How to Transfer Everything from One Phone to Another Xiaomi

Changing your smartphone is always stressful, with the risk of losing important photos, contacts and app settings. However, if you move to a new device in the Xiaomi ecosystem, the process becomes as simple and intuitive as possible. The manufacturer has provided powerful built-in tools that allow you to clone the contents of an old phone in minutes without losing quality or folder structure.

In this article, we will take a closer look at all the available ways to migrate data, from proprietary Mi Mover applications to cloud services and manual copying. You will learn how to properly prepare both devices, what nuances exist when transferring passwords from Wi-Fi and how to avoid typical errors that can lead to loss of information. MIUI HyperOS.

Preparation of devices before the migration

Before you start the cloning process, you need to make sure that both devices are in good condition and ready for active transmission of large amounts of data. The battery charge of both smartphones should be at least 50-60%, because the operation of wireless communication modules in high load mode significantly consumes energy. If one of the devices runs out in the process, the transmission can be interrupted and you have to start all over again.

It is also recommended to free up space on the new smartphone, although this happens automatically when using system methods. Check whether Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on on both gadgets, even if the transmission is going through a direct channel, these protocols are used for the initial handshake and device detection.

⚠️ Note: Do not try to port data if the old phone has a critically low amount of free memory, which can lead to system freezes while creating temporary archives.

Make sure the screens of both devices work correctly, as you will have to interact with the interface often to confirm actions.If there is a protective glass on the old phone with cracks that prevent pressing, it is better to connect in advance. USB-mouse-over OTG steer.

Using the Mi Mover app for full cloning

The most efficient and quickest way developed specifically for Xiaomi appliance owners is to use the built-in Mi Mover tool, which allows you to transfer contacts, messages, call history, photos, videos, music, documents and even system settings, including the location of icons on the desktop. The main advantage of the method is the creation of a direct Wi-Fi channel between devices, which ensures high speed transfer without using Internet traffic.

To start the process on a new smartphone, you need to open the Mi Mover app (usually located in the Tools folder or in the settings) and select the role "I am the recipient." On the old device, you select the role "I am the sender." QR-code or select device from the list will begin automatic synchronization.

Importantly, the app can even carry passwords from stored Wi-Fi networks and some system settings, eliminating the need to configure the phone from scratch.The process can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour depending on the amount of data, so be patient.

If you are using an older phone that is not made by Xiaomi, the application can also be installed from Google Play, however, the functionality may be slightly limited compared to native integration in MIUI. In this case, some system settings may not be copied, but media files and contacts will be saved completely.

Alternative methods: Google Account and Cloud Storage

If you can't use a direct connection for some reason, the Google ecosystem comes to the rescue, ideal for those who want to not only migrate data, but also back it up in the cloud in case they lose their device in the future. When you first turn on a new smartphone, just type in your Google account, and the system will suggest that you restore the data from the last backup.

Google One and standard sync settings can save contacts, calendar, notes, list of installed apps, and even photos (via Google Photos), but it is worth considering that this method does not always retain the exact layout of the desktop or the specific settings of the Xiaomi shell.

• 📸 Photos and videos: automatically uploaded to the cloud when synced.
• 📞 Contacts: saved to Google’s address book and appear on a new phone instantly.
• 📱 Applications: Application list is restored, but data inside them (logins, game progress) will only be saved if the application uses the developer cloud.

For users storing large amounts of data, this can be slow due to internet speed limits, and free space on Google is limited to 15GB, so a full copy of the system may require storage expansion.

Manual transfer of files through the computer and USB-cable

For those who prefer full control of the process or have a very large amount of media (hundreds of gigabytes of video), manual transfer over a PC is the best option. This method also allows you to clean the old phone of "junk" files that you do not want to see on the new device, you will need a computer and two USB cables (or one cable and the ability to quickly switch devices).

Connect your old phone to your computer and select the USB File Transfer (MTP) mode. Copy the required folders (DCIM, Pictures, Download, Music) to your computer's hard drive. Then connect the new smartphone and transfer the data to the appropriate directories.

Structure of folders for manual copying:


/DCIM/Camera – Photos and video from the camera




/WhatsApp/Media – Media files from the messenger




/Download - downloaded files




/Music - Musical tracks

The main disadvantage of this method is that it can't tolerate system settings, passwords and installed applications. You have to re-download and log in to the Play Market, but it's the most reliable way to sort photos and documents.

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When manually copying, create a folder on the new phone"Old_Backup" And you can throw it all over the old device, so you don't confuse old files with new ones.

Comparison of data transfer methods

To make it easier for you to choose the right option, we have prepared a comparative table of the main characteristics of each method, which will help you to weigh the pros and cons depending on your specific situation and the amount of information.

As you can see from the table, Mi Mover is the undisputed leader in functionality and speed for owners of Xiaomi equipment. The use of Bluetooth for a full transfer of the system is now irrelevant due to the extremely low data transfer speed, this protocol should only be used to transfer a pair of contacts or documents on the fly.

Problem Solving and Features of HyperOS

With the release of the new HyperOS operating system, the transfer process has become even smoother, but there are also nuances: new versions of the shell have improved the compression algorithm, which speeds up the work of Mi Mover. However, users may face a problem when the application does not see the device or the process hangs on a certain percentage.

A common cause of errors is the aggressive MIUI/HyperOS power saving system, which can “sleep” the background transmission process. To avoid this, you need to temporarily turn off battery optimization for the Mi Mover application on both devices, and also helps to turn off mobile Internet during transmission so that the phone does not try to switch the priority of the network.

Another feature is the transfer of data from messengers. WhatsApp and Telegram require a separate internal backup procedure within the applications themselves before running a general transfer, otherwise the history of correspondence may not be saved even if the media files themselves are in place.

⚠️ Note: When you transfer data from iPhone to Xiaomi via Mi Mover, iOS apps will not install. you will only get a list of program names that you will need to download manually from Google Play.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The ideal strategy is a combination of methods: use Mi Mover for the system and files, and for WhatsApp, make a separate backup inside the application before you start.