How to quickly and safely transfer data from iPhone to Xiaomi: all the working ways

Switching from iPhone to Xiaomi smartphone (or Redmi/POCO) How to save all the important data – photos, contacts, messages and even call history?Apple and Android use different ecosystems, so the standard “backup to iCloud” here will not help. 7 We'll take a look at all the different ways we've tested the transfer, and we'll take a look at each with the nuances for the models. 2020–2026 year-end.

In this article you will find:

• 🔌 Wired methods – for maximum speed (up to 40 MB / s) and reliability.
• 📶 Wireless solutions – when there is no cable or adapter at hand.
• ☁️ Cloud Services – for backup before transition.
• ⚠️ Common errors that cause data to be lost or duplicated.

We’ll focus on migrating messages from iMessage to Xiaomi — the hardest part, since Apple doesn’t provide direct exports — and compare the speed of methods in the table and give recommendations for specific scenarios (for example, if you have an iPhone 15 Pro and a Xiaomi 14 Ultra).

1.Preparation for the transfer: what to do on the iPhone and Xiaomi

Before you start transferring, follow the mandatory steps on both devices, which will eliminate 90% of the possible problems.

On the iPhone:

• 🔄 Update iOS to the latest version (check in Settings) → Mainstream → Update of Software: Older versions may not support modern transfer protocols.
• 🔒 Turn off Find iPhone (Settings) → Apple ID → Find it. → Find iPhone.This is a requirement for some methods (e.g. Move to iOS backwards doesn't work, but locking may interfere with your ability to do so).
• 📱 Make sure your device has enough charge (at least 50%) or connect it to the network.

On Xiaomi:

• 📦 Free up space in memory – transferring 64 GB of data will require at least 70-80 GB of free space.
• 🔧 Activate Developer Mode (if you plan to use it) ADB). To do this, click on the Assembly Number 7 times in Settings → The phone.
• 🔌 Prepare. OTG-Adapter (if you use a wired method) for iPhone 15 and later you need an adapter USB-C → USB-A.

⚠️ Note: If you transfer data from iPhone to Xiaomi via computer, never connect both devices to the same device USB-This can lead to driver conflict and file loss.

2. Wire transfer through the adapter: the fastest way

Use of cable and OTG-Adapter is the best option if you have a lot of data (from 20 GB) or weak Wi-Fi. the transfer speed reaches 30-40 MB / s (versus 2-5 MB / s over the air).

You'll need:

• 🔌 Lightning cable → USB (iPhone-to- 14-series) or USB-C → USB-C (iPhone 15/16).
• 🔄 OTG-adapter USB-A → USB-C (If you are on Xiaomi Type-C connector).
• 📱 Files by Google (for Android) or Xiaomi Files (preinstalled).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your iPhone to Xiaomi via an adapter. On the iPhone screen, you'll see a "Trust this device" request, confirm.
2. On Xiaomi, open the Files app and select the tab USB-device).
3. Go to the file. DCIM (Photo/video, Contacts (contacts in vCard format) or other directories.
4. Select files and click Copy, then select a folder on Xiaomi (e.g. Internal Drive). → Download).

⚠️ Attention: Contacts and messages in format SQL (iTunes backups will not open on Android, but must be exported to.vcf (contacts) or.xml (messages) through third-party utilities.

3. Wireless transmission via Mi Mover (official decision of Xiaomi)

Mi Mover is a proprietary utility from Xiaomi for migrating data, including contacts, messages, photos and even some settings. MIUI 9 and newer (including HyperOS).

Advantages of the method:

• 🔄 Automatic recognition of data types (photos are sorted into a gallery, contacts - into a phone).
• 📶 Does not require a computer or cables.
• 🛡️ Transfer encryption (data not entering the cloud).

How to use:

1. On Xiaomi, open Mi Mover (preinstalled) or download from Google Play.
2. Select I am a new user → iOS.
3. On your iPhone, scan. QR-code that appears on the Xiaomi screen (a web page with instructions will open).
4. Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network and follow the tips.

