Transferring data from Xiaomi to Vivo: a complete guide to comparing all methods

Why data transfer between Xiaomi and Vivo requires a special approach

The transition from Xiaomi smartphone (including sub-brands Redmi and POCO) to Vivo device is not just a change of gadget, but a migration between two ecosystems with fundamentally different approaches to synchronization. Unlike data transfer within the same brand (for example, from Mi 11 to Mi 12), here you will face three key challenges:

First, Xiaomi is actively promoting its own Mi Cloud and Mi Mover utility, which are optimized to work only with devices based on MIUI. Vivo, in turn, uses Vivo Cloud and Phone Clone tool, which are incompatible with competitors' solutions. Second, even standard protocols like Google Account or Bluetooth can work with restrictions due to differences in the implementation of Android (for example, Vivo often uses a highly customized shell Funtouch OS).

This article will help avoid the typical mistakes, from losing contacts when synchronizing incorrectly to the inability to transfer notes from Mi Notes to Vivo Notes. We tested 5 ways on pairs of Xiaomi 13 Pro → Vivo X90 Pro + and Redmi Note 12 → Vivo V27 devices, so you can choose the best option depending on the amount of data and available tools.

Method 1: Using a Google Account (universal method)

The most reliable and cross-platform way is sync through Google Account, which is suitable for transferring contacts, calendars, notes (from Google Keep), mail, Chrome bookmarks and part of application settings, the main advantage is that data is stored in the cloud and available on any Android device, including Vivo.

To move the data:

• 📱 On Xiaomi: open Settings → Google Accounts → Sync and switch on for all categories (contacts, calendar, etc.) Wait for sync to complete (check in Accounts → Google → Account Management → Data and personalization).
• 🔄 On Vivo: When you first turn on, select "Recover Data" and log in to the same Google Account. If your phone is already set up, go to Settings → Accounts → Add an account → Google and enable sync.
• ⚙️ For applications: Some programs (like WhatsApp or Telegram) are linked to a phone number, not Google, and need to be ported separately (see the messaging section).

⚠️ Warning: If Xiaomi used a Mi Account to back up, data from it will not be transferred to Vivo automatically. It must first be exported manually (e.g., contacts via a.vcf file).

Method 2: Vivo's Phone Clone app (official solution)

Vivo offers its own migration solution, the Phone Clone utility, which is installed on both devices, which allows you to transfer photos, videos, music, contacts, messages, call recordings and even some application settings. The main advantage is that the Phone Clone supports direct Wi-Fi transmission without using the cloud, which speeds up the process and saves traffic.

Step instructions:

1. Download Phone Clone to both phones: 📲 For Xiaomi: Google Play or Vivo's official website. 📱 For Vivo: App preinstalled (find through the menu search).

Vivo

It's a new phone.

Xiaomi

It's an old phone.

Vivo

Xiaomi

Select data types to transfer (we recommend unchecking unnecessary categories to speed up the process).

Wait until the transmission is complete. Don't interrupt the connection even if the screen goes out!

Install Phone Clone on both devices|Connect both phones to charge (the process can take up to 1 hour)|Free up space on Vivo (at least 10% free space is needed)|Turn it off. VPN and energy-saving regimes|Check that both phones have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled-->

The speed of transmission depends on the amount of data:

• 📷 5GB photo — ~15-20 minutes.
• 🎵 10GB of music + video — ~30-40 minutes.
• 📱 Full backup (20+GB) up to 1.5 hours.

⚠️ Warning: If Xiaomi has enabled data encryption (Settings → Security → Encryption), Phone Clone may not see some files, in which case decrypt the device first or use alternative methods.

Method 3: OTG cable + adapter (for large data volumes)

If you need to transfer tens of gigabytes (for example, a video collection to a video store) 4K or RAW-And the wireless methods are going to be too slow, and that's where direct connectivity will help. OTG-adapter USB-C → USB-C (or USB-C → Micro-USB if Xiaomi has an old connector).

