How to Transfer Data from Xiaomi to Redmi: A Complete Guide to Comparing All Ways

Switching from one Xiaomi smartphone to another — whether it’s the new Redmi Note 13 or the budget Redmi A2 — always involves data portability. Contacts, photos, messages, apps, and even system settings: all of these can be saved, but only if you choose the right method, errors at this stage lead to loss of important information, duplicate files or malfunction of the new device.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways of data transfer between Xiaomi devices, including official tools (for example, Mi Mover) and alternative solutions (cloud services, cables, third-party applications). Why some files don't transfer, how to avoid sync errors and what to do if the process is 99% frozen. MIUI 12–14.

1.Official method: Mi Mover - fast, but with limitations

Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s proprietary solution for data migration between the brand’s devices, pre-installed on all MIUI smartphones, but it doesn’t work perfectly, and the main advantage is direct Wi-Fi transmission without intermediaries (cloud or PC), which speeds up the process and preserves privacy.

However, there are pitfalls:

• 📱 Only devices are supported on MIUI 9 and newer. If your old smartphone works on MIUI 8 (e.g. Redmi) 4X), You have to use another method.
• 🔄 Not all types of data are ported correctly, for example, the settings of some applications (for example, Xiaomi Home for smart home) may reset.
• 🛑 The process is interrupted if the new device has insufficient memory or a battery is under 20%.

To avoid problems, before starting:

Charge both devices to 100% | Connect both smartphones to the same Wi-Fi network |Free at least 30% of memory on the new device |Update MIUI to the latest version on both phones |Disable VPN and firewalls-->

The process itself takes 10 to 40 minutes depending on the amount of data. If the transfer is suspended during the Preparation stage, try restarting the application or resetting the network settings on both devices (Settings → Wi-Fi → Additional → Network Reset).

Xiaomi Cloud Transfer: Reliable, but not for all files

Xiaomi Cloud allows you to synchronize contacts, notes, photos and even call recordings between devices, the advantage of which is that data is accessible from any device, even if the old one is lost.

• 📁 The free fare offers just 5GB of storage. It's not enough to carry photos and videos.
• 🔒 Some data (for example, messages from SMS/MMS) Only synced with active subscription to Mi Cloud+.
• ⏳ The download speed depends on your Internet connection. On slow Wi-Fi, the process can take hours.

How to move data through the cloud:

1. On the old device, open Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Turn on synchronization for the desired categories (contacts, gallery, notes).
3. On the new Redmi, log in to the same Xiaomi account and wait for the sync to complete.

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If photos are not uploaded to the cloud, check the file format. Xiaomi Cloud does not support.HEIC (iPhone format) - convert them to.JPEG via the Gallery app (Edit → Save as).

Important! After transferring data through the cloud, don't delete it from the old device right away. Make sure all files are correctly displayed on the new Redmi. Sometimes photos may not load due to a 403 Forbidden error - in which case, try repeating sync every other day.

OTG + Adapter Cable: for large volumes without Internet

If you don't have Wi-Fi access or data takes hundreds of gigabytes (like a 4K video collection), direct cable transfer is the best solution.

• 🔌 OTG-Adapter (e.g. Xiaomi) USB-C to USB-A).
• 📱 Cable USB-C — USB-C (If both devices are modern, or Micro-USB — USB-C (old-model).
• 🔋 Charger – the process can drain the battery by 15-20%.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the old device to the new one through OTG-Adapter. You'll see a notification on the screen "USB-Connection - select "File Transfer".
2. On the new Redmi, open the Explorer (Mi File Manager) and go to the section "USB-device".
3. Copy the right folders (DCIM for photo, download to internal memory or SD-map.

Up to 5GB|5-20 GB|20–50 GB|More than 50GB|I can't stand it. Everything's in the cloud.-->

Warning: Do not remove the cable while copying! this can damage the file system on both devices.If the process is interrupted, restart both smartphones and try again.

⚠️ Note: Some Redmi models (e.g. Redmi) 9A) when connected through OTG You may not have enough power to keep the transmission stable, in which case you use a powered Y cable or connect both devices to charge.

4. Third-party applications: when standard methods do not work

If Mi Mover refuses to see the device, and the cloud is not suitable due to limitations, third-party utilities will come to the rescue.

How to transfer data to Send Anywhere:

1. Install the app on both devices from Google Play.
2. On an old smartphone, select files and click “Send” – a 6-digit key is generated.
3. On the new Redmi, enter this key in the "Get" field.

Important: When transferring applications (APKs) through third-party utilities, they will have to be manually installed, and the new device must be allowed to install from unknown sources (Settings → Applications → Special Access → Install Unknown Applications).

⚠️ Note: Do not use SHAREit to transfer personal documents (passports, bank data) in 2020, the application was found to collect user data without consent.

5. Computer Transfer: For Full Control of Files

If you need to not only copy the data, but also sort it before the perenosom (for example, delete duplicate photos or archive messages), connecting both smartphones to a PC will be the best option.

• 💻 Windows computer 10/11 macOS.
• 🔌 Cables. USB-C/Micro-USB plug-in.
• 📂 File management software (e.g. Total Commander or standard Windows Explorer).

Algorithm of action:

1. Connect the old device to the PC in the "File Transfer" mode (when a notification appears on the phone).
2. Copy the folders you need (DCIM, Pictures, Downloads) to your computer’s hard drive.
3. Disable the old device, connect the new Redmi and transfer the data in reverse order.

To transfer SMS and call logs, use specialized programs:

• 📞 MobileTrans (paid but supported) MIUI).
• 💬 SMS Backup & Restore (free, saves messages in the XML).

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Transferring over a PC is the only way to save folder structure and file metadata (date of creation, geotags). Standard methods (Mi Mover, cloud) often reset this data.

6. Portability of applications and their data: why it is difficult

The most problematic part of migration is the transfer of installed applications and their data (for example, saving in games, setting up instant messengers).

• 📦 APK-Files can be copied, but they won’t work without data (/data/data).
• 🔐 Access to the folder /data It is possible only with root rights, which deprives of guarantees.
• ☁️ Not all apps support sync via account (for example, WhatsApp requires a manual backup).

Solutions for popular applications:

• 💬 WhatsApp: Create a backup in Settings → chat → Backup, then restore to the new device under the same number.
• 🎮 Games: Use a Google Play Games or Game Center account binding (for iOS transitions).
• 📅 Calendar/Contact: Sync through your Google or Xiaomi account.

For other applications, the only reliable way is to manually configure the new device, for example, Telegram just logs in with the same number, and Spotify just downloads the playlists again.

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If the game doesn’t support cloud saves, try using Helium (requires) USB-The app backs up game data, but it doesn't work with all titles.

Comparison of all methods: which one to choose?

To make the choice easier, we have put the key parameters in a table:

Our advice:

• 📱 If both devices are MIUI 12+ → Use the Mi Mover.
• ☁️ Only contact/note transfers are required. → Xiaomi Cloud.
• 💾 Large data volume (100)+ GB) → cable OTG PC.
• 🔄 The old device is not from Xiaomi → Apps (Send Anywhere).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions