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

Introduction: Why Data Transfers to 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, Mi, Redmi or POCO phones have unique migration tools that both simplify the process and add nuance. For example, a standard transfer through Google Account does not always correctly restore MIUI settings, and the Mi Mover branded application can refuse to work with a discharged battery or unstable Wi-Fi.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to transfer data, from official (via Mi Account and Mi Mover) to universal (via Google Drive or OTG cable), and we’ll focus on the typical errors that cause users to lose messages from Mi Chat, MIUI theme settings, or data from proprietary applications like Mi Fit. If you move from iPhone to Xiaomi, we have a separate section with nuances for such a migration.

Method 1: Mi Mover – Xiaomi’s proprietary tool for fast transfer

Mi Mover is a pre-installed app on all Xiaomi smartphones that allows you to transfer data directly over Wi-Fi Direct without using the cloud. SMS/MMS, Call history, notes and even some settings MIUI, which are not synced through Google.

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

• 📱 Make sure that both phones have the latest version installed. MIUI (Check in the settings → The phone. → Updating the system).
• 🔋 Battery charge on both devices must be at least 50% – otherwise the application will block the transfer.
• 📶 Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network (or activate the hotspot on your old device).
• 🔄 Run Mi Mover on both phones and select the roles: “Sender” (old phone) and “Receiver” (new).

After the scan. QR-So you can choose which data to transfer. There's two things that you need to consider:

⚠️ Note: If the new phone already has data (for example, you have partially configured it), Mi Mover will offer to reset the device to factory settings. Without this, transfer is impossible - the application does not know how to combine data.

If the transfer is interrupted, try:

1. Reboot the Mi Mover on both phones.
2. Disable VPNs or ad blockers (they may interfere with the connection).
3. Use the aircraft mode with Wi-Fi enabled for stability.

Charge both phones up to 50%+

Update MIUI to the latest version

Connect to a single Wi-Fi network

Free up 10-15% of memory on your new phone

Shut down. VPN and ad blockers-->

Method 2: Transfer over Mi Account (Xiaomi Cloud)

Mi Account is a cloud service from Xiaomi that automatically syncs some data between devices, and unlike Google Drive, it retains unique elements of the MIUI ecosystem, such as:

• 📱 Theme and wallpaper settings.
• 📝 Notes from the Mi Notes app.
• 🏃 Mi Fit data (steps, training).
• 🔑 Passwords from Mi Browser.

To transfer data through Mi Account:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Mi Account → Sync and turn on all the switches.
2. Wait for the sync to complete (check in Settings → About Phone → Memory → Cloud).
3. On the new phone, log in to the same Mi Account when you first turn on or through Settings → Accounts.
4. Activate synchronization and wait for data recovery (can take up to 24 hours).

Limitations of the method:

⚠️ Note: Free Mi Account only provides 5GB of cloud storage, and if you have a lot of photos or videos, you will have to transfer them separately (for example, through Google Photos).

Also note that some data (such as SMS or call history) is not synced through Mi Account – it is better to use Mi Mover or Google for them.

Method 3: Transfer through Google Account (universal method)

If you don’t want to depend on Xiaomi services, you can use Google Account, which is a good way to transfer:

• 📇 Contacts (via Google Contacts).
• 📅 Calendar and reminders.
• 📎 Photos and videos (via Google Photos).
• 🎮 Data of certain games (if linked to Google Play Games).
• 📱 System settings (Wi-Fi passwords, wallpaper, screen brightness).

Instructions for transfer:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Google → Backup and enable Backup to Google Drive.
2. Click on “Create a backup now” and wait until it is completed.
3. On the new phone, when you first turn on, select “Copy Data” and log in to the same Google Account.
4. Select the last backup and wait for the recovery.

Important nuances:

• 🚫 Not all apps recover their data via Google, for example WhatsApp or Telegram require a separate backup.
• 📡 Photos in their original quality take up space on Google Drive, and if you have a 15GB tariff, you may have to clear the space or buy an extra one.
• ⚡ Recovery from Google can take hours, especially if data is high.

Method 4: Transfer over an OTG cable or computer (for large amounts of data)

If you have tens of gigabytes of photos, videos or music, cloud services may be too slow or too fee-paying, and you might want to use a physical connection.

Option A: OTG cable (direct phone connection)

You'll need a cable. OTG (Type-C → Type-C) or adapter: Connect your old phone to your new one, and select File Transfer Mode (may be called File Transfer Mode) on the new device "USB-storage device:

1. Open Explorer on your new phone.
2. Go to the connected device folder (usually /storage/emulated/0/).
3. Copy the files you want (for example, DCIM folders for photos or Download for downloads).

Option B: Computer transfer

If you don’t have an OTG cable, you can use a PC or Mac:

1. Connect your old phone to your computer and copy the data to your hard drive.
2. Turn off the old phone, plug in a new one.
3. Transfer files from your computer to your new phone.

Advantages of the method:

• 🚀 Maximum speed (up to 480 Mbps when used) USB 3.0).
• 📁 Complete control over the files being transferred (you can choose only the right ones).
• 🔒 Security – data is not transmitted via the Internet.

⚠️ Note: When connecting through OTG Make sure that the new phone has enough space. If there is not enough memory, the transfer may be interrupted, and some files will remain uncopied. → Memory.

💡

If the phone is not detected via OTG, try enabling USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times on version, then go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers).

Method 5: Transfer from iPhone to Xiaomi (features and pitfalls)

The transition from iPhone to Xiaomi is complicated by the fact that the ecosystems of Apple and Xiaomi are almost incompatible, but there are several working ways:

1. Move to iOS (reverse process)

While this app is designed to be ported from Android to iPhone, some data can be extracted in the opposite direction:

• 📱 Install Google Drive on your iPhone and back up your contacts, photos and calendar.
• 🔄 On Xiaomi, log in to the same Google Account and recover data.

2. Transfer photos and videos via iCloud

If you have iCloud sync enabled:

1. Open iCloud.com on your computer.
2. Select "Photos" and upload them to the hard drive.
3. Transfer files to Xiaomi via cable or cloud.

3. Transportation of messages (SMS/iMessage)

Messages from iMessage are the hardest to move.

• 📱 Use paid programs like iMazing or AnyTrans to export SMS In.csv format, then import them through Google Contacts.
• 🔄 If messages are critical, take screenshots of chats and save them to Google Drive.

⚠️ Note: Apps from the App Store won’t migrate to Xiaomi, you’ll have to reinstall them from Google Play, and data (such as saving in games) may be lost if it’s not synced to the cloud.

💡

When switching from iPhone to Xiaomi, the key is to transfer contacts, photos and calendars through Google Account, and messages and apps will likely have to be reconfigured.

Common Mistakes in Data Transfer and How to Avoid Them

Even when using official tools, users often face problems, and here are the most common mistakes and solutions:

Another common problem is the loss of data from Xiaomi’s proprietary apps (such as Mi Fit or Mi Home).

• 🔗 Link applications to Mi Account before data transfer.
• 📱 Take screenshots of important settings (such as watering schedules in Mi Home).
• 📎 Export data manually (e.g., training history from Mi Fit to.csv).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About Data Transfers to Xiaomi