The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but moving data from one device to another often becomes a real headache, especially when it comes to tens of gigabytes of photos, hundreds of contacts, important messages and app settings. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways of data migration between Xiaomi smartphones, from the official Mi Mover tool to manual methods using the cloud and cable.
It's important to understand that the choice of method depends on the amount of data, Internet speed and even the model of your devices. For example, the Xiaomi 13 Pro and Redmi Note 12 support wireless transfer via Mi Mover, but for older models like the Mi A1 or Mi 8 Lite, alternative solutions may be needed, and we tested each method on real devices and identified their pros, cons and hidden nuances, which the manufacturer does not mention.
1.Official method: Mi Mover - fast transfer without a computer
Mi Mover is a Xiaomi-branded app that is designed to migrate data between the brand’s smartphones, and it’s pre-installed on all devices with MIUI 9 and newer, so you don’t have to download anything, and the main advantage of the method is that it can wirelessly transfer data directly between phones, eliminating the risk of information leaking through the cloud.
How does it work? It creates a local Wi-Fi network between devices and transfers files at speeds up to 10-15 MB/s (depending on the model), and it supports almost all types of data:
- 📱 Contacts (including call history)
- 📷 Photo and video (in original quality)
- 💬 Communications (SMS and chats from Mi Messages)
- 🎵 Music and documents (except DRM-secure files)
- ⚙️ System settings (wallpaper, sounds, Wi-Fi passwords)
- 📦 Installed applications (without data, only APK)
But there are limitations, like Mi Mover, which can't stand:
- 🔒 Data from third-party messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber)
- 🎮 Save games (if they are not synced through your account)
- 📂 Files from the root folder /storage/emulated/0/ (only selective categories)
⚠️ Note: If the old smartphone has enabled data encryption (Settings) → Security → Encryption), Mi Mover may not work well. We recommend temporarily disabling encryption before transferring it.
Step-by-step:
- On both smartphones, open Mi Mover (on the new one it can be called "Transfer data" in the Quick Settings menu).
- On the old phone, select “I am the sender” and on the new one, “I am the receiver.”
- Scan it. QR-code from the new device old (or enter) PIN-manually).
- Select data types to transfer and confirm the start of the transfer.
- Wait until the end (time depends on the amount of data - from 5 minutes to 1 hour).
Battery charge for both devices > 50%|Both phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (or disconnected from all networks)|There is plenty of free space on the new phone.|Disabled. VPN firewalls-->
2.Transfer via OTG cable: maximum speed and reliability
If you have an OTG-enabled USB cable (or USB-C to USB-C adapter), you can manually transfer data by connecting the old device to the new one as an external drive, which is 2-3 times faster than the Mi Mover and is suitable for transferring large volumes (e.g. 100+GB of photos in RAW).
Advantages of the method:
- ⚡ Transmission speed to 40-50 MB/s (against) 10-15 MB/s at Mi Mover)
- 🔧 Full control over selected files (you can even transfer system folders)
- 🛡️ No dependence on Internet connection or cloud services
Disadvantages:
- 🔌 Cable required OTG (Not all Xiaomi models support host mode)
- 📁 Applications and system settings cannot be transferred (only files)
- 🔄 You need to manually copy the data to the correct folders on the new device
Instructions:
- Connect the old device to the new one through OTG-The new phone will have a notification "USB-plug-in".
- Open Explorer (or any file manager) on your new phone.
- Go to the section "USB-drive" - there will be displayed folders from the old smartphone.
- Copy the data you need (e.g., DCIM, Downloads, Pictures folders) into the internal memory of the new device.
- For contacts, export them to.vcf via Contacts → Settings → Export and transfer it to a new phone.
⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g, POCO F3 or Mi 11 Lite) require the "File Transfer" mode to be enabled in the notification curtain when connecting to the OTG. If the phone is not recognized, check this setting.
Mi Mover (wireless)|Cable OTG|Cloud services (Google Drive, Mi Cloud)|Manual copying on PC|Another option-->
3.Cloud portability: Google Drive vs Mi Cloud
If you don't have a cable on hand or Mi Mover is unstable, you can use cloud services. Xiaomi offers two main options: Mi Cloud (branded cloud) and Google Drive (universal solution).
Mi Cloud is integrated into MIUI and allows synchronization of:
- 📇 Contacts, notes, calendar
- 📷 Photos and videos (compressed, originals for premium subscription only)
- 📱 System backups (but not all models support recovery on another device)
Google Drive is more versatile, but requires manual configuration:
- 📁 Full backup of applications and data (via Settings) → Google → Backup)
- 📎 Selective recovery (e.g. only contacts or photos)
- 🌍 Access from any device, not just Xiaomi)
| Criteria | Mi Cloud | Google Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Free seat | 5GB | 15GB |
| Loading speed | Limited to Xiaomi servers (often slower) | Depends on your Internet. |
| Support for applications | System data only | Backup of most applications (except for some games) |
| Recovery on another device | Partially (depending on model) | Complete. |
Instructions for Google Drive:
- On your old phone, open Settings → Google → Backup.
- Click "Create a backup" and wait until it is completed.
- On the new phone, when you first turn on, select “Restore from backup” and log in to the same Google account.
- Select the latest copy and confirm the recovery.
💡
If you have a slow Internet connection, archive your photo/video folders in ZIP before uploading to the cloud, which will reduce data by 10-30% and speed up the process.
4. Computer Transfer: Reliable but Longer
If you need to transfer all data without exception (including hidden files, game saves or corporate documents), the most reliable way is to use the computer as an intermediary.
You'll need:
- 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux
- 🔌 Two. USB-cable (or one with a splitter)
- 📂 Enough free space on the hard disk
Step-by-step:
- Connect the old device to the computer in file transfer (MTP) mode.
- Copy all the necessary folders (DCIM, Downloads, WhatsApp, etc.) to your computer.
- Turn off the old device and connect the new one.
- Transfer data from your computer to your new smartphone.
- For contacts and messages, use export/import via.vcf and.xml files.
To transfer applications and their data:
- Install ADB on your computer and execute the command: adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab (this will create a full backup of all applications and their data).
- Restore the backup on your new device: adb restore backup.ab
⚠️ Note: When transferring through ADB Some applications (e.g. banking) may be blocked because of a change in the device ID, and then they will have to be reinstalled manually.
How do you move the game saves?
5. data transfer from third-party applications (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.)
Mi Mover and standard methods can't transfer data from messengers and social networks. Each application has its own nuances:
- 💬 WhatsApp: Back up chats on your old phone (Settings) → chat → Backup copy. Copy the folder. /sdcard/WhatsApp/ To a new phone (via cable or cloud) Install WhatsApp on a new device and restore data from a local copy.
- 📱 Telegram: All chats and media files are synced through the Telegram cloud. Just log in to your account on a new phone, the data will be downloaded automatically. /Telegram/.
- 🎮 Games: Most mobile games (for example, PUBG Mobile or Clash of Clans link progress to a Google Play or Facebook account. Once you install the game on your new phone, just log in to the same account.