How to transfer files from one Xiaomi to another: the complete guide

Buying a new Xiaomi smartphone is always a joyous event, but it is often overshadowed by the prospect of long hours of data setup and transfer. The owner of the device inevitably faces the question: how to transfer files from one Xiaomi to another as quickly and without loss? Fortunately, the MIUI and HyperOS ecosystem offers powerful built-in tools that make this process easy even for inexperienced users.

There are many ways to migrate, from the use of special utilities from the manufacturer to classic methods of transferring over Bluetooth or through cloud storage. The choice of a particular method depends on the amount of information, the speed of the Internet connection and the version of the operating system on both devices. In this article, we will discuss all the options available in detail so that you can choose the most suitable for your situation.

Using the Mi Mover app to migrate fully

The most efficient and quick way to transfer files from one Xiaomi to another is to use the Mi Mover application, which is designed specifically for the Xiaomi ecosystem and allows you to transfer not only multimedia, but also system settings, placement of icons on the desktop, as well as lists of installed applications. The data transfer process is carried out over a direct Wi-Fi connection, which provides high copy speeds that do not depend on the quality of the Internet.

To get started, you need to make sure that the Mi Mover app is installed on both smartphones, that it's built into the system on the new models and is in the Tools folder, and that it's free to download from Google Play or GetApps on older devices. It's important that both phones are unlocked and be next to each other. Launch the app on both devices.

• 📱 On the old phone, select the role of “Sender” and on the new one – “Receiver).
• 📡 The new smartphone will create a Wi-Fi hotspot; connect to it from the old device through the window that appears or scan. QR-code.
• 📂 After connecting, select data categories to transfer: contacts, messages, images, video, audio, documents and applications.
• 🚀 Click the “Send” button and wait for the process to be completed without leaving the application.

It is worth noting that when transferring large amounts of data (for example, more than 50 GB of photos and videos), the process can take considerable time. the Wi-Fi Direct used by the application works stable, but interrupting the connection may require restarting the procedure.

Transfer data through Google account and cloud services

An alternative and very reliable method is synchronization through cloud services. If you have previously used Android, then most of your data (contacts, notes, calendar, photos) could already be saved in your Google account. When you first activate the new Xiaomi, you just need to enter a login and password from your Google account, and the system will offer to restore a backup.

For photos and videos, the best way to use Google Photos or Xiaomi Cloud is to enable sync on your old device, wait for all media files to be uploaded to the cloud, and then just log in to the same account on your new phone. All images will appear in the gallery automatically as they are uploaded from the Internet.

⚠️ Attention: Recovery from Google cloud requires a stable and preferably unlimited internet connection.If you have a tariffed traffic, connect to a Wi-Fi network to avoid unexpected costs.

However, this method has its limitations: Google Drive provides only 15 GB of space for free, which may not be enough to fully back up the system with all the photos in the original quality, and it will not tolerate the widget layout and specific MIUI settings that Mi Mover copies.

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Use a combined approach: transfer the main settings and applications through Mi Mover, and upload photos in original quality through Google Photos or Mi Cloud, so as not to take up the phone’s memory with system backups.

Transfer files via Bluetooth and Nearby Share

When you want to flip a few files “here and now”, and there is no Wi-Fi router at hand, the help comes from classic wireless technology. Bluetooth is present in every Xiaomi smartphone and allows you to transfer files without an Internet connection. However, the transfer speed over this protocol is extremely low, so the method is only suitable for documents, contacts or a couple of photos.

A more modern and faster alternative is the Nearby Share feature, which is built into Google Play services. It uses a combination of Bluetooth to detect devices and Wi-Fi Direct for fast data transfer, and it's a great way to transfer files from one Xiaomi to another if the Mi Mover is not available for some reason.

