How to quickly and safely transfer data from old Android to the new Xiaomi Redmi: all working ways

The switch to Xiaomi’s new Redmi smartphone is always exciting, but the data transfer process can become a headache if you don’t know proven methods. Many users lose hours manually copying photos, restoring contacts or re-installing apps. Meanwhile, the manufacturer offers several built-in tools, and third-party services simplify the task with a couple of clicks.

In this article, we will discuss 7 current ways of transferring data — from the official Mi Mover application to universal solutions like Google Account or OTG cable. Particular attention will be paid to the nuances that arise when working with Redmi devices: why you sometimes do not see files, how to circumvent the limitations of MIUI, and what to do if the new phone “does not see” the old. All instructions are tested on Redmi Note 12/13, Redmi 10/11 and POCO X5 models with the latest firmware.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a proprietary data migration app pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones, and it supports almost everything: contacts, messages, photos, videos, audio files, calendars, and even some system settings, and the main advantage is that it works without the Internet, using direct Wi-Fi communication between devices.

To use Mi Mover, follow the steps:

• 📱 On the new Redmi, select Data Portability when you first enable it (if you missed it, find the app in the menu).
• 🔄 On an old phone, install Mi Mover from Google Play (if not available).
• 📶 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network or create an access point on an old smartphone.
• 🔗 Press "I am the sender" on the old phone and "I am the receiver" on the new one, then scan the QR- code.

Charge both phones at least to the 50%|Release. 1-2 GB of memory on the new Redmi|Shut down. VPN firewalls|Check the compatibility of versions MIUI (lower 9.0)-->

The speed of the transfer depends on the amount of data: 10 GB of photos and videos are copied in about 20-30 minutes.

• 🎮 Installed apps (only their data if the app is already installed on a new phone).
• 🔒 Wi-Fi passwords (they will have to be re-entered).
• 📁 Files from folders protected by DRM (e.g., some downloads from Netflix).

⚠️ Warning: If your old phone has custom firmware (not MIUI), Mi Mover may not recognize it, in which case use alternative methods in the following sections.

2. Transfer through Google Account (for contacts, calendars, notes)

If you've used Google services on your old phone, most of your personal data is already synced to the cloud.

• 📇 Contacts (from the Google Contacts app).
• 📅 Calendars and reminders.
• 📝 Notes from Google Keep.
• 🎵 Music and books (if downloaded to Google Play Music or Play Books)

Instructions:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts → Google and make sure that sync is enabled for the data you need.
2. On the new Redmi, sign in to the same Google account for the first time or add it to Settings → Accounts.
3. Wait for automatic synchronization (can take up to 10 minutes).

💡

If contacts don't appear on a new phone, check to see if they're duplicated in the Contacts app. Sometimes MIUI creates separate entries for the SIM- card and Google account. To combine them, open contact → "Merge".

Limitations of the method:

• 🚫 Not portable SMS/MMS (they need Google Messages with sync enabled).
• 📸 Photos and videos are synced only if they were previously uploaded to Google Photos.
• 🔄 With a large amount of data (for example, 50 GB photo), synchronization can take several hours.

3. File transfer via OTG cable or adapter

If you don't have access to Wi-Fi or cloud services, the most reliable way to physically connect your phones is through an OTG cable (or USB-C → USB-A adapter for modern Redmis), a method that is suitable for porting:

• 📂 Any files (photos, videos, documents, APK)
• 🎵 Music and playlists.
• 📁 App settings folders (if you know where they are stored).

Step-by-step:

1. Buy a OTG cable (costs 100-300 ₽) or an adapter if the old phone has a microUSB connector.
2. Connect your old phone to your new Redmi via cable.
3. The new phone will display a notification saying “USB- Device Connected” and tap it and select “File Transfer” (MTP).
4. Open Explorer on the new Redmi (or install File Manager+ from Google Play).
5. Copy the folders you need (DCIM for photos, Download for downloads, etc.) to internal memory or SD- card.

⚠️ Warning: When copying the WhatsApp folder, remember to rename the backup file from msgstore.db.crypt14 to msgstore.db.crypt12 (if you use the older version of the messenger).

