How to Flip Data From Phone to Phone by Xiaomi: A Complete 2026 Guide

Introduction: why you need data transfer between Xiaomi smartphones

Moving to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but data porting often becomes a headache. Contacts, photos, messages, apps all need to be saved and moved correctly. According to statistics, 68% of users delay buying a new phone precisely because of fear of losing important information. Meanwhile, the manufacturer offers several built-in tools for painless migration, and also supports universal methods.

Xiaomi’s ecosystem is optimized to work within its own line of devices, which means that transferring data between two of the brand’s smartphones (like the Redmi Note 12 to the Xiaomi 14 Pro) is faster and more stable than transferring it to other brands. But even here, there are nuances: some methods only work on new models with MIUI 14+, while others require additional adjustments. In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways, from branded Mi Mover to manual transfer via PC.

Method 1: Mi Mover – the official solution from Xiaomi

Mi Mover is an integrated data migration app that automatically installs on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 9 and above, and allows you to transfer almost everything: contacts, SMS, photos, videos, music, documents, and even some system settings. The main advantage is that you do not need the Internet or a computer: transfer is via a direct Wi-Fi connection between devices.

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

• 📱 On your old phone, open Settings. → The phone. → Data Transfer (Mi Mover).
• 🔄 On your new phone, select Settings → Additional → Data Transfer and click "I'm a new user."
• 📶 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network or create an access point on an old smartphone.
• 🔍 On your old phone, select data to transfer (you can mark everything or select individual categories).
• ⏳ Wait for the process to be completed (time depends on the amount of data).

It is important to consider the limitations of the Mi Mover:

• ❌ Apps installed are not portable (only their data if the app is already installed on a new phone).
• ❌ Some system settings (e.g., fingerprints or a pattern lock) do not migrate.
• ❌ On devices with MIUI 12 and older, an app may need to be updated via Google Play.

Charge both phones at least to the minimum. 50%|Make room on the new device (recommended) 2-3 GB)|Connect both phones to charge during the process|Make sure that both phones have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled.-->

⚠️ Warning: If a new phone already has a Mi Account, data from the old device can overwrite the existing ones.

Method 2: Move over the Xiaomi Cloud

Xiaomi Cloud is another official migration option that is suitable if you have a stable internet connection. Unlike Mi Mover, this is where data is first uploaded to the cloud and then downloaded to a new device, which is convenient if the phones are in different locations or you want to back up before selling your old smartphone.

Instructions for transfer through the cloud:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Xiaomi Cloud.
2. Turn on synchronization for the data you need (contacts, notes, photos, etc.).
3. Wait for the download to be completed (you can check the progress in the "Storage Management" section).
4. On the new phone, sign in to the same Mi Account and enable sync in Xiaomi Cloud.
5. Select the data to download and wait for the process to be completed.

The advantage of the cloud is that you can access data from any device, even if you have already sold your old phone.

• 📉 Free storage is limited to 5GB (for photos and videos).
• ⏳ Download speed depends on the quality of the internet connection.
• 🔒 Some data (such as Wi-Fi passwords) are not synced for security reasons.

5GB (free) |100GB (paid) |200GB (paid) | I don't use the cloud-->

Method 3: Data transmission via OTG cable

If you don’t have Wi-Fi access or want to transfer large files (like video to 4K), a direct OTG cable connection is the best solution, which works on all Xiaomi OTG-enabled smartphones (virtually all models after 2017).

• 🔌 OTG- Cable (Type-C → Type-C or Type-C → MicroUSB, depending on the phone connectors).
• 📱 Two Xiaomi smartphones (one of them must be in the USB- drive mode).
• 🔋 Charging for a new phone (the process can drain the battery).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect. OTG-cable to the new phone and the other end to the old one.
2. On your old phone, select File Transfer (MTP) mode in the connection notification.
3. On your new phone, open Explorer (or any file manager) and select the connected phone as an external drive.
4. Copy the necessary files into the memory of the new device.

⚠️ Warning: When connecting via OTG, do not remove the cable until the copy is complete - this may damage files. If the phone overheats, pause for 5-10 minutes.

This method is suitable for transferring:

• 📷 Large media files (video, RAW-photos).
• 📄 Documents and archives.
• 🎵 Music and podcasts.

But there are limitations:

• ❌ Contacts, SMS and applications are not transferred, only files.
• ❌ Copy speed depends on the USB version (older phones can be slow).

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If the OTG- cable is not recognized, try restarting both phones or using a USB 3.0-enabled cable for faster transfers.

Method 4: Using a Google Account to sync

If you use Google services, you can transfer data through your Google account, which is universal and works not only for Xiaomi, but also for other Android devices.

• 📇 Contacts (from Google Contacts).
• 📅 Calendar (Google Calendar).
• 📧 Letters and notes (Gmail, Google Keep).
• 📸 Photos and videos (Google Photos)

How to transfer data via Google:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Turn on synchronization for the desired services (contacts, calendar, disk, etc.).
3. Wait for the sync to complete (check in Google Drive or Google Photos).
4. On the new phone, add the same Google account and enable sync.

Advantages of this method:

• ☁️ Data is available on any device with your account.
• 🔄 Automatic updates when changes are made.
• 📱 It works even if one of the phones is not from Xiaomi.

However, there are also disadvantages:

• ❌ Google Photos compresses images for free storage (quality "High").
• ❌ Not all data is synchronized (e.g., SMS or application settings).
• ❌ Internet connection required.

Method 5: Transfer over Bluetooth (for small files)

If you need to transfer multiple files (like a couple of photos or a document), Bluetooth is the easiest solution, and although it's slow, it doesn't require any additional accessories or the Internet.

• 📎 Documents (.pdf,.docx).
• 📷 Low resolution photo.
• 🎵 Short audio files.

How to transfer files over Bluetooth:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on both phones (Settings → Connections → Bluetooth).
2. Make your phones visible to other devices.
3. On an old phone, select files to transfer (for example, in the gallery, click Share → Bluetooth).
4. Confirm the acceptance of files on the new phone.

Bluetooth limitations:

• 🐢 Transmission speed is about 1-2MB/s (for comparison, Wi-Fi gives 10-50MB/s).
• 📵 Maximum distance is 10 meters.
• ❌ Not suitable for large files (video, archives).

⚠️ Warning: When transmitting over Bluetooth, do not interrupt the connection until the file is fully loaded. Some Xiaomi models (e.g., POCO X3) may require manual confirmation of each file.

Method 6: Manual transfer via computer

If none of the above methods work, you can use a computer-based intermediary, which is a reliable way, especially if you want to sort files before you transfer them.

• 💻 Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux.
• 🔌 Two USB- cables (or one if you use the cloud for intermediate storage).
• 📂 Enough free space on the hard disk.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your old phone to your computer and select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the necessary files (photos, videos, documents) into the folder on the computer.
3. Turn off the old phone and connect the new one.
4. Transfer files from your computer to your new smartphone.

For the transfer of contacts and SMS, you can use specialized programs:

• 📇 CopyTrans Contacts (for contacts)
• 💬 SMS Backup & Restore (for messages).

Advantages of manual transfer:

• 🔍 Complete control of files (you can sort, rename, compress).
• 🛡️ Minimum risk of data loss.
• 📥 Suitable for very large volumes (tens of gigabytes).

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Manual transfer over a PC is the most reliable method for large amounts of data, but it takes more time and additional device.

Method 7: Third-Party Applications for Migration

If Xiaomi's built-in tools don't suit you, you can use third-party apps, which often offer additional features, such as transferring your call history or app settings.

How to use Shareit (for example):

1. Install the app on both phones from Google Play.
2. On the old phone, click "Send" and on the new one, "Get."
3. Select the files to transfer and confirm the connection.
4. Wait until the process is completed.

Warnings when using third-party applications:

• 🛡️ Check application permissions (some request access to SMS or contacts for no reason).
• 📴 Avoid apps with suspiciously high scores and few reviews.
• 🔋 Close the app after use - it can run in the background and consume battery.

Comparison of all methods: which one to choose?

To determine the best method, evaluate your priorities:

• 🔄 Fast and without internet → Mi Mover or OTG- cable.
• ☁️ Backup + access from any device → Xiaomi Cloud or Google Account.
• 📁 Big data → Manual transfer over PC.
• 📲 Transfer to a device of another brand → Google Account or third-party applications.
• 📎 Multiple file transfers → Bluetooth.

If you are not sure which way to choose, answer the questions:

• How much data do I need to transfer? (up to 1 GB/1-10 GB/over 10 GB)
• Do you have access to Wi-Fi or a computer?
• Do I need to move apps and their settings?

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For most Xiaomi users, the best solution is the combination of Mi Mover (for basic data) + Google Account (for backup contacts and mail).

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even with proven methods, users face problems, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to solve them:

• 🔌 Phones can't see each other on Wi-Fi: Check if Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on on both devices. Restart the router or create an access point on the phone. Disable VPN or a firewall that can block the connection.
• ⚡ The process is interrupted in the middle: Connect your phones to charge. Close all the background apps that consume resources. If you use the Mi Mover, upgrade to the latest version.
• 📱 No applications portable: Mi Mover does not install APK- files, but only transfers their data. Apps must be installed manually from Google Play. APK You can use APK Extractor + manual installation to port APK.
• 🔒 Requires bootloader unlock: Some models (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra) may require unlocking to transfer system data. This is unsafe and voids warranty! In this case, use cloud services or manual porting.

⚠️ Warning: If you are selling an old phone, be sure to reset to factory settings after the data transfer. Go to Settings → About Phone → Reset. Without this, your data can remain available to the new owner!

FAQ: Answers to popular questions