Transferring data from one Xiaomi Redmi phone to another: all ways of 2026

The transition to the new Xiaomi Redmi smartphone is always exciting, especially when it comes to saving important data. Photos, contacts, messages, application settings – all of this needs to be transferred without loss and with minimal time. Fortunately, owners of Redmi devices have several ways to transfer data, from built-in MIUI functions to universal cloud services.

Many users mistakenly believe that you need a computer or complex software to carry information. In fact, most methods work directly between phones — just a little bit of preparation. For example, did you know that Xiaomi offers its own Mi Mover solution that even copies the system settings? And if you don't have a second device at hand, you can use cloud backup or classic Bluetooth — it all depends on the amount of data and the speed you need.

In this article, we’ll break down 7 proven ways to transfer data between Redmi phones, compare them in speed, reliability and convenience, and give you tips on how to avoid typical errors. Whether you’re changing the Redmi Note 12 to the Redmi K60 or helping a friend migrate files, here’s the current guide for 2026.

Method 1: Mi Mover – the official solution from Xiaomi

Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s proprietary tool that allows you to transfer almost all data from your old phone to the new Redmi without any extraneous programs.It works on the principle of point-to-point via Wi-Fi Direct, which guarantees high transfer speeds (up to 10 MB / s) and the safety of personal information.

The main advantage of Mi Mover is support not only media files and contacts, but also system settings, wallpaper, accounts and even some application data (for example, call history or SMS). However, there is a caveat: both phones should work on MIUI 9 or later. If you have an older version, first update the firmware through Settings → About Phone → System Update.

• ✅ Supports transfer: contacts, messages, photos, videos, music, applications (APK), setup
• ⚠️ Restrictions: Not all application data is portable (e.g. saving games or passwords)
• 🔄 Required: Both phones on MIUI 9+, battery >30%

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

1. On the new Redmi, select Data Transfer when you first enable it (or find Mi Mover in Settings → More).
2. On the old phone, open Mi Mover and select the role of Sender.
3. Scan the scanner on the new device QR-code from an old phone.
4. Select data types to transfer and confirm the start of the process.

Charge both phones to at least 30% | Connect to the same Wi-Fi network (not necessary, but speeds up search) |Free space on the new device (minimum 10% free memory) | Disable VPNs and firewalls

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⚠️ Warning: If you experience a "Disconnected" error during the transfer, check if Power Saving Mode is blocking Mi Mover. Turn it off in the battery settings.

Method 2: Transmission via OTG cable (for large volumes)

If you need to move tens of gigabytes of data (like a collection of RAW photos or 4K video), wireless methods may be too slow, and an OTG (On-The-Go) cable and a regular USB-C cord will help, which works even without the Internet and does not depend on the version of MIUI.

The transmission will require:

• 🔌 adapter OTG (cable USB-C → USB-C, If both phones are supported USB 3.1).
• 📱 Old phone in the role USB-storage mode MTP).
• 📂 File Manager (e.g., embedded Explorer or Solid Explorer).

Instructions:

1. Connect the old Redmi to the new one OTG-cable.
2. On an old phone in the notification curtain, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
3. On the new device, open the file manager and copy the folders you want (for example, DCIM for photos or Download for downloads).

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If the phone is not defined as a drive, check the developer settings: turn on USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times).

Method 3: Xiaomi Cloud Backup

If you don't have a cable or a second phone, you can use Xiaomi Cloud, which is built-in cloud storage, which is convenient because the data is stored online and can be restored to a new device at any time, but there are limitations: only 5 GB is available for free, and for large volumes you will have to buy a subscription (from 100 rubles / month for 50 GB).

What can be saved in Xiaomi Cloud:

• 📞 Contacts, call log, SMS/MMS
• 📸 Photos and videos (in original quality or compressed)
• 📝 Notes, calendar, recorder records
• 🎮 Preserve certain games (if supported)

How to make a backup copy:

1. Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Enable synchronization for the desired categories (e.g. Contacts and Gallery).
3. Click Backup and select Create Backup.
4. On the new phone, log in to the same Xiaomi account and recover data from the cloud.

⚠️ Note: If you use Google Photos for backup, disable autosynchronization in Xiaomi Cloud to avoid file duplication and traffic overrun.

