How to Flip Data from Android to Xiaomi: A Complete Guide to Comparing All Ways

Introduction: Why Data Transfers to Xiaomi Need a Special Approach

Switching from an old Android smartphone to a new Xiaomi is a process that seems simple at first glance, POCO Mi lineups often face nuances, such as missing contacts, incorrectly transferred photos or problems with syncing applications. MIUI, which may conflict with standard Android tools when transferring data.

In this article, we will look at 7 proven ways to transfer information, from the official Mi Mover tool to alternative solutions like Google Drive or local Wi-Fi transmission. Particular attention will be paid to common errors: why, for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro can not see files sent over Bluetooth with Samsung Galaxy, or how to avoid losing your message history on WhatsApp. You will learn which method is the fastest, which is the most reliable, and which is suitable if you do not have access to the Internet.

Before you start, check two key points: 1) Both devices should have enough free space (at least 20% more data volume). 2 Batteries are charged at least 50% - some methods (for example, transmission over Wi-Fi Direct) actively consume charge.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a proprietary solution from Xiaomi, optimized for data transfer between devices on MIUI. This tool is built into the firmware and supports the transfer of contacts, messages, photos / videos, applications (including their data) and even system settings. The main advantage is the preservation of folder structure and metadata files (for example, the date of creation of photos).

How to use:

• 📱 On the new Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select Data Portability (if the device is already configured, find Mi Mover in Settings). → The phone. → Data portability).
• 🔄 On an old Android smartphone download Mi Mover from Google Play (requires Android 5.0)+).
• 📶 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network or use the access point (on Xiaomi, enable Wi-Fi Direct in the settings).
• 🔍 Scan on your old phone. QR-code that will appear on the screen of Xiaomi.
• 📤 Select data types for transfer and confirm the transfer.

The transmission speed depends on the amount of data and type of connection:

• 🚀 Wi-Fi (5 GHz): up to 10-15 MB/s (optimum for 10–30 GB).
• 🐢 Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz): 2-5 MB/s (suitable for small volumes).
• ⚡ Cable OTG: Up to 40MB/s (fastest option but requires an adapter).

Charge of both devices > 50% | Clear cache on old phone | Disable VPN/proxy| Check compatibility of MIUI versions (on Xiaomi website) | Create a backup on old device-->

⚠️ Note: If the old phone is installed Android 12+, And Xiaomi — MIUI 13 or older, you may need to temporarily disable Data Protection in the developer settings (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 times) → For developers → Data protection).

2. Transfer via Google Account: Reliable, but with nuances

Syncing through Google account is a universal method that works on all Android devices, but Xiaomi has a feature: by default, some data (such as notes or calendar) is synced through Mi Account, not through Google. To avoid duplication or loss of information, follow this algorithm:

Steps for transfer:

1. On an old phone: 🔧 Go to Settings. → Accounts. → Google. 🔄 Enable synchronization for all the necessary categories: Contacts, Calendar, Chrome (bookmarks), Drive (photo / video), Gmail. ⏳ Wait for the synchronization to be completed (check in Settings). → Accounts. → Google → Account management → Data and personalization).
2. On the new Xiaomi: 📱 When you first turn on, select “Restore from backup” and log in to the same Google account. 🔍 If the device is already configured, go to Settings → The phone. → Backup and reset → Data recovery.

Advantages of the method:

• ☁️ Data is stored in the cloud – you can recover it even after a phone reset.
• 🔄 Automatic synchronization: changes on one device will affect another.
• 🛡️ Security: Data is encrypted during transmission.

