How to quickly and safely transfer data from iPhone to Xiaomi: contacts, photos, videos and applications

Why migrating data from iOS to Android is not as easy as it seems

The transition from iPhone to Xiaomi smartphone is not just a change of gadget, but a transition between two fundamentally different ecosystems. Apple and Google use different storage formats, synchronization protocols and even a philosophy of working with files. If on Android devices you are used to an open file system and freedom of action, iOS keeps everything under strict control, restricting access to system folders.

The main problem is that the iPhone does not support direct cable data transfer to Android devices without intermediaries. Unlike switching between smartphones of the same ecosystem (for example, from Samsung to Xiaomi), where you can use standard tools like Smart Switch or Mi Mover, it requires a workaround. Fortunately, users have at least 5 working methods, from official utilities to manual transfer via computer.

In this article, we will look at each method in detail, with nuances in mind: what data can be transferred, how long it will take, and what pitfalls may arise, and focus on contacts, photos/videos, notes and applications, the types of data that most often cause questions among users.

Method 1: The official Mi Mover utility is the easiest way

Mi Mover is a Xiaomi-branded app that is designed to migrate data between devices, and it supports porting from iPhone to Xiaomi, but with some limitations. The main advantage is that you don't have to connect to a computer or use cloud services. It's all wireless.

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

• 📱 Install the Mi Mover app on your iPhone from the App Store (it’s free).
• 🔄 On the new Xiaomi go to Settings → The phone. → Data portability (or find Mi Mover in the app menu).
• 📶 Run Mi Mover on both devices and select “I give” on your iPhone and “I receive” on Xiaomi".
• 🔗 Connect to a single Wi-Fi network or create an access point on Xiaomi and connect your iPhone to it.
• 📁 Select data types for transfer (contacts, photos, videos, calendars) and confirm the transfer.

It’s important to keep in mind that Mi Mover doesn’t carry apps, just media files and contacts, and there may be format issues, such as videos in HEIC (the standard iPhone format) don’t automatically convert and you’ll have to manually convert them.

⚠️ Note: If your iPhone has two-factor authentication enabled for iCloud, make sure that your contacts are synced to your Google account or exported to a.vcf file before transferring them.

Charge both devices >50%|The same Wi-Fi network (or access point)|Disabled. VPN firewalls|Free space on Xiaomi (>10GB)|Updated both versions of the Mi Mover-->

Method 2: Transfer over iCloud – reliable, but not always fast

If you have a backup in iCloud, you can use it to partially transfer data, which is suitable for contacts, calendars, notes and photos, but not for applications or messages, the main advantage is that you do not need to install additional software, and the disadvantage is the volume limit (free only 5 GB).

Instructions for transfer via iCloud:

1. On iPhone, go to Settings → [Your name] → iCloud and make sure that sync is enabled for the data you want (contacts, photos, notes).
2. On your computer, open your browser and log in to iCloud.com under your Apple ID.
3. Export data: 📇 Contacts: Contacts → Highlight everything → Settings (⚙) → Exports vCard. 📅 Calendars: Calendar → General calendar → Exports. 📝 Notes: Copy text manually or export through Mail. 📷 Photos: select the right ones and click Download (or use iCloud for Windows).

Xiaomi

Google Drive

USB-cable

Mi Mover

For photos and videos, there is an alternative way: install the Google Photos app on Xiaomi and enable autoload from iCloud (in the app settings), which will automatically sync the media library without manual export.

💡

If you have a lot of HEIC photos, use the free HEIC to JPG Converter app on your iPhone to convert them to a compatible format before transferring them.

Method 3: Using a computer (Mac or Windows) – a universal method

And it's the most reliable way to migrate data over a computer, if you have a lot of files, or if you want to have complete control of the process. USB-cable (original better) and a little patience. It works on both Macs and Windows, but there's some nuances.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your iPhone to your computer and unlock it (wait for the “Trust this computer?” request).
2. Windows: 🖥️ Install iTunes (if not installed) or Apple Mobile Device Support drivers. 📁 Open "This Computer" and your iPhone will appear as a separate device. Go to the Internal Storage folder. → DCIM photo/video.

