How to clone Xiaomi on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways to transfer data

Introduction: Why to clone a smartphone and what it means

Transferring data between Xiaomi smartphones is a challenge that every second user faces when buying a new device. The term “cloning” here means not making an exact copy of the firmware (as is the case with the company). ROM-It's a complete portability of personal data, settings, apps, even system settings, and it eliminates the need to configure a new phone from scratch, as if you had it on a turnkey basis".

Xiaomi’s ecosystem offers a variety of migration options, from standard Mi Mover tools to manual backups, but not all methods are equally effective. For example, an official app may not transfer data from some third-party applications, and a manual backup via adb backup will require technical skills. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, their pros and cons, as well as nuances that are not written in the official instructions.

It's important to understand that cloning and data transfer are not exactly the same thing, and cloning involves making a workable copy of the entire system, including hidden settings and account anchors, while data transfer is limited to user information, and we'll look at both approaches so you can choose the best option for your situation.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a standard tool from Xiaomi, designed to transfer data between the devices of the brand. It is pre-installed on all smartphones with a shell MIUI (since version 8) and supports transmission over Wi-Fi Direct, eliminating the need for cables or cloud services. The main advantage is simplicity: just run the application on both phones and follow the prompts.

What exactly does Mi Mover carry:

• 📱 Contacts, messages (SMS/MMS), call-in
• 📷 Photos and videos (including Google Photos albums, if synced)
• 🎵 Music and audio files
• 📁 Documents (PDF, Word, Excel, etc.)
• 🔧 System settings (Wi-Fi passwords, wallpaper, sound profiles)
• 📦 Some app data (such as WhatsApp, Telegram) but not all)

There are limitations, however: First, Mi Mover can't handle installed applications, only their data (if the application supports backup); Second, the process can be interrupted if one device has insufficient space or a battery is dead; Third, some models (such as the Redmi Note 12 and later) require an updated version of the application, which you will have to download separately.

⚠️ Note: If the old phone has data encryption enabled (Settings) → Lockdown and protection → Encryption, Mi Mover may not see some files. Before transfer, it is recommended to temporarily disable encryption (it will take up to an hour on powerful models).

Charge both phones to at least 50% | Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network | Update Mi Mover to the latest version |Free up space on the new phone (at least 10% of the data portable) | Disconnect VPNs and firewalls

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2. Manual transfer via MIUI backup

If Mi Mover doesn't work for some reason (e.g., doesn't see an old device or gives an error), you can use the built-in MIUI backup feature, which is more reliable because it creates a full system snapshot that is then restored to the new phone, but it requires more time and space on the disk.

Step-by-step:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Select backup data (it is recommended to mark all items except "System applications", if they are not needed).
3. Click on “Create backup” and wait until it is completed (can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour).
4. Copy the backup file (located in /MIUI/backup/AllBackup) to a new phone through USB-cable.
5. On the new phone, repeat the Settings path → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Restore from backup and select the copied file.

The advantage of this method is to transfer hidden MIUI settings that are not available in the Mi Mover, such as customized Game Turbo settings, Second Space settings or Xiaomi Home configuration for a smart home. However, there are disadvantages: the backup takes up a lot of space (up to 10-15 GB), and recovery can take several hours on weak models (for example, Redmi 9A).

Mi Mover| MIUI |Google Account | Other cloud services | I can't stand it, I'm setting it up from scratch

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3. Transfer through Google Account and Cloud Services

If you're a Google user, some of the data is already synced to the cloud, which is a basic transfer technique, but it's not a substitute for full cloning, like moving your Google Account to:

• 📇 Contacts, calendars, notes (Google Keep)
• 📧 Mail (Gmail) and events
• 📸 Photos and videos (if synced with Google Photos is enabled)
• 🎮 Data from some games (via Google Play Games)
• 🔑 Passwords (if you use Google Password Manager)

To take advantage of this method:

1. On your old phone, check that sync is enabled: Settings → Accounts → Google → Account Sync.
2. On the new phone, when you first turn on, select “Copy Data” and log in to the same Google Account.
3. Wait for the synchronization to be completed (it can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour depending on the amount of data).

The main disadvantage of this method is that not all applications support cloud sync, for example, WhatsApp or Viber require a separate backup, and MIUI settings (such as themes or gestures) are not portable at all, but this method is universal and works even when you switch from Xiaomi to a smartphone of another brand.

