How to transfer all data from the old Xiaomi Redmi to the new Android phone: 5 proven ways

Switching to a new smartphone is always an exciting moment, especially when it comes to saving all the data from the old Xiaomi Redmi. Contacts, photos, messenger messages, notes, call history and even app settings can all be lost if you approach the process without preparation. In 2026, MIUI 14/15 users have at least 5 reliable ways to transfer data, and we will analyze each of them in detail, including hidden nuances that are not written in the standard instructions.

Xiaomi’s peculiarity is that the brand actively integrates its own services (for example, Mi Cloud) and simultaneously supports universal solutions from Google. This gives users flexibility, but also requires care: for example, migrating through Mi Mover can take 2 times less time than through Google Account, but not all data will be synchronized automatically. In this article, you will find not only step-by-step instructions, but also a comparative method table, checklists for preparation, as well as answers to frequent questions - for example, why some photos are not portable or how to restore SMS after a reset.

1. Preparation of old and new telephone before transfer

Before you start the transfer, you need to follow a few critical steps, and neglecting them can lead to data loss or failures in the process.

On the old phone (Xiaomi Redmi):

• 🔋 Charge the battery to at least 50% – transfer data can take from 10 minutes to 2 hours depending on the volume.
• 📶 Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network (if you plan to use cloud services) Mobile Internet is not suitable due to traffic restrictions.
• 🔒 Make sure the phone has a screen lock disabled (PIN, pattern lock – some transfer methods require unlocked device.
• 📁 Check the space: to create a backup through Mi Cloud or Google Drive will require at least 10% of the amount of data transferred.

On the new phone:

• 📱 Complete the initial setup (language selection, Wi-Fi connection), but don’t sign in to your Google or Mi accounts if you plan to use Mi Mover.
• 🔄 Update the firmware to the latest version MIUI (Path: Settings → The phone. → Updating the system. This will eliminate possible compatibility errors.
• 🛡️ temporarily disable the antivirus or VPN — They can block the transmission of data.

Charging both phones >50%|Stable Wi-Fi or USB-cable|Free space on both devices|The screen lock is disabled and VPN|Updated firmware on the new phone-->

⚠️ Note: If the old Redmi uses micro-SIM, The new phone only supports nano-SIM, data transfer over the mobile network (SMS/MMS) In this case, Mi Mover or cloud services will be the priority.

2. Method 1: Transfer over Mi Mover (recommended for MIUI)

Mi Mover is a proprietary solution from Xiaomi, optimized for phones with MIUI 9 and later, and allows you to transfer almost all data, including:

• 📞 Contacts, call log, SMS/MMS
• 📸 Photo, video, audio files
• 📱 Applications (including their data, if supported)
• 📝 Notes, calendar, alarm clocks.
• 🎮 Preservation of certain games (e.g, PUBG Mobile, Genshin Impact)

Step-by-step:

1. On the new phone, during the initial setup, select Data Transfer → Mi Mover. If the setup is already complete, open the Mi Mover app manually (download from the Play Market if it isn't).
2. On the old phone, open Mi Mover and select I give.
3. Scan the scanner on your new phone QR-code that will appear on the old device.
4. Select data types to transfer (you can note everything) and confirm the beginning of the process.
5. Wait until it's done. Don't interrupt the connection -- even if the screen goes out, the transfer will continue to work in the background.

Important: Mi Mover does not transfer data from some third-party apps (such as WhatsApp or Telegram) and will require a separate backup.

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If Mi Mover doesn’t find an old device, check if it’s enabled with the developer mode and USB debugging (path: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – tap 7 times).

Method 2: Sync through Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud)

Mi Cloud is a cloud storage from Xiaomi that automatically backs up data when you connect to your Mi Account, and the advantage of the method is that you can transfer data remotely (for example, if the phones are in different cities).

