Transferring data from Android to the new Xiaomi: the full guide 2026

Moving to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but it can be tricky to migrate data from an old Android device, especially when it comes to saving not only photos and contacts, but also messages, call history, Wi-Fi passwords, and even progress in gaming. In 2026, users have at least 5 reliable ways to migrate, from the official Mi Mover tool to universal cloud services.

The main problem when transferring data between Android devices is OS version compatibility and manufacturer limitations. For example, Samsung uses Smart Switch, and Xiaomi uses Mi Mover, but these tools do not always work correctly with other brands. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods, their pros and cons, and also give unique recommendations for owners of Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 14/15, where the transfer process has its nuances.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a proprietary application from Xiaomi, designed to quickly transfer data between devices based on MIUI. It supports the transfer of contacts, messages, photos, videos, audio files, applications (including their data) and even some system settings. The main advantage is that it does not require Internet (works on Wi-Fi Direct) and maintains the folder structure.

However, there are limitations:

• 📱 It only works between Xiaomi devices (or Redmi/POCO) version MIUI lower 9.
• 🔌 On some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T Or the Redmi Note 12 Pro.+) need to be debugged USB transferring.
• ⚠️ Does not transfer data from some third-party messengers (for example, Telegram or Viber).

How to use Mi Mover:

1. Install the app on both devices (you can download it from Google Play or App Gallery).
2. On the new Xiaomi, select “I am a new user” and on the old one, “I want to send data.”
3. Connect to a single Wi-Fi network or use the hotspot on your old phone.
4. Select data types to transfer and confirm the start of the process.

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

2. Universal method: Google Account and synchronization

Syncing through Google Account is the most versatile way that works on any Android device, including Xiaomi.

• 📇 Contacts (including groups and tags).
• 📅 Calendars and events.
• 📧 Letters from Gmail.
• 📸 Photos and videos (if backup and sync is enabled in Google Photos).
• 🎵 Music and documents (via Google Drive).

How to set up synchronization:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Select your account and enable sync for the desired categories (contacts, calendar, etc.).
3. On the new Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select “Recover Data from Backup” and log in to the same Google account.
4. Wait until the system loads the data (can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours depending on the volume).

⚠️ Note: If the new Xiaomi has a Chinese version MIUI (Without Google services, sync through your Google account won’t work. In this case, use Mi Cloud (more on this below).

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Before transferring, check if there is enough space in your Google Account. 15GB is free, but photos in original quality take up it very quickly. Clear the cart in Google Photos and delete unnecessary backups in Google Drive.

3. Fast cable transmission: OTG and adapters

If you don’t have Wi-Fi access or want to transfer data as quickly as possible (for example, tens of gigabytes of photos and videos), the best option is to use an OTG cable or a USB-C → USB-C adapter.

What you need:

• 🔌 Cable USB-C → USB-C (if both phones are modern, or OTG-adapter + USB-cable.
• 📱 File transfer application (e.g. Files by Google, X-Plore or Total Commander).
• ⚡ Adequate battery charge (preferably) >50%).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your old phone to your new Xiaomi phone via cable.
2. On the new device in the notification bar, select File Transfer Mode (or "USB-"Modem" unless it appears automatically).
3. Open a file manager (such as Mi File Manager) and copy the folders you want (DCIM, Downloads, Pictures, etc.) to your new phone.

Connected to OTG or USB-C→USB-C| cable

On both phones enabled mode "File transfer" |

Checked that the cable supports data transfer (not just charging)|

Copyed hidden folders (e.g..WhatsApp for chat backups)-->

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Maximum speed (up to 480 Mbit / s at USB 3.0).
• 🔒 No dependence on the Internet or cloud services.
• 📁 Only the necessary files can be selectively transferred.

⚠️ Attention: Some cables USB-C → USB-C They're just for charging, they don't transmit data. Check this beforehand by connecting the phone to the computer. If the computer doesn't recognize the device as a drive, the cable doesn't fit.

4.Cloud Services: Mi Cloud, Google Drive and Alternatives

If you prefer wireless wireless wireless portability without cables, cloud services are a great option. Xiaomi offers its own Mi Cloud, but it has a 5GB cap for free (versus 15GB for Google Drive).

How to transfer data through Mi Cloud:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Turn on sync for the desired categories (contacts, notes, photos, etc.).
3. On the new Xiaomi, log in to the same Mi Account and wait for the sync to complete.

For Google Drive or other clouds:

1. Upload files to the cloud from your old phone (via the app or web version).
2. On the new Xiaomi, download the files back.

5. Transfer of messages, calls and application data

Standard methods (such as Mi Mover or Google Account) do not always correctly transfer SMS/MMS, call log and application data (for example, save in games or set up messengers).

• 💬 Messages and calls: Annex SMS Backup & Restore (Saves in the XML-A file that is then restored to a new phone).
• 🎮 Game data: Use Google Play Games (for cloud-saving games) or Helium (requires root rights).
• 🔑 Wi-Fi Passwords: WiFi Password Viewer (shows saved networks) + manually-input on a new phone.

To transfer data to WhatsApp:

1. Create a backup of chats on your old phone (Settings → Chat → Backup).
2. Copy /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases to your new phone (via cable or cloud).
3. Install WhatsApp on the new Xiaomi and restore data from the local copy.

⚠️ Note: If you use Telegram, you don’t need to transfer chats – they are tied to your account and synced automatically.

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To port application data (e.g., game progress), check if the app supports cloud sync. If not, use Helium or Titanium Backup.

6.Moving to Chinese versions of Xiaomi (without Google)

If you bought Xiaomi with Chinese firmware (for example, Xiaomi 14 for the domestic market), it does not have Google services, and Mi Mover can work unstable.

• 🌐 Use Mi Cloud to transfer contacts, notes and photos.
• 📁 For files, connect your phone to your computer and copy the data manually.
• 📱 Install Google Services Framework manually (instructions are available on forums) XDA Developers, if you need a Google Account or Play Market.

The alternative is to install global firmware via Fastboot, which will delete all data but allow you to use Google services.

1. Unlock the bootloader on the Xiaomi website (it takes 7-15 days to wait).
2. Download the global version of MIUI for your model from en.miui.com.
3. Run your phone through the Mi Flash Tool in Fastboot mode.

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Before you run the Chinese version of Xiaomi, make a full backup via TWRP (if installed).

7. Problems and solutions in data transfer

Even when using official tools, users often encounter errors.

If the data are not displayed after the transfer:

• Check if there is enough space on your new phone (especially if you are carrying a lot of photos/video).
• Make sure that files are not hidden (enable the display of hidden files in the file manager).
• Reboot both devices.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data portability to Xiaomi