You'll need:

• 🔌 OTG- Cable with support for USB 3.0 (blue connector) for maximum speed.
• 📁 File Manager on both phones (e.g. Solid Explorer or standard Explorer on Vivo).
• ⚡ Charger – connect Vivo to the network as transferring large files drains the battery.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Xiaomi to Vivo via OTG- cable. On the Xiaomi screen, select File Transfer Mode (MTP).
2. On Vivo, open the file manager and go to the "USB- Device" or "External Drive" section.
3. Copy the folders you need (DCIM for photos, Downloads for downloads, WhatsApp/Media for messengers) to internal memory or SD- Vivo card.
4. To speed up the process, use archiving: on Xiaomi, pack files into.zip (via WinRAR or ZArchiver), and then transfer the archive.

1. Reboot both devices.

2. use another cable (not all OTGs support data transmission).

Insert "Debugging by USB" on Xiaomi (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times to unlock the developer menu).-->

Method 4: Cloud services (Google Drive, Yandex Drive, Mi Cloud → Vivo Cloud)

If direct transmission is not possible (for example, because of a damaged USB-C port), use cloud storage. This method is universal, but requires stable Internet and free space in the cloud.

Option A: Google Drive (up to 15GB free)

• 📤 On Xiaomi: upload files to Google Drive via an app or web version (drive.google.com). To back up your entire phone, use Settings → System → Backup → Google Drive.
• 📥 On Vivo: Download files via Google Drive or browser.

Option B: Yandex Drive (up to 10GB free, no restrictions on file types)

• 📁 Install Yandex Drive on both phones. On Xiaomi, upload data to the Autoboot folder or create a new one.
• 🔗 On Vivo, open Yandex Drive, find uploaded files, and save them locally.

Option B: Mi Cloud → Vivo Cloud (for notes and contacts)

If you have used Mi Cloud on Xiaomi, export your data manually:

• 🌐 Log into i.mi.com from your computer, log in and download the archive with contacts (.vcf) and notes (.zip).
• 📩 Send files to Vivo by mail or messenger, then import them through standard apps (Contacts and Notes).

⚠️ Attention: When uploading photos to Google Photos in the "High Quality" mode (free tariff), they are compressed to a resolution of 16 MP. To preserve the original quality, select "Source Quality" (counted in the quota of 15 GB).

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

Standard methods do not carry data from apps, such as chat history on WhatsApp, save in games or Spotify settings.

WhatsApp Delay

The official way from Meta:

1. On Xiaomi, back up chats: WhatsApp → ⋮ → Settings → Chat → Backup.
2. Copy /storage/emulated/0/WhatsApp to Vivo (via OTG or cloud).
3. Install WhatsApp on Vivo, log in with the same number and wait for the offer to restore data.

Telegram Delay

Telegram syncs messages through the cloud, but local files (downloads, stickers) need to be manually transferred:

• 📁 Copy the /storage/emulated/0/Telegram folder on Vivo.
• 🔄 After logging into Telegram on the new phone, files will be downloaded automatically.

Transfer of Games (Conservation, Progress)

For cloud-based games (such as Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile):

• 🎮 Link your game account to Google Play Games, Facebook, or your own service (e.g. miHoYo for Genshin).
• 📲 On Vivo, install the game, log in through the same account - progress will be automatically pulled up.

For offline games (such as Minecraft):

• 🗃️ Copy the save folder (usually /Android/data/com.mojang.minecraftpe) to Vivo.
• 🛠️ Use Root Access or ADB if the folder is protected (instruction below).

💡

To migrate your application data, always check if it supports cloud sync. If it doesn't, look for a folder with the saved in /Android/data/ or /Android/obb/.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even when following the instructions, users face problems, and we have collected the TOP-5 errors and ways to fix them:

If none of these methods work, try alternative tools:

• 🔧 Send Anywhere - transfer files over Wi-Fi Direct without size restrictions.
• 🖥️ PC as a middleman: copy the data from Xiaomi to your computer, then to Vivo.
• 🛠️ ADB-Commands (for advanced users):

adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/ ~/Downloads/Xiaomi_Backup # Copy photos on PC


adb push ~/Downloads/Xiaomi_Backup/DCIM/ /sdcard/DCIM/ # Download to Vivo

FAQ: Answers to popular questions