Buying a new Xiaomi smartphone is always a pleasant thrill, but the process of transferring accumulated over the years information can turn joy into real stress. Many users are afraid of losing important contacts, photos or settings of familiar applications when changing their device. Fortunately, the MIUI ecosystem and modern versions of Android offer powerful tools that allow you to clone the contents of an old gadget to a new one in just a few touches.
There are several proven migration methods, each with its own advantages depending on the volume of files transferred and the operating system status: you can use the built-in Mi Mover app, Google cloud services or Mi Cloud, as well as a direct connection over Wi-Fi. The choice of the specific method depends on whether you need to transfer only contacts and photos or you need a full copy of the system with all passwords and icons.
In this article, we will take a detailed look at the algorithms for each method so that you can choose the most suitable option for your situation, we will look at the nuances of working with large amounts of data and show you how to avoid common errors that often lead to interruption of the copying process.
Using the Mi Mover app for full cloning
The most efficient and fastest way developed specifically for this brand of devices is the Mi Mover utility, which is pre-installed on the default system and allows you to transfer data without using the Internet, creating a direct Wi-Fi connection between the two devices. This method is ideal when you need to transfer not only media files, but also system settings, call history and SMS-message.
To get started, you need to run the app on both devices, and on the old phone, select the sender mode and on the new phone, select the recipient mode. QR-When you have a code or manual connection to the network you have created, you will automatically search for data that you can transfer, and the system will prompt you to select the categories you want to copy, whether it is a gallery, documents or installed data. APK-file.
It is important to note that the data transfer speed through Mi Mover is much faster than through Bluetooth or mobile Internet. The process can take from 10 minutes to several hours depending on the amount of internal memory filled with content. Interrupting the transfer will not cause files to be corrupted on the original device, but the new one may remain incorrect applications if the process is not completed.
- π± Select the βSenderβ category on the old device in the main menu of the application.
- π² On the new smartphone, activate the Recipient mode and wait for the list of available devices to appear.
- π Confirm the connection by scanning QR-camera code or manually enter code.
- βοΈ Check all necessary items, including system data and applications.
β οΈ Warning: While Mi Mover is running, the device screens may go out to save power, but the transmission process itself will continue in the background. Do not force the screens to lock or switch to other heavy applications to avoid breaking the connection.
Particular attention should be paid to data application portability, as some banking programs and messengers may require re-authorization even after successful copying, due to security mechanisms that link the session to a specific hardware device identifier.
Preparation of devices and compatibility check
Before starting a large-scale data migration operation, you need to make sure that both devices are ready to work. First of all, check the battery level on both devices. It is recommended that the charge is at least 50-60%, since active Wi-Fi radios and writing a large number of small files are very energy consuming.
If you bought a new phone with minimal storage, make sure there is enough space to accommodate all the files from the old gadget, otherwise the process may stop halfway and you will have to manually delete some of the data or selectively transfer.
Be sure to check the operating system versions. Although Mi Mover is compatible with most versions of MIUI and Android, very old models (like Android 6 or lower) may have problems encoding contacts or file structure, and in such cases it is better to use cloud backup methods.
βοΈ Checklist for transfer preparations
Another important step is to clean up the cache of junk apps. It makes no sense to pump gigabytes of temporary files from game or browser ad modules. Use the built-in cleaner in the Safety β Cleanup menu to reduce latency and the amount of information transferred.
Sync with your Mi and Google account
Cloud technology allows you to back up data that will be available from any device after you log in to your account. This is the most reliable way to save contacts, notes, calendar and desktop settings. Synchronization with Google Account is basic for any Android system, while Mi Cloud offers advanced features for owners of Xiaomi equipment.
To activate sync, go to your Google account settings and make sure the switches opposite Contacts, Calendar and Drive are active. Data will automatically upload to the cloud when you have a Wi-Fi connection. On a new phone, just type the same login and password when you first set up so that the information appears on the system.
Mi Cloud also allows you to save desktop icons, alarm settings, and even call history. However, free space in the Xiaomi cloud is only 5 GB, so a full backup may require expansion of storage or selective synchronization of only important parameters.
| Parameter | Google Drive | Mi Cloud | Local backups |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Automatically. | Automatically. | Only on request. |
| Photos and videos | 15GB free of charge | 5GB free of charge | Depends on memory. |
| System settings | Basic | Extended (themes, sounds) | Complete. |
| Recovery speed | Depends on the Internet. | Depends on the Internet. | Instant. |
What to do if the synchronization is suspended?
Using the cloud is especially important if your old phone is broken or unavailable, but your accounts are active, so you can reclaim most of your digital life once you turn on your new phone.
Manual transfer of multimedia and documents
It's not always necessary to migrate the whole system. Often users just need to throw photos, videos and documents. File manager or USB connection is great for this. The easiest way is to use the computer as an intermediary, but you can do without it using the functions of the local network.
In File Manager Explorer, select DCIM (camera), Download (download) and Documents folders. Copy them to an external drive or transfer them over Wi-Fi Direct. When copying large 4K video files, make sure that the target drive's file system supports files larger than 4GB (exFAT or NTFS format).
You can also use ShareMe (formerly Mi Drop) to transfer music and documents. FTP-a server on a phone that can be connected from a computer or other phone over Wi-Fi without having to install additional programs on a PC.
- π Open the file manager and go to the root folder of internal storage.
- π΅ Select folders with media files (Music, Movies, Pictures).
- π€ Click the βSendβ button and select the transfer method (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, QR).
- πΎ Accept files on a new device and check their integrity.
β οΈ Note: When manually copying application folders (e.g., game cache from the folder) Android/obb) Make sure that the paths to the files on the new device are completely the same. Changing the folder structure can cause the games to stop running.
Solutions and recovery after failure
Even with automated tools, there may be errors, such as apps not opening and contacts being displayed as numbers without names, most often the problem is that the contacts were not fully synchronized or the wrong account was selected to display.
If notifications in messengers do not work after transfer, check the energy saving settings. MIUI aggressively optimizes background processes, so for important applications (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) you need to manually set the permission to βAutostartβ and remove background restrictions in the Battery menu.
In case the Mi Mover process is interrupted and some data is lost, donβt panic. Re-start the program usually suggests continuing from the stop or starting over without deleting already copied files.
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Expert advice: After transferring data, make sure to make a complete reset of network settings (Settings β Connection and Sharing β Reset Wi-Fi, mobile networks and Bluetooth) This will help eliminate possible driver conflicts if you have transferred data between devices with different communication modules.
Banking applications deserve special attention, because they often block work on devices with root rights or a modified bootloader for security reasons, if you move data from a modified phone to a clean one, there will be no problems, but if you do, additional actions may be needed to hide the rights of the superuser.
Final configuration and optimization of the new smartphone
Once the data migration is completed successfully, the new phone may be slower than usual, because Android takes time to index files, optimize its contact database, and recalculate its app cache, and can be used more efficiently in the first few hours of active use.
It is recommended to let the phone work in quiet mode for about 30-60 minutes, connecting it to the charger and Wi-Fi network, during which time the system will perform a background update to Google Play services and download missing components for ported applications.
Check all the important functions: calls, internet, camera and sensors, and make sure that fingerprints and facial recognition work correctly, as biometrics are not transferred from the old device for security purposes and require re-registration.
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The bottom line: Using Mi Mover is the fastest way to migrate fully, but cloud synchronization between Google and Mi Cloud ensures better security of critical data (contacts and photos) in the long run.
Now your new smartphone is ready to work with all the usual data and settings. Properly executed transfer will save you hours of manual adjustment and allow you to immediately start using the device with maximum comfort.