How to quickly and safely transfer data to a new Xiaomi phone

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always an exciting moment: fresh features, an improved camera, a fast processor. But the joy of updating can be overshadowed by the thought: "How do I move all my data now?" Contacts, photos, messages, applications - you don't want to lose it, and manually copy each file for too long.

Fortunately, Xiaomi has some built-in migration tools, plus universal solutions from Google and third-party developers. In this article, we will analyze 5 proven ways – from the official Mi Mover to manual transfer via computer. You will learn what method is suitable for your case, how long the process will take and how to avoid typical errors. And also – how porting to Xiaomi is different from other brands (for example, why Mi Mover does not work with an iPhone without additional manipulation).

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a proprietary migration app that Xiaomi installs by default on all new smartphones, and it supports transferring almost all types of data: contacts, SMS, photos, videos, audio, documents, even some system settings, the main advantage of not having to connect to the Internet (except for transferring applications).

How does it work? It creates a local Wi-Fi network between phones and transfers files directly. The speed depends on the model: on flagships like Xiaomi 14 or Redmi Note 13 Pro+, the process will take 10-20 minutes, on budget devices like Poco M6 - up to 40 minutes. Importantly, both phones must be charged at least 50%, otherwise the transmission can be interrupted.

• ✅ Supports: Android 5.0+ (including the old Xiaomi, the transfer between Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco
• ❌ Does not support: iPhone (needs a workaround), some system settings (e.g. fingerprints)
• 🔌 Required: cable OTG (For older models or Wi-Fi Direct

⚠️ Note: If your old phone has custom firmware installed (like LineageOS), Mi Mover may not recognize it as a compatible device.

Step-by-step:

1. On the new Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select Data Portability (or find Mi Mover in the app menu).
2. On your old phone, install Mi Mover from Google Play (if not).
3. Select a role: new phone – “Recipient”, old – “Sender”.
4. Scan it. QR-code from the new phone old (or connect via Wi-Fi Direct).
5. Select data types to transfer and confirm the beginning.

Both phones charged ≥50% | New Xiaomi has enough memory | Power saving mode turned off |Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled

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2. Transfer through Google Account (for contacts, photos and applications)

If you already had a Google Account linked to an old phone, most of the data is synced automatically, a method that works not only for Xiaomi, but for any Android device, as well as iPhone (with restrictions).

What exactly is being transferred:

• 📇 Contacts (from Google Contacts)
• 📅 Calendar (Google Calendar)
• 📸 Photos and videos (if you have autoloaded in Google Photos)
• 🎵 Music and documents (from Google Drive)
• 📱 List of installed applications (but not their data!)

How to set up synchronization:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Make sure that synchronization is enabled for the right categories (contacts, calendar, etc.).
3. On the new Xiaomi, log in to the same Google Account when you first start up.
4. Wait for the synchronization to be completed (it can take anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour depending on the amount of data).

⚠️ Note: If the old phone used another account (such as Mi Account), contacts could only be saved in local memory. Before the perenosom export them to.vcf file via the Contacts app».

Mi Mover|Google Account|OTG|Cable Cloud Services (Dropbox, Yandex Drive)|Another way-->

3. Manual copying via OTG cable or computer

If you need to transfer large files (like movies to 4K, Adobe Premiere Rush projects, or game backups), the best way to do this is to connect your phones directly through an OTG cable or use your computer as an intermediary.

This will require:

• 🔌 OTG-cable USB-C to USB-A new-model)
• 💻 Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux (if you use a PC)
• 📁 File Manager (e.g., Mi File Manager or Total Commander)

Instructions for transfer via OTG:

1. Connect. OTG-cable to the new Xiaomi.
2. Connect your old phone to the cable (it will be determined as a cable). USB-accumulator).
3. Open the file manager on your new phone and copy the folders you want (DCIM for photos, Download for downloads, etc.).

For computer transfer:

1. Connect your old phone to your PC in File Transfer mode (MTP).




2 Copy the data to a computer (e.g., to a folder `C:\Xiaomi_Backup`).




3. Connect the new Xiaomi and transfer the files back.

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If the phone is not defined as a drive, check the USB settings: go to Settings → Additional → USB Mode and select File Transfer (MTP).

4.Moving from iPhone to Xiaomi (complicated case)

The transition from iOS to Android is always difficult: Apple is not interested in easy migration, but there are workarounds, and the main thing is not to use iTunes, since it does not export data in a compatible format.

Ways to transfer from the iPhone:

• 📱 Move to iOS (reverse port): Install the Move to Android app (like Copy My Data) on Xiaomi, but it only transfers contacts and photos.
• ☁️ iCloud + Google Drive: On iPhone, export your contacts to iCloud. Download them as.vcf to your computer. Download them to Google Contacts.

Programmes for PCs

iMazing

Syncios

⚠️ Note: Apps from the App Store won’t migrate to Xiaomi — they’ll have to be reinstalled from Google Play. Except for cross-platform services like WhatsApp or Spotify (but chat data won’t be saved).

5. Cloud services: Dropbox, Yandex Drive, Telegram

If you have slow internet or little space on your phone, cloud storage is a good alternative, and the main advantage is access to files from any device and the ability to transfer them selectively.

Which service to choose:

• 📦 Google Drive: 15GB free, Android integration.
• 🇷🇺 Yandex Disk: 10 GB free, convenient for Russian users.
• 📁 Dropbox: 2GB free, but reliable sync.
• 📎 Telegram: you can send files to yourself in “Saved Messages” (limit 2 GB per file).

6. Transfer of applications and their data

The hardest part is migrating installed apps and their data (e.g. saving in games, setting up VK or Instagram), but there is no universal solution, but there are several working methods:

Methods of transferring applications:

• 🤖 Google Play: Open the Play Store on your new phone → Library → Installed — here will be a list of your applications. Click "Install all».
• 📦 Titanium Backup (requires root): Saves app data, but only works on Android.
• 🎮 Account Sync: Many games (like Genshin Impact or Clash of Clans) are tied to Google Play Games or Facebook. Sign in on a new phone - progress will recover.
• Before perenosom, clear your memory: delete unnecessary files or transfer them to microSD (if supported).
• Photos moved, but not displayed in the gallery Update media base: open Settings → Applications → Gallery → Memory → Clear data.

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If applications are slow to work after transferring, clear their cache: Settings → Applications → Select the application → Memory → Clear the cache.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions