How to Transfer All Data From Xiaomi Smartphone: From Contacts to Apps

Xiaomi Data Transfer: What You Need to Know Before You Start

Moving to a new smartphone is always an exciting moment, especially when it comes to saving all the data from the old Xiaomi. Photos, correspondence, contacts, notes and even app settings can all be lost if you approach the process without preparation. Unlike the iPhone, where data transfer is standardized through iCloud, Xiaomi has several alternative ways, each of which is suitable for different situations.

Xiaomi users’ main problem is data fragmentation: some information is stored in Mi Cloud, some in Google Account, and some files are only stored in the device’s local memory at all. For example, SMS messages and call logs are not synced with the cloud by default unless you enable this option manually, so it’s important to understand what data you need and where it is stored before transferring.

Another nuance is the MIUI version. On smartphones with MIUI 12 and later, the transfer process is simplified thanks to the Mi Mover function, whereas on older versions (for example, MIUI 10) you will have to use workarounds. If you are not sure about the firmware version, check it in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.

Method 1: Transfer over Mi Cloud (the most reliable method)

Mi Cloud is Xiaomi’s proprietary cloud storage that automatically backs up most of your data from your smartphone, and the advantage of this method is that you can recover information on your new device even after a few months, but there are limitations: only 5GB is available for free, and it can take up to 10GB to fully back up (including apps).

To move data through Mi Cloud, follow the following steps:

• 📱 On your old phone: go to Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud and enable sync for all categories (contacts, notes, photos, call recordings).Please note that apps and SMS are synced only when you manually back up.
• ☁️ Create a full backup: in the same menu, select Backup → Backup and wait until the process is complete. Time depends on the amount of data (from 10 minutes to an hour).
• 🆕 On the new phone: log in to the same Xiaomi account, go to Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Restore from backup and select the last backup.

Important: If you’re using Mi Cloud for the first time, some apps (such as banking or instant messengers) may need to be reauthorized after data recovery on your new phone.This is due to Xiaomi’s security policy, which blocks access to sensitive data when you change devices.

Is Xiaomi account registered on an old phone?

Is there enough space in the cloud (minimum 5GB free)

Is contact and note synchronization enabled?

Is your phone connected to Wi-Fi (backup via mobile internet can be slow)

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Method 2: Direct transfer via Mi Mover (no cloud or PC)

Mi Mover feature appeared in MIUI 12 and allows you to transfer data directly between two Xiaomi smartphones over Wi-Fi Direct. This method is suitable if you do not have access to a computer or stable Internet. The main condition is that both phones must be charged at least 50%, since the process can take up to 30-40 minutes.

Instructions for using Mi Mover:

1. On the new phone, when you first turn on, select Data Transfer (if the phone is already configured, find Mi Mover in Settings → More).
2. On an old phone, install the Mi Mover app from Google Play (if it’s not on the system) and run it.
3. Scan the scanner on your new phone QR-code that appears on the screen of the old device.
4. Select data categories for transfer (contacts, messages, photos, videos, applications) and confirm the beginning of the process.

Mi Mover copies the data in its original quality, but there are nuances:

• 📸 Photos and videos are transferred without compression, but if there are too many (more than 10,000 files), the process can be interrupted.
• 📱 Apps are only portable to those that are compatible with the new version. MIUI. Some system utilities (such as Mi Fit or Mi Home) may require re-installation.
• 🔋 If the charge of one of the phones drops below 20%, the transfer will automatically stop.

Method 3: Transfer over a computer (for large amounts of data)

If you have to move tens of gigabytes of photos, videos or app backups, the most reliable way is to use a computer, and it works even if one of the phones is not from Xiaomi. USB-cable (preferably original) and free space on the hard disk.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your old phone to your computer via USB and select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy all the folders you need (DCIM for photos, Downloads for downloads, WhatsApp for correspondence) onto your computer. The path to files usually looks like this: Internal memory → [Folder name].
3. Disable the old phone, connect the new one and transfer the copied data to the appropriate folders.
4. To transfer contacts, export them to the.vcf file via the Contacts app (Contact Management menu → Import/Export).

