How to copy Xiaomi phone: a complete guide to data transfer

Changing your smartphone is always accompanied by a pleasant anticipation of new features, but the process of transferring information often turns into a real stress test. The owner of the device is afraid of losing precious photos, correspondence in messengers and contacts that have accumulated over the years. Fortunately, the Xiaomi ecosystem offers several clever mechanisms to create an exact copy of an old device or transfer data to a new device.

There are many nuances that depend on the version of the MIUI or HyperOS operating system, and which device you plan to move from. In this article, we will detail the full-time utilities, cloud services and third-party solutions that ensure the safety of your digital life. We will not use complex technical terms without the need for every step to be clear even to a beginner.

Before you start, it’s important to decide on the method that will suit you, if you change one Xiaomi to another, the process will take minutes. If you switch from another brand’s Android or iPhone, the algorithm will be slightly different.

Use of the built-in Mi Mover application

The fastest and most reliable way that developers have built right into the system shell is the Mi Mover app, which allows data to be transmitted over a local Wi-Fi network without using the Internet, which provides high speed and security, and is ideal for migrating between two Xiaomi or Redmi devices.

To start, you need to run the app on both smartphones, and on the old device, select the role "Sender" and on the new one, "Receiver." QR-If you have a code or manual connection to the network you've created, you can choose the types of data you want to copy. It even copies the desktop icons and passwords from Wi-Fi networks, which makes it much faster to set up a new gadget.

Transfers can take different times depending on the volume of photos and videos. Device screens may go out during operation, but it is not recommended to interrupt the connection. If the transmission has stopped, check if one of the phones is power saving mode, which could block background activity.

It is worth noting that some system settings and data from secure applications may not be transferred for security reasons, which would require re-authorization of services, but the bulk of user content will be retained in full.

Sync with Mi Cloud and Google account

Cloud technology has become the de facto standard for backups. Xiaomi’s smartphones run two major clouds: its own Mi Cloud and Google’s services, and these platforms not only allow data to be transferred to a new phone, but also secure it in case the current gadget is lost or broken.

To activate sync with Mi Cloud, go to your account settings and select Sync, where you can choose which data you will upload to the cloud: contacts, messages, notes, voice recordings, and even alarm schedules. Free space of 5 GB is usually enough for text information, but for photos and videos, you will have to buy or clean the storage.

⚠️ Note: When cloud storage overflows, syncing of new files automatically stops. Check your account status regularly to avoid losing fresh images.

Google services work similarly, but are often more versatile, especially if you plan to change your smartphone brand in the future: Contacts and calendar are stored in Google Contacts, and photos are compressed or saved in the original in Google Photos. Recovery occurs automatically when you first log in to the new device.

Combining these two methods is the best way to do this, like keeping your contacts on Google, and keeping your system settings and SMS on Mi Cloud, which is a dual-insured approach.

Backup to a computer or external drive

Local backup is an old school experience that never loses its relevance, especially when it comes to large amounts of data. Creating a full copy of the system on a computer or flash drive allows you to have physical control over your files without depending on Internet speed and cloud storage rates.

The built-in MIUI backup allows you to create an archive of the entire system or parts of it. To find this option, go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Restore. Here you can choose whether to save applications, system data or media files.

Once you have created a backup in your phone’s memory, the backup file (usually a few gigabytes) needs to be manually transferred to your computer. Connect your smartphone with a USB cable and select the MTP file transfer mode. Copy the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder to your computer’s hard drive.

When you restore from a local copy on a new device, the backup file must be placed in the same directory from where it was taken, and then a “Restore” button will appear in the recovery menu, which will return the phone to the state at the time the copy was created.

💡

Use a file manager with root file system access if standard Explorer does not see the MIUI/backup folder on some versions of Android 11 and higher due to access restrictions.

Transferring data from iPhone to Xiaomi

The transition from iOS to Android used to be a difficult quest, but now Xiaomi has made it as easy as possible.The special version of the Mi Mover app for iOS allows you to throw contacts, photos, videos and even calendar events.

To get started, install the app on your iPhone from the App Store. On the new Xiaomi, run Mi Mover and select the iOS data mode. You will need to connect to the Wi-Fi network created by the new phone.

The process can be slower than between two Android devices, as iOS strictly limits the background activity of applications. Keep the iPhone screen on and do not turn off the application until the transfer is complete. Once completed, the data will appear in the relevant applications on Xiaomi (Gallery, Contacts, Calendar).

WhatsApp has a built-in chat port feature on Android that can be activated in the settings of the app itself on the iPhone, but this often requires resetting a new phone to factory settings if you’ve already started using it.

Application cloning and space sharing

A unique feature of the MIUI shell, often confused with phone copying, is the app cloning function, which allows you to run a second copy of a social network or messenger (for example, a second WhatsApp or Telegram) using another account.

This feature doesn't copy the data of the old phone, but creates a virtual space inside the current one, and you can find it in the Settings menu → Apps → Dual apps. Here you will see a list of supported programs. Activating the slider will create an orange label on the desktop.

This solution is ideal for those who use two numbers or want to share work and personal chats on the same device, each application works independently, has its own notifications and settings, but it is worth considering that cloned applications consume more RAM and battery power.

⚠️ Note: Not all applications support cloning, banking applications and some enterprise services may block double-domestic work for security reasons.

And then there's Second Space, which is a feature that creates a completely isolated environment in your phone, like you're holding two different devices, and you can switch between them through a password or a fingerprint, and it's a deeper level of separation than just a clone of apps.

Solving problems when copying

Even with standard tools, errors can occur, and users often experience a 99 percent interruption or a portion of files disappearing after recovery, and most of the time, the problem is an unstable connection or space shortage.

If the process is stalled, try turning off Bluetooth on both devices, as it can interfere with Wi-Fi Direct connection. Also make sure that the receiving device has 20% more free space than the backup weighs.

If you have trouble retrieving contacts from Google, check which account they were saved to. Often, the phone synchronizes an empty address book because the wrong email is the default, and you can check this by going to the web version of contacts.google.com.

💡

The golden rule of backup is to always check the integrity of the backup immediately after you create it. Open a backup file or cloud and make sure the files are read before you delete the data from the old device.

Don't ignore system updates before you start migrating. Newer firmware versions often contain bug fixes in the backup module. If you're using a very old version of MIUI, update your phone first and then make a copy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)