How to transfer data from one Xiaomi phone to another: all the ways of 2026

Transferring data between Xiaomi smartphones is a challenge that every user faces when buying a new device or sharing large files. Unlike the iPhone, where there is a single protocol AirDrop, the Android ecosystem offers several alternative solutions. POCO — Built-in tools for fast sharing that often go unnoticed.

In this article, we’ll look at 7 proven ways to transfer data, from proprietary features (Mi Share, Quick Share) to universal methods (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct, cloud services), you’ll learn what is the fastest method for 4K video, how to avoid loss of photo quality, and why some methods may not work on older Xiaomi models (for example, Mi 8 or Redmi Note 5).

1. Mi Share (formerly Mi Drop) is Xiaomi's proprietary tool

Mi Share is a built-in file sharing app between Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices that works on the Wi-Fi Direct protocol. It is pre-installed on all smartphones of the brand, starting with MIUI 10. The main advantage is the absence of file size restrictions and high transfer speed (up to 20 MB / s on new models).

To take advantage of Mi Share:

• 📱 Open the Mi Share app (or find it through a menu search).
• 🔄 Click Send on one phone and Receive on another.
• 📡 Wait for devices to detect each other (Wi-Fi and Bluetooth must be enabled).
• 📎 Select files and confirm transfer on both phones.

Important: On phones with MIUI 12.5+, Mi Share was renamed Quick Share (not to be confused with Google!). If you have an older firmware version, update it via Settings → About Phone → System Update.

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If Mi Share doesn’t find the second phone, check if Visibility for All is enabled in the app settings. On some models (Redmi 9A, POCO M3), this option is hidden in Settings → Connections and Sharing → Mi Share

2. Quick Share (Google) - an alternative for new models

With the release of MIUI 14 based on Android 13+, Xiaomi began integrating Google’s Quick Share, the equivalent of AirDrop for Android, which works not only between Xiaomi devices, but also with other brands (Samsung, Google Pixel) if they have the Quick Share app installed on them.

How to transfer files via Quick Share:

1. Open the Gallery or Files and select the items you want.
2. Press Share. → Quick Share.
3. Select your target phone from the list (make sure it has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled).
4. Confirm receipt on the second device.

Limitations:

• ⚠️ On the phones with MIUI 13 and below Quick Share may not be available.
• ⚠️ Transmission speed is lower than that of the Mi Share (about 10 MB/s).

3. Bluetooth Transfer: When Speed Is Not Important

Bluetooth is the most versatile, but also the slowest way to communicate, and it’s suitable for transferring small files (up to 50 MB), such as contacts, notes or documents. On Xiaomi Bluetooth phones, it supports the BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) protocol, which speeds up the process a little, but not drastically.

Instructions:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on both phones (Settings → Bluetooth).
2. On the first phone, select files → Share → Bluetooth.
3. Select the second phone from the list and confirm the pairing.
4. Take the file on the second device.

⚠️ Note: When transmitted via Bluetooth, files larger than 100 MB can be "hang" or transmitted in parts. 720p).

Transfer speed over Bluetooth 5.0 (starting with Xiaomi Mi 9):

• 📄 Documents: ~1 MB/s
• 📷 Photo Photo: ~0.5 MB/s (compression)
• 🎵 Audio: ~1.5 Mb/s

4. Wi-Fi Direct: fast transmission without internet

Wi-Fi Direct allows you to create a direct network between two phones without a router, a method that is 5-10 times faster than Bluetooth and suitable for transferring videos, archives or a large number of photos. On Xiaomi, the feature is available via the Files app or Mi Share (depending on the model).

Step-by-step:

1. Open Files → Select Files → Share → Wi-Fi Direct
2. On the second phone, turn on Wi-Fi Direct in the settings (Settings → Wi-Fi → Wi-Fi Direct).
3. Connect to the network created by the first phone (password is not usually required).
4. Start the transfer and wait until it is completed.

Advantages:

• 🚀 Speed to 50 MB/s (on Xiaomi) 12/13 series).
• 🔒 No loss of quality of files.
• 🌐 It works without the internet.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi Note 8 Pro, POCO X3) Wi-Fi Direct may conflict with a connection to normal Wi-Fi. Before transferring, disconnect from your home network.

5. Cloud services: Mi Cloud, Google Drive and Telegram

If you need to transfer files over a distance (like friends) or save a backup, it’s best to use cloud storage. Xiaomi offers its own service – Mi Cloud (5GB for free), but it runs slower than Google Drive or Telegram.

Comparison of services:

How to transfer files via Mi Cloud:

• 📁 Upload files to Mi Cloud (Settings) → Mi Account → Mi Cloud).
• 🔗 Generate a download link or log in to the same account on a second phone.
• 📥 Download files through the Mi Cloud app.

OTG Cable and Adapter: for Big Data

If you need to move tens of gigabytes (such as a backup or video collection), the most reliable way to do this is to use the data. OTG-cable USB-This method works on all Xiaomi models that support the adapter. OTG (starting with Redmi 4X).

What you need:

• 🔌 OTG-cable (Type-C or Micro-USB depending on the model).
• 💾 flash drive or external SSD (formatted FAT32 exFAT).

Instructions:

1. Connect the flash drive to the first phone via OTG.
2. Copy files to memory flash drive (use Files → Internal Memory → Select → Copy).
3. Turn off the flash drive and connect to the second phone.
4. Transfer the files to internal memory.

⚠️ Attention: On phones with MIUI 12+ first-connection OTG-Devices may need permission in settings (Settings) → Connected devices → USB). Also check that the flash drive is formatted in exFAT — NTFS unsupported!

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OTG cable is the only method that is guaranteed to work on all Xiaomi models, including older ones (Mi A1, Redmi 3S), where wireless protocols may not be available.

7. Computer Transfer (USB + Xiaomi Software)

If you have access to a PC or Mac, you can use it as an intermediary. Xiaomi offers the official Mi utility PC Suite, which makes it easier to transfer data, including messages, contacts and applications, but standard file transfers are enough to make it easier to transfer files. MTP-protocol.

How to transfer files through your computer:

1. Connect both phones to your PC via USB (select File Transfer Mode on your phone screen).
2. Open This Computer and copy files from one phone to another via the clipboard.
3. To transfer contacts and SMS, use Mi PC Suite (download from the official website).

Advantages of the method:

• 🖥️ Suitable for system data transmission (SMS, call-in).
• 🔄 You can edit files before the penos.
• 🛡️ More reliable than wireless methods (no risk of communication breakdown).

Comparison of all methods: what to choose?

To determine the best way, use the table:

For most Xiaomi users, the best solution is Mi Share (for transfer between Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO phones) or Wi-Fi Direct (for maximum speed).

FAQ: Frequent questions about data transfer