Xiaomi cloning on a new phone: 5 proven ways + mistake-making

Transferring data from an old Xiaomi smartphone to a new one is a challenge that every user faces when upgrading. Even if you buy a device of the same line (for example, a Redmi Note 12 instead of a Note 11), manually setting up all apps, contacts and passwords can take hours. Fortunately, Xiaomi has built-in tools for cloning the system, but they do not always work perfectly: Mi Mover freezes 99%, Mi Cloud does not restore the system. SMS, After transfer, the battery sits down 2 times faster.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of cloning (including hidden features for advanced users), explain why some methods do not work on new models (for example, Xiaomi 14 or the other two models). POCO F6), And we'll give you a checklist to check the results, and we'll also tell you how to avoid the common mistakes that cause you to lose your photos or reset your Google Authenticator settings.

Preparation for cloning: what to do before data transfer

Most users make a mistake to start cloning without preparation, and as a result, the new Xiaomi may not restore applications due to incompatibility of Android versions (for example, when migrating from the new Xiaomi to the new Xiaomi). MIUI 13 on MIUI 14), or the system will start to "glut" due to a conflict of settings.

Here are the steps before cloning:

• 📱 Update both devices. Go to Settings. → The phone. → Update MIUI. If the old smartphone version of the firmware is lower than the new, some data may not be transferred.
• 🔋 Charge both phones to at least 50%.Cloning process via Mi Mover or cable OTG It consumes a lot of energy – if the battery runs out, the data can be damaged.
• 📡 Connect to stable Wi-Fi. To back up to Mi Cloud or download apps after transfer, you need fast internet (better 5 GHz).
• 🔐 Make sure both devices share a Mi Account. If the accounts are different, the Mi Cloud data will not recover. → Xiaomi account.

If you are migrating data from Android to Xiaomi (such as Samsung or Google Pixel), check:

• 🔄 Android version compatibility. on new Xiaomi (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T) And it could be Android 14, and it could be Android 11 on an old phone, and then some of the apps wouldn't be able to migrate.
• 📂 Availability of Google backups.If you have used Google Drive for backups, make sure they are not outdated (retained for 57 days).

⚠️ Note: If the old phone has data encryption enabled (Settings) → Additionally. → Encryption and credentials, cloning through Mi Mover can end in error, in which case use Mi Cloud or Mi Cloud. ADB.

2. Method 1: Cloning through Mi Mover (official Xiaomi method)

Mi Mover is a built-in application for transferring data between Xiaomi, Redmi and other devices. POCO. It works on a point-to-point basis via Wi-Fi Direct or cable. OTG (The main advantage is that not only files are transferred, but also files are transferred:

• 📱 Installed apps (including some of them, such as WhatsApp or Viber).
• 📞 Contacts, SMS call-book.
• 🖼️ Photos, videos and music (except files in folders hidden from scanning).
• ⚙️ System settings (wallpaper, sounds, screen brightness, etc.).

However, the Mi Mover has limitations:

• ❌ Data from certain applications (e.g. Google Authenticator, banking applications) is not transferred).
• ❌ On new models (Xiaomi) 13/14, Redmi K60) Wi-Fi Direct transfer may not work – only via cable.
• ❌ If the new phone has a newer version MIUI, Some of the settings will be reset to standard.

Step-by-step:

1. On your new phone, when you first turn on, select Data Transfer → Mi Mover. If the phone is already configured, open the Mi Mover app manually.
2. On the old phone, open Mi Mover and select I am the sender.
3. Bring your phones to each other and wait for them to come. QR-Scan it from an old phone.
4. Select data to transfer (you can mark everything or select individual categories).
5. Confirm the transfer on both devices and wait until it is completed (can take anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour depending on the amount of data).

⚠️ Warning: If the process is 99% stalled, do not force it to stop — wait 10-15 minutes. If nothing changes, restart both phones and try again. If the error repeats, use alternative methods (see section 4).

Shut down. VPN both-device|Make sure there is enough memory on your phones|Check that the new phone is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled|Close all background applications (especially antiviruses)-->

Method 2: Recovery from Mi Cloud (cloud backup)

Mi Cloud is a cloud storage from Xiaomi that allows you to back up your data and restore it to a new device.

• ☁️ Data is stored in the cloud – no need to connect phones to each other.
• 🔄 You can restore the backup even after a few months.
• 📱 All models of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO (Other than devices in the Chinese market without Google Services).

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Free available only 5 GB – for a full backup may not be enough.
• ❌ Not all apps are restored (e.g. Telegram or Signal require re-authorization).
• ❌ The process can take several hours with a large amount of data.

How to make a backup in Mi Cloud:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Enable synchronization for the data you need (contacts, notes, SMS, etc.).
3. Click Device Backup and select Create Backup.
4. Wait until it is completed (time depends on the amount of data and the speed of the Internet).

How to restore the backup on a new phone:

1. When you first turn on, select Restore from backup → Mi Cloud.
2. Enter your Xiaomi account details.
3. Select the last backup and confirm the recovery.
4. Wait until the phone is finished (the phone can restart).

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If there isn’t enough backup space in the Mi Cloud, temporarily delete old backups or buy extra space (100GB cost). ~300 rubles a year).

