Changing the ecosystem from iOS to Android often causes users to fear losing important data, contacts or correspondence history. However, modern technology allows you to transfer data from iPhone to Xiaomi as quickly as possible and without the participation of a computer. Owners of Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones have access to a powerful built-in tool that copies almost all the contents of an old device to a new one in one session.
The migration process has become much easier in recent years, from a complex technical procedure to a sequence of simple actions that everyone can take. MIUI (and its new version of HyperOS) works well with Apple backups, allowing even complex data structures to be imported, and it is important to prepare both devices for operation in advance and make sure the connection is stable.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all available synchronization methods, including using the official Mi Mover app, Google cloud services and manually copying multimedia. You will learn how to keep a single contact and configure a new gadget so that it becomes a full copy of your familiar iPhone.
Preparing iPhone and Xiaomi for migration
Before any copying process begins, you need to perform a number of preparatory steps to ensure the success of the operation. First of all, make sure that both smartphones are charged at least 50-60%, since active transfer of large amounts of information can quickly consume energy.
Both phones must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Data transfer speed depends on the quality of the wireless connection, so using mobile Internet (4G/5G) is not recommended due to possible instability and traffic consumption. On iPhone, it is advisable to close all background applications so that they do not interrupt the transfer process.
⚠️ Warning: Do not unlock your iPhone screen during the active data transfer phase. iOS may interrupt the connection for energy or security reasons if the device goes to sleep or you switch to another app.
Make sure Xiaomi has the latest firmware installed. You can check for updates by going to Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version. The fresh software contains important patches for wireless communication modules, which is especially true for newer iPhone models with Wi-Fi 6 support.
☑️ Ready for transfer
Method 1: Use the Mi Mover application
The most effective and native solution for Xiaomi users is the Mi Mover utility. This application is preinstalled in the system, but if it is not available, it can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store or GetApps. The main advantage of the method is the ability to transfer not only contacts and photos, but also system settings, alarm clocks and even some applications.
Run the app on a Xiaomi smartphone, and you'll be asked to choose the status of the device: "I'm the recipient" (New phone) or "I'm the sender" (Old phone). Select "I'm the recipient." QR-Now pick up your iPhone, download the Mi Mover app from the App Store (if available in your area), or use the web version if the app doesn’t work, but more often than not, Android’s built-in functionality is enough to create an access point.
In practice, the process is this: Xiaomi creates a temporary Wi-Fi network, you need to connect to it from your iPhone through the standard wireless network settings, and once you connect, the devices will "see" each other, and you will start scanning the content.
- 📱 Select data categories for copying on iPhone: contacts, messages, photo gallery, video and audio files.
- 🚀 Press the “Send” button and wait for the process to be completed, which can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour.
- 🔄 Do not log out of the Mi Mover app on both devices until a successful termination message appears.
What if Mi Mover can’t see the iPhone?
Once you have finished copying, the data will be automatically distributed to the corresponding folders and applications on the Android system, photos will be in the Gallery, contacts will be in the phone book, and videos will be in the video folder.
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Mirover is the only way to transfer the history of calls and SMS-messaging from iOS to Android without root rights and complex software.
Method 2: Transfer through Google Account
If a direct Wi-Fi Direct connection is difficult, you can use cloud sync via your Google account, which is ideal for transferring contacts, calendars and notes. First, install the Google app (Gmail, Calentar, Drive) on your iPhone from the App Store if it is not already installed.
Go to the settings of the Google app on your iPhone and activate sync for all the necessary points. Make sure that the switches opposite Contacts, Calendar and Notes are green. Wait for the initial data upload to the Google cloud to finish.
| Type of data | Synchronization speed | Demands the Internet. | It keeps the structure. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Instantly. | Yes. | Completely. |
| Calendar | 1-2 minutes | Yes. | Completely. |
| Photo (Google Photo) | Depends on the volume. | Yeah (Wi-Fi) | Yeah (with compression) |
| Notes | Instantly. | Yes. | Text without formatting |
Now take a Xiaomi smartphone. When you first turn on or in Settings → Accounts and Sync, add the same Google account. The system automatically pulls up all the stored data. Contacts will appear in the phone book, and events will appear in the calendar.
For photos, the best way to use a separate Google Photos app is to install it on your iPhone, turn on autoboot and wait until it's finished. On Xiaomi, just log in to the same account, and the entire library will be available in the cloud of internal memory devoid, if space saving mode is enabled.