Advantages of this method:

• 💾 There are no limits on the amount of data (unlike the Mi Cloud).
• 🔄 Only the necessary files can be selectively transferred.
• 🛠️ Suitable for transfer to devices of other brands (Samsung, Huawei, etc.).

⚠️ Note: If you are migrating data from Xiaomi to your iPhone, photos and videos may lose metadata (shoot date, geolocation.

Method 4: Transfer through Google Account (for Android users)

If you’re actively using Google services (Gmail, Google Photos, Google Contacts), most of the data is already synced to the cloud automatically, which works on any Android device, not just Xiaomi. However, there are limitations: only 15 GB of Google Drive is available for free, and some data (such as Wi-Fi settings) are not synced.

What can be transferred through Google Account:

• 📇 Contacts – sync automatically if the account settings enable the option of Contact Sync.
• 📅 Calendar and notes – through Google Calendar and Google Keep.
• 📸 Photos and videos – if you have enabled autoloading in Google Photos (Quality High does not take up space in the cloud).
• 🎮 App data – some games and programs (such as WhatsApp) save backups to Google Drive.

How to recover data on a new phone:

1. When you first turn on, select Copy Data and log in to your Google Account.
2. Choose which data to restore (contacts, applications, settings).
3. Wait until the sync is complete (it can take up to 15 minutes depending on the internet speed).

⚠️ Note: If your old phone has enabled two-step authentication in Google Account or Mi Account, after transferring data to the new device, you will need to confirm the login via SMS or backup codes!

💡

If you are migrating data to the new Xiaomi and want to save all MIUI settings (themes, gestures, sounds), use Mi Cloud instead of Google Account. Google does not retain branded firmware features.

Method 5: Transfer over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct (for small files)

If you only need to transfer a few files (for example, 10-20 photos or documents), you can do without clouds and cables. Xiaomi supports Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi Direct, which allows you to transfer data at speeds up to 10 MB / s (versus 2 MB / s for standard Bluetooth).

How to transfer files over a wireless network:

1. On both phones, turn on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
2. On an old phone, open Explorer, select the files you need and click Send → Bluetooth.
3. Select a new device from the list and confirm the acceptance of files on it.
4. For Wi-Fi Direct, use the Files app from Google or Xender (available on Google Play).

Limitations of this method:

• 🐢 Low speed when transferring large files (video) 4K can be transmitted for hours).
• 📱 Not all types of data are supported (for example, contacts or SMS cannot be transferred in this way).
• 🔋 High battery consumption on both devices.

💡

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct are only suitable for transferring small files (up to 1-2 GB).

What to do if the data is not transferred or lost

Even with all the instructions, sometimes you have problems, like lost contacts, lost photos, or failed to open apps, and here's what you can do in these cases:

Problem 1: Contacts are not transferred

• 🔍 Check if contact synchronization is enabled in Settings → Accounts. → Google/Mi Account.
• ☁️ If the contacts were in Mi Cloud, try manually exporting them to a.vcf file and importing them on a new phone.
• 📱 Make sure that the new phone does not duplicate contacts (sometimes they are saved in both Google Account and Mi Account).

Problem 2: Photos and videos are not opened

• 🖼️ If files are copied through a computer, check their extension (sometimes Xiaomi saves photos in.heic format, which is not supported by some devices).
• 🔄 Try opening files through Google Photos – it automatically converts incompatible formats.
• 💾 If the photos are stored on SD-Remove it and insert it into a new phone (but first make a backup!).

Problem 3: Applications do not work after the transfer

• 🔓 Some applications (especially banking) are tied to the IMEI Once they're transferred, they need to be reinstalled and re-authorized.
• 📦 If apps are moved but not opened, clear their cache to Settings → Annexes → [Name of the annex] → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
• 🔄 For save games (such as Genshin Impact or PUBG Check if your account is linked to Google Play Games or Mi Game Center.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data portability with Xiaomi