Limitations:

• ❌ Does not carry applications (only their data if they support backup).
• ❌ Messages from iMessage come without attachments (photo / video should be transmitted separately).
• ❌ On iPhone with iOS 17+ Manual confirmation of each type of data may be required.

💡

If the Mi Mover is stuck in the connection phase, restart Wi-Fi on both devices and try using a mobile hotspot instead of a home network.

4. Cloud Transfer Services: iCloud, Google Drive, Mi Cloud

Cloud solutions are convenient if you have slow Wi-Fi or not. OTG-But they require a stable Internet, and they can take hours with a lot of data.

Comparison of services:

Instructions for Google Drive (Universal Method):

1. On your iPhone, install Google Drive and log in to your account.
2. Download files manually or enable backup for photos (Settings) → Backup).
3. On Xiaomi, open Google Photos or Google Drive and download the data.

For contacts:

1. On iPhone, export your contacts to iCloud → Contacts → ⚙️ → Exports vCard.
2. Send the.vcf file to the mail or upload it to Google Contacts.
3. Import to Xiaomi via Contacts → ⚙️ → Imports/Exports.

⚠️ Attention: When uploading photos to Google Photos from iPhone quality HEIC automatically convert to JPEG, To avoid this, select Original Quality (but it takes up space in the cloud) in Google Photos settings).

5.Transfer Messages from iMessage to Xiaomi: Workarounds

Apple doesn't provide tools to export iMessage to a readable format, so you'll have to use third-party utilities.

Method 1: iMazing (paid but reliable)

• 💻 Install iMazing on your computer (Windows/macOS).
• 🔌 Connect your iPhone and export your messages to PDF, CSV or SQL.
• 📤 Transfer the file to Xiaomi and open it through WPS Office or Google Tables.

Method 2: Decipher TextMessage (Mac only)

• 🖥️ Download the utility from the official website.
• 📱 Connect your iPhone and export your messages to HTML or TXT.
• 📎 Send the file to your own mail or via Telegram Saved Messages.

Method 3: Manual screenshot + OCR (small-number)

• 📸 Take screenshots of important correspondence.
• 🤖 On Xiaomi, use Google Lens or Mi AI text-recognition.

6.Transfer applications and their data: what works and what doesn’t

Unfortunately, it is not possible to directly transfer installed applications from iOS to Android, because the architectures of the systems are fundamentally different.

Save application data (if it supports cross-platform synchronization):

• 🎮 Games: Link your account to Google Play Games or Facebook (e.g. Clash of Clans or Facebook) PUBG Mobile).
• 💬 Messengers: WhatsApp or Telegram just log into the same account – the story is synchronized automatically.
• 📅 Calendars/Notes: Export from Apple Calendar to.ics and import to Google Calendar.

What's not going to happen:

• ❌ Apps from the App Store (you need to install analogues from Google Play).
• ❌ System application settings (e.g. Health or Wallet).
• ❌ Application data without cloud synchronization (e.g., some banking programs).

For convenience, make a list of critical applications and check if they support data portability.

💡

Before removing apps from your iPhone, check if they are tied to Apple ID. Some programs (such as Procreate) require a re-purchase on Android.

Alternative methods: ADB, Python scripts and other

If standard methods don’t work (for example, you have an iPhone with a jailbreak or Xiaomi on custom firmware), you can use advanced tools.

Method 1: ADB (tech-savvy)

It allows you to pull files directly from your iPhone via adb pull if the device is recognized as an external drive.

1. Install ADB on your computer.
2. Connect Xiaomi and execute: Adb devices adb pull /sdcard/Download/

Method 2: Python script for iTunes Backup

If you have an iPhone backup in iTunes, you can extract data using the imobiledevice script:

pip install pyimobiledevice


idevicebackup2 extract backup_dir --domain CameraRoll

Method 3: FTP-server

Install the app on Xiaomi FTP Server (e.g. Solid Explorer) and on iPhone — FTP-FileExplorer: Then drag and drop files over the local network.

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB The data may be compromised by interrupting the process (MD5) copy-file.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data transfer