4. Method 3: Transfer through Google Account (for Android users)

If you use Google services (Gmail, Google Photos, Google Drive), you can transfer some of your data through your Google account, which is universal and works even when you switch from Samsung or OnePlus to Xiaomi.

What's transferable:

• 📇 Contacts (if synced with Google).
• 📅 Calendars and reminders.
• 📎 Google Keep Notes.
• 📷 Photos and videos (if you have autoloaded in Google Photos).
• 🎮 Data from some games (via Google Play Games).

What's NOT tolerable:

• ❌ SMS and call log (only through third-party apps such as SMS Backup & Restore).
• ❌ Settings MIUI (wallpaper, sounds, gestures).
• ❌ Local files (music, documents) if not uploaded to Google Drive.

How to transfer data via Google:

1. On your old phone, check that sync is enabled: Settings → Accounts → Google → Account Sync.
2. Make sure that all the necessary data (contacts, calendars) are marked with ticks.
3. On the new phone, when you first turn on, select Copy Data → From the cloud and log in to your Google account.
4. Select the data to recover and wait for completion.

⚠️ Note: If the old phone was on 2FA (Two-factor authentication for Google, when restoring it may require confirmation via SMS Or the Google Authenticator app. Make sure you have access to backup codes!

5. Method 4: Cloning through ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods do not work (for example, Mi Mover is an error, and Mi Cloud is not recovering the necessary data), you can use the system. ADB (Android Debug Bridge: This method requires command line skills, but allows you to transfer almost all data, including application settings and system files.

Advantages of ADB:

• 🔧 Full control of the cloning process.
• 📁 Data portability of applications that do not support backups (e.g. Google Authenticator).
• 🚀 It even works on unofficial firmware.

Disadvantages:

• ⚠️ Risk of damaging data when used incorrectly.
• 💻 A computer with installed equipment is required ADB-driver.
• ⏳ The process can take several hours.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install ADB Tools on your computer.
2. On your old phone, turn on Developer Mode (go to Settings). → About the phone and 7 times click on the version MIUI).
3. Enable USB debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
4. Connect your phone to your computer and confirm access via USB.
5. Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (macOS/Linux) and execute the command to create a backup: adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab (where backup.ab is the name of the backup file).
6. On the phone, confirm the creation of a backup (you may need to enter a password).
7. Once completed, disconnect the old phone and connect the new one.
8. Recover the data by command: adb restore backup.ab

⚠️ Note: Some applications (e.g. banking) block backups through ADB. In this case, their data will have to be transferred manually or with the help of specialized backup managers like Swift Backup (requires root rights).

Method 5: Manual file transfer (for selective cloning)

If you don't have to transfer everything, just individual files (photos, music, documents), you can do without full cloning, which is the most reliable method, because you control each step, but it takes longer.

How to transfer files manually:

1. Photo and video: Connect your old phone to your computer via USB. Copy the folders. DCIM Connect the new phone and paste the files into the same folders.
2. Contacts: Export contacts to.vcf file via Contacts → Settings → Export/Import: Transfer the file to your new phone and import contacts.
3. SMS: Use the app. SMS Backup & Restore to build backup and restore on a new phone.

Annexes:

• Download. APK Extractor on an old phone, retrieve APK-Files of the required applications and install them on the new.
• Or use Google Play – the history of installed applications is saved in the account.

To speed up the process, you can use:

• 📁 File Managers with Support FTP (For example, Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer).
• ☁️ Cloud services (Google Drive, Yandex Drive, Mega) for temporary file storage.
• 🔌 OTG-Adapter for direct copying between phones (if the new phone has a connector) USB-C).

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Manual transfer is the only way to guarantee that you can save data from apps that don’t support backups (such as some banking apps or Google Authenticator).

7.Typical errors in cloning and how to avoid them

Even with the official methods, users are faced with problems, and here are the most common mistakes and solutions.

If neither method worked, try resetting to factory settings on your new phone and repeat cloning, and sometimes conflicts arise from the "junk" data left over from the initial setup.

8 Optimizing the New Xiaomi After Cloning

Data portability is only half the battle, and to keep the new phone running smoothly, follow these steps:

• 🔄 Update all apps via Google Play or App Store (for Chinese models) Older versions may conflict with new firmware.
• 🧹 Clear the cache: Settings → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
• 🔋 Calibrate the battery: Discharge the phone to 0% and charge to 100% without interruption. Repeat the cycle 2-3 times.

Check the application permissions

Settings → Privacy → Permits

Set up a mobile network

• Check it out. APN-settings of the operator (especially if the Internet does not work).
• Enable VoLTE and VoWiFi in Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks.

If the phone is slowing down after cloning, try:

• 🔍 Go to Settings. → The phone. → Memory and check which applications occupy the most RAM.
• 🚫 Disable autoload of unnecessary applications in Settings → Annexes → Auto-start.
• 🔄 Enable Performance Mode in Settings → Battery → Battery modes.

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If after cloning, the wallpaper or notification sounds are gone, check the folder MIUI/theme Sometimes the themes are dropped because of version incompatibility. MIUI.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions