How to Move Data and Apps from One Android to Another Xiaomi: A Complete 2026 Guide

Moving to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always an exciting event, but the process of transferring data from an old device can seem like a daunting task, especially if you’ve never experienced a migration of apps, photos and settings between Android devices before. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods of data transfer – from standard tools. MIUI Up to universal solutions that work on any Android-smartphone.

The main problem when moving to Xiaomi is the difference in shells: even if both devices run on Android, manufacturers often modify the system to suit their needs. UI, Xiaomi — MIUI We've taken these nuances into account and prepared instructions that will work even if your old smartphone is from another brand.

Importantly, if you're moving from an iPhone to Xiaomi, this article won't work for you -- there are some tools for this migration, like Move to iOS (but back) or Mi Mover, with special settings, and here we focus exclusively on porting between Android devices.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a proprietary application from Xiaomi, which is pre-installed on all new smartphones of the brand.It allows you to transfer most data over Wi-Fi Direct (without an Internet connection) or through the Internet. QR-The main advantage is not only the support of standard data (contacts, SMS, Photos, but also some of the settings MIUI, For example, the topics of registration or notification parameters.

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

• 📱 On the new Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select Data Transfer (if you missed it, find the Mi Mover app in the menu).
• 🔗 On your old phone, install Mi Mover from Google Play (if it’s not there) and open it.
• 📡 Select the role of the device: the new Xiaomi will be the Recipient, and the old smartphone will be the Sender.
• 🔐 Connect to a single Wi-Fi network or use it QR-pairing.
• ✅ Select data types to transfer (applications, media files, contacts, etc.) and confirm the start of the process.

The speed of the transfer depends on the volume of data and the model of the devices, for example, on smartphones with a Snapdragon chipset. 8 Gen 2 (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra) transmission 50 GB takes about 20-30 On budget models like the Redmi Note 12 The same amount can be transmitted for up to an hour. If the process is stuck in the Preparation stage, try restarting both devices and trying again.

⚠️ Note: Mi Mover does not port data to some applications (such as WhatsApp, Viber or banking programs) due to security restrictions.

2. Transfer through Google Account (universal method)

If you’re actively using Google services, most of your data is already synced to the cloud automatically, a method that is suitable for porting:

• 📇 Contacts (via Google Contacts)
• 📅 Calendars and Reminders (Google Calendar)
• 📧 Letters and settings (Gmail)
• 📸 Photos and videos (Google Photos with original quality)
• 🎵 Music and Subscriptions (YouTube Music, Google Play Music)
• 📍 Location History (Google Maps)

To transfer data through Google Account:

1. On your old phone, check that sync is enabled: go to Settings → Accounts. → Google → Sync your account and activate all the necessary items.
2. On the new Xiaomi, when you set up, log in to the same Google account or add it to Settings. → Accounts and synchronization.
3. Wait for the synchronization to be completed (it can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour depending on the amount of data).

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ Applications and their data are not portable (only the list of installed programs via Google Play).
• ❌ SMS and call logs are not synchronized (this requires a separate backup).
• ❌ Settings MIUI (For example, topics or gestures are not saved.

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Before you move, check the space available on Google Drive. The free rate only gives you 15 GB, and the photos in their original quality take up a lot of space. If necessary, clear the cloud or buy additional space.

3. Transfer of applications and their data (including games)

One of the most painful things about changing your smartphone is losing progress in games or settings in apps. Fortunately, there are several ways to move beyond just the experience. APK-files, but also related data:

Method 1: Titanum Backup (required) ROOT)

If your old smartphone has root rights, Titanium Backup is the most powerful solution, and it allows you to create a full backup of applications along with their data, system settings and even the most powerful. SMS. However, on the new Xiaomi root is more difficult to get because of the bootloader lock, so this method is not suitable for everyone.

Method 2: Built-in backup MIUI

V MIUI There is a local backup function that saves:

• 📱 List of installed applications (without APK, Only links to download from the Play Market)
• 📞 Call log and SMS
• 🔧 System settings (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, wallpaper, etc.)

To create a backup:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Select the data to save and click Create backup.
3. Copy the backup file (located in /MIUI/backup/AllBackup) new-phone.
4. On the new Xiaomi, recover data through the same settings section.

Method 3: Transferring game saves through accounts

Many modern games (such as Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile, Clash of Clans) link progress to Google Play account Games, Facebook or their own servers:

1. Open the game on your old phone.
2. Find in the game settings the item Link account or Synchronization.
3. Link progress to one of the services offered (e.g. Google Play or Mi Account).
4. Install the game on the new Xiaomi, log in to the same account and download saves.

