How to transfer data to another Xiaomi smartphone: the full guide

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but data porting often becomes a headache. Photos, contacts, messages, app settings all need to be saved, without loss or duplicate. Fortunately, device owners on MIUI have several ways to migrate, from embedded tools to cloud services.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven methods for transferring data between Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphones — from automatic cloning via Mi Mover to manual backup to Google Drive. You’ll learn which is faster, which is more reliable, and how to avoid common errors (such as why Wi-Fi settings or game data sometimes don’t transfer).

Important: The transfer procedure can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours depending on the amount of data and the method chosen, prepare both devices in advance: charge them at least 50%, connect them to stable Wi-Fi (if you use the cloud), and free up space on a new smartphone.

1.Mi Mover: Xiaomi's official tool for rapid cloning

Mi Mover is a Xiaomi-branded app that allows you to transfer almost all data from your old smartphone to your new one wirelessly, pre-installed on most devices with MIUI 9 and newer, but can be downloaded from Google Play or App Gallery if needed.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔄 Transfers contacts, messages, photos, videos, applications and their data (including game settings)
• 📶 It works without the Internet (uses a local Wi-Fi network between devices)
• 🛠️ Supports porting from iPhone (via iCloud) and other Android devices

How to use Mi Mover:

1. Open the app on both smartphones.
2. On the old device, select I am the sender, on the new device, I am the receiver.
3. Scan it. QR-code from the