Mac

• 🍎 Use the Photo Program to import media files or Finder (under Locations").
• 🔍 To access other files (such as voice recordings) you may need iMazing or AnyTrans.
• Copy the files you want to use on your computer, then connect Xiaomi to File Transfer (MTP) mode and transfer the data.

⚠️ Note: When connecting Xiaomi to a Mac, you may need to install Android File Transfer - the official utility from Google for working with Android devices on macOS. Without it, the smartphone file system will not appear.

MacBook or iMac|Laptop/PC on Windows|Linux|I don't use my computer.-->

Method 4: Cloud Services – Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive

If you have slow Internet or little space on your devices, cloud services are a good alternative, and the main advantage is that you don't have to connect your devices to your computer, and the data is accessible from any gadget, but you may need a paid subscription to a large amount of photos/video.

Comparison of popular services:

• 🌐 Google Drive: ✅ 15 GB free, Android integration. ⚠️ Can compress a photo when uploading (quality settings).
• ☁️ Dropbox: ✅ Convenient interface, support HEIC. ❌ Only 2GB is free.
• 📁 OneDrive: ✅ 5GB free, good download speed. ⚠️ Xiaomi may require manual synchronization.
• On Xiaomi, open Google Drive, find uploaded files and download them or make them available offline.

Method 5: Transferring applications and their data is the hardest thing

Unlike media files or contacts, apps and their data (for example, save games, settings messengers) to move from iOS to Android is extremely difficult.

• 🚫 Different Installator Formats (.ipa for iOS vs.apk for Android).
• 🔒 Application data protection (many games and services link saves to Apple) ID).
• ⚠️ Lack of universal tools for migration.

What can be done:

• 🎮 Games: Use cross-platform accounts (e.g. Google Play Games, Facebook, Game Center) and check if the game supports cloud-based saves (e.g. Genshin Impact, Clash of Clans).
• 💬 Messengers: On WhatsApp or Telegram, chat saves are transferred through export/import (in WhatsApp this is done via Google Drive). Viber can back up to iCloud and restore it to Android (but not always stable).
• 📱 Other apps: Check with the developer if data porting is supported (e.g. Spotify or Netflix sync your story through your account).

⚠️ Note: Some apps (such as Apple Music or Apple Pay) don’t run on Android, and they’ll need to look for alternative services (such as YouTube Music instead of Apple Music).

💡

Most Android apps have Google Play counterparts, but their data (such as game progress) will have to be manually transferred through cloud services or social media accounts.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even when following instructions, users often encounter problems, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to solve them:

• 🔌 Xiaomi doesn't see iPhone over Wi-Fi in Mi Mover: Make sure both devices are connected to the same network (not to different bands of the same router, such as 2.4GHz and 5GHz). VPN You can have firewalls on both devices.
• 📱 Contacts are duplicated after transfer: Before importing, remove duplicates on your iPhone (use the Contacts app) → "Groups" → On Xiaomi, after importing, use the built-in contact merge function (Contacts) → Settings → Connecting contacts).
• 📷 Photo format HEIC Not open on Xiaomi: Convert them to JPG on the iPhone with apps like HEIC to JPG. Or install an app on Xiaomi HEIC Viewer from Google Play.
• ⚡ Transfer interrupted in the middle: Check battery power (should be) >Close all background apps on both devices. If you use Mi Mover, try to reduce the amount of data you transmit (e.g., transfer photos and videos separately).

If none of these methods worked, try alternative utilities:

• SHAREit is a wireless file transfer (works unstable on new versions of iOS).
• Send Anywhere – generates a temporary link to download files.
• Feem is a local Wi-Fi transmission without internet.

However, for large amounts of data (for example, >20 GB of photo / video), the computer is still more convenient.

Use a backup copy on your computer

• If you have previously done a backup through iTunes or Finder, you can extract data using iMazing or iExplorer.

If your iPhone is turned on but not responsive to the screen, connect it to your computer and try to control it via iTunes or Explorer.