⚠️ Note: Some games (especially offline) don’t support cloud sync, in which case the only way to move forward is to copy the save folder (usually located in the back of the back of the back of the back of the back of the back of the back of the back of the back of the back of the back of the back. /Android/data/[game-play package] or /Android/obb/) However, this may not work because of the difference in the Android versions or the processor architecture.

Make sure there is enough space on both devices|Download the latest versions of the necessary applications on a new smartphone|Save logins and passwords from game accounts|Check the compatibility of the architecture (ARM/x86) -->

4. Transfer files (photos, videos, music) without loss

Media files are usually the largest amount of data you need to move, and let's look at the most reliable ways to do this.

Method 1: Through cable OTG computer

The fastest and safest method is to connect both smartphones to your PC and copy files manually.

1. Connect your old smartphone to your computer through USB (Select the File Transfer Mode).
2. Copy the folders. DCIM (Photo/video), Download, Music and others on hard drive.
3. Connect the new Xiaomi and paste the files into the appropriate folders.

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Maximum speed (up to 40 MB/s when used) USB 3.0).
• 🔒 There is no risk of loss of quality (unlike cloud services that can compress files).
• 📁 The original folder structure is preserved.

Method 2: Through SD-card (if supported)

If both devices have a microSD slot, you can use the memory card as an intermediate storage:

1. Put it in. SD-card.
2. Copy files to the card (for example, through Explorer or Mi File Manager).
3. Transfer the card to the new Xiaomi and copy the data back to internal memory.

Note: modern flagships Xiaomi (for example, Xiaomi 14 or Xiaomi) 13T Pro) often do not have a slot for SD-This method is only suitable for budget models like Redmi 12 or POCO X5.

Method 3: Cloud Storage (Google Drive, Mi Cloud, Yandex Drive)

If you have slow Internet or little space on your devices, cloud services can be a lifeline.

To upload files to the cloud, use official service applications. For example, in Google Photos you can enable automatic download over Wi-Fi, and in Mi Cloud you can back up directly from Xiaomi settings (Settings) → Mi Account. → Mi Cloud → Backup).

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For transferring large files (more than 100 GB), it is better to use physical media (SD-map USB-drive), as cloud services may limit speed or require payment.

5. Transfer SMS, call-book

Standard data like SMS And the contacts are often lost when you switch to a new smartphone, unless you take action beforehand:

Method 1: Through Google Contacts and SMS Backup & Restore

For contacts:

1. On your old phone, open your contacts. → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Export to.vcf file.
2. Copy the file to the new Xiaomi.
3. On the new device, import contacts through the same section.

For SMS and call logs use the app SMS Backup & Restore:

1. Install the app on both devices.
2. On the old phone, create a backup (Backup) → choose SMS call).
3. Copy the backup file (usually in the SMSBackupRestore folder) to a new smartphone.
4. On the new Xiaomi, recover data via Restore.

Method 2: Mi Account (Xiaomi only)

If both devices are from Xiaomi, you can use the built-in sync through the Mi Account:

1. On your old smartphone, go to Settings → Mi Account. → Mi Cloud.
2. Enable synchronization for Contacts, SMS and the Call Log.
3. On the new Xiaomi, log in to the same account and wait for the sync to complete.

Note that this method only works if both devices are linked to the same Mi Account region (e.g., Russia or the global version).

Method 3: Through SIM-map (outdated but working)

If you have few contacts (up to 200), you can transfer them over the course of your life. SIM-map:

1. On your old phone, export your contacts to SIM: Contacts → Settings → Imports/Exports → Export on SIM.
2. Insert the SIM into the new Xiaomi.
3. Import contacts: Contacts → Settings → Imports/Exports → Import with SIM.

Cons of the method:

• ❌ Only name and number are supported (without photo, email, addresses).
• ❌ Limitation on the number of contacts (depending on the number of contacts) SIM-map).
• ❌ SMS And the call log is not portable.

6. Transfer of passwords, notes and other data

In addition to basic data, the smartphone stores Wi-Fi passwords, notes, browser data and other trifles, without which it will be inconvenient to use the new device.

Wi-Fi passwords

To avoid re-entering passwords from all networks:

• 📱 On an old phone, install the WiFi Password Viewer app (root required) or use built-in tools (some firmware stores passwords in the app). /data/misc/wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml).
• 📋 Copy the list of networks and passwords into a text file.
• 🔑 On the new Xiaomi, connect to networks manually or use the WiFi Key Recovery app (if there is root).