Method 3: Manually copying multimedia via PC
For users who are used to storing photos and videos in their original quality and do not want to use the cloud, the classic method through a computer is suitable, and this method is also relevant if you want to transfer files of specific formats that are not recognized by automatic utilities.
Connect your iPhone to your computer via a Lightning or USB-C cable. If this is the first time, the phone will have a "Trust this computer?" request that you answer yes. Open the Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS) and find the iPhone device.
Copy the DCIM and Photos folders to your computer's hard drive. Disable your iPhone and connect Xiaomi. In file transfer mode (MTP), copy the previously saved folders to your Android internal memory or microSD card.
- 💾 This method ensures that files are transferred in the original resolution without loss of quality.
- 🖥️ Allows you to immediately sort unnecessary pictures and not upload "garbage" to a new phone.
- ⚡ Speed is limited only by capacity. USB-ports of your computer and cables.
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When copying videos from iPhone to PC, they can have an extension.MOV. Xiaomi has no problems playing this format, but if you plan to send files through messengers, it is better to convert them immediately to.MP4 on your computer.
All photos will be in the shared folder Camera or Imported, and you will have to manually create albums in the gallery Xiaomi.
Transfer of messengers: WhatsApp and Telegram
Special attention should be paid to the migration of the history of correspondence in messengers, as this is the most sensitive part of the data for most users. With Telegram, there are no problems at all: just install an application on Xiaomi, enter a phone number, and the entire history of correspondence, channels and groups will be downloaded from the servers automatically.
WhatsApp is more complicated due to different backup systems (iCloud on iOS and Google Drive on Android), the official method involves using a Lightning cable – USB-C (or adapter) and the Move to iOS app (which now has the function of transferring data to Android in some versions) or a built-in migraine when you first set up Xiaomi.
If the phone is already set up, the most reliable way is to make a local backup on the iPhone, toss the backup file to the computer, and then, using third-party utilities (like Tenorshare iCareFone or MobileTrans), convert and download it to WhatsApp on Android.
⚠️ Note: Free WhatsApp portability methods without resetting Xiaomi settings are not stable. If your correspondence history is critical, consider resetting Xiaomi to factory settings and going through the initial setup process anew using the official migration cable adapter.
A free alternative for WhatsApp is to use the Export Chat feature for important conversations. Open the chat, click on the contact name, and select Export Chat → No Media. You can send your correspondence history file in.txt to your email or Telegram (Favorites) to access the text of your messages on your new device.
Possible problems and solutions
Despite the fact that the processes are fine, users can face difficulties. Mi Mover often freezes at 99%, in which case you should not panic and interrupt the process. Leave the phones alone for 10-15 minutes. Often the system simply processes the last large file or archives the contact database.
Another common problem is that some contacts are missing after the transfer, which is because the contacts on the iPhone could not have been saved to iCloud or Google, but locally on the device or in the device. SIM-Before you migrate, open the Contacts app on your iPhone, go to the settings and make sure it ticks All iCloud or All Google".
If photos aren’t portable, check the storage format. iPhone defaults to HEIC, which may not be readable by some older versions of Android Gallery. In the iPhone settings (Settings → Camera → Formats), you can choose “Compatibility” to convert photos to JPEG when transferring, or trust conversion when exporting via PC.
- 🔌 Cable problem: Use only original or certified (MFi) cables for stable data transfer.
- 📶 Weak Wi-Fi signal: If the transmission is over the air, get closer to the router or use the 5GHz band.
- 🔋 Power saving: Turn off the power saving mode on both devices before starting the procedure.
Why don’t you send SMS to Xiaomi after the transfer?
Xiaomi setup after data transfer
After a successful data migration, the new smartphone requires additional customization for comfortable work. First of all, check the time and date synchronization, and adjust the screen settings, since Xiaomi and Apple matrixes have different color profiles.
It is recommended to set up biometric protection immediately. Go to Settings → Passwords and security and add fingerprint and facial data. This will protect your transferred data from unauthorized access.14
Notifications are also worth paying attention to. Android, unlike iOS, can be more aggressive in the background, but MIUI/HyperOS, on the contrary, strictly controls the background processes. Go to the battery settings for important messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, mail) and select No restrictions mode so that notifications come instantly.