⚠️ Note: If the old phone used Mi Account (for example, the previous Xiaomi), before transfer be sure to export notes and calendar manually through Settings → Mi Account → Sync. Otherwise, they won't get into the Google account! 💡Before syncing, check if Google’s storage limit (15GB for a free account) is exceeded. If so, clear Google Photos of unnecessary media files or buy additional space. 3. Local Wi-Fi transmission: If you don’t have access to the Internet or don’t want to upload data to the cloud, you can use direct Wi-Fi transmission. This will be suitable for applications like Send Anywhere, Xender or LocalSend (open source). The latter two are particularly relevant for Xiaomi, as they do not require registration and work even on devices without Google services (for example, on the Internet). POCO F5 global-fixed). LocalSend Instructions (recommended for sensitive data): 📱 Install LocalSend on both devices (available on Google Play and APKMirror). 🔗 On one phone, click “Send” and on the other, “Receive». 📶 Connect to a single Wi-Fi network or create an access point on Xiaomi (Settings) → Access Point and modem → Wi-Fi hotspot). 📁 Select files on your old phone and confirm the transfer. Comparison of popular local transfer applications: Application Speed Limit File Features Send Anywhere 8-12 MB / s 10 GB Supports transmission by link (without Wi-Fi). Xender 5-10 MB/s Unlimited Advertising, requires permission to access files. LocalSend 6-15 MB/s Unlimited Advertising, open source, encryption. Mi Drop (built into the MIUI) 3–8 MB/s 5 GB Only for devices on MIUI, No Google Play. How to speed up Wi-Fi transmissions? Use a router with Wi-Fi support 6 (802.11ax) — This will increase the speed to 20–30 MB/s. Turn off Adaptive Brightness and Autosynchronization in the background on both devices (ZIP/RAR) — This will reduce the number of I/O operations. 4. Cable transmission OTG: Maximum speed and reliability If you need to transfer a large amount of data (for example, 50+ GB photos in original resolution or video 4K), The fastest way is to connect directly via cable. OTG. It's gonna take a while: 🔌 adapter OTG (Type-C → Type-C or Type-C → Micro-USB, depending on the device connectors). 📱 File Manager (built-in in the MIUI Or a third-party, like a Solid Explorer. Step-by-step instruction: Connect the adapter. OTG Connect the old phone to the adapter via cable. Xiaomi will open a notification «USB-Device connected" - select "File transfer» (MTP). Open the file manager on Xiaomi and copy the data from the old phone (it will appear as an external drive: ⚡ Speeds up to 40–50 MB/s (3–5 times faster than Wi-Fi). 🔒 No risk of data loss due to communication breakdown. 📂 Folder structure and file attributes are preserved: 💰 Purchase of an adapter is required OTG (cost ₽). 🔋 Phone charges discharge faster due to simultaneous operation of two devices. 💡Use the cable. OTG, If you need to transfer more than 30 GB of data or if you have slow Internet, this is the only method that guarantees 100% file integrity. 5. One of the most difficult aspects when switching to a new smartphone is the transfer of applications along with their data (for example, saving in games, the history of chats in messengers or settings in Vance). Unfortunately, Xiaomi does not support full portability of user data applications via Mi Mover or Google Backup.Here's what you can do: How to port applications: 📲 Titanium Backup (requires root rights) is suitable for advanced users. ☁️ Cloud sync (if the application supports, for example, WhatsApp, Telegram, Spotify). 🔄 Manual export/import (for example, in Viber you can save chat history to a file). 📥 Installation APK + Data recovery (via adb backup, but not for all applications). Examples for popular apps: Application Transfer Method WhatsApp Instructions Local Copy + Google Drive 1. On an old phone: WhatsApp settings → chat → Backup copy. 2. Copy the folder. /sdcard/WhatsApp new Xiaomi. 3. Install WhatsApp and restore from local copy. Telegram Cloud Sync Log in on a new device – all chats and media files will be downloaded automatically. Games (e.g. Genshin Impact) Account Link to your account Link the game to Google Play Games, Facebook or developer service. 1Password / KeePass Export/Import database Save database file (.kdbx or.1pif) And move it through any method from this article. ⚠️ Note: Some applications (e.g. banking or with) DRM-And if you have a security system like Netflix, you block data transfers for security reasons, and then you have to reconfigure it. 6. Alternative methods: Bluetooth, NFC and SD-If you don't have access to Wi-Fi or cable, you can use alternative methods, which are suitable for small amounts of data (up to 1-2 GB) or in emergency situations: ✅ Pros: does not require the Internet, works on all devices. ❌ Cons: speed ~1–2 MB/s, file size limit (typically up to 50 MB). How to transfer: On both phones, turn on Bluetooth (Settings) → Connected devices → Bluetooth.Pick up the devices (Xiaomi may need to enter) PIN-0.0000 or 1234. On your old phone, select the files → «Send» → «Bluetooth» → Choose Xiaomi. NFC: ✅ Pros: instant transfer of small files (business cards, links). ❌ Cons: works only at a distance of 4 cm, maximum - 1-2 files at a time. NFC on both devices (Settings) → Connection and exchange → NFC). Open a file (like a photo) on an old phone. Hold the devices with their backs to each other, wait for the beep to come in. SD-map: ✅ Pros: No connection required, suitable for large files. ❌ Cons: Not all Xiaomi supports memory cards (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T Pro does not have a microSD slot. How to transfer: Copy data to SD-Insert the card in Xiaomi (or use an adapter) OTG, If you don't have a slot, copy your files to internal memory. Why is Bluetooth slow on Xiaomi? MIUI Power saving mode for Bluetooth is enabled by default (Settings) → Battery → Energy saving regime → Settings → Turn it off to speed up transmission. 7. Frequent errors and how to avoid them Even with proven methods, Xiaomi users often encounter problems. TOP-5 Mistakes and their solutions: 1. Mi Mover can't find the old device 🔹 Check that both phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (not mobile data). 🔹 Turn it off. VPN and firewall (e.g., Avast or built-in in MIUI Security). 🔹 Reboot both devices. 2. Photos moved but not displayed in the gallery 🔹 In the Xiaomi Gallery, enable the display of hidden files (Gallery) → Settings → Show hidden files). 🔹 Check the folder. DCIM/.thumbnails — Sometimes the miniatures are not updated. 🔹 Move the files to the folder DCIM/Camera (The gallery scans it first). 3. Messages from messengers are not transferred 🔹 For WhatsApp: Make sure the backup is created on the same Google account as the new phone. 🔹 For Viber: export history manually (Settings) → Account. → Exporting chat history). 4. Applications are not restored from backup 🔹 In Google Play on the new Xiaomi, check that the “Auto-App Update” option is enabled». 🔹 Some applications (e.g. BankID) block recovery — they will have to be reinstalled. 5. Xiaomi does not see the old device through the cable. OTG 🔹 Try another cable or adapter (cheap). OTG-Adapters may not support MTP). 🔹 On the old phone in the developer settings, turn on Debugging by USB. 🔹 Check that Xiaomi has selected file transfer mode (MTP), Not Charging. 💡If neither method works, try resetting the network settings on both devices (Settings). → System system → Additionally. → Network resetting. This often solves connection problems. FAQ: Can I transfer data from iPhone to Xiaomi? Yes, but not through Mi Mover. Use it: 📱 Move to iOS (from Apple) – works backwards for contacts and photos. ☁️ Google Drive: Download data from iPhone, then restore to Xiaomi. 💻 iTunes + AnyTrans (paid PC software) Detailed instruction: port from iPhone to Xiaomi. How to transfer passwords from Chrome to Xiaomi? If you used autocomplete in Google Chrome: On an old phone, check that sync is enabled (Chrome) → Settings → Sync! On Xiaomi, log in to the same Google account and install Chrome. Passwords will be automatically loaded into Settings. → Google → Managing a Google Account → Security → Passwords. For third-party managers (like KeePass), export the database to a file and transfer it in any convenient way. Why did some contacts disappear after migrating to Xiaomi? Probable reasons: 📇 Contacts were retained on SIM-map (only hand-held). ☁️ Sync with Mi Account conflicts with Google (disable it in Settings) → Accounts. → Mi Account). 🔍 Contacts are hidden in the Contacts app (check filters: Settings) → Solution: export contacts to file VCF on the old phone (Contacts) → Settings → Export it, and import it to Xiaomi. How do you transfer music and playlists? Service-specific options: 🎵 Spotify/YouTube Music: Sign in to a new device – playlists will be automatically downloaded. 📁 Local files: copy the music folder (usually /Music or /Download) by any method of article. 🔄 VK Music/Yandex Music: export playlists to file (if available) or save tracks to favorites. For playlists in Google Play Music (an outdated service), use Google Takeout for export. Can you transfer data from Xiaomi to Xiaomi without loss? If both devices are working on MIUI 12+ And you use Mi Mover: ✅ Transferred all settings of the system (including wallpaper, sounds, brightness). ✅ The history of challenges and SMS/MMS. ✅ Some applications (e.g. Notes, Calendar, Browser) are supported with exceptions: Wi-Fi passwords, banking application data, and some games.