How to Switch to Another Xiaomi Phone with All Data Saving: 5 Proven Ways

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always an exciting moment: you want all the photos, contacts, messages and settings to remain in place. SMS, And you have to reconfigure the applications. Why is this happening? Most often because of a mis-selected portability or missing steps when you back up.

In this article, we will look at all the current methods of data migration between Xiaomi phones, from the standard Mi Cloud tools to the hidden features of Mi Mover. Particular attention will be paid to the nuances that are not written in the official instructions: how to transfer passwords from Wi-Fi, save the history of calls or avoid duplication of files.

If you have already tried to move to a new Redmi or POCO And you've had some mistakes -- don't rush to dump your old phone, and you've probably missed one of the critical steps that we'll talk about below.

1.Preparation for the transfer: what to do before buying a new phone

Many people only start thinking about data portability when the new Xiaomi is in their hands, a huge mistake that can cost you important information.

✅ Check the version. MIUI If it's old, if it's old, MIUI 12 against the background of the current MIUI 14), update the system through Settings → The phone. → Update the system, which will eliminate compatibility issues when you move.

✅ Clean up the trash. Delete the files, the app cache, and the duplicate photos. The less weight you're under, the faster and more stable the migration will be.

✅ Write down logins and passwords from key services: Mi Account, Google, banking applications. When you transfer some data may not be restored automatically and you will need to log in manually.

⚠️ Note: If the old phone has Reset Protection enabled (in Settings) → Password and security, disable it in advance, otherwise, when you try to transfer the system can block access to data, mistaking the process for an attempt to hack.

Pay special attention to applications with two-factor authentication (for example, Telegram or banking services), if they are tied to a phone number, after transferring. SIM-You'll need to confirm your entry. Check in advance if you have backup access codes.

2. Method 1: Transfer over Mi Account (Xiaomi Cloud)

The easiest, but not always reliable, method is synchronization via Mi Cloud, which is suitable if you have a stable Internet and not too much data (the Xiaomi cloud only gives 5 GB for free).

How it works:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Turn on synchronization for all the necessary categories: Contacts, Notes, Bookmarks, Settings.
3. Wait until the download is complete (it can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours).
4. On the new phone, log in to the same Mi Account and enable synchronization.

✔️ Pros of the method:

• 🔄 Automatic Update – If you add a contact on one phone, it will appear on another.
• 🌍 Access data from any device, not even Xiaomi (via i.mi.com web version).
• 🔒 Encryption of data during transmission.

❌ Cons and pitfalls:

• 📸 Photos and videos are synchronized only in compressed form (originals are not saved).
• 📱 Applications and their data (for example, saves in games) are not portable.
• 🔋 The battery charge is only enough to charge 1-2 Synchronization cycle – it is better to connect the phone to the network.

Important: If you have used Google Contacts in parallel with Mi Cloud, you may experience duplication. Before transferring, select one service and disable sync in another.

Method 2: Mi Mover - Official Transfer Application

Mi Mover is an application built into Xiaomi that allows you to transfer data directly over Wi-Fi or over cable, it works even without the Internet and carries much more information than the cloud:

📌 What Mi Mover is up to:

• 📱 Applications and their data (including game saves).
• 📷 Photos and videos in original quality.
• 📞 Call history and SMS/MMS.
• 🔑 Wi-Fi passwords and network settings.
• 🎵 Music and downloads.

Step-by-step:

1. Install Mi Mover on both phones (if it is not available, download it from Google Play).
2. On the new phone, select I am a new user, on the old one, Send data.
3. Connect your phones to a single Wi-Fi network or connect them with a cable (recommended for large amounts of data).
4. On an old phone, tick the category to transfer and click Send.
5. Wait until the end (may take a while to complete) 20 minute 2-3 hours).

Charging both phones > 50%|Disabled. VPN proxy|Both phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (or are connected to the same Wi-Fi network). OTG-cable)|There is plenty of free space on the new phone.|Mi Cloud Sync is disabled (to avoid conflicts)

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⚠️ Warning: If the transfer is interrupted in the middle, some data may be damaged. Never take the cable out or turn off the Wi-Fi until the process is complete, or else history. SMS If it fails, you'll have to start over, after you've cleared the memory of the new phone.

🔹 The transfer speed depends on the method of connection:

• Cable (OTG): ~500 MB/min.
• Wi-Fi: ~100-200 MB/min (depending on the router).

If you POCO F5 or Redmi Note 12 Pro+ with a large amount of memory, it is better to use a cable - so the process will take place in the 3-5 less.

4. Method 3: Transfer through Google Account (alternative to Mi Cloud)

If you don’t trust Xiaomi’s cloud or don’t have much space in the Mi Cloud, you can use Google Account, which is universal and works on any Android device, but doesn’t transfer all the data:

📋 What is synced through Google:

• 📇 Contacts (full).
• 📅 Calendar and reminders.
• 📝 Notes (if you use Google Keep).
• 📎 Chrome bookmarks.
• 📱 Some system settings (language, date/time, Wi-Fi network).

🚫 What's not tolerable:

• 📷 Photos and videos (you need to use Google Photos separately).
• 🎮 Application and game data.
• 📞 Call history and SMS.

How to set up synchronization:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings. → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization of the account.
2. Turn on synchronization for all the categories you need.
3. On the new phone, log in to the same Google account and wait for automatic sync.

⚡ Advice to speed up: If there is a lot of data, go to Google Photos before transferring and manually start backing up photos in original quality (settings) → Backup and synchronization).

💡

If you have two-factor authentication on Google, check backup codes before transferring. After changing your phone, the system may require confirmation via Google. SMS, which will come to the old number (if the number is SIM-map hasn't been moved yet).

5. Method 4: Manual transfer via computer (for advanced users)

If you need to transfer specific files (e.g., just photos from the last year or save from a single game), you can do it manually via PC, which takes longer, but gives you complete control over the process.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS.
• 🔌 Two USB- cables (preferably original from Xiaomi).
• 📁 Copyware (e.g., Total Commander or standard conductor).

Instructions:

1. Connect your old phone to your PC in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the right folders: DCIM — Photos and videos. Downloads - downloads. Android/data — Data from certain applications (e.g. game saving).

Disable the old phone, plug in a new one, and paste the copied files into the same folders.

SMS and call histories

SMS Backup & Restore

⚠️ Important nuances:

• Some folders (e.g, Android/data) can be hidden – enable the display of hidden files in the Explorer settings.
• Application data (such as WhatsApp or Viber) is only transferred along with their folders. APK-file-inadequate!
• If the new phone has a different processor (e.g., from MediaTek to Snapdragon), some application data may not recover.

💡

Manual transfer over a PC is the only way to selectively copy only the necessary data without clogging the memory of a new phone with unnecessary files.

Method 5: Use of third-party applications (for specific data)

Sometimes standard methods don't cover all the needs, like how to handle:

• 🎮 Preservations from Games (Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile).
• 📱 Settings for Nova Launcher or other launchers.
• 📊 Fitness trackers (Mi Fitness, Google Fit).

There are specialized tools for this:

⚠️ Warning: Apps like Helium or Titanium Backup require super-user rights to work properly. On new Xiaomi phones, rooting is difficult, which can violate warranty and block certain features (e.g. Google Pay).

If you only need to migrate WhatsApp messages, use the built-in backup in Google Drive:

1. Open WhatsApp. → ⋮ → Settings → chat → Backup copy.
2. Create a backup in Google Drive.
3. On the new phone, install WhatsApp, log in to the same account and restore chats.

7. Comparison of all methods of data transfer

To choose the best method, read the table:

🔹 Recommendations for selection:

• If you have little data and a stable Internet → Mi Cloud.
• If you need to move everything fast → Mi Mover cable.
• If only contacts and photos are important → Google Account + Google Photo.
• If selective copying is required → manual transfer via PC.

8. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even when following instructions, users often encounter problems. TOP-5 mistakes and their solutions:

🔴 Mistake 1: There is not enough space on the new phone"

• 📌 Mi Mover Copies Everything, Including Garbage.
• 🔧 Solution: Clear the app cache before transfer (Settings) → Annexes → Clear the cache) and delete unnecessary files.

🔴 Mistake 2: "SMS not moved"

• 📌 Reason: In the new versions MIUI synchronization is off SMS default.
• 🔧 Solution: Use SMS Backup & Restore or enable backup SMS In Settings → Memory. → Backup.

🔴 Error 3: “Applications are moved but not working"

• 📌 Reason: Incompatibility of Android versions or processor architecture.
• 🔧 Solution: Update apps via Google Play after the transfer.

🔴 Error 4: “Photos in the gallery are not displayed"

• 📌 Reason: Folder DCIM It is not copied to the root of memory, but to another directory.
• 🔧 Solution: Move the folder to the root of internal memory and reboot the phone.

🔴 Mistake 5: "Mi Mover is getting stuck on 99%"

• 📌 Cause: Conflict with background processes or unstable connection.
• 🔧 Solution: Close all applications, disable VPN If it doesn't work, use cable instead of Wi-Fi.

⚠️ If after transferring on the new phone, banking applications (SberBank, Tinkoff, etc.) disappeared, this is due to a change in Android. ID. To restore access, you will have to reinstall the application and go through verification again (maybe you will need to visit the bank branch).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions