How to clone an old phone to a new Xiaomi: 5 proven ways to save all the data

Moving to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always an exciting moment: you want all the apps, contacts, photos and settings to move to a new device without loss. But how to do it quickly and without errors? If you are afraid of losing important data or spending hours manually setting up, this article will help avoid typical problems.

Modern Xiaomi smartphones offer several ways of cloning, from the proprietary Mi Mover tool to universal solutions through Google Account or OTG cable. We will analyze each method with nuances in mind - for example, why some applications may not migrate or how to avoid duplication of files.

Important: the cloning process depends on the model of your old phone. If it's a Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO device on MIUI, you'll have more options than you would if you were to transfer from an iPhone or a smartphone on a pure Android. But even in the latter case, there are workarounds.

Preparation for cloning: what to do before transferring data

Before you start the transfer, make sure that both phones are ready for the procedure, which will save you from errors such as interrupted transmission or loss of data.

On an old phone:

• 🔋 Charge the battery to at least 50% – the process can take anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours.
• 📶 Connect to stable Wi-Fi (if using wireless method) or check for availability OTG-wire-carrying.
• 🗑️ Delete unnecessary files (such as app cache or photo take) to avoid carrying garbage.
• 🔒 Remove the screen lock (if any) – some methods require an unlocked device.

On the new Xiaomi:

• 📱 Go through the initial setup before connecting to Wi-Fi, but do not register your Mi Account in advance – this may prevent the transfer.
• 🔄 Update your firmware to the latest version through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 📦 Free up enough space – data from your old phone can take up 10-50 GB.

⚠️ Note: If your old phone is running Android 8.0 or lower, some methods (such as Mi Mover) may not work.In this case, use Google Account or manually transfer via your computer.

2.Method 1: Mi Mover – Xiaomi’s official tool for rapid cloning

Mi Mover is a proprietary application from Xiaomi that allows you to transfer almost all data from your old phone to your new phone wirelessly, and it works even between devices of different brands (such as Samsung → Xiaomi), but with some limitations.

How to use Mi Mover:

1. On the new Xiaomi, when you first set up, select Data Transfer → Mi Mover.
2. On your old phone, install Mi Mover from Google Play (if it’s not there) and open the app.
3. Select a role: on the new phone - "New phone", on the old - "Old phone".
4. Scan it. QR-code from a new phone on an old device.
5. Select data for transfer (contacts, messages, photos, applications) and confirm the beginning of the process.

What Mi Mover is carrying:

• 📞 Contacts, call log, SMS/MMS
• 📷 Photos and videos (including Google Photos albums)
• 🎵 Music and audio files
• 📱 Installed applications (without some game data)
• 📝 Notes, calendar, alarm clocks.
• 🔧 System settings (Wi-Fi, wallpaper, sound profiles)

Limitations of Mi Mover:

• ❌ Data from some applications (for example, WhatsApp, Viber, banking applications) are not transferred).
• ❌ iPhone can only transfer photos, videos and contacts.
• ❌ If there is not enough space on the old phone, the process may be interrupted.

Install Mi Mover on your old phone|Charge both devices >50%|Connect to one Wi-Fi network|Make room for the new Xiaomi|Shut down. VPN (can block the connection)-->

⚠️ Warning: If you are transferring through Mi Mover, you may want to reboot both phones and repeat the process. Also check if the antivirus or power saving mode is blocking the data transmission.

Method 3: Transfer via Google Account (for Android and iPhone)

If Mi Mover doesn't work (like your iPhone or your old Android), you can use a Google account, which is universal, but it doesn't carry all the data.

What is synced through Google:

• 📞 Contacts, call log
• 📅 Calendar, notes (via Google Keep)
• 📎 Chrome bookmarks
• 📱 Some system settings (Wi-Fi, wallpaper)
• 🎮 Progress in games (if they support Google Play Games)

How to transfer data:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Accounts → Google and enable sync for all the data you need.
2. Wait for the sync to complete (check in Settings → Accounts → Google → Sync).
3. On the new Xiaomi, when you set up, select “Restore from backup” and log in to the same Google account.
4. Select the latest backup and confirm the recovery.

⚠️ Important: This method does not tolerate:

• 📷 Photos and videos (you need to upload them to Google Photos separately).
• 📱 Applications (list only – you will have to install them manually).
• 💬 Communications SMS (There are separate applications for this, for example SMS Backup & Restore).

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If you’re porting data from your iPhone, upload the contacts to iCloud first, then export them in vCard format and import them to Google Contacts. this ensures that all phone numbers are transferred error-free.

Method 3: Wired cloning via OTG or computer

If wireless methods don't work or data is too large (for example, 100+GB of photos), use a wired connection. This is the most reliable way, but requires additional accessories.

Option 1: OTG Cable (for Android → Xiaomi)

• 🔌 Buy it. OTG-adapter (or cable) USB-C → USB-C, If both phones are modern).
• 📱 Connect your old phone to your new one OTG.
• 📂 On the new Xiaomi, open Explorer and select "USB-device".
• 📤 Copy the right folders (DCIM, Downloads, WhatsApp, etc.) for internal memory.

Option 2: Computer portability (for any device)

1. Connect your old phone to your PC and copy all the data to your hard drive.
2. Turn off your old phone, connect a new Xiaomi.
3. Transfer files from your PC to your new smartphone.
4. For applications, use APK-extractor (e.g., extractor, APK Extractor) to save.apk files and install them on a new device.

5. Method 4: Cloud Services (Mi Cloud, Google Drive, Yandex Disk)

If you don’t have cables on hand or prefer remote porting, cloud storage is a good alternative. Xiaomi offers its cloud, Mi Cloud, but it has a 5GB limit for free users.

How to transfer data through Mi Cloud:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Turn on synchronization for the desired data (contacts, notes, photos).
3. On the new Xiaomi, log in to the same Mi Account and wait for the sync to complete.

Alternative clouds:

• 📁 Google Drive – 15GB free, suitable for documents and photos.
• ☁️ Yandex Disk – 10 GB free, convenient for users from Russia.
• 🍎 iCloud – only for transfer from iPhone (5 GB free).

⚠️ Note: When loading large amounts of data into the cloud (e.g., 20)+ GB photos) use Wi-Fi, not mobile Internet. Also check if there is enough space in the cloud storage - if you don't have enough files, you won't download.

Method 5: Manual transfer of critical data (for advanced users)

Some data is better transferred manually to avoid errors.

• 🔐 Passwords and logins (use Google Password Manager or KeePass).
• 💳 Banking applications (often blocked during cloning).
• 🎮 Game savers (use Helium or manual folder copying) Android/obb).
• 📄 Documents and PDF (Transfer it via Google Drive or OTG).

How to transfer the game saves:

1. Connect your old phone to your PC and find the /Android/obb folder.
2. Copy folders with game names (e.g. com.supercell.clashofclans).
3. Insert them in the same folder on the new Xiaomi.
4. Reinstall the game - saves will be downloaded automatically.

Important: Some games (like Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile) store saves on servers and don’t need to be manually transferred, but for offline games (like Minecraft), this is a must.

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If you're migrating data from your iPhone to Xiaomi, use a combination of methods: Mi Mover (for photos), Google Account (for contacts), and iTunes (for music).

7.Optimizing the new Xiaomi after cloning

Once the data is transferred, the new smartphone can run slower due to duplicate files or unnecessary applications.

Cleanup steps:

• 🧹 Delete duplicate photos with Google Photos or Gallery Doctor.
• 🗑️ Clear the app cache in Settings → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔄 Update all apps through Google Play.
• 🔋 Calibrate the battery: discharge the phone to 0%, then charge to 100% without interruptions.

Settings to improve productivity:

• ⚡ Enable Performance Mode in Settings → Additionally. → Special facilities.
• 📵 Limit the background activity of applications in Settings → Battery → Optimizing the battery.
• 🔒 Disable unnecessary permissions for applications (e.g., access to geolocation for games).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi cloning