Xiaomi to Xiaomi data transfer: all ways of 2026

Why Standard Copying Methods Don’t Always Work

Transferring data between Xiaomi smartphones seems like a simple task — you don’t face restrictions, for example, Mi Mover (the official migration application) can refuse to work if one of the devices has custom firmware or a version of MIUI older than 12.5, but not updated to the latest patch version. And cloud services like Mi Cloud limit free storage to 5 GB, which is enough only for contacts and notes.

Another trap is different regions of firmware: if one phone is bought in China (MIUI China version) and the other is bought in Europe (MIUI Global), some synchronization functions may be blocked due to service differences. For example, Settings → Additional → Data portability may simply not be on the menu. In this article, we will discuss all current methods, including workarounds for such cases.

Method 1: Mi Mover is the official tool of Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a built-in solution from Xiaomi that works without the Internet and does not require additional applications.

• 📱 Contacts, messages (SMS/MMS), callbook
• 📷 Photos and videos (including Xiaomi Gallery albums)
• 🎵 Audio files and recordings of the recorder
• 📁 Documents (PDF, DOC, XLS etc.)
• 🎮 Data from certain games (if supported)

To use Mi Mover, follow the steps:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → About Phone → Data Transfer (or search for the phrase “transfer” through the settings).
2. Select the role of "Sender" and confirm the permissions.
3. On the new phone, run the same section and select Receiver.
4. Scan it. QR-code from the screen of a new device with an old phone.
5. Select data types to transfer and wait until it is completed (can take up to 30 minutes for 50+GB).

⚠️ Warning: If your new phone already has a Mi Account, log out before transferring, otherwise the data may be duplicated or lost.

Charging both phones > 50%|Shut down. VPN and energy-saving regimes|Make sure there is enough memory on your new phone|Do not interrupt the connection until the process is complete-->

Method 2: Transfer over OTG cable (for large volumes)

If you need to transfer more than 100 GB of data (for example, a video collection to the Internet) 4K or RAW-Mi Mover can brake or interrupt, in which case it is more reliable to use the cable. OTG (adapter USB-C to USB-C) and “Transfer of files” mode" (MTP).

Instructions:

1. Connect your old phone to your new one OTG-cable.
2. On the new phone, in the notification curtain, select "File Transfer" (not "Charging").
3. Open Explorer on a new device – the old phone will appear as a removable drive.
4. Copy the folders you want (DCIM for photos, Download for downloads, etc.) to your new phone’s memory.

⚠️ Note: When copying through OTG Xiaomi can automatically hide system folders (for example, the system folders, Android/data/ To see them, in Explorer, enable the display of hidden files: Three dots → Settings → Show hidden files.

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If the OTG cable is not recognized, try rebooting both phones or using a USB 3.1 cable (usually blue).

Method 3: Mi Cloud (for backup)

Mi Cloud is a cloud storage from Xiaomi that is integrated into MIUI, and the advantage is that the data is synchronized automatically, and the minus is a limit of 5 GB for a free account.

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud.
2. Turn on synchronization for the desired categories (contacts, notes, gallery, etc.).
3. On the new phone, log in to the same Mi Account.
4. In the same Mi Cloud section, click "Sync".

For photos and videos, it is better to use a separate cloud (for example, Google Photos), since Mi Cloud compresses images when downloading. The alternative is the cloud from the operator (for example, MTS Cloud or Beeline.Cloud), where they often give 10-20 GB for free.

Method 4: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct (for small files)

If you want to transfer a few photos or documents, and there is no cable at hand, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct will do. Despite the low speed (up to 10 Mbps), these methods are reliable and do not require Internet.

How to transmit via Bluetooth:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on both phones (Settings → Connections → Bluetooth).
2. On your old phone, select files in Gallery or Explorer, click Share → Bluetooth.
3. Select a new phone from the list of devices and confirm acceptance on it.

Wi-Fi Direct (faster than Bluetooth):

1. Activate Wi-Fi Direct on both phones (Settings → Wi-Fi → Wi-Fi Direct).
2. Connect devices to each other (code confirmation is required).
3. Use Explorer or Gallery to send files as if they were on a local network.

⚠️ Note: When transmitting via Wi-Fi Direct, turn off mobile internet on both phones, otherwise the connection may be interrupted due to switching to the cellular network.

Mi Mover|Cable OTG|The cloud (Mi) Cloud/Google Drive)|Bluetooth/Wi-Fi Direct|Other-->

Method 5: Third-party applications (for advanced users)

If the built-in methods don't work, you can use third-party utilities.

• 📲 Xender – Wi-Fi transmission without Internet (speeds up to 40 Mbps) Supports batch sending of applications (.apk) + data).
• 🔄 Send Anywhere is a 6-digit code generation for fast transfer. QR" plug-in.
• 🖥️ Feem, which creates a local network between devices, is useful for transferring large archives (up to 50 GB at a time).

Example of transfer via Xender:

1. Install the app on both phones from Google Play or APKMirror.
2. On the old phone, select "Send", on the new one - "Get".
3. Scan it. QR-code or connect through the "Hot Spot".
4. Select the files and confirm the transfer.

The advantage of third-party apps is cross-platform, for example, Send Anywhere works even between Xiaomi and iPhone, if you need it.

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The Xender, Send Anywhere side of the application bypasses the MIUI restrictions on data transfer between different regions of the firmware (China/Global).

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even when following instructions, users face problems, and here are the most common ones:

If neither method works, try resetting the network on both phones (Settings) → SIM-maps and networks → Resetting network settings. This often solves Wi-Fi Direct or Mi Mover connection problems.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions