Buying a new Xiaomi smartphone or a POCO sub-brand is always an exciting moment, coupled with a desire to start using the device faster. However, before the first launch, the natural question arises about how to quickly and without loss transfer all the accumulated information from the previous gadget. Modern technology allows you to accomplish this task in minutes, preserving the structure of folders, passwords and even the location of icons on the desktop.
The migration process is made much easier by the built-in MIUI shell tools and the new HyperOS, which are based on the Android system. You don't need to be a technician to copy contacts, photos, applications and system settings. The main thing is to prepare both devices correctly and choose the best transfer method that will suit your situation.
In this article, we will discuss all available synchronization methods in detail, paying special attention to the Mi Mover application, which is the most effective solution. We will look at the nuances of working with cloud storage, the features of transferring data from iPhone to Android and answer frequent questions that arise from users when you first set up a new device.
Preparation of devices for the transfer procedure
Before you start manipulating data, you need to make sure that both smartphones are ready to work, which is a basic step, ignoring which can lead to interruption of the process or errors in the transfer of files. Make sure that both devices are charged at least 50-60% of the battery, as active data transfer over Wi-Fi Direct or Bluetooth can significantly consume charge.
Both phones should be connected to a stable Wi-Fi network if you plan to use cloud services, or have Bluetooth and GPS modules enabled to run local utilities. On an old device, it is recommended to close background applications that can consume traffic or block the connection. Also check for free space on a new smartphone - it should be more than the amount of data you plan to transfer.
⚠️ Attention: If your old phone has critical banking apps or corporate profiles installed, make sure you have access to phone numbers or tokens for re-authorization, as some security services may require proof of identity when changing your device.
An important aspect is the software update. Check if both devices have the current firmware version installed. Go to the Settings menu → About Phone → MIUI Version (or HyperOS Version) and click the Update Check button. The operating system versions differences can sometimes cause conflicts when synchronizing certain system settings.
Using the Mi Mover app for quick migration
The most efficient and quick way to transfer data is to use the built-in Mi Mover app, which is designed specifically for the Xiaomi and POCO ecosystem, allowing data to be transmitted over a direct Wi-Fi connection without using Internet traffic.
To get started, open the app on both devices. On the new smartphone, select Recipient and on the old one, Sender. The app will automatically search for devices via Bluetooth. Once you find a new phone, the old device will appear on the screen. QR-code or device name that you choose to pair.
Once you have established the connection, you will see a list of data categories available for transfer, you can select all items at once or manually mark only the necessary ones, and the system automatically sorts the data by type: contacts, messages, call history, applications, images, videos, audio files and documents.
- 📱 System data: contacts, SMS, MMS, call history, alarm clocks, notes and dictaphone records.
- 📷 Multimedia: photos, videos, music tracks and downloaded files from various folders.
- 📲 Annexes: themselves APK-Program files and, in some cases, their data (depending on the security policy of the particular application).
- ⚙️ Settings: system parameters, wallpaper, icon location, Wi-Fi passwords and some interface settings.
Importantly, the application porting process can take longer, as the system copies the installation files, and once the copying is completed, the new device will automatically install and configure the programs, during which time the phone can heat up, which is the normal reaction of the processor to intensive data recording.
What if the Mi Mover can’t see the device?
Make sure that both phones are on GPS (geolocation, because Android requires it to run Wi-Fi Direct, try rebooting both smartphones and restarting the app. If the problem persists, temporarily shut down the mobile Internet (3G/4G/5G) On both devices, leaving only the Wi-Fi module active.Sync through Mi Cloud and Xiaomi account An alternative and extremely reliable method is to use cloud storage Mi Cloud. This is ideal for those who want to have a backup of data at hand, regardless of whether there is an old phone nearby. Xiaomi account allows you to synchronize contacts, messages, gallery, voice recorder and device settings in encrypted form. To activate sync, log in to your Mi Account on your old device via the Settings menu. → Mi Account. In the Cloud section, select the categories of data you want to reserve and click Sync. Wait until the process is over, make sure all the ticks are green. On the new smartphone, sign in to the same Mi Account. The system will automatically prompt you to recover data from the cloud, so you can select a specific backup by date of creation, which is especially useful if the old phone has already been sold, lost or damaged, but the data is stored in the cloud. ⚠️ Warning: Free storage capacity of Mi Cloud is limited (usually 5GB). Large amounts of photos and videos may require expansion of memory or selective synchronization of only the most important data, such as contacts and messages. The advantage of this method is that it does not require the physical presence of both devices at the same time. You can recover data at any time, even months later, just by logging in, and it also keeps the data safe in case the main device suddenly breaks down. Users switching from iOS or other Android brands (Samsung, Huawei, Realme) can also use the Mi Mover application. For Android devices, it is enough to download an app from Google Play or the official website, if it is not preinstalled. QR-When you move from an iPhone, you need a little bit of pre-production, you need to download the Mi Mover app from the App Store on iOS, but because of the limitations of iOS, you can't transfer all the data. Contacts, photos, videos and calendar events are available. iMessage messages and iOS apps are technically impossible to migrate. It is important for owners of other Android devices to know that some system settings may not be converted correctly to the MIUI. For example, specific gestures or energy saving settings of the original shell can be reset to standard Xiaomi values, in which case it is recommended to manually adjust the interface after migration. Compare the data portability from different platforms in the table below: Data type from Android to Xiaomi With iPhone to Xiaomi Note Contacts Full transfer Full transfer Save groups and photos Photo and Video Full transfer Full transfer Preserves the quality of the original Application Portability APK Not supported Android apps download from Mi Store/Play Communications (SMS) Full portability Not supported iMessage not converted Wi-Fi settings Moved Not carried forward You need to enter the password again 📊 What device do you use to move to Xiaomi/POCO?From another Android (Samsung, Huawei, etc.) With iPhone (iOS) Xiaomi/Redmi/POCOThis is my first smartphone Sync through Google Account Don’t forget about the classic and universal way – sync through Google Account. It's the foundation of the Android ecosystem, which allows you to transfer contacts, calendar events, Google Keep notes and some apps. When you first activate a new phone, you just need to enter the username and password Gmail. Google Photos (Gallery) is a powerful tool for migrating the media library. If the old phone has Autoboot and Sync enabled, then all your photos and videos are already in the Google cloud. On the new device, you just need to install the Google Photo app and log in - the entire media library will be available instantly. However, this method does not transfer passwords from Google Fi as the only way of migration, so you can use the mobile phone synchronization as a separate system, so you can use the mobile phone as a separate device for the mobile phone. To check sync status, go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google. Here you will see the last sync time for each service. If the data has not been updated for a long time, click three dots in the corner and select Sync. Solution and troubleshooting During sync, users may encounter various technical difficulties. One of the most common problems is the disconnection of the connection in the middle of the process. This often happens if one of the devices locks the screen or goes into power saving mode. It is recommended to turn off the screen autolock while the data is being transferred. Another common problem in the process of sync sync, such as there is a temporary space with the space that there is not enough space for the system to be open. Release it further 1-2 GB on a new device before the procedure. 🔄 Connection Error: Reboot both phones and make sure Mi Mover app versions are up to date on both devices. 📉 Low speed: Make sure you are not using public speed-limited Wi-Fi networks; it is better to use the direct connection that Mi Mover creates. ❌ Apps not portable: Some applications (especially banking and encrypted messengers) prohibit backups, and will have to be manually reconfigured. ⚠️ Note: WhatsApp and Telegram messengers have their own backup system. For WhatsApp, make sure to back up inside the app (Settings) → chat → Backup) before transitioning, as Mi Mover can only transfer the application file itself without a history of correspondence. If none of these things work, you can try to do the computer transfer. Connect the old phone to the PC, copy the folders. DCIM, Download and Documents, then plug in a new phone and move files to the appropriate directories. This is a longer, but "hardened" method for large file volumes. 💡When you migrate WhatsApp from Android to Android, use the Chat Transfer feature inside WhatsApp itself when you first set up the app on a new phone — this is the most reliable way to save your correspondence history. How to transfer passwords from Google Chrome or another browser? Passwords saved in the browser are synced through a Google account.Make sure that the old phone has sync enabled in the Chrome settings. On your new phone, when you log in to your Google account and start Chrome, select "Yes, I want to sync," and all your passwords, history, and bookmarks will appear automatically. What if notifications fail after the transfer? After the migration, MIUI/HyperOS takes time to optimize the background processes. Go to the battery settings and set the "No Limits" mode for important applications (messenger, mail) and check if the "Do Not Disturb" or "Sleep" mode is turned on. Can Mi Mover process be interrupted and continued later? No, the standard feature is to avoid re-refiling the data through the database, if the process is already running again through the media, if the process is not to re-refilected. When using Mi Mover, you create a direct local connection between your phones (Wi-Fi Direct), the data does not go through the Internet router. So using public Wi-Fi is safe in this case, since the traffic is not transmitted anywhere to the external network. However, for cloud synchronization, you should not use public networks. Should you reset the new phone to factory settings before transferring? If you have already managed to set up a new phone as a new one, create accounts and install applications manually, Mi Mover will offer to replace the current data or combine them. Reset is not necessary, but if you want a perfectly clean migration "one-to-one" it is better to start the new process at the new stage of transferring (Welcome).