The transition to the new Xiaomi Redmi smartphone is always an exciting moment, coupled with anticipation of new features and concern about the safety of personal information. The main fear of many users is the potential loss of contacts, photos and important documents that have accumulated over the years in the Google ecosystem. Fortunately, modern technology allows you to avoid manual reprinting of numbers and long search files if you took care of creating a backup in the cloud.
The process of data recovery on devices with a shell MIUI or the new HyperOS is as automated as possible, but requires careful input of credentials. Android, the underlying smartphone Xiaomi, is deeply integrated with the services of Google, making information transfer simple and logical action, you do not need complex computer programs or third-party utilities, if done correctly at the initial configuration stage.
In this article, we will take a look at each step of the procedure, from the moment you turn on a new device to the full synchronization of all applications. We will look at the typical errors that can occur when you sign in and how to avoid them. It is critical to sign in to your Google account at the time of initial setup (Wizard), as this ensures that you automatically download backups of your system settings. Let's start restoring your digital life.
Preparing the old device and checking backups
Before you pick up the new Xiaomi Redmi, you need to make sure that the old device actually has a current copy of the data. Many users mistakenly believe that the data is saved automatically in real time, but this is not always the case. Often the last backup is dated a few months ago, and during this time you could add hundreds of important contacts or take thousands of pictures.
Checking sync status takes only a few minutes, but it's frustrating. Open the settings on your current smartphone and find the account section, and that's where the status of the connection between your phone and Google Drive servers is displayed.
- 📱 Go to the Settings menu → Google → Sync and make sure the switches opposite Contacts, Calendar and Drive are active.
- 📸 Open the Google Photos app, click on the profile avatar and check the status of "Backup enabled".
- 📝 Go to Settings. → System system → Backup and see the date of the last saved copy.
⚠️ Note: If you used the Mi Migration app to transfer data over Wi-Fi, it does not replace Google's cloud copy. Local portability is good, but the cloud remains your insurance policy in case both devices are lost or broken.
Not all programs store their data in the cloud by default, and some banking applications or instant messengers may require separate exports of chats or settings within their own menus. Make sure you know passwords from critical services, as recovering them via SMS can sometimes be difficult when you change them. SIM-card.
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Initial setup of the new Xiaomi Redmi
The recovery process begins within minutes of turning on the new Redmi smartphone, and when you first press the power button, the device triggers the original setup wizard, which prompts you to select a language, connect to a wireless network, and most importantly, log in to your Google account.
Don't skip this step and create a new account hoping to link the old one later. It's the moment you first log in that the system identifies your device as new and prompts you to recover data from the last available backup. If you skip this step and get to the desktop, the recovery process will become more complex and require manual tweaking of settings.
When connecting to Wi-Fi, make sure the network is stable. Apps and media can take a considerable amount of traffic to download. The system will offer a list of apps that were installed on your previous Android device, you can choose which ones to install automatically and which ones are not yet required.
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Use the Google Fast Pair feature when setting up: bring an old phone with Bluetooth enabled to the new Redmi, and the system itself will offer to copy Wi-Fi passwords and account data without manually entering.
It's important to understand the difference between recovering from Google's cloud and locally recovering from Mi Cloud. If you've used other Android smartphones before, the system will suggest you choose a source. Choose Google Drive if your goal is to move data from the Google ecosystem, which will ensure that settings and applications are compatible.
Step-by-step instructions for entry and synchronization
When the setup wizard reaches the "Google account login", carefully enter your email address and password. Two-factor authentication can request confirmation via SMS or PUSH-Notification on another trusted device is a standard Google Account security procedure designed to protect your data from unauthorized access.
Once logged in, the system will start to load the data in the background, you'll see animations or a list of recoverable items, and you don't have to use your phone or close the screen to keep the server connection from being interrupted, and it's usually the contacts and calendar events that are first to load, because they're the least weighted.