Method 4: Google Account (for contacts, calendar and apps)

If you are a Google user, you can transfer basic data through your Google Account, which is universal and works on all Android devices, including Redmi, with the main advantage of automatic contact, email and calendar synchronization, and the ability to quickly restore previously installed applications.

What is synced through Google:

• 👥 Contacts (including groups and tags)
• 📅 Calendar and reminders
• 📧 Gmail and Google Keep Notes
• 📱 List of installed apps (from Play Market)

How to transfer data:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Make sure that synchronization is enabled for the right categories.
3. On the new Redmi, log in to the same Google account when you first start.
4. In Settings → System → Backup, turn on AutoRecovery.

Xiaomi Cloud|Google Drive|Yandex Drive|iCloud|Nothing else |Not using-->

To transfer photos and videos, it is better to use Google Photos:

1. Install Google Photos on both phones.
2. On the old device, turn on Backup and Synchronization.
3. On the new phone, wait until the files are downloaded from the cloud.

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Google Account is the best choice for transferring contacts and apps, but is not suitable for large media files (free storage is limited to 15 GB).

Method 5: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct (for small files)

If you need to transfer a few photos, documents or contacts, and there is no cable or Internet at hand, you can use the classic wireless technologies: Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct. These methods do not require additional programs and work on all Redmi models, but are suitable only for small amounts of data (up to 1-2 GB).

Bluetooth is convenient for transferring individual files, but the speed is limited (1-3 MB / s). Wi-Fi Direct is faster (5-10 MB / s), but may require additional settings.

• 📎 Photos (up to 10-15 pieces at a time)
• 📄 Documents (PDF, DOCX, XLSX)
• 🎵 Musical tracks (formats) MP3, AAC)
• 📋 Contacts (one by one or a group via vCard)

Instructions for Bluetooth:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on both phones (Settings → Connections → Bluetooth).
2. Connect the devices (click on the name of the second phone in the list of available).
3. Select the file to transfer → Send → Bluetooth → Select the target device.
4. Take the file on the second phone.

For Wi-Fi Direct:

1. Open Settings → Wi-Fi → Wi-Fi Direct.
2. On one phone, click Create a group, on the second, connect to it.
3. Use a file manager to transfer data (e.g. ES Explorer).

⚠️ Note: When transmitted via Bluetooth, files may lose metadata (for example, the date of the photo capture). ZIP before shipment.

Method 6: Third-party applications (SHAREit, Xender, Snapdrop)

If Xiaomi’s built-in methods don’t suit you, you can use third-party data transfer applications, the most popular of which are SHAREit, Xender and Snapdrop. They work on the principle of P2P (peer-to-peer), that is, directly between devices without intermediaries, which provides high speeds (up to 20 MB / s).

Advantages of third-party applications:

• 🚀 Speed is faster than Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct.
• 📱 Cross-platform (you can transfer data to iPhone or Windows).
• 🔄 Support for batch transmission (e.g., entire gallery at a time).

Comparison of popular applications:

How to use Sharet:

1. Install the app on both phones from the Play Market.
2. On the old phone, select Send, on the new phone, Receive.
3. Scan it. QR-code or connect via Wi-Fi Direct.
4. Select the files and confirm the transfer.

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If the transmission is interrupted, try turning off Adaptive Brightness and Power Saving Mode – these may interfere with the stable connection.

Method 7: Transfer over a computer (for full backup)

If you need to migrate all the data without exception, including hidden system files or application settings, the most reliable way is to use a computer, which takes longer, but guarantees 100% control over the process.

• 💻 Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux.
• 🔌 Cables. USB for both phones.
• 📁 File Manager (e.g. Total Commander or Finder for Mac).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the old Redmi to your computer in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy all the folders you need (DCIM, Download, Pictures, etc.) to your hard drive.
3. Turn off your old phone and connect a new Redmi.
4. Transfer the copied data to the new device.

To transfer applications and their data, use ADB (Android Debug Bridge):

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


adb restore backup.ab

This team creates a full backup (including the APK-files and settings) and restores it to a new phone. ADB I need to turn on the debugging. USB developer-setting.

⚠️ Note: When transferring via computer, do not copy the entire Android folder, which can lead to conflicts in the operation of applications. Android/obb).

FAQ: Frequent questions about data portability to Xiaomi Redmi