How to Transfer All Data from the Old Xiaomi to the New: From Contacts to Apps

Why Standard Copying Methods Don’t Always Work

The transition to Xiaomi’s new smartphone is a joyous but often overshadowed by data portability issues. Even if both devices are from the same manufacturer, users are faced with lost contacts, “broken” photos or apps that refuse to sync, the fact is that different Xiaomi models (such as the Redmi Note 12 and Xiaomi 14 Pro) can use different versions of MIUI firmware, and therefore different backup algorithms.

The classic “just copy everything to a flash drive” advice won’t work here: modern applications store data not only in /storage/emulated/0/ folders, but also in protected areas of the system. And transferring through Google Account is limited to 15 GB of free cloud and does not always correctly restore MIUI settings. In this article, the only proven way to transfer 100% of data without loss, including call history, SMS and even customization of the themes.

Method 1: Mi Mover is the official tool of Xiaomi

Mi Mover is built into MIUI firmware and is designed specifically for migration between Xiaomi devices, which transmits data over a direct Wi-Fi connection (without the Internet), which speeds up the process and eliminates the risk of data leakage. All models from Redmi 5 (2017) and later are supported.

To take advantage of the Mi Mover:

• 📱 Make sure that both smartphones have the latest version installed. MIUI (Update through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system).
• 🔋 Charge both devices to at least 50% – the process can take up to 1 hour.
• 📶 Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network (or create an access point on an old smartphone).
• 🔄 On the new Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select Data Portability. If your phone is already configured, open Settings. → Additionally. → Mi Mover.

Important: Mi Mover does not carry data from some third-party applications (such as WhatsApp or banking programs), they will require a separate backup, and the tool can “hang” during the transfer stage if the old phone is enabled battery optimization for Mi Mover – turn it off in the power saving settings.

Turn off VPN on both devices |Delete unnecessary files from your old phone (free up 10-15% of memory) |Check if there is enough space on your new phone |Switch off Do Not Disturb mode-->

💡

If the Mi Mover can't see the old device, restart both smartphones and try again. Sometimes it helps to change the Wi-Fi network to 2.4 GHz (5 GHz may not be supported by older models).

Method 2: Backup via MIUI Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud)

The MIUI Cloud service allows you to create a full backup of the old Xiaomi and restore it to the new one, and the advantage of the method is that data is stored in the cloud for up to 30 days, and you can move it gradually.

• 📁 Free available only 5 GB (for photos in original quality this is not enough).
• 🔒 Some system settings (such as fingerprints) are not saved.
• ⏳ Recovery can take hours with slow internet.

How to make a backup copy:

1. Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → MIUI Cloud
2. Turn on sync for all the categories you need (contacts, notes, SMS, etc.).
3. Click "Backup" and select the data to save (we recommend that you mark everything except "Application").
4. Wait until the process is complete (time depends on the amount of data).

On the new phone, log in to the same Xiaomi account and recover data through the same MIUI Cloud section. Please note: if you use Chinese firmware (for example, Xiaomi for the Chinese market), the MIUI Cloud may not be available - in this case, use the method with Google Account.

Method 3: Transfer through Google Account (for contacts, calendar and email)

If you use Google, this method allows you to migrate basic data without being tied to the Xiaomi ecosystem, suitable for contacts, calendar events, Google Keep notes and Gmail, but photos, videos and apps will have to be moved separately.

Instructions:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts → Google and enable sync for all the right services.
2. Wait for the sync to complete (check in Settings → Accounts → Google → Account Management → Sync).
3. On the new Xiaomi, add the same Google account when you first enable or through settings.
4. Turn on synchronization – the data will start to load automatically.

To transfer photos, use Google Photos:

• 📸 Install the app on both phones.
• 🔄 On the old device, turn on backup (Settings) → Backup and synchronization).
• 📥 On the new phone wait for the photo to be uploaded (may take from a few hours to a day).

Mi Mover|MIUI Cloud|Google Account|Cable OTG/PC|Other-->

Method 4: Direct connection via OTG or PC cable

If you don't have access to the Internet or the data is too large (for example, 100+ GB of photos and videos), the most reliable way is to physically copy it through a cable.

• 🔌 Cable USB-C — USB-C (or OTG-Adapter for older models with Micro-USB).
• 💻 Computer with Windows/Mac Or a second smartphone in storage mode.

Option 1: Through PC

1. Connect the old Xiaomi to your computer and copy all the folders from internal memory (DCIM, Downloads, Pictures, etc.) to your hard drive.
2. Connect the new phone and transfer the data back.
3. For applications, use backups via Titanium Backup (root rights required) or Swift Backup.

Option 2: Right between the phones

Some Xiaomi models, for example, POCO F5 Xiaomi 13T) maintain USB-sensing device when connected through OTG:

1. Turn on the old phone Settings → Additional → Developer Mode → Debugging over USB.
2. Connect the phones with a cable and select the file transfer mode on the old device.
3. The new phone will open a file manager – copy the necessary data.

💡

When copying via PC, don’t use disk formatting in FAT32 – it doesn’t support files larger than 4GB. It’s better to format a flash drive or external drive in exFAT or NTFS.

Method 5: Transfer applications and their data (including WhatsApp)

Standard methods do not always correctly transfer data from apps, especially instant messengers and games. WhatsApp, Telegram and other programs will require separate actions:

For WhatsApp:

• 🔄 Back up chats on your old phone (Whatsapp Settings) → chat → Backup copy).
• 📁 Copy the folder. /sdcard/WhatsApp/ on a new phone (via PC or cable).
• 📥 Install WhatsApp on your new device and restore data from your local copy.

For games and other applications:

• 🎮 Use built-in sync via Google Play Games or Xiaomi Game Turbo.
• 🔧 For applications with local storage (for example, 1Password or Notion) export data manually through program settings.

💡

If apps fly out after they're transferred, clear their cache (Settings → Apps → Select Program → Clear cache). This often helps with version conflicts.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

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

Pay special attention to privacy settings: if the new Xiaomi has enabled data encryption or lock installation from unknown sources, some files may not be copied.

• 🔓 Settings → Confidentiality → Special permits → Installation of unknown applications.
• 🔐 Settings → Lockdown and protection → Encrypting the phone (turn off for the time of transfer).

💡

If you migrate data from Xiaomi to a model with a different processor (like Snapdragon to MediaTek), some applications may not work well, in which case reinstall them manually.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions