How to transfer data from your old phone to the new Xiaomi: the complete guide

Moving to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but the process of migrating data can seem complicated, especially if you’re doing it for the first time. Many users lose important contacts, photos or settings simply because they don’t know about the built-in Mi Mover tools or cloud services. This article will help avoid typical mistakes and choose the best way to migrate depending on the model of your old device.

We will cover all the current methods, from standard wireless transfer through a proprietary application to manual copying of files through a computer, pay special attention to the nuances of working with the iPhone (if your old phone is from Apple), and also understand how to save data applications that do not support cloud backup. All instructions are relevant for devices on MIUI 14/15 and the latest models of Xiaomi 14, Redmi Note 13, POCO F6.

Before you start, make sure both phones have enough battery (at least 50%) and the new Xiaomi has the latest firmware installed, which minimizes the risk of crashes during data transfer.

1.Official method: Mi Mover - fast transfer without a computer

Mi Mover is a proprietary tool from Xiaomi that allows you to transfer most data over Wi-Fi Direct without an Internet connection. It is pre-installed on all new smartphones of the brand and supports migration from devices to Android 5.0+ and iOS 9.0+.

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

• 📱 On the new Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select Data Portability from the settings menu. If the phone is already configured, find the Mi Mover app in the list of programs.
• 🔄 On an old phone, install Mi Mover from Google Play (for Android) or the App Store (for iPhone). Run it and select the role "Sender".
• 📶 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network or use the "Access Point" feature on your old phone. In Mi Mover, click "Connect" and scan. QR-screen code from the new Xiaomi.
• 📁 Select data types to transfer: contacts, messages, photos, videos, applications (if supported) and system settings. Start transferring.

Charging both phones >50%|Install Mi Mover on your old phone|Connect to a single Wi-Fi network|Close the background applications on both devices|Free up space on the new Xiaomi (minimum 20% of memory)-->

The speed of the transfer depends on the volume of data and the model of the phones. For example, transferring 10 GB of photos and videos from the Redmi Note 12 to the Xiaomi 14 Pro takes about 15-20 minutes. If the process is interrupted, try restarting both devices and reconnecting.

⚠️ Note: When you migrate applications through Mi Mover, not all programs will save their data (such as games or instant messengers.

2.Moving from iPhone to Xiaomi: bypassing Apple's restrictions

The transition from iPhone to Xiaomi is complicated by Apple's closed ecosystem, but there are a few working methods: the main tool is the Move to iOS app (yes, it works the other way around!), but with some caveats.

Algorithm of action:

• 🍎 On iPhone, install Mi Mover from the App Store and select Send Data to Android".
• 🤖 On the new Xiaomi in the data port menu, select "iPhone/iPad" and follow the instructions.
• 🔗 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network and wait for the connection code to be generated on Xiaomi. Enter it on your iPhone.
• 📂 Select your export data: contacts, photos, videos (but not music from Apple Music.

Unfortunately, Move to iOS does not tolerate:

• 🎵 Music and podcasts from Apple Music (they will have to be downloaded again).
• 📅 Calendars and reminders (export them separately via iCloud) → Exports).
• 💬 Messages from iMessage (can be saved to the PDF third-party).

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Before transferring, disable iMessage on your iPhone in Settings → Messages, otherwise SMS may not come to the new Xiaomi in the first day.

To transfer photos from iCloud, an alternative method is:

1. Open iCloud.com on your computer.
2. Select "Photos", then "Select all" → "Download".
3. Copy the archive to the new Xiaomi via a USB-C cable.

Manual transfer via computer: reliable, but longer

If wireless methods are not suitable (for example, due to a large amount of data or unstable Wi-Fi), use a computer as an intermediary, which is universal and works even with very old phones.

You'll need:

• 💻 Computer with Windows/macOS free USB-port.
• 🔌 Cables. USB Both phones (may require an adapter) USB-C → USB-A).
• 📂 Sufficient space on the hard disk (recommended) 20-30 GB of free space).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your old phone to your computer and copy all important files (photos, videos, documents) to a separate folder. For Android, use File Transfer (MTP) mode, for iPhone, use iTunes or Finder.
2. Turn off your old phone and plug in a new Xiaomi. Allow access to the device's memory.
3. Transfer the previously copied files to a new smartphone. You can use an archiver (e.g. WinRAR or 7-Zip) to speed up the process.
4. Install the necessary apps from Google Play and log in to your accounts to recover data (such as WhatsApp or Viber).

The advantage of this method is that you can control the data you're carrying, and you can select only the files you want and avoid the garbage, but it takes longer, especially if you have a lot of data.

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

Cloud storage is convenient if you have a stable Internet and uncritical data volume (up to 15-20 GB). Xiaomi offers its own solution, Mi Cloud, but it has a limit of 5 GB of free space.