• 📉 Free rate - 5 GB (this is the price) ~1500 high quality photos).
• 🔄 Synchronization only works when connected to Wi-Fi.
• ⏳ Data recovery on a new phone can take up to 24 hours.

How to transfer data through Mi Cloud:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Mi → Mi Cloud Account.
2. Turn on sync for all the categories you need (contacts, notes, SMS, etc.).
3. Wait for the backup to complete (progress is displayed at the top of the screen).
4. On the new phone, log in to the same Mi Account and enable sync in Mi Cloud.
5. Select Recover Data and confirm the download.

⚠️ Note: If the old phone had two-factor authentication enabled for the Mi Account, you will need confirmation via the new device to log in. SMS Make sure you have access to the number that's tied!

Mi Mover|Mi Cloud|Google Account|USB-cable|Another way.-->

Method 3: Transfer through Google Account (universal method)

This method is suitable if you are switching not only to another Xiaomi, but also to a smartphone of another brand (such as Samsung or Pixel).

• 📇 Contacts, calendar, Gmail
• 📸 Photo/video (via Google Photos, but in compressed quality)
• 📱 Installed applications (without their data)
• 🔑 Passwords from Google Password Manager

Instructions:

1. On your old phone, check that sync with Google is enabled: Settings → Accounts → Google → Account Sync.
2. Open Google Photos and wait for all media files to load (select Quality → Original if it is important to save resolution).
3. On your new phone, select Copy Data → From the Cloud and log in to the same Google account.
4. Select the data for recovery and confirm.

🔹 Hidden nuance: If your old phone used a Google corporate account (e.g., through work), some data may not sync due to security policies.In this case, use Mi Mover or manually transfer via cable.

Method 4: Manual transfer through USB-cable (for large amounts of data)

If you have more than 50 GB of data (for example, a video collection in the 4K or RAW-The cloud services are not suitable because of the volume constraints, and in this case, it is more reliable to use a direct connection. USB.

You will need to:

• 🔌 USB-cable OTG (adapter USB-C → USB-A, if the ports are different).
• 📂 File Manager (e.g. Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).
• ⏱️ Time – 100 GB transfer can take up to 1.5 hours.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your old phone to your new one OTG-cable.
2. On the new phone, select File Transfer (MTP) mode in the connection notification.
3. Open the file manager and copy folders: DCIM (photo/video), Downloads (downloads), Pictures (images from instant messengers) WhatsApp/Media (media from WhatsApp)
4. To transfer SMS and call logs, use the SMS Backup & Restore app (save backup on your old phone and restore on your new one).

⚠️ Note: When manually transferring, do not copy the entire Android folder, as this can lead to conflicts in these applications.

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USB-cable is the only method that is guaranteed to transfer all media files without compression, including RAW-photo and video 8K.

6. Method 5: Transfer of data from messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber)

Messages and media from messengers are not carried by standard methods (Mi Mover or Google Account).

For WhatsApp:

1. On your old phone, back up: WhatsApp → ⋮ → Settings → chat → Backup copy.
2. Install WhatsApp on your new phone, confirm the number and wait for the offer to restore chats.

For Telegram:

• 🔄 Telegram stores all chats in the cloud, so just log in under the same number on a new phone.
• 📁 Media files (photos, videos) can be exported manually: open chat → select the file → Save it to the gallery.

For Viber:

• 📱 Create a backup: Settings → Account. → Backup.
• 🔗 Transfer the backup file to the new phone and restore through the same settings section.

🔹 Important: If you used two-step authentication in messengers, remember to transfer backup codes or disable it before changing your phone!

7 Problems and Solutions: What to Do If Data Is Not Transferred

Even with the correct following of the instructions, there may be failures, and let's look at the typical problems and ways to solve them:

⚠️ Note: If contacts are lost on the new phone after transfer, check if they are duplicated in different accounts (Google, Mi, SIM). Use the function of Combine contacts in the Contacts app.

8. FAQ: Answers to frequent questions