Buying a new smartphone is always a joyous event, but it is often overshadowed by the need to transfer a huge amount of information from the old device. Owners of the Xiaomi ecosystem are in a winning position, as the manufacturer has provided powerful built-in tools for migration.
There are several proven synchronization methods, each with its own advantages depending on the amount of information and the speed of the Internet connection: You can use the proprietary Mi Mover app, Google account capabilities or Mi Cloud storage. The choice of the particular method depends on how deeply you have immersed yourself in the brand ecosystem.
In this article, we will take a look at each algorithm so you can quickly activate a new gadget. We will look at the nuances of porting not only contacts and photos, but also passwords, desktop layouts and application data. Proper preparation of both devices will take only a few minutes, but save hours of manual adjustment.
Preparing devices for data migration
Before you start the copying process, you need to make sure that both smartphones are ready to work. Charge both Xiaomi devices to at least 60-70%, as active transfer of large amounts of data can significantly consume battery power.
It is recommended to upgrade the MIUI or HyperOS operating system on both phones to the latest available version.This minimizes the risk of software conflicts or errors when transferring specific settings files. Make sure that the screens of both gadgets do not go out too quickly by setting a screen timeout for 10-15 minutes in the Settings → Screen and Lock menu.
⚠️ Note: If you use third-party launchers or design themes that are not part of the standard set, it is better to temporarily disable them or be prepared for the fact that the visual style of the desktop may reset to the factory.
To work smoothly, make sure that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules are activated on both devices.Even if you plan to use a cable connection, wireless interfaces are essential for initial handshakes and sharing security keys.
☑️ Ready for transfer
Using the Mi Mover application for wireless transfer
The most efficient and quickest way to move data from shaomi to shaomi is to use the built-in Mi Mover app, which creates a direct wireless connection between devices, allowing you to transfer files at high speed without using Internet traffic. The app is usually pre-installed in the Tools folder, but it can be found through a search on the menu.
Run the program on both smartphones. On the new device, select the role of "Receiver" (or "I accept"), and on the old one - "Sender" (or "I send"). The system will ask for permission to access contacts, storage and other data - be sure to grant all the rights requested, otherwise Mi Mover will not be able to read the information.
After the scan. QR-You can connect the device to the code or password, and you can see a list of categories to transfer, and you can select only contacts and messages, or you can mark everything, including system settings, call history, and installed apps.
- 📱 Contacts and messages – transferable instantly, including attachments MMS and the history of correspondence in the standard application.
- 🖼️ Multimedia – photos, videos and audio recordings are copied in original quality without compression.
- ⚙️ System settings - Wi-Fi passwords, alarm clocks, voice recordings and icon location are saved.
- 📦 Applications - copied APK-Program files, but data inside some banking applications may require separate login.
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When you migrate through Mi Mover, apps are copied, but their data (cache, logins) may not be saved for Android security reasons.
The speed of the transfer depends on the version of the Wi-Fi module in your smartphones. If both devices support 5 GHz Wi-Fi, the process will go much faster, do not interrupt the connection and keep the screens on until the operation is completed.
Synchronization through Google Account and Cloud Services
An alternative and highly reliable method is to use Google’s cloud infrastructure, which is ideal if you don’t have both phones on hand at the same time or want to back up before selling your old device, with a focus on Google Photos and contact sync.
On your old phone, go to Settings → Google → Settings for apps. Here, make sure that sync is enabled for Contacts, Calendar and App Data. For photos, open the Google Photos app, click on the profile avatar and activate Autoboot and Sync.
| Type of data | Synchronization method | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Google Contacts | 15GB limit (total) |
| Photo/Video | Google Photo | Compression in “Economic” mode |
| Annexes | Google Play Store | Just a list, not data. |
| Files. | Google Drive | Manual loading required |
On the new Xiaomi, just enter the same email address when you first set up or in the account menu, and automatically prompt you to restore data from the last backup, which can take longer than Mi Mover, as it depends on your Internet speed.
What to do if the synchronization is suspended?
Local backup and transfer via PC
For users who prefer full control of their data, there is a method of creating a local backup, which allows you to create a "cast" of the system that can be transferred to a computer or immediately to a new phone. → The phone. → Standby recovery.
Backup on your old device by selecting all the necessary items. The backup file will be saved in the internal memory in the folder. MIUI/backup/AllBackup. Connect your phone to your computer through USB-cable (MTP) And copy this folder to your hard drive.
Then connect the new Xiaomi to your PC and move the backup folder to the same directory. On the new device, run the recovery through the same settings menu. SMS-Messages and call logs that are sometimes lost in cloud sync.
⚠️ Note: Local backup does not contain itself APK-Application files, unless you have selected the appropriate option, and do not transfer data within applications (for example, correspondence to WhatsApp), unless they are included in the standard set of the system.
Using a PC ensures that your data is not uploaded to any third-party servers, which is important for privacy, but this method requires free space on the computer and additional time to copy.
Transfer data messengers: WhatsApp and Telegram
Messengers deserve special attention, as they store their correspondence history in their databases. Telegram is simple: just enter a phone number and all chats will be downloaded from the server.
In WhatsApp settings on your old phone, go to Chats → Chat Backup and click “Backup.” Make sure the copy is created on Google Drive, not locally if you plan to use a cloud-based recovery method. When you install the app on your new phone, the system will prompt you to restore your history from the cloud.
If you use Mi Mover, the app may also try to migrate WhatsApp data, but the reliability of this method varies from the MIUI version.It is better to be safe and make a manual backup to the messenger cloud before changing the device.
- ✅ WhatsApp – binding to Google Drive or iCloud.
- ✅ Viber – also uses Google’s cloud to restore history.
- ✅ Signal – requires local backup and key file transfer.
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The most reliable way to save WhatsApp’s history is to make a forced backup to Google Drive just before transferring data to a new phone.
Solving the problems of migration
Despite the fact that things are fine, there can be some errors, such as a new phone that might not see the old one in the Mi Mover, in which case try temporarily shutting down mobile internet (4G/5G) on both devices, leaving only Wi-Fi.
If a process is stuck on a particular file, it may be corrupted or have inappropriate characters in the name. Skipping problematic files usually allows you to complete the rest of the data transfer. Once completed, you can try copying the "heavy" video files separately through the cable.
If notifications fail after the transfer, check the power saving settings. The system could aggressively optimize the background performance of applications imported from the old device. Go to Settings → Battery and remove restrictions on important messengers.