You can manually navigate the settings to control the process, and the path may vary slightly depending on the version of the MIUI shell, but the overall logic remains the same. Below is a table of the main sections that require verification after you log in.
| Settings section | What's recovering | Default status |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Phone numbers, email, addresses | Automatically. |
| Calendar | Meetings, reminders, events | Automatically. |
| Annexes | APK list, data (if available in Drive) | Requires confirmation. |
| Passwords. | Saved keys in Chrome and Google | Automatically. |
If you notice that something is “hanging” or not synced, try Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google. You can force the update for each service separately. Click three dots in the corner of the screen and select Sync Now. This action often solves the problem of “hangover” data.
Photo recovery and multimedia
Photos and videos take up the lion’s share of any user’s memory, so restoring them is the number one priority. Unlike contacts, media files are not always copied through the standard Android backup mechanism unless the appropriate option is enabled in Google Photos. Make sure you are logged into the Photos app under the same account on the new Redmi.
Once you log in, it can take some time before all thumbnails are uploaded from the cloud. This is normal, especially if you have gigabytes of images. High-quality originals can only be downloaded over Wi-Fi to avoid wasting mobile traffic. In the application settings, you can choose Saving Traffic or Downloading on any network.
It's worth noting that MIUI can automatically pull up albums from the Google cloud, creating a single tape, but if you used the Clean Device feature on your old phone (free up space), there are no physical files on the device, and they only exist in the cloud, and the new phone will be the only place where they appear in full resolution after caching.
⚠️ Note: Albums created manually in the gallery (such as "Screenshots" or "WhatsApp Images") may not sync automatically unless they were selected for backup. Check the "Shoots" settings in the Google Photos app on the old device before resetting.
For video files, the situation is similar, but the process of appearing in the gallery can take longer due to the large size.If you shot videos in 4K, make sure that the new Xiaomi Redmi has enough free internal memory for temporary caching or full download.
Transfer of contacts and calendar
The most critical aspect for most users is the phone book, and fortunately, contacts are the most reliable type of data to sync in the Android ecosystem, if the old phone had contacts saved to a Google account (rather than to a Google account). SIM-card or phone memory, then on the new Redmi they will appear almost instantly after logging in.
Check where new contacts are saved by default in the Contacts app. Click on the settings and find the Save Location. It should indicate your name in Google. If it's Phone or SIM, change this immediately so that future numbers are not lost when you change device.
The calendar syncs in a similar way. All appointments, birthdays and reminders associated with your Gmail account will appear in the standard Calendar app or in desktop widgets. If you've used third-party calendars, make sure they're logged in through Google.
What to do if no contacts appear?
If a part of the numbers is still in place SIM-The new Xiaomi will offer to import them when you first launch the phone book. Follow the hints on the screen to copy them to the cloud, so that in the future they do not depend on physical media.
Eliminating synchronization errors and problems
Even with a perfectly executed instruction, technical failures can occur. Often the problem lies in an unstable Internet connection or outdated versions of Google Play services. If you see a "Synchronization impossible" error or an endless circle of rotation, the first step is to check the network.
Try switching from Wi-Fi to mobile or vice versa. Sometimes providers block certain ports needed for the sync service. It's also worth checking if your Google Drive cloud storage is full. If the 15GB limit is exhausted, new data won't load until you vacate space.
- 🔄 Clear the cache of Google Play services through Settings → Annexes → All applications → Google Play Services → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
- 🔋 Turn off power saving mode, which can block background data synchronization.
- 📅 Check the date and time on the device is correct; time out-of-synchronization causes security certificate errors.
⚠️ Note: If the system requires a verification code and does not send it, do not try to enter the password too many times in a row.The account may be temporarily blocked by Google's security system. 1-2 one hour before trying again.
In rare cases, deleting your account completely and re-signing in helps. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync, select Google and click Delete Account. Then add it again through the Add Account button, which force the initial sync process.
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90% of sync problems are solved by checking date/time, stability of the Internet connection and cleaning the cache of Google Play services.