Comparison of cloud services for data transfer:

Instructions for Google Drive:

1. On your old phone, install Google Drive and log in to your account.
2. Click "+ → Download" and select files for backup.
3. On the new Xiaomi, install the same app, log in to your account and download files.

⚠️ Note: When you upload photos to Google Photos in High Quality mode, they are compressed to 16 MP resolution. To maintain original quality, select Original Quality (but this will take up space in your cloud storage).

5. Applications and their data portability: what you need to know

Many users have a problem: apps have migrated, but their settings, game progress, or chat history have not, because not all programs support cross-platform backup.

How to save application data:

• 🎮 Games: Use a link to your Google Play Games account, Facebook or developer service (e.g. Supercell) ID Clash of Clans).
• 💬 Messengers: WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber have built-in backup features. For WhatsApp, backup to Settings → chat → Backup copy.
• 📊 Social networks: Instagram, TikTok and Facebook data are tied to the account – just log in on a new phone.
• 🏦 Banking applications: They can not be transferred – you will have to install again and pass authorization (usually through the Internet). SMS push-notification).

Critical information: Some applications (such as SberBank Online or Tinkoff) may block access when you change your device, check in advance if your bank supports cloud transfer or if you need to visit a branch office.

For manually transferring application data (if not synced to the cloud):

1. Use file managers like Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer to access /data/data/ (root rights required).
2. Copy folders with the data of the desired applications (for example, com.whatsapp for WhatsApp).
3. Move them to the new phone in the same directory (again, root is needed).

Mi Mover (wireless) | Cloud services (Google Drive, Mi Cloud) | Manual transfer via computer | Specialized programs (e.g. Smart Switch) | I can't carry data, I configure my phone from scratch-->

6. Transfer of SMS, calls and contacts: nuances

Contacts, call history and SMS are the most common things that get lost when you change your phone, and fortunately, it's easy to move around if you know the right tools.

Methods of transferring contacts:

• 📇 Using Google Account: On your old phone, go to Settings → Accounts. → Google and enable contact sync. On the new Xiaomi, add the same account, and contacts will be automatically downloaded.
• 📱 Through SIM-Map: Export contacts to SIM menu "Contacts" → Management → Import/Export," then import them on a new phone. SIM No more than 250 contacts are placed.
• 🖥️ Through computer: Export contacts to.vcf file (on Android: Contacts) → Three points. → Export, then import it to Xiaomi.

SMS and call history transfer:

• 💬 For Android.→Android use the app SMS Backup & Restore. It creates a backup in.xml format that can be restored on a new phone.
• 📞 Call history is only transferred via Mi Mover or specialized programs like Super Backup.

If you've used an iPhone, your SMS and call history won't be transferred by standard means.

1. Backup your iPhone via iTunes.
2. Use third-party utilities like iMazing or AnyTrans to export your story to readable format (CSV or PDF).

7. Post-transfer validation and optimization

After the data transfer is complete, don't rush to reset your old phone. First, make sure everything is copied correctly:

Contacts (open app and scroll list)| Photos and videos (check DCIM and Download folders)| Applications (make sure everyone is installed and working)| Mes (open last correspondence)| Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings (connect to a known network)| Notifications (check if SMS and push notifications are coming)-->

Typical post-transfer problems and their solution:

• 📸 Photos won't open: Check if the files are damaged. If so, try transferring them over the computer.
• 🔊 No sound in the video: This may be due to codecs' non-resistance.Install the app MX Player with support for all formats.
• 📱 Apps fly out: Clear the app's cache in Settings → Annexes → [Title of the programme] → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
• 🔋 Fast battery drain: After transferring data, the system indexes files, which can increase power consumption. Give the phone 24 hours to optimize.

If you have moved data from your iPhone, pay attention to:

• 🎵 Music: Files from Apple Music are not portable. Download them again via YouTube Music or Spotify.
• 📅 Calendars: Export them from iCloud in.ics format and import them to Google Calendar.

8. Alternative programs for data transfer

If standard methods don’t work, third-party utilities can be used, often offering additional features, such as transferring data between different operating systems or selecting specific file types.

Popular programmes:

Example of the use of SHAREit:

1. Install the app on both phones.
2. On the old phone, select "Send", on the new one - "Get".
3. Scan it. QR-code or connect through device search.
4. Select the files and start transferring.

⚠️ Note: Some programs (e.g., SHAREit or Xender) request access to contacts, messages and location. Check Google Play reviews for security before installing.

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The side of the program is convenient for transferring large amounts of data, but official tools (Mi Mover, Google Drive) are more reliable from the point of view of security.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data portability to Xiaomi