How to transfer all data to the new Xiaomi Redmi 9

Buying a new smartphone, especially one as popular as the Xiaomi Redmi 9, is always accompanied by a pleasant anticipation that quickly gives way to a slight panic over the need to transfer information. Owners of older devices often fear losing important contacts, photos or progress in games when moving to a new platform. Fortunately, modern technologies and the MIUI ecosystem offer several reliable ways of migration that do not require deep knowledge in programming.

The process of cloning data can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour depending on the size of your media library and connection speed. In this article, we will discuss in detail the manufacturer’s regular tools, cloud services and manual methods of copying files. You will learn how to make your new gadget become a full digital copy of the old one, saving all passwords, settings and applications.

Preparing devices for data migration

Before you run any portable software tool, make sure both devices are ready to go. Charge your old phone and the new Redmi 9 to at least 60-70%, as the process of active data transfer and communication modules consumes a lot of battery power.

An important step is to check compatibility and update system components. Make sure that both smartphones are enabled Bluetooth and GPS, as some methods use them to detect devices. If an old phone has a very ancient version of Android installed, some applications may not display correctly on the new shell, so it would be a reasonable step to pre-update the software on both devices.

Be sure to check the stability of the Wi-Fi connection if you plan to use cloud methods or LAN transmission. For the wired method, you will need a quality USB Type-C cable and possibly an OTG adapter if the connectors on the devices are different. Preparing cables and chargers will save you from interrupting the process halfway in advance.

⚠️ Before starting any manipulations, we strongly advise you to back up the most important documents to an external medium or to a cloud storage that does not depend on the phone (for example, on the computer) to eliminate the risk of data loss in case of a failure.

Using the Mi Mover app for fast transfer

The most efficient and native way for Xiaomi devices is to use the pre-installed Mi Mover app.This tool is designed specifically for the brand ecosystem and allows you to transfer contacts, messages, call history, applications, music, video and photos without compressing quality. The algorithm works on the principle of creating a direct Wi-Fi point between two devices, which ensures high data transfer speeds without using Internet traffic.

To get started, open the app on both smartphones. On the new Redmi 9, select "I'm the recipient" status, and on the old device, "I'm the sender." QR-code or connect to the created Wi-Fi network. After successful pairing, you will see a list of data categories available for transfer. You can choose all at once or mark only the necessary items, for example, eliminating large video files if you do not need them.

It’s worth noting that when you port apps, Mi Mover only copies the installation files, not always their data. Banking apps and secure messengers (like WhatsApp or Telegram) may require separate authorization or an internal backup inside the app itself before transferring, and this is done for security reasons so that no one can access your correspondence simply by copying the files.

Sync with Google Account and Cloud

An alternative and often more reliable way, especially when switching from a device to Android, is sync through a Google account, which is ideal for saving contacts, calendar events, notes and a list of installed applications. When you first set up Redmi 9, the system will prompt you to enter your Google account, then automatically pull all the stored information from the cloud.

For photos and videos, Google Photos is the best service. By installing this app on your old phone and enabling synchronization, you are guaranteed to keep your entire library in high quality (or in space saving mode). On the new device, it is easy to log into the same account, and all photos will appear in the gallery automatically, taking up minimal space in the internal memory of the phone.

However, this method has its limitations: it will not tolerate alarm settings, desktop icons, Wi-Fi passwords (unless they are separately synced) and some specific applications. In addition, Google’s free storage is limited to 15 GB, which may not be enough for active users, so it’s worth checking the free space before fully synchronizing.

Manual copying of files through a computer

If automatic systems fail or you need to move specific folders of data, the good old-fashioned method of copying through a computer remains the most reliable. USB-cable by selecting the "File Transfer" mode in the notification menu" (MTP). Copy the necessary directories, such as: DCIM (Photos and videos, Download (downloads) and Music, to your computer’s hard drive.

Then connect the new Xiaomi Redmi 9 to your computer and move the saved files to the appropriate folders of internal memory. This method is good because it gives you complete control over the structure of the files and allows you to clean up the garbage before downloading to the new device. You can immediately sort photos, delete duplicates and decompose documents into folders, ensuring order from the first seconds of use.

For users who prefer command line or advanced tools, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), but for the average user, a standard Windows or macOS file manager will be much more convenient.

Transferring data from iPhone (iOS) to Xiaomi

Switching from iOS to Android has always been considered a difficult process, but the Mi Mover app has made it a lot easier. First, you'll need to download the Mi Mover app from the App Store on your iPhone. Once installed, run it on both devices. On Redmi 9, select "I'm the recipient" and on iPhone, "I'm the sender."

Follow the on-screen instructions for connecting devices. Note that you can transfer contacts, photos, videos and calendar events from your iPhone. However, apps purchased from the App Store won't work on Android, as they are different operating systems with different.ipa and.apk file formats. You'll have to re-download the apps you want from the Google Play Market.

⚠️ Note: iMessage messages and iPhone call history cannot be migrated to an Android device due to the closed Apple ecosystem, and there may be problems with transferring passwords stored in the iCloud keychain.

To successfully transfer photos, make sure that the iPhone has a compatibility format in its camera settings. If the photos are stored in HEIC format, they may not open when you transfer them to Android. In the iPhone settings, go to Settings → Camera → Formats and select “Most Compatible” or allow automatic conversion when transferring to your computer/other devices.

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Use Google's Move to iOS service if Mi Mover can't handle it. It's Google's official app that helps you migrate contacts, message history, photos and videos, and free apps available in both stores.

Message recovery and call history

One of the most sensitive parts of migration is to save your SMS and call log log log log history, and Mi Mover's regular app does a great job of doing that if both devices are running Android, packing up your messaging databases and transferring them to a new device, where they automatically integrate into the Messages app.

If you use third-party messengers like Viber or Telegram, the situation is different. Telegram stores the entire history of correspondence on its servers, so just log in from a new phone, and all chats will appear instantly. Viber and WhatsApp need to back up in the settings of the application itself (usually through Google Drive), and then restore it when you first start on Redmi 9.

Make sure you remember the password from the Google account that the copy was made to, otherwise it will be impossible to restore the correspondence. In some cases, the application may suggest moving the history through a local file created in the phone's memory.

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The most reliable way to save correspondence on WhatsApp and Viber is to back up to Google Drive immediately before transferring data to an old phone, rather than relying only on cloning the system.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)