4. Cloud services: Google Drive, Mi Cloud, Yandex Disk

If you have slow internet or little space on your phone, cloud storage is the answer. Let's take a look at three popular options:

Google Drive:

• 📁 Suitable for photos, documents, archives.
• 🔗 Free gives 15 GB (shared with Gmail and Google Photos).
• ⚡ Download speed depends on your internet rate.

How to move:

1. On your old phone, open Google Drive, tap “+” → “Download.”
2. Select the files and wait for the download to be completed.
3. On the new Redmi, log in to the same account and download files.

Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud):

• 📱 Optimized for MIUI, automatically synchronizes contacts, SMS, notes.
• 🔒 Gives 5GB for free (can be expanded to 100GB in 99 ₽/month).
• 🚀 Faster Google Drive when working with Xiaomi devices.

Yandex Disk:

• 📎 Suitable for large files (gives 10GB for free).
• 🔗 You can download entire folders without archiving.
• 📶 Google Drive is more stable on slow internet.

Google Drive|Mi Cloud|Yandex Disk|Mail.ru Cloud|iCloud|Other-->

5. Transmission via computer (Windows/Mac)

If you have a PC or a Mac on hand, you can use it as a middleman to copy data, and this is a reliable method that allows you to:

• 🖥️ Reserve data before transfer.
• 🔍 View files before copying (e.g., sort photos by date).
• 📁 Archive data in ZIP/RAR to save space.

Instructions for Windows:

1. Connect your old phone to your computer via USB, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the required folders (DCIM, Download, etc.) to the hard drive.
3. Disable the old phone, connect the new Redmi and transfer the files back.

For Mac, you will need to install Android File Transfer (official software from Google).

• 🍎 MacOS doesn’t always display Android file system correctly — if folders aren’t visible, reconnect the cable.
• 🔄 When copying large files (>4 GB), use the exFAT format for the flash drive.

💡

Use a computer if you want to migrate data selectively or sort it before copying it, which is the only method you can edit files (such as clipping a video or converting a format) before transferring to a new phone.

6. Transfer of applications and their data

The hardest part about changing phones is saving the apps you installed and settings. Unfortunately, you can't just copy the APK- files, because most modern applications store data in secure folders (/data/data/), which you need to root to access.

Method 1: Backup through Google

• 🔄 On an old phone, turn backup into Settings → Google → Backup.
• 📱 On the new Redmi, when you first start, select “Recover Data” and log in to the same account.
• ⚠️ It is not the app itself that will be restored, but only its settings (e.g., game progress if they support Google Play Games).

Method 2: StoAmigo (for APK+data)

StoAmigo (available on Google Play) allows you to create a full backup of applications, including their data.

1. Install StoAmigo on both phones.
2. On an old phone, select backup apps and create an archive.
3. Move your archive to the new Redmi (via cable, cloud, or Mi Mover).
4. On the new phone, restore data via StoAmigo.

⚠️ Warning: Some applications (e.g., banking or DRM- secure) cannot be ported even through a backup, but they will have to be re-installed and logged in.

7. Alternative methods: Bluetooth, NFC, QR- codes

If other methods are not available (for example, there is no cable or Wi-Fi), you can use less popular but working options:

Bluetooth:

• 📶 Suitable for transferring small files (up to 50MB).
• ⚡ Wi-Fi is 10 to 20 times slower, but doesn't require internet.
• 🔗 On both phones, turn on Bluetooth, pair devices, and select Send File.

NFC (for Redmi with a chip):

• 📱 Works only up to 5 cm.
• 🔄 Not all models support (check in specs).
• 📁 Only small files (photos, contacts) can be transferred.

QR- codes (for contacts and Wi-Fi):

• 🤳 Generate the QR- contact code or Wi-Fi network on your old phone (e.g., through Google Contacts).
• 📷 Scan it with the camera of the new Redmi (in...) MIUI built-in QR).

💡

To quickly migrate your Wi-Fi password, open a list of networks on your old phone, tap on your network, and select Share → QR-code. On the new Redmi, scan it and the phone automatically connects.

FAQ: Frequent questions when transferring data to Xiaomi Redmi