Buying a new smartphone is always a thrill, but it also poses a challenge: how quickly and without loss to move all the information from the old device? Owners of the Xiaomi ecosystem are in a great position, because the developers have provided powerful built-in tools for this purpose. You do not need to manually rewrite numbers or search for separate applications for each category of files.
The migration process has become much easier with the release of modern versions of the MIUI shell and HyperOS. The system offers automated scenarios that minimize human involvement. However, to avoid common errors and not lose important photos or correspondence, you need to follow a proven algorithm of actions.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available ways of cloning information, from using a regular application to cloud services, and learn about the nuances of transferring Wi-Fi passwords and alarm settings. Proper preparation of both gadgets is the key to the success of the entire operation.
Preparing devices for data migration
Before you start the copying process, you need to make sure that both smartphones are ready to work. First of all, check the battery level on both devices. It is desirable that the charge is at least 50-60%, since active transfer of large amounts of data can quickly consume energy.
⚠️ Warning: Do not start the process if one of the devices is discharged below 30%.Suddenly disconnecting the phone at the time of writing system files can lead to a software failure.
It is also recommended to make room on the new device, although the system will warn you about the lack of memory, it is better to make sure that the free space exceeds the amount of data on the old phone, delete unnecessary files or temporarily transfer them to the computer.
Make sure both devices have Wi-Fi enabled. Even if you will be using a direct connection between phones, system services often require wireless network activation to allow transmission protocols to work properly.
☑️ Ready for transfer
Use of the Mi Mover app
The most efficient and quickest way is to use the built-in Mi Mover tool, which is pre-installed on all of the brand’s modern smartphones and optimized for the MIUI shell, and allows you to transfer contacts, messages, call logs, photos, music, videos, documents and even system settings.
To get started, open the app on both devices. On the old phone, select the role of "Sender" (Old phone), and on the new one - "Receiver" (New phone). The system automatically prompts you to create an access point or connect to an existing network. If you use the Mi Mover, the new smartphone will create a temporary Wi-Fi network to which you need to connect to the old device.
Once you have established the connection, you will see a list of data categories available for transfer, you can select all at once or only select the necessary items, the transfer speed depends on the file size and version of the supported Wi-Fi standard.
- 📱 Contacts and call history are transferred almost instantly.
- 📸 Gallery and video files take the most time depending on the size of the library.
- ⚙️ System settings include Wi-Fi passwords, alarm clocks and decorated themes.
- 📦 Applications will be downloaded and installed automatically, but may require re-authorization.
⚠️ Attention: Banking applications and some messengers may not migrate authorization data for security reasons.
Configure with your Mi Cloud account
An alternative, but equally reliable, method is synchronization via the Mi Cloud, which is ideal if you don’t have both phones on hand at the same time or want to back up before selling your old device, and you’ll need a stable Internet connection to work.
On your old smartphone, go to your Mi Account settings. In the "Mi Cloud" section, select the sync data types: contacts, notes, voice recorder, gallery and messages. Click on "Sync" and wait for the process to be completed. You can check the download status in the web version of the cloud.
On the new device, log in to the same account, the system will offer to restore data from the cloud, you can choose to restore completely or download only certain categories, which is especially convenient for saving contacts, since they are permanently attached to the account.
| Parameter | Mi Mover | Mi Cloud | Google One |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed. | High (locally) | Depends on the Internet. | Depends on the Internet. |
| Internet required | Not required | Mandatory. | Mandatory. |
| Transfer of settings | Complete. | Partial | Basic |
| Data limit | No. | 5GB free of charge | 15GB free of charge |
What to do if the synchronization is suspended?
Local transmission via Wi-Fi Direct
Android and MIUI have a quick setup feature that works on the principle of Wi-Fi Direct, which does not require the installation of additional applications and is often activated automatically when a new smartphone is first turned on, and provides high transfer speeds without using a router.
When you turn on your new phone and start the initial setup, the system will prompt you to copy the data from another device. Select the option "Copy with Android." On an old phone, you may need to open the browser and enter the displayed code or scan. QR-code.
The advantage of this method is that it works even if the old phone does not have a Mi Mover or a different device, but it is better to use a specialized application to transfer all data between the two Xiaomis, since it is more deeply integrated into the system.
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Use the “Transport Mode” feature in Mi Mover if a standard connection is not established. This speeds up the search for devices in complex network conditions.
Transfer of messengers and applications
Special attention needs to be paid to the transfer of data from messengers such as WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber. Despite the fact that Mi Mover carries the applications themselves, the history of correspondence is often stored in secure folders, access to which is limited. It is critical for WhatsApp to back up chats inside the application itself before switching.
In WhatsApp settings, select Chats → Chat Backup and click Backup. Make sure the copy is saved to Google Drive. Once you install the app on your new phone and log in to the same number, the system will prompt you to restore your message history from the cloud.
Telegram and Viber are similar in process, but these messengers also store some of the data on their servers.Two-factor authentication may require a confirmation code to come to SMS or the app on the old device, so don't rush to sell or reset it.
- 💬 WhatsApp: Manual backup required in Google Drive before transfer.
- ✈️ Telegram: History is cloud-based, it is restored automatically when you log in to your account.
- 📞 Viber: You need to create a local or cloud copy in the application settings.
- 🔐 Banking applications: Requires re-binding of the device and SMS-confirmation.
⚠️ Warning: Do not delete your account from your old phone until all services are fully verified on the new device.
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The most reliable way to save correspondence is to make a local backup in the settings of the messenger itself, and not rely only on system transfer.
Decision and advice
There may be technical difficulties in migrating, such as a 99 percent interruption, most often due to a connection or space gap, in which case don't panic, interrupt, clear the Mi Mover cache, and try to re-start the transmission.
If some apps are not installed, check their compatibility with the Android version on the new device. Older versions of the software may not be supported by the new operating system. In this case, find the current version in the GetApps store or Google Play.
After the successful completion of all procedures, it is recommended to restart the new smartphone, which will allow the system to correctly index the files and apply all the new settings, only after that you can start resetting the old device to factory settings.
To speed up the process in the future, set up automatic photo sync in Mi Cloud or Google Photos, which will save you from having to manually transfer gigabytes of images the next time you change your phone.