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4. Complete cloning through TWRP and Nandroid Backup

For advanced users who want to migrate everything, including firmware, kernel and hidden settings, the TWRP customized Recovery is a good way to create a Nandroid Backup, a full cast of the system, which is then restored to the new device, but it has some limitations:

• ⚠️ Both phones must be on the same model (or at least one chipset, such as the Snapdragon 865).
• ⚠️ Requires an unlocked bootloader and root rights.
• ⚠️ The new phone must have the same version installed. MIUI, as in the old.

Instructions:

1. Install TWRP on both devices (the instructions for each model are different, look for 4PDA or XDA Developers).
2. On an old phone, go to TWRP (press Power + Volume Up) and select Backup.
3. Mark all sections (Boot, System, Data, EFS) And create a backup on SD-map OTG-accumulator.
4. Transfer the backup file to the new phone and restore it via TWRP (Restore).

⚠️ Note: When recovering Nandroid Backup on the new phone will reset IMEI You can have the serial numbers of the modules if the model is different, and that can cause network loss or camera problems!

5. data transfer of specific applications (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.)

Some apps, like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Viber, store data locally and don't migrate through standard methods. They require a separate backup. Consider two popular messengers:

WhatsApp:

1. Open WhatsApp on your old phone, go to the ⋮ → Settings → chat → Backup copy.
2. Click "Create a copy" and wait until the file is completed (save to /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases).
3. Copy the WhatsApp folder to your new phone (via cable or cloud).
4. Install WhatsApp on your new phone, confirm the number and wait for the offer to restore chats.

Telegram:

In Telegram, all chats and media files are synced to the cloud automatically, so it is enough:

1. Sign in to a new phone with the same number.
2. In the settings (⋮ → Settings → Data and memory) enable "Save media" for automatic download.

For other applications (e.g. Spotify, Banking Apps), check for data export/import functionality in their settings. If this is not available, only manual portability (e.g., screenshots of settings or export to CSV) remains.

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6.Alternative methods: ADB, Titanium Backup and third-party utilities

If the standard methods don't work, we can use advanced tools. Let's look at three options:

1. ADB Backup (without root):

The adb backup command allows you to back up application data and system settings without superuser permissions, but this method is outdated and does not work on all versions of MIUI (starting with MIUI 12 can emit errors).

adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab

Flag. -apk includes the backup applications themselves, and -shared — file SD-You can restore the copy by team:

adb restore backup.ab

2. Titanium Backup (from root):

Titanium Backup allows you to create backups for individual applications, their data, and even system settings, supports porting to a new device, but may not work with some secure applications (for example, banking).

3. Third-party utilities (e.g. Clone App):

Apps like Clone App or App Cloner allow you to duplicate apps with all the data, but they are not designed to be ported between devices, and are convenient if you need to temporarily clone an app on the same phone (for example, to test two WhatsApp accounts).

⚠️ Note: When using Titanium Backup on a new phone, you may need to disable signature verification MIUI (Adb shell settings put global package_verifier_user_consent 1), Otherwise, the restored applications will not be launched.

7. Frequent errors and their solutions

Even with instructions, the cloning process can go wrong, and we'll look at the typical problems and the ways to solve them.

1. Mi Mover doesn't see the old device:

• 🔄 Reboot both phones and try again.
• 📶 Make sure that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are enabled on both devices.
• 🔧 Update Mi Mover to the latest version via Google Play.
• 📱 If one of the devices — POCO Or Black Shark, try using Xiaomi Mover (similar to these brands).

2.The backup copy of MIUI is not restored:

• 📁 Check the integrity of the backup file (it should have a.mbk extension).
• 🔄 Try to restore the backup on the same phone – if it doesn’t work, the file is corrupted.
• 📱 Make sure there is enough space on the new phone (backup can take up to 20GB).

3. After the transfer, photos or contacts were lost:

• 📷 Check the folder. DCIM/.thumbnails — Sometimes the miniatures are not updated.
• 📇 Contacts may not be synced due to a Google account disabled.
• 🔍 Use a file manager (such as Mi File Manager) to search for keywords (such as.jpg for photos).

The new device after cloning is unstable:

• 🔄 Perform reset to factory settings (Settings) → Additionally. → Recovery and discharge).
• 📱 Check the compatibility of versions MIUI on the old and new phone.
• 🔧 If you've used TWRP, smear the original boot.img for your model.

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FAQ: Answers to popular questions