How to Transfer Data from the Old Xiaomi to the New: The Complete 2026 Guide

Why Data Transfers Between Xiaomi Need a Special Approach

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but the joy of updating the gadget is often overshadowed by the need to transfer data. Unlike other brands, Xiaomi phones have a unique MIUI ecosystem that offers both standard and exclusive tools for migration.

Statistics show that 68% Xiaomi owners face difficulties in the first transfer of data, and 23% This article will help avoid common mistakes, from choosing the best way (depending on the amount of data) to solving possible compatibility problems between different generations of Redmi, POCO And Mi. We will pay special attention to hidden settings. MIUI 14/15, which speeds up the process in 2-3 compared to standard instructions.

1.Official method: Mi Mover - fast and lossless

Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s proprietary wireless solution for wireless data transfer between the brand’s devices, pre-installed on all smartphones with MIUI 9 and newer, making it the most versatile tool, with the main advantage of supporting the transfer of not only media files and contacts, but also SMS/MMS, call logs, and settings of some system applications (for example, Theme or Security).

How it works:

• 📱 On both phones, open the settings. → The phone. → Mi Mover (on new models, the path may be different: Settings) → Additionally. → Mi Mover).
• 🔄 Select the device role: "Sender" (old phone) or "Receiver" (new).
• 📶 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network or create an access point on a new phone.
• 🔍 Scan on your old phone. QR-code that will appear on the new.
• ✅ Select data types to transfer and confirm the start of the process.

Make sure both phones have ≥30% battery charge |

Update. MIUI Up to the latest version (minimum required) MIUI 9)|

Free up ≥1 GB of memory on your new device |

Turn off VPNs and firewalls |

Connect both phones to charge (the process can take 20-40 minutes)

-->

The transmission speed depends on the data volume and the MIUI version:

⚠️ Note: If the new phone has global firmware and the old one has Chinese firmware, Mi Mover may not recognize the device. In this case, first update the firmware to a unified version via Settings. → Updating the system.

2. Mi Mover alternative: OTG cable transfer

For users who do not have access to stable Wi-Fi or data volume exceeding 20 GB, the best solution is to use an OTG cable (or USB-C to USB-C adapter for new models), which is 3-4 times faster than wireless and eliminates the risk of connection breakdown. However, there is a nuance: not all Xiaomi models support USB Mass Storage in MIUI, so additional software may be required.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your old phone to your new one with the help of OTG-On the screen of the old device, select "File Transfer" mode" (MTP).
2. On the new phone, open Explorer (or Files) and go to the section "USB-device".
3. Copy the folders you want (DCIM for photos, Download for downloads, Miui for themes) to the internal memory of your new phone.
4. To transfer contacts, export them to the.vcf file via Contacts → Settings → Import / Export.

💡

If the phone doesn't recognize OTG-cable, try to turn on the developer mode and activate the debugging option USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 times).

Advantages of the method:

• 🚀 Transmission speed to 40 MB/s (against) 5-10 MB/s on Wi-Fi).
• 🔋 There is no risk of battery discharge during the process.
• 📁 Ability to selectively copy specific folders.

⚠️ Note: When connecting through OTG Avoid using cheap cables without shielding – they can cause the port to overheat. USB-C on new Xiaomi models 13/14 Redmi Note 12.

3. Cloud services: Xiaomi Cloud vs Google Drive

If you can’t physically port data (like phones in different cities), cloud storage comes to the rescue, Xiaomi offers its own solution – Xiaomi Cloud (5 GB free), and also supports integration with Google Drive.

Xiaomi Cloud is better suited for:

• 📞 Contacts, SMS Call logs (synchronized automatically).
• 🎵 Music and notes from Mi Music apps and Notes.
• 🔧 System settings (wallpaper, themes, notification parameters).

Google Drive is preferred for:

• 📸 Photo and video (automatic backup via Google Photos).
• 📄 Documents and tables (Integration with Google) Docs/Sheets).
• 🎮 Save Games (if the Games Support Google Cloud).

How to transfer data through Xiaomi Cloud:

1. On your old phone: Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Sync → Select data types and click Sync.
2. On a new phone: Sign in to the same Xiaomi account and wait for the download to complete (can take up to 2 hours with a large volume).

Xiaomi Cloud|

Google Drive|

Yandex Disc |

iCloud (for other devices) |

Another option-->

Comparison of cloud storage tariffs (for 2026):

4.Bluetooth Transfer: When it's Justified

Bluetooth is often considered an outdated method, but it remains relevant in two cases: 1) transfer of small files (up to 50 MB) between devices without the Internet; 2) transfer contacts to models with MIUI 8 and below, where the Mi Mover is not available.

How to transfer contacts via Bluetooth:

1. On an old phone: open Contacts → select the right ones → Share → Bluetooth.
2. On a new phone: Turn Bluetooth on the notification panel and confirm the.vcf file is accepted.
3. After transfer, import contacts through Contacts → Settings → Import from the file.

Limitations of the method:

• 🐢 Transmission speed: ~1-2 MB/s (10 photo 5 MB = 25-30 seconds).
• 📵 Maximum file size: 50MB (depending on Bluetooth version).
• 🔋 Does not support transfer of applications or system settings.

5. Applications and their data portability: what you need to know

One of the most difficult aspects of migration is the preservation of application data (for example, progress in games, messaging settings or chat history). APK-The application files, but not the internal data, will require additional tools to fully migrate:

Method 1: Backup through ADB (for advanced users):

adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f /sdcard/backup.ab


adb restore /sdcard/backup.ab

This command creates a full backup of all applications and their data to the memory card, and it requires an unlocked bootloader and enabled USB debugging.

Method 2: Backup applications:

• 📦 Swift Backup (requires root) – saves application data to the cloud.
• 🔄 Titanium Backup (Old, but Works on the Remote) MIUI 10-12).
• 🎮 Helium – specializes in games and their preservation.

💡

Most modern applications (VK, Telegram, WhatsApp) synchronize data through their cloud services. Before perenosom, check the settings of each messenger for the option "Backup" - this will save time and avoid losses.

Exceptions:

• 🚫 Banking applications (SberBank, Tinkoff) - they can't be ported because of security. Remove and reinstall.
• 🎵 Music streaming services (Spotify, Yandex Music) – cache and offline tracks are not portable.

6. Frequent errors and their solutions

Even with official methods, users are faced with problems, and here are the most common scenarios and ways to solve them:

Problem 1: Mi Mover doesn't see the second phone.

• 🔌 Check that both devices are connected to the same 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network (5GHz may not be supported).
• 📱 Update. MIUI on both phones until the latest version.
• 🔄 Reboot both devices and try again.

Problem 2: Transfer is interrupted by 99%.

• 🗃️ Release me. ≥1GB of memory on the new phone.
• 🔋 Connect both devices to charging.
• 📡 Turn off "Adaptive Wi-Fi" in network settings.

Problem 3: The photos were lost after the transfer.

• 🔍 Check the folder. MIUI/Camera On a new phone, sometimes files are copied there.
• 🖼️ If the photos were in Google Photos, they may not appear in the gallery until the first sync is done.

💡

If Mi Mover is stuck in the “Data Preparation” phase, try disabling MIUI optimization in the developer settings (Settings → Additional → For Developers → Disable MIUI optimization).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions