How to Flip Information from One Xiaomi to Another: A Complete Guide to 2026

Transferring data from an old Xiaomi to a new smartphone can seem like a daunting task, especially if you’ve never experienced a similar procedure before. In fact, the manufacturer has provided several convenient ways to migrate from the built-in Mi Mover tool to classic methods through the cloud or physical connection, the main thing is to choose the best option depending on the amount of data, Internet speed and the availability of additional accessories.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to transfer information between Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, from contacts and messages to heavy media files and app settings. We’ll focus on nuances that are often overlooked in standard instructions, such as how to avoid loss of photo quality when transferring or why some applications may not migrate even through official tools.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a proprietary solution from Xiaomi, which is pre-installed on all modern devices of the brand (starting with MIUI 9), the tool allows you to transfer almost all types of data: contacts, messages, photos, videos, music, notes, call history and even some system settings. The main advantage is support for data transfer directly over Wi-Fi without using the cloud or cable, which speeds up the process and reduces the risk of information leakage.

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

• 📱 On a new smartphone: when you first turn on, select Data Portability from the initial setting menu. If the device is already configured, find the Mi Mover app in the list of programs.
• 🔄 On an old smartphone: open Settings → The phone. → Data portability (or run Mi Mover directly).
• 📶 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network or create an access point on an old phone.
• 🔍 On the new phone, select "I'm the sender" (if you're transferring from the old one) or "I'm the recipient" (if you're receiving the data). Follow the on-screen prompts.

The process can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour depending on the amount of data, and it is important that both devices are charged at least 50% – with a battery charge below 20%, the transmission will automatically interrupt.

Both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (or the access point is active).

Both phones have Bluetooth enabled and location detection

Free space on the new device exceeds the amount of data transferred

Battery charged at least 50%

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⚠️ Note: If the old phone is installed MIUI 10 or older, and on the new one — MIUI 13+, Some application settings (such as dark theme or navigation gestures) may not be moved due to changes in the system architecture.

2. Transfer via OTG or USB-Type-C cable

Physically connecting two smartphones via cable is one of the fastest ways to transfer large amounts of data (for example, a collection of RAW photos or 4K video files).

• 🔌 Cable OTG (If the old phone has a microUSB connector and the new one has a Type-C).
• 🔌 Type-C Adapter (if both Type-C devices are not supported) USB Host).
• 📱 On the old phone should be enabled mode File transfer (MTP).

Instructions for connection:

1. Connect the phones with a cable. On the old device, in the notification curtain, select File Transfer Mode (not Charge!).
2. On your new phone, open any file manager (such as Google Files or standard Explorer).
3. In the list of devices will appear folder old smartphone – copy the necessary files in the memory of the new phone.

The cable transmission speed can reach 40-60 MB/s (using USB 3.0), which is 5-10 times faster than Wi-Fi.

• ❌ No messages, contacts, and application settings are portable – only media files and documents.
• ❌ Some models (such as the Xiaomi 12 Pro) may require manual mode activation. USB-debugging.

3. Cloud services: Mi Cloud, Google Drive, Yandex Disk

Cloud storage is convenient if you don’t have a cable on hand or both phones support different versions of MIUI. Xiaomi offers its own cloud – Mi Cloud (15 GB free), but you can also use Google Drive (15 GB) or Yandex Disk (10 GB).

Comparison of cloud services for data transfer:

Instructions for transfer via Mi Cloud:

1. On your old phone: Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Backup. Select data to save and click "Start Backup".
2. On a new phone: Log in to the same Xiaomi account, go to Mi Cloud → Restore and select the latest backup.

⚠️ Note: If you use Google Photos to transfer media files, please note that when you upload in High Quality (not Original) mode, photos and videos will be compressed. For example, images over 16 MP will decrease to 16 MP, and videos will be compressed. 4K transcode 1080p.

Mi Cloud

Google Drive

Yandex Disk

iCloud (for other devices)

I don't use clouds.

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4. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct: When there is no internet

If you don’t have access to Wi-Fi or mobile internet, you can use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct, which is suitable for transferring small files (up to 1 GB), as the speed is limited:

• 📶 Bluetooth 5.0: before 2 MB/s (really — 0.5-1 MB/s).
• 📶 Wi-Fi Direct: Up to 10MB/s, but requires support for both devices.

How to transfer files via Wi-Fi Direct:

1. On both phones, activate Wi-Fi Direct in your Wi-Fi settings.
2. On your old phone, select a new device from the list and confirm the connection.
3. Open the file manager, select the files you need and click "Send" → "Wi-Fi Direct".

For Bluetooth, the algorithm is similar, but before transferring large files (for example, videos), it is recommended to archive them in ZIP - this will speed up the process by 20-30%.

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If Bluetooth transmission is permanently interrupted, try turning off the power saving mode on both devices. Go to Settings → Battery → Power saving mode and deactivate it.

5. Transfer of applications and their data

One of the most difficult aspects of migration is the preservation of application data (for example, progress in games, messaging settings or chat history). Not all programs support backup, but there are several universal ways:

• 🎮 Cloud-saving games and applications: most modern games (e.g. Genshin Impact or other games) PUBG Mobile) link progress to a Google Play account, Facebook or a developer's own profile, and log in to the same account on a new phone.
• 📱 Titanium Backup: requires root rights, but allows you to create a full copy of applications and their data.
• 🔄 Built-in Android feature: Settings → System system → Backup. Here you can enable saving application data to Google Drive (not for all programs).

For messengers:

• 💬 WhatsApp: Backups are created in Google Drive (set up in Chats) → Backup chats).
• 📧 Telegram: Chats sync to the cloud automatically, but media files need to be moved separately.
• 🤖 Viber: Backup is available in account settings (requires a PC connection to recover).

⚠️ Note: When you transfer WhatsApp data using Mi Mover or local copy, you may experience a “Chats failed to restore” error, in which case delete WhatsApp on the new phone, install it again and restore data from Google Drive.

Alternative methods: PC, SD-map, third-party applications

If the standard methods are not suitable, you can use additional tools:

• 💻 Transfer over a computer: connect both phones to a PC, copy files from the old one to a folder on your computer, and then move them to a new device. FLAC).
• 📁 SD-card: if both phones support memory cards, transfer the files to a microSD and then paste it into a new smartphone (UHS-I Class 10, otherwise the process will take a long time.
• 🔄 Third-party applications: SHAREit - Wi-Fi transfer at speeds up to 20 MB / s. Xender - supports cross-platform transfer (including iOS). Send Anywhere - generation of one-time links for downloading files.

When using third-party apps, pay attention to the permissions they request. For example, SHAREit may require access to contacts and messages, which is not always secure.

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The most secure ways to transfer data – Mi Mover and cloud services Cloud/Google Drive) Third-party apps are convenient but can collect personal information.

7. Frequent errors and their solution

When transferring data between Xiaomi smartphones, users often face typical problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

If neither method worked, try resetting the network settings on both devices (Settings). → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings. This often helps with connection problems in Mi Mover or Wi-Fi Direct.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions