How to transfer information to Xiaomi on Redmi Note

Changing a smartphone, even within the same ecosystem, always causes a mild stress associated with the fear of losing important data or spending hours setting up a new device. Fortunately, owners of Xiaomi and Redmi equipment are in a privileged position, as the MIUI shell (or HyperOS) offers powerful built-in tools for migration. The process of transitioning from one device to another has become as automated as possible, avoiding manual copying of each file.

In this article, we’ll take a look at all the sync techniques available, from cloud services to direct Wi-Fi Direct connection, how to save folder structure, Wi-Fi passwords, and even desktop icons, and it takes 15 minutes to an hour to transfer data depending on your storage capacity, but the result is worth it – the new Redmi Note will be ready to go right after unpacking.

Before you start, make sure that both devices are at least 50-60% charged. Although the process does not require a constant connection to the network, power surges can interrupt the transfer of large amounts of information.

Preparing devices for data migration

The foundation of successful porting is the proper preparation of both smartphones. On the old Xiaomi, you need to check the current version of the system and the presence of all necessary security updates. Often users ignore notifications of updates, which can lead to incompatibility of backup formats or malfunctions in system applications.

On the new Redmi Note, when you first turn on, the system will suggest you start the setup process. If you have already activated the device and are on the desktop, you will need to reset it to the factory settings or use the cloning function via the menu. To do this, go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and make sure that the software is up to date.

Both smartphones should be connected to the same Wi-Fi network or have Bluetooth and GPS modules enabled. This is critical for detecting devices with each other. If you plan to use the wired method, pre-prepared a quality USB-C to USB-C cable or OTG adapter, as cheap cables may not support high-speed data transfer.

⚠️ Warning: Before any manipulation of the file system is initiated, it is strongly recommended to back up important documents on external media or in the cloud in case of unforeseen failures.

Signing into the same account on both devices will make it much easier to synchronize contacts, notes, voice recordings and passwords, and without authorization, some system data may not be portable.

Using the Mi Mover application for wireless transfer

The most efficient and popular migration method is the Mi Mover app, which is pre-installed on all Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones and allows you to transfer data without using the Internet, creating direct Wi-Fi communication between gadgets, while transfer speeds can reach 20-40 MB / s, which is much faster than standard Bluetooth.

To start the process, open the app on both devices. On the old smartphone, select the role of Sender, and on the new Redmi Note, select Receiver. QR-If you have a code or connection confirmation, you'll start analyzing the disk space, and the system will ask you to select the categories of data to transfer: contacts, messages, call logs, images, videos, music, documents, and even installed applications.

It is important not to fold the application or lock the screens during the process. Depending on the number of files, the transfer can take considerable time. If you are transferring more than 50-100 GB of data, it is better to break the process into stages or use night time.

Once the copy is complete, the new device will begin installing applications and unpacking archives, during which time the phone can heat up, which is the normal reaction of the processor to intensive work with the file system.

Sync with Mi Cloud and Google Account

Cloud technology allows you to transfer information without physical proximity devices. This is ideal if your old phone is already sold, lost or broken, but you have taken care of synchronization in advance. Mi Cloud service is deeply integrated into the MIUI shell and stores not only contacts and calendar, but also recorders, screenshots, notes and even desktop layout.

To set up, go to Settings → Mi Account → Sync. Here you can set up exactly what data should be uploaded to the cloud. Free 5 GB of space is available to the user, which may not be enough for photos and videos, but it is enough for contacts and settings. For media files, you better use Google Photos or Google Drive.

Once you log in to your Redmi Note account, data will be automatically loaded when you have a network connection, a method that requires a stable and preferably fast Internet connection.

Manual copying via PC and file manager

For users who prefer full control of the process or have a specific folder structure, manual copying through a computer remains the "gold standard." USB-cable by selecting the mode of operation "File transfer» (MTP). In Windows Explorer, open the device’s internal memory.

You need to copy root folders like DCIM (camera photos and videos), Download (downloads), Music, Pictures and Documents. Also, don’t forget about hidden folders if you’ve used messengers like Android/media/com.whatsapp for WhatsApp correspondence history (although it’s better to use their built-in backups for instant messengers).

Once you copy files to your computer's hard drive, connect a new Redmi Note and transfer the data to the appropriate directories, and the folder structure on the new device will automatically be created when you place the appropriate file type there.

⚠️ Note: When manually copying a folder Android/data and Android/obb on new versions of Android (11, 12, 13, 14) They may be hidden or protected from writing. Access to them may require the use of special file managers, such as Total Commander or Solid Explorer, with special permissions.

The good thing about this is that it doesn't depend on the speed of the Internet or the cloud servers, you just move bytes from one store to another, but it doesn't transfer system settings, passwords, and widget locations.

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Use Xiaomi’s File Manager Explorer on your new phone for quick sorting: it automatically recognizes file types and offers to categorize them after copying.

Transfer SMS messages and call history

Keeping your email and phone history a headache when you switch to Android from other platforms, but within the Xiaomi ecosystem, it’s a simple matter: The standard Messages app and Phone store data in a local database that’s easy to export.

The most reliable way is to use the local MIUI backup function. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Restore. Backup your system by selecting only Messages and Call Log. The backup file will be saved in the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder.

Then copy the file to a new phone (via PC or Mi Mover) and restore it from the same settings menu. SMS-Messages with confirmation codes (if you need them) and the entire history of calls will appear on the new device unchanged.

Alternatively, sync via Mi Cloud if it was enabled earlier, in which case it is enough to simply log in to the account and the history will be adjusted automatically, but the amount of synced messages can be limited by the cloud settings.

Migration of Application Data and Authorizations

The most time-consuming part is restoring access to apps, although Mi Mover can copy it itself. APK-Application files, data inside them (logins, game progress, cache) are often left on the old device for security reasons. Banking applications, instant messengers and social networks require separate authorization.

For messengers like WhatsApp and Telegram, use their built-in export features. On WhatsApp, back up your chats on Google Drive on your old phone, and when installed on a new one, select recovery from copy. Telegram syncs all cloud chats automatically, but secret chats will have to be created again.

Banking applications and government services (Public Services and analogues) will have to be manually configured for security purposes. Make sure you have access to a phone number in advance to obtain a phone number. SMS-the confirmation codes, since SIM-The card will need to be moved to the new Redmi Note before setting up these applications.

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Two-factor authentication (2FA) apps, such as Google Authenticator, require manual code export or cloud transfer of the Google account itself, otherwise access to accounts may be lost.

Some games only keep progress in their profiles (Google Play Games, Mi Game Center, Facebook).Make sure that on an old phone, progress is saved in the cloud before formatting it or selling it.

Solving and eliminating errors

During the data transfer, users may encounter various problems: connection interruption, “Not enough space” or “File is corrupted” errors, most often associated with unstable Wi-Fi signal or energy-saving modes that “kill” the background transmission process.

If Mi Mover gives you an error, try disabling Smart Mode or Power Saving Mode on both devices, and rebooting both smartphones before trying again helps, and in some cases, antivirus or third-party launchers may block access to the file system.

For large files (4K video) that don’t want to be copied, use the exFAT file system when connecting via PC, as it supports files larger than 4GB, unlike the old FAT32.