On Xiaomi MIUI 14 and later has a function Sharing Wi-Fi via QR-Code: Open Settings → Wi-Fi, select the network and click Share - will appear QR-code.

Notes and reminders

If you have used the standard Notes app on Xiaomi:

1. Open Notes on your old phone.
2. Press three points. → Settings → Backup and synchronization.
3. Log in to Mi Account and enable synchronization.
4. On the new Xiaomi, set Notes (if not preset) and sign in to the same account.

For Google Keep or other applications, just log in to the same Google account – notes are synchronized automatically.

Browser data (bookmarks, history, passwords)

If you have used Google Chrome:

1. On your old phone, open Chrome and log in to your Google account.
2. Enable synchronization: Settings → Synchronization.
3. On the new Xiaomi, install Chrome, log in to your account and wait for sync.

For Mi Browser (branded browser Xiaomi):

1. Open the Mi Browser on your old phone.
2. Go to Settings. → Sync and log in to Mi Account.
3. On the new device, repeat the steps and wait for the data to load.

Passwords from apps and services

If you have used a password manager (e.g. Google Password Manager, 1Password or Bitwarden), just install the same app on the new Xiaomi and log in to your account – all data will automatically pull up.

If passwords are saved in the browser, they are synchronized with bookmarks (see the previous paragraph).

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For maximum security, it is recommended to use specialized password managers (such as Bitwarden or KeePass) rather than storing passwords in a browser or notes.

7. data transfer from phones of other brands (Samsung, Honor, Realme, etc.)

If you are switching to Xiaomi from a device from another manufacturer (such as Samsung, Honor or Realme), the process can be complicated due to differences in firmware.

From Samsung to Xiaomi

Samsung uses its own Samsung Cloud and Smart Switch app to migrate data.

1. On Samsung, open a Smart Switch and create a backup on the SD-card.
2. Copy the backup file (usually in the SmartSwitchBackup folder) to the new Xiaomi.
3. Use Mi Mover or manually transfer the desired files (photos, videos, music).

Note: Samsung’s Smart Switch is not compatible with MIUI, Therefore, it will not be possible to restore the backup directly.

With Honor or Huawei on Xiaomi

On the devices. Huawei/Honor Huawei Mobile Cloud and Phone Clone app:

1. On Huawei, open the Phone Clone and select This is an old device.
2. On Xiaomi, install Phone Clone from Google Play and select This is a new device.
3. Scan it. QR-code and select data to transfer.

Alternatively, use Huawei Backup to create a local backup and manually transfer files to Xiaomi.

With Realme, Oppo or Vivo on Xiaomi

These brands use ColorOS or Funtouch OS, Who have their own backup tools:

• 📱 On your old phone, create a backup through Settings → Additional settings → Backup and reset.
• 📁 Copy the backup file (usually in the backup folder) to the new Xiaomi.
• 🔄 Use Mi Mover or transfer files manually.

To transfer applications from these devices may be necessary APK Extractor (for extraction) APK-files) and manual installation on Xiaomi.

⚠️ Note: When transferring data from other brands to Xiaomi, some files may have compatibility issues, such as photos taken on Samsung in a format that is not compatible. HEIF, You can't open on Xiaomi without converting. Use apps like this. HEIF Image Converter for Format Conversion.

8. Post-transfer validation and optimization

After the data transfer is completed, several steps must be taken to ensure that the new Xiaomi works stably:

1. Data integrity verification

• 📸 Open the Gallery and make sure all photos and videos are in place.
• 📞 Check the contacts and SMS Duplicate or missing records.
• 🎮 Run games and apps to make sure saves are loaded.
• 🔊 Check the sound files and music for playback.

2. Optimization of productivity

After moving a lot of data, Xiaomi can work slower to fix this:

• 🧹 Clear the cache: Settings → Annexes → Application management → Clear the cache.
• 🔄 Restart the device (sometimes helps solve synchronization problems).
• 📉 Turn off autoloading of unnecessary apps: Settings → Battery and productivity → Autostart control.
• 🗑️ Remove duplicate files with Files by Google or Mi File Manager.

3. Set up notifications and permissions

Once the app is moved, it may lose some permissions, and to restore them:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the desired application and check the permissions (for example, access to contacts, camera, microphone).
3. Enable notifications for important applications: Settings → Notifications and status bar → Management of notifications.

Updating applications and systems

After the transfer, it is recommended:

• 🔄 Update all apps through Google Play.
• 📱 Check for updates MIUI: Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 🔒 Update security signatures: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → Three points. → Update the security package.