• 🔍 Enable Bluetooth and geolocation on both devices.
• 📤 Select a file in the gallery or file manager, click Share and select the “Nearby” or “Close” icon».
• ✅ Accept the request for transmission on the receiving device (the sender name will appear on the screen).
• 📥 The file will be saved to the download folder or gallery automatically. To activate Nearby Share, go to Settings. → Google → Device settings → Make sure the feature is on and visibility is set to All or Contact mode so that the second phone can detect you. Unlike normal Bluetooth, you don't have to pair devices every time. 💡Nearby Share is a “middle ground” for transferring individual files: faster than Bluetooth and does not require the installation of additional applications, unlike third-party messengers. The most reliable, although less convenient way, is to use the computer as an intermediary. This method is indispensable if both phones have damaged charging connectors (which interferes with the operation of Wi-Fi modules due to discharge) or if you want to throw huge amounts of data (hundreds of gigabytes) that are pathetic to transmit through the air. USB-cable and select the phone menu mode of operation (MTP). Copy all the necessary folders (DCIM, Pictures, Download, Documents) to your PC hard drive. Then disable your old phone, plug in a new Xiaomi and transfer the files to the appropriate directories. USB OTG cable. If you have a Type-C adapter on a Type-C (or two adapters), you can theoretically connect phones directly, but Android does not always correctly see the file system of another phone in drive mode without special file managers that support working with the device. USB-host (e.g. Total Commander with plugins). ⚠️ Note: When copying through a PC, carefully monitor the structure of folders. Android system folders are sensitive to paths. For example, music is better put in the Music folder, and screenshots in the Music folder. Pictures/Screenshots, So they're going to be displayed correctly in the gallery of the new phone, and then they're going to be able to move contacts and messages through the phone. SIM-In situations where you only need to transfer the phone book from the old button or button phone to the new Xiaomi, you can use the phone book. SIM-card. Although modern smartphones allow you to synchronize contacts through an account, the method of using a digital device is SIM-The card remains a universal "old-fashioned" way that works even without the Internet. To do this, on the old device, open the Contacts app, go to the settings and select Import/Export. SIM-map. After the process is complete, rearrange SIM-card to the new Xiaomi and in the contact app select “Import with” SIM-But there are some major drawbacks to this method. SIM-The card has a very limited memory and often crops long names (leaving only a few of them). 10-15 The e-mail address and contact avatars will be lost when this transfer is made. 📊 What is the most important way to transfer data?Mi Mover / Change phone Google Account / Cloud Bluetooth / Nearby Share (USB)Manual / I can't stand the problem of data portability Despite the fact that processes are fine, users can face errors. Often the problem lies in energy saving. MIUI If the transmission is interrupted in the middle, check the battery settings for the Mi Mover app and set the No Limits mode. Also make sure that the screens of both phones do not go out during the process (you can temporarily increase the time before turning off the screen in the settings).Another common problem is the incompatibility of Android versions, 6.0 or 7.0) on the latest Android 13/14 Some old application database formats may not count. In this case, it is recommended to transfer only personal files (photos, videos), and install the applications again from Google Play. 📉 Low speed: Make sure phones don’t run heavy downloads or streaming videos that can clog a Wi-Fi channel. 🔒 Access error: When you first start Mi Mover, be sure to give all requested permissions to access files, location and Bluetooth. 📵 Connection gap: If phones are far apart, the Wi-Fi Direct signal may weaken.Put the devices closer, but don't put them on top of each other so they don't overheat. ⚠️ Warning: Never attempt to interrupt the process of writing data by forced reboot, which can damage the file system of the new phone and cause "broken" files that cannot be opened. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Will Wi-Fi passwords and saved sites migrate in the browser? Wi-Fi passwords are usually transferred through Mi Mover because they are stored in system settings. Site passwords are browser-dependent: If you use Chrome and logged into your Google account, all passwords and history are synchronized through the Google cloud, regardless of how you port your phone. Should you reset the new phone to factory settings before transfer? No, it is not necessary, but desirable. If you have already set up a new phone and created some files on it, Xiaomi will not support the installation of the existing files from the device, or the application will not allow you to use the Miver. To do this, you need to download Mi Mover on the iPhone from the App Store, select “I am the recipient» -> «Another Android" (or similar item for iOS), scan QR-You can only transfer photos, videos and contacts; iOS apps don't work on Android. 64 GB of data? With Mi Mover and a stable Wi-Fi Direct connection, speeds can reach speeds 20-40 MB/s, thus, 64 GB (approximately) 64 000 MB) will be transferred to approximately 30-50 It would take tens of hours to do this with Bluetooth, and it would depend on the speed of your Internet connection through the cloud.