How to transfer data from Xiaomi to Realme: a step-by-step algorithm

The transition to a new smartphone is often accompanied not only by the joy of acquiring a modern device, but also by a slight panic about saving all the accumulated information. Owners of the Xiaomi ecosystem, who decided to change the brand to Realme, are faced with the peculiarities of transition between the shells of MIUI and Realme UI. Fortunately, modern technologies allow you to migrate data as quickly as possible and without losing important files.

The challenge is not so much the physical transfer of bytes, but the correct operation of system applications and accounts. You will need a stable connection and a little free time to transfer data from Xiaomi to Realme without errors.

In this article, we will take a look at all the steps of the procedure, from preparing the old device to finalizing the new one, and we will look at the Clone Phone application, which is the de facto standard for OPPO and Realme devices, and discuss the nuances of transferring system settings and Wi-Fi passwords.

Preparing devices for data migration

Before you start direct transfer, you need to make sure that both smartphones are ready to work. Charge both devices to a minimum of 60-70%, as the active use of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules during the cloning process significantly consumes battery power. Also check the availability of free space on the new Realme: the amount of free memory should exceed the amount of data you plan to copy from the old Xiaomi.

Pay special attention to system updates. Both smartphones should be equipped with the latest available software, which minimizes the risk of compatibility conflicts between Android versions and shells, and ensure that the screens of both devices are on and do not lock automatically during the process, so that the connection does not break at the most critical time.

Remember to remember the passwords of important accounts in advance, although most of them will pull up automatically. However, banking applications and some messengers may require re-authorization. It is critical to unplug the old phone from the device search function (Mi Find Device) in advance to avoid blocking after reset.

Use of the Clone Phone app (Clone Phone)

The main tool for porting is the Clone Phone app (in some firmware versions it may be called “Clone Phone” or “Cloning Phone”). On Realme smartphones, it is pre-installed in the Tools or System Apps folder. Xiaomi will need to download it from Google Play Market or scan it QR-code that appears on the screen of the new device.

Run the app on both smartphones. On the new Realme, select "This is the new phone" and on the old Xiaomi, "This is the old phone." QR-code displayed on the screen of the receiving device. After scanning, the process of establishing a secure connection will begin.

The interface is intuitive and adapted for the Russian-speaking user, and you will see a list of data categories available for transfer: contacts, messages, call logs, photos, videos, music, documents and installed applications. Choose the right items or use the "Select all" button if you want to copy absolutely all the contents of internal memory.

• 📱 Contacts and messages: carried along with the history of correspondence in the standard SMS/MMS annexes.
• 📸 Media files: photos and videos retain original quality and metadata (date of shooting, geolocation).
• 📲 Annexes: installation files APK Copy and automatically install on the new device.
• ⚙️ System settings: Wi-Fi access points, alarm clocks and some interface settings can also be set.

Step-by-step instructions for data transmission

Once you have selected data categories, click the Start button on your source device (Xiaomi) and the transfer process will start. The copy speed depends on the volume of data and the quality of the wireless connection, but it is usually quite high thanks to the use of Wi-Fi Direct technology. Do not switch to other applications or turn off smartphone screens.

During the process, the progress bar and the estimated time remaining to complete will be displayed on the screen. If there are too many files (for example, hundreds of gigabytes of video), the process can take from 30 minutes to several hours.

When the progress bar reaches 100%, the screen will be alerted, at which point the data is already on the new Realme, but the system takes time to integrate it. Don't rush to restart the phone right away. Give the new device 10-15 minutes at rest to index the files and complete the background installation of the applications.

Account transfer and synchronization

Accounts are a special issue, apps are portable, but login (login and password) is most often sent off for security reasons, you have to log in again to Google, social media and instant messengers, except when you use cloud sync within the apps themselves.

For a Google account, simply add it to your new phone settings when you first start up or through the Users and Acca accounts menu. All contacts, if they were saved in Google Contacts, will be automatically pulled up. If you used a local phone storage or Mi Account, the situation is more complicated.

Mi Account owners are advised to export contacts to.vcf format in advance or sync them with Google on an old device.The new Realme does not support native synchronization of contacts through Mi Cloud, so direct transfer through the Xiaomi account is impossible without third-party applications.

Solving problems and errors in cloning

Despite the fact that the process is fine, there are some problems, and one of the common problems is that devices can't see each other, which may be because one of the smartphones doesn't have GPS enabled. Android often requires an active geo-location module to run Wi-Fi Direct. Check that the Clone Phone app allows geo-location access.

Another common difficulty is the “Not enough space” error or 99% interruption, which often happens when you transfer large numbers of small files or heavy applications, in which case you try to break the process down into stages: first transfer contacts and photos, and install apps manually from the Play Market, which will take longer, but will be more reliable.

⚠️ Note: If you port apps to your new phone, they appear gray or don’t open, it means that their version is incompatible with the current version of Android on Realme.

Users also sometimes face the problem of duplicate contacts, which happens if you’ve used Google sync and Clone Phone manual transfer at the same time, and it’s easy to do this by going to Contacts, select Contact Management, and use the Combine Duplicates feature.

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Tip: Before you start migrating, remove unnecessary cache files and junk from your old Xiaomi over the years, which will speed up the transfer and free up space on your new device.

Set up a new Realme after the transfer

After a successful data migration, the new smartphone requires a final setup. The Realme UI shell differs from MIUI in terms of the logic of the arrangement of elements and the name of functions. The first thing to do is to check the system updates again, since the cloning process may have installed older versions of applications.

Pay attention to notification settings. Realme UI, like MIUI, has an aggressive power saving system that can kill the background processes of messengers. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management, find important programs (WhatsApp, Telegram, mail) and set Autostart permission and remove background activity restrictions.

Don't forget to set up your biometrics. Your fingerprints and facial data aren't transferred from device to device for security reasons. You'll have to re-register them in the Password and Biometrics menu. It's also a great time to adjust the controls, which in Realme UI may be different from the ones you'd normally see in Xiaomi.

⚠️ Warning: Do not reset your old Xiaomi phone to factory settings immediately after porting. Use both devices in parallel during the course of the day 2-3 days to make sure that all data (especially browser passwords and notes) has been successfully moved and is working correctly.

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The main takeaway: Using the Clone Phone app allows you to transfer 95% of data automatically, but manually checking mission-critical apps and passwords is mandatory.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)