❓ Can Xiaomi sync with iPhone? Yes, but with limitations: 📱 Contacts and calendar via Google Account or iCloud (set up in Settings → Xiaomi Accounts). 📷 Photos - via Google Photos or iCloud for Windows (download to PC, then Xiaomi). 💬 Messages - only through third-party apps (WhatsApp, Telegram). To transfer files, use Send Anywhere or AirDrop (via Mac). ❓ How to turn off sync to save traffic? To stop background sync: For MIUI Cloud: Settings → Mi Account → MIUI Cloud → Autosynchronization (disable the slider). For Google: Settings → Accounts → Google → Account Sync (disable unnecessary categories). To save mobile traffic: Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Data transfer → Limit background data. ❓ What to do if the data is not recovered from the cloud after resetting the phone? Try this: Check that you are logged in to the same Mi Account/Google you used to back up. Make sure there is enough room on your phone to recover. Restart your device and try again. If the data is critical, contact Xiaomi with your account's ID support, and use a local backup if you have done it before.