How to Transfer Data from Xiaomi Redmi to Another Android: The Complete 2026 Guide

Transferring data from an old smartphone to a new one is a challenge that every Xiaomi Redmi user faces. Even if both devices run on Android, the process can be complicated due to the features of MIUI firmware, manufacturer limitations or incompatibility of OS versions. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to transfer contacts, photos, messages and applications - from standard Google tools to Xiaomi branded solutions, including little-known life hacks for devices without root rights.

We will pay special attention to the problems that owners of Redmi Note, Redmi A and other lines most often face: why notes do not sync, how to bypass the restriction on transferring applications through Mi Mover, and what to do if the new phone does not see the old one via Wi-Fi Direct. All instructions are tested on MIUI 14/15 and Android 13/14 firmware.

If you are in a hurry, use the following navigation:

1. Preparation of telephones before data transfer

Before you start transferring files, you need to follow a few critical steps, and neglecting them can lead to data loss, sync failures, or even locking your Mi Account account.

First, check the space available on both devices. The old Redmi should have at least 10-15% free memory, otherwise the system may interrupt the process due to lack of resources. On the new phone, make sure that the storage capacity exceeds the size of the transmitted data by at least 20% - this is the reserve for temporary files and cache.

• 🔋 The battery charge of both phones is at least 50%. When transmitting via Wi-Fi or cable, energy consumption increases in the 2-3 once.
• 📶 Turn it off. VPN Check the stability of the Internet connection (if you use cloud services). Mi Cloud can block synchronization if you detect "suspicious activity".
• 🔒 Make sure both phones have one Google account, if not add it to Settings. → Accounts. → Add an account.
• 📱 Update. MIUI In the old firmware (for example, in the latest version, MIUI 12) may not support modern transmission protocols.

⚠️ Note: If you use Redmi with an unlocked bootloader or custom firmware, some methods (such as Mi Mover) may not work.

2. Method 1:Mi Mover is a proprietary tool of Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a MIUI-built application designed to quickly transfer data between Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices. It supports the transfer of contacts, messages, photos, videos, music, applications (including their data!) and even system settings.

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

1. Open the Mi Mover app on both phones, and if you don't have one, download it from Google Play (called "Mi Mover: Data Transfer").
2. On the old phone, select “I am the sender” and on the new one, “I am the receiver.”
3. Click "Next" and wait until it appears. QR-Scan it with an old phone.
4. Select data types to transfer (you can note everything) and confirm the beginning of the transfer.

The process can take anywhere from 5 minutes (for contacts) to 1-2 hours (for full transfer with applications), the speed depends on the volume of data and the stability of the Wi-Fi connection.

Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network (or use an access point)

Turn off the power saving mode on both devices

Close all background apps (especially messengers)

Make sure there is enough space on your new phone.-->

⚠️ Warning: If Mi Mover is stuck in the “Data Preparation” phase, try restarting the application and repeating the scan. QR-If the problem persists, clear the app's cache in Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Mi Mover → Warehouse → Clear the cache.

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

Method 2: Transfer through a Google account (for contacts, photos and apps)

If both phones are linked to the same Google account, you can sync most of the data without additional tools.

• 📇 Contacts (from the "Google Contacts" app")
• 📅 Calendars and reminders
• 📷 Photos and videos (via Google Photos)
• 🎮 App data (if they support backup in Google Drive)
• 📱 System settings (Wi-Fi networks, wallpaper, language preferences)

Step instructions:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts → Google and make sure that sync is enabled for all the right categories.
2. Wait until the data is uploaded to the cloud (it can take up to 24 hours for large photo libraries).
3. On the new phone, log in to the same Google account and wait for the sync to complete.

To transfer SMS and call logs, use the SMS Backup & Restore app (available on Google Play) which saves messages to a.xml file, which can then be restored to a new device.

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If you have slow internet, go to Settings → Backup and Sync before syncing Google Photos and select “Only when connecting to Wi-Fi.” This will save you from unexpected mobile traffic waste.

Method 3: Direct transmission over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth (without internet)

If you don't have stable Wi-Fi or mobile internet, you can transfer data directly between phones, which is suitable for photos, videos, documents and music, but not for applications or system settings.

For Wi-Fi Direct transmission:

1. On both phones, turn on Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct (in Redmi, this can be called "WLAN Direct" or "Mi Share").
2. On an old phone, select files to transfer (such as in Gallery or Explorer) and click Send.
3. Select a new phone from the list of available devices and confirm acceptance on it.

Bluetooth is similar, but the transfer speed will be 5-10 times lower (about 1-2 MB/s vs. 10-50 MB/s for Wi-Fi Direct), a method that is only useful for small files (for example, contacts in.vcf format).

⚠️ Note: When transmitting via Wi-Fi Direct to Redmi MIUI 14+ You may have a "Disconnected" error. Solution: Turn off Responsive Wi-Fi in Settings → Connections → Additionally.

Third-party applications can be used to speed up the process, such as:

• 📲 Send Anywhere (Wi-Fi transmission without size restrictions)
• 📲 Xender (supports.apk application transfer)
• 📲 Files by Google (built-in "Send Files" function")

5. Method 4: Transfer via OTG cable or adapter

If you have an OTG cable (or USB-C to USB-C adapter), you can connect your old phone to your new one as an external drive, a method that is suitable for transferring large amounts of data (tens of gigabytes) without depending on the speed of the Internet.

Instructions:

1. Connect the OTG cable to the new phone and the old phone to the cable.
2. On your old phone, select File Transfer (or MTP) mode in the connection notification.
3. On the new phone, open Explorer (or Files) and copy the folders you need (DCIM for photos, Download for downloads, etc.).

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Maximum speed (up to) 480 Mbps for USB 2.0 and 5-10 Gbps for USB 3.0).
• 🔒 Security: Data does not pass through the cloud or third-party servers.
• 📁 Selective transfer: you can only copy the necessary folders.

Disadvantages:

• 🔌 Cable required OTG (It doesn't always come with a phone).
• 📱 Not all Redmi models support connectivity "USB-storage device” (e.g. Redmi) A1 may not be recognized).
• 🔄 Impossible to migrate applications or system settings.

💡

OTG cable is the fastest way to transfer large files (video, backups), but it is not suitable for applications or contacts.

6. Method 5: Transfer over a computer (for a full backup)

If you need to migrate all the data without exception (including game saves, app settings, and system files), the most reliable way is to create a full backup on your PC and then restore it to a new phone.

This will require:

• 💻 Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 🔌 Cable USB-USB-C (MicroUSB, depending on the Redmi model).
• 🛠️ Programme Mi PC Suite (official software from Xiaomi) or ADB Tools (for advanced users).

Step-by-step instructions via Mi PC Suite:

1. Download and install Mi PC Suite on your computer.
2. Connect your old phone to your PC via USB and select File Transfer mode.
3. In the program, go to the "Backup" section and select the types of data to save.
4. After the backup is complete, disconnect the old phone and connect the new one.
5. In the Recovery section, select the backup you have created and confirm the transfer.

For advanced users, the alternative is to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) commands to create a backup:

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


adb restore backup.ab

Please note that ADB-Backup may not work on some Redmi models with locked bootloader.

7. Solving common problems

When migrating data from Xiaomi Redmi, users often encounter common errors, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:

If neither method worked, try resetting the network settings on both phones (Settings → Connections → Network Reset) this often solves Wi-Fi Direct or Bluetooth connectivity problems.

8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)