Data portability from Android to Xiaomi: a complete guide for all models

Why Standard Methods Don't Always Work

Switching to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always a joyful event, but the process of transferring data from an old Android device can turn into a real headache. Many users find that standard tools like Google Account or Mi Mover work unstable: contacts are duplicated, photos are transmitted in low resolution, applications refuse to recover at all, it is difficult if you have devices of different brands, such as Samsung and Redmi Note 12.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to transfer data, including little-known nuances for specific Xiaomi models (from budget Poco to flagship Xiaomi) 14). You will learn how to avoid file loss, why some applications (such as WhatsApp or banking services) require separate configuration after transfer, and what to do if the new smartphone “cannot see” the old device over Wi-Fi Direct. MIUI 14/15 Android 13/14.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a proprietary solution from Xiaomi that should simplify data portability. The utility is pre-installed on all new smartphones of the brand and supports the transfer of contacts, messages, photos, videos and even some applications. However, there are pitfalls: the program often “hangs” at the connection stage if the old device is custom firmware or Android version below 8.0.

To avoid problems, follow this algorithm:

• 📱 On the new Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select Data Portability from the settings menu. If your smartphone is already configured, find Mi Mover through a search in Settings.
• 🔗 Download Mi Mover from Google Play on your old phone (for no reason)-Xiaomi device).
• 📶 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network or use an access point (on your old phone).
• 🔄 On the new Xiaomi, select “I am the sender” and on the old one, “I am the recipient” (yes, this is the uncertainty in the interface – many people confuse!).
• 📊 Tick the data types to transfer. Don't choose "Applications" if you have different processor architectures (ARM/x86) — It's gonna lead to mistakes.

Charging both phones > 50%|Disabled. VPN firewalls|On the old phone enough free space (minimum 1 GB)|Verification of Android versions (minimum 6.0)-->

The speed of the transfer depends on the amount of data: 10 GB of photos and videos can be copied up to 30 minutes. If the process is stalled by 99%, do not interrupt it - wait for a timeout (10 minutes) and try again with less data.

💡

If Mi Mover can’t see the old device, try connecting via the QR-Code: on the new Xiaomi, select "Connect via" QR" And scan the code from your old phone.

2.Google Account: Universal, but not perfect

Syncing through Google Account is the most reliable way to transfer contacts, calendars and email, but it has limitations, such as photos and videos are synced only in a compressed form (unless you have a Google One subscription), and SMS messages are not transmitted at all, but this method works even if you have different phone brands.

How to set up:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts → Google and enable sync for all the data you need.
2. Wait for the sync to complete (check in Google Photos and Google Contacts).
3. On the new Xiaomi, when you set up, select “Restore from backup” and log in to the same Google account.
4. Select the latest backup (pay attention to the date!).

To transfer SMS and call logs, use third-party applications:

• 📩 SMS Backup & Restore – Reserves messages in XML-A file that is then restored to a new phone.
• 📞 Call Logs Backup & Restore – similar to call history.

Direct transmission by cable (OTG)

If you don’t have time to sync through the air or the data volume exceeds 50 GB, direct transfer through the air. OTG-This is the best solution, and it works 100 percent of the time, but it requires additional accessories. OTG-adapter (or cable) USB-C to USB-C, If both phones are modern, and file manager (e.g. Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect. OTG-adapter to the new Xiaomi.
2. Connect your old phone to an adapter via USB-cable.
3. On your old phone, select File Transfer (MTP) mode in the connection notification.
4. On the new Xiaomi, open Mi File Manager and go to the section "USB-device".
5. Copy the right folders (DCIM, Downloads, Pictures, etc.) to internal memory or SD-mapping.

Google Drive (Mi Cloud) and Mi Drive (Google Drive)|Cable (OTG computer)|Through specialized applications (Mi Mover, Smart Switch)|Manual transfer (by Bluetooth or memory card)|Another option-->

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Maximum transmission speed (up to 40 MB/s per USB 3.0).
• 🔒 There is no risk of file quality loss (unlike cloud services).
• 📁 You can selectively copy only the right folders.

⚠️ Note: If the new Xiaomi does not recognize the old device when connecting, check: Cable: use the original charging cable (cheap cables often do not support data transfer). Connection mode: on the old phone in the notification USB You should choose "File Transfer" instead of "Charge." Permissions: on Android 11 phones+ You may need explicit permission to access files in the "Applications" settings → Special access → Access to all files".

4. Transfer via computer (for large volumes)

If you need to transfer more than 100GB of data (for example, a video collection to a video store) 4K or RAW-The most reliable way to do this is to use your computer as an intermediary, and this is also useful if you want to sort files before a penos or back up your hard drive.

Instructions for Windows:

1. Connect your old phone to your computer via USB and select File Transfer mode.
2. Copy all the folders you need (DCIM, Movies, Music, etc.) onto your computer. Use an archiver (like WinRAR) to compress data into a single file to speed up.
3. Turn off your old phone and connect a new Xiaomi.
4. Transfer files from your computer to your new smartphone. If you use the archive, pre-unpack it on your phone using RAR for Android.

The process is similar for macOS, but you may need to install Android File Transfer.

💡

Use a computer if you want to transfer data from your phone to phones of different brands (for example, from iPhone to Xiaomi) – this is the only universal method that works 100% of the time.

If you are porting music or videos, pay attention to the formats:

• 🎵 Xiaomi supports MP3, FLAC, AAC, but it may not reproduce ALAC or WMA.
• 🎬 For video, preferred MP4 (H.264) or MKV. Files. MOV (iPhones may not play without conversion.

5. porting applications and their data (including WhatsApp)

The hardest part is migrating installed apps and their data. Standard methods (like Mi Mover or Google Account) only carry a list of apps, but do not store internal data (like messaging or game progress).

Most applications will be fine with Titanium Backup (requires root rights) or built-in export features (like WhatsApp or Telegram).

• 💬 WhatsApp: Use the built-in Backup feature in Google Drive. On the new phone, WhatsApp will offer to restore chats when you first start!
• 🎮 Games: If the game supports Google Play Games or Facebook Login, log in to a new phone – progress will recover automatically).
• 🏦 Banking applications: they cannot be transferred through backups for security reasons. Uninstall the application on your old phone, install it again on a new one, and log in via SMS/biometry.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (such as SberBank Online or Tinkoff) are linked to a particular device via hardware. ID. When transferring to a new phone, additional verification may be required (a call in support or a visit to a bank branch).

To transfer SMS and call logs without root rights, use:

Appendix: SMS Backup & Restore


1. Set it on both phones.




2. On an old phone: Backup → Local backup (save the file to the memory card).




3. Transfer the file to a new phone (via OTG or cloud).




4. On a new phone: Recovery → Select a file → Restore.

6.Alternative methods: Bluetooth, NFC and cloud services

If you don’t have a cable or computer on hand, alternative methods are available, although they are less convenient:

• 📶 Bluetooth: Suitable for transferring small files (up to 50MB). Low speed (about 1MB/s), but does not require internet. On both phones, turn on Bluetooth, find the device in the list and confirm pairing. Then select the files to send.
• 📲 NFC: It only works for contacts or links, and if both phones support Android Beam (on new Xiaomi models, this feature is often disabled).
• ☁️ Cloud services (Yandex Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive): upload files from your old phone to the cloud and then download them to a new one. Document-friendly, but inefficient for large media files (due to traffic restrictions and speeds).

For cloud transmission, we recommend:

If you are choosing a cloud, consider:

• 🔒 Security: For sensitive data (document scans, passwords) use encryption (e.g, ES File Explorer can create encrypted files ZIP-archive).
• ⏳ Time: 10GB download over mobile internet (even 4G) It could take hours.
• 📶 Traffic: If you have a limited rate, use Wi-Fi.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even when following instructions, users often encounter problems. TOP-5 mistakes and their solutions:

1. Mi Mover doesn't find the device: Check that both phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (not mobile data!). Turn off VPNs and firewalls (like Avast or Kaspersky can block the connection).
2. Photos transferred in low quality: If you used Google Photos, check your backup settings: "Original Quality" (requires a paid subscription) must be selected. OTG Quality is not lost – use this method to RAW-photo.
3. Apps are not restored: Make sure the new phone has enabled app sync in Settings → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization of applications: Some applications (e.g. Netflix or Disney)+) They're not borne out DRM-Protect them – they will have to be re-installed.
4. Lack of space on new phone: Before penos clear cache on old phone (for example, via Settings) → Warehouse → Clear the cache. Use it. SD-Card (if the new Xiaomi supports it) for storing media files.

WhatsApp does not restore chats

• Make sure the backup is the last one created (check the date in Settings → Chat → Backup).
• Use the same phone number and Google account as you used on your old device.
• If chats haven’t recovered, try reinstalling WhatsApp and repeat the process.

There is no official way to transfer WhatsApp from iPhone to Android, but you can use third-party tools like Backuptrans (paid).