How to transfer all the data from the old Xiaomi to the new phone: 5 proven ways

Switching to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always an exciting moment, but transferring data from an old device can turn into a real headache if you do not know the subtleties. 5 Over the years, reset application settings or restore history SMS/MMS? This article provides a comprehensive guide to all the nuances of Xiaomi’s ecosystem, including hidden features. MIUI and bypassing typical errors.

We'll take it. 5 working methods – from official transfer via Mi Cloud to manual copying of files over cable, and also tell what data can not be transferred automatically (for example, passwords from banking applications or two-factor authentication keys). MIUI 14/15 and the new Xiaomi smartphones 14/Redmi Note 13, where the transfer algorithm has changed.

1. Preparing the old Xiaomi for data transfer

Before you start migrating, you have to prepare the old device properly, and this is a stage that is often missed, but it determines how smoothly the process will go.

First, check the MIUI version on both phones: go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version. If the new smartphone is MIUI 14+ and the old one is MIUI 12 or lower, there may be problems with transmission protocol compatibility. In this case, it is recommended to update the old device to the current version through Settings → System Update.

Second, free up space on both devices, and you need at least 10 percent of the space on the internal drive to transfer over the Mi Cloud or cable. → If memory is scarce, delete unnecessary files or transfer them to the SD-card (if supported).

• 📱 Update. MIUI on both phones until the latest version
• 🗃️ Clear the cache in Settings → Memory. → Cleanup
• 🔋 Charge both devices to at least 50% (when transferring over the cable, the discharge may interrupt the process)
• 🔒 Turn off the screen lock (if you use it) PIN/pattern lock – this will speed up authorization

⚠️ Note: If the old Xiaomi enabled the function of data protection MIUI (In Settings → Privacy, which must be disabled 24 hours before the transfer, otherwise the system may block access to some files, deeming the operation suspicious.

Method 2: Transfer over Mi Cloud (official method)

Mi Cloud is the most reliable solution for Xiaomi owners, as it saves not only files, but also system settings, call history, application data (for example, Mi Fit or Mi Home). However, the method has limitations: a free account provides only 5 GB of cloud storage, and a full backup can require up to 50 GB.

To transfer data through Mi Cloud:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Enable synchronization for all categories: Contacts, Notes, Bookmarks, Settings and Applications.
3. Click Backup and select Create Backup. The process can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours depending on the amount of data.
4. On the new phone, log in to the same Xiaomi account and in Mi Cloud, select Restore from backup.

Important: If you use MIUI 14/15, the Quick Recovery option has appeared in the backup settings, which allows you to transfer only critical data (contacts, SMS, basic settings) in 5-10 minutes, but ignores media files and applications.

⚠️ Note: If you use a dual account (such as a personal and work Mi Account), the data may be mixed. → Accounts.

Sign in to one Xiaomi account on both phones

Enable synchronization of all categories

Create a backup on your old phone

Connect a new phone to Wi-Fi

Recover data from the cloud on a new device-->

Method 2: Cable transfer (USB OTG or adapter)

If you don’t have a stable internet or data takes up tens of gigabytes, direct cable transfer is the best option. Xiaomi supports Mi Mover, which automatically detects a new phone and offers to transfer data. However, this requires a USB OTG cable (if the new Type-C phone has a Micro-USB phone), or a proprietary adapter from Xiaomi.

Instructions:

1. Connect both phones with a cable. The new device will display a notification Connected USB-Device - select Transfer Files.
2. On your old phone, run the Mi Mover app (if you don’t have one, download from the Mi App Store).
3. Select the role of the sender on the old phone and the receiver on the new one.
4. Mark data categories for transfer (contacts, messages, multimedia, applications) and click Start.

The transmission speed depends on the MIUI version:

• MIUI 12 and below: ~5–8 MB/s (about 20 minutes per 30 GB)
• MIUI 13+: ~10-15 MB/s (due to USB 3.1)

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If Mi Mover doesn't see a new phone, try rebooting both devices and using Xiaomi's original cable.Cheap cables often don't support data transfer, just charging.

Limitations of the method:

• 🚫 Wi-Fi settings and some app data are not portable (for example, WhatsApp requires a separate backup).
• 🚫 Apps are ported without updates – after migration, check Google Play for updates.
• 🚫 If the new phone already has data, it can be overwritten.

4. Method 3: Transfer through a Google account (for contacts, calendar, mail)

If you use Google services, most of the data is already synced automatically, a method that is suitable for transferring contacts, calendars, Google Keep notes and Gmail emails, but does not apply to media or MIUI settings.

To check the synchronization:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Make sure that synchronization is enabled for Contacts, Calendar, Disk and other necessary services.
3. On the new phone, log in to the same Google account – the data will automatically pull up within 5-10 minutes.

To transfer photos through Google Photos:

• 📸 On your old phone, open the Google Photos app.
• 🔄 Enable Backup and Synchronization in Settings.
• 📥 On the new phone, wait until photos are finished uploading to the cloud, then download them through the same app.

⚠️ Attention: Free storage of Google Photos from 2021 is limited to 15 GB per account (along with Gmail and Google Drive).If you have more photos, they will have to be compressed to high quality (with space savings) or buy additional space.

5. Method 4: Transfer over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct

If you don’t have cable or internet access, you can use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct, a method that is suitable for transferring individual files (photos, documents, music), but is not suitable for full system migration.

Instructions for Wi-Fi Direct (faster than Bluetooth):

1. On both phones, enable Wi-Fi Direct in Settings → Wi-Fi → Additional → Wi-Fi Direct.
2. On your old phone, select a new phone from the list of available devices and confirm the connection.
3. Open Explorer (Files), select the desired files and click Send → Wi-Fi Direct.

Limitations:

• 🐢 Transmission speed: ~1–3 MB/s (30 GB to be transferred) ~3-4 hours).
• 🚫 No applications, settings or SMS.
• 🔋 Strongly drains the battery (it is recommended to connect the charging).

The Bluetooth algorithm is similar, but the speed is even lower (~0.5-1 MB/s), a method that should only be used to transfer multiple files (such as documents or individual photos).

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Wi-Fi Direct is 3 to 5 times faster than Bluetooth, but both methods are not suitable for full data transfer. Use them only as a temporary solution.

Method 5: Manual transfer via computer (for advanced users)

If you want full control of the data being transferred, or if previous methods have failed, you can copy files over a PC, which takes longer, but ensures that all data is safe.

Steps to transfer via computer:

1. Connect the old Xiaomi to the PC via USB-cable and select File Transfer Mode (MTP).
2. Copy folders: DCIM (photos and videos) Downloads (downloads) Pictures, Music, Documents Android/data (data from some applications, but not all!)

Disable the old phone, connect the new one, and paste the copied files into the corresponding folders.

contact

.vcf

Contacts → Settings → Exports

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Full control over which files are transferred.
• ✅ You can filter out unnecessary data (e.g. old screenshots).
• ✅ It works even if the phone is very different. MIUI.

⚠️ Attention: Folder Android/data It contains application data, but not all programs keep information accessible. For example, WhatsApp encrypts the message database, and simply copying the com.whatsapp folder will not restore chats. → chat → Backup copy).

7. which data cannot be transferred automatically (and what to do)

Even the most advanced migration methods don't cover 100% of the data, and this is what you have to manually carry.

Pay special attention to applications with local storage, such as:

• 🎮 Games (Genshin Impact, Honor of Kings)
• 📊 Financial applications (Sberbank Online, Tinkoff)
• 📱 Messengers (Telegram, Viber – require a separate backup)

Most of them have built-in export/import features. For example, Telegram allows you to save chats to Settings → Data and Memory → Export chat history.

8. Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even when following instructions, users often encounter problems, and here are the most common mistakes and solutions:

• 🔌 "Phones can't see each other on cable" Check the cable - it should support data transfer (not all charging cables fit). USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 times) → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB.
• ☁️ "Mi Cloud does not restore data" Make sure there is enough space on the new phone. check that the backup is fully created (in Mi Cloud) → Backup must be status Completed).
• 📱 "After transfer, apps fly out" Update all apps via Google Play. clear the cache of problematic apps in Settings → Annexes.
• 🔒 "Forgot the password from Mi Account"Restore access via account.xiaomi.com (requires a tied account email/If the account is not restored, the data from Mi Cloud will be lost.

If after transfer on the new phone appeared lags or overheating, reset the cache:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe Cache Partition (volume button management).
4. Reboot the phone.

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If the phone is slower after the transfer, it is likely to blame the transfer of the cache of applications.Cache reset or complete reinstallation of problematic applications solves the problem in 90% of cases.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions