Buying a new smartphone always brings mixed feelings: joy from having fresh technology and a slight anxiety about the upcoming move. This is especially true for owners of the Xiaomi ecosystem, where it is important to save not only contacts and photos, but also the specific settings of MIUI or HyperOS. Fortunately, the developers have provided several effective ways to clone the contents of an old device to a new one with little or no loss.
Data migration has become much easier in recent years, where you used to have to manually copy files or use complex third-party programs on your PC, but now you can complete the process in minutes using a direct Wi-Fi connection or cloud services, and you just need to choose the method that best suits your current conditions and the amount of information you have.
In this article, we will take a look at all the sync options available, from an official application to manually forwarding through the cloud, how to avoid common errors and what to do if the process is stuck in the middle. The fastest way is to use the Mi Mover application over Wi-Fi Direct, which does not consume mobile traffic. Let's start with the preparation that is the foundation of successful transfer.
Device preparation and backup
Before you start any migration tools, make sure both smartphones are ready to go, a trivial but critical step that often causes failures to be ignored, and make sure that both devices have at least 50-60% battery charge, as active wireless data transmission can be a significant energy drain.
It is also worth checking whether there is space available on the receiving device, the amount of memory available should exceed the size of the data you plan to transfer, and if something is already recorded on the new phone, it is better to clear the space in advance to avoid recording errors during the cloning process.
⚠️ Note: Do not interrupt the data transfer process or switch to other heavy applications during the migration.This can disrupt the integrity of files or cause the system to freeze.
It is also recommended to update the system software on both gadgets to the latest available version. Developers often release patches that improve the stability of system utilities, including tools for portability.
☑️ Readiness for data portability
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Using the Mi Mover app for quick migration
The most effective and preferred method is to use the Mi Mover app, which is pre-installed on most of the brand’s smartphones and allows data to be transmitted over a local Wi-Fi connection, which provides high speed and does not require an Internet connection. To get started, find the application in the Tools folder or through settings search.
Run the program on both devices. On the new smartphone, select the role "I am the recipient" (or "New phone"), and on the old one, "I am the sender" (or "Old phone"). The system automatically creates an access point. You will need to scan. QR-code that will appear on the screen of the new device, the camera of the old phone, and then establish a secure connection.
The interface allows you to flexibly configure what you want to flip, you can choose only contacts and messages, or you can copy the entire array of data, including applications, system settings, alarm clocks and media files, and the process is fully automated, and you just have to wait for the progress bar to complete.
- 📱 Contacts and Calls: Instantly Transfer All Phone Books and Call History.
- 📸 Media files: Copying photos, videos and audio from internal memory.
- 📲 Annexes: Transfer APK-Installed program files (data within applications may require separate authorization).
- ⚙️ System settings: Save the location of icons, Wi-Fi passwords and interface settings.
It's worth noting that it can take a lot of time to transfer large amounts of video files in 4K resolution, so you'd better leave your phones lying next to you on the table and not touch them so you don't break the connection. If the transfer speed has dropped to zero, try turning off and re-enable Wi-Fi on both devices.
Synchronization with your Mi Cloud account
For those who prefer cloud technology, Mi Cloud is the ideal solution, which is convenient because your data will always be safe on the company’s servers, and you can access it at any time, even if you physically lose your old phone.
On your old device, log in to your account through the settings menu. Go to the "Mi Cloud" section and activate sync for the right categories: contacts, notes, voice recorder, gallery and messages. Click the "Sync" button to make sure all the fresh data has gone to the cloud.
On the new smartphone, sign in to the same account. The system automatically prompts you to restore data from the backup. You can select a recovery point by date and start the process. The download speed will depend on the speed of your Internet connection, so it is recommended to use stable Wi-Fi.
| Type of data | Limit in the free version | Recovery speed | Network dependency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact/SMS | 5GB (total) | Instantly. | Required. |
| Photo/Video | 5GB (total) | Medium | Required. |
| Annexes | Not limited. | Depends on size. | Required. |
| System settings | Not limited. | Quickly. | Required. |
*Note: The apps themselves do not take up space in the cloud, as they are stored in the list, but they are downloaded from the Google Play store or GetApps, which consumes traffic.
Transferring data through Google Account
The Google ecosystem remains the universal standard for Android, a method that is particularly good for transferring contacts, calendars and installed app lists, and if you switch from one Android smartphone to another, it often activates automatically when you first turn on a new device.
On your old phone, open the settings and find the Accounts and Sync section. Make sure your Google account is added and the sync sliders are active. Click on the menu (three dots) and select Sync to force data to Google servers.
When you turn on a new Xiaomi, enter the same username and password. During the initial setup, the system will ask if you want to copy apps and data. Choose "Yes" and specify the source - your old phone or Google cloud. The phone will download the list of applications and start installing them in the background.
⚠️ Note: Google Account does not save Wi-Fi passwords, screenshots, music, or files uploaded to the Download folder.
This is ideal for easy migration, where you already have your main files (photos and videos) stored in Google Photos or another cloud, and you just need to restore your smartphone and communication, which can take longer than Mi Mover, since each application will be downloaded from the Internet.
What if two-factor authentication blocks the entry?
Manual transfer of multimedia and documents
Sometimes automatic systems fail or the user wants to transfer only specific heavy files, such as an archive from video or working documentation, in which case the good old manual method through a computer or OTG wire remains the most reliable.
Connect your old smartphone to your computer through USB-In the menu on the phone screen, select "File Transfer" mode" (MTP). On the computer, open the disk that appears, find folders. DCIM (Photos and video from the camera, Pictures, Download and Music. Copy them to your PC hard drive.
Then plug the new smartphone and copy those folders to the appropriate internal memory directories. Xiaomi's folder structure is standard for Android, so there shouldn't be any problems with gallery or player file recognition. It's a great way to offload the internal memory of an old phone before selling.
- 💾 DCIM: Main storage of photos and video from the camera.
- 📂 Download: Files downloaded from the browser or messengers.
- 🎵 Music: Audio files and ringtones.
- 📝 Documents: Working files PDF, DOCX other documents.
If you don't have a computer on hand, you can use a USB Type-C to Type-C cable (or OTG adapter). Connect two phones directly. The file manager of the new phone (e.g., Xiaomi's "Conductor") will see the connected device as an external drive, and you can move the drag-and-drop files in a way.
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Use the cable that came with the phone, or a certified analogue. Cheap charging cables may not support data transfer at high speeds, leading to copying errors.
Resolve and recover from discharge
Even with the best tools, there may be unforeseen situations, such as some banking applications or corporate messengers may not migrate their data for security reasons, and in such cases, re-authorization and internal configuration will be required.
If you notice that your contacts have been duplicated after the transfer, don't panic. Go to the Contacts app, select the filter menu, and find the "Combine Duplicates" function. MIUI can automatically find duplicate entries and merge them into one card, saving all the numbers.
If the transfer process is interrupted in the middle, you should not try to continue it from the same place, it is better to reset the network settings on both devices and start the procedure again. partially transferred files may not work correctly, so a clean start is preferable.
⚠️ Warning: After selling or transferring your old phone, make sure to complete a full Wipe data reset. It is not enough to delete files - the data can be restored. Reset via the Settings menu → The phone. → Resetting settings guarantees cleaning.
Remember that data transfer is not just about copying files, but also setting up security. After the migration, be sure to check your biometrics settings (fingerprint, facial recognition) and set a new screen lock pin if the old one was too simple.
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Successful data porting is a combination of using Mi Mover for files and Google Account for system settings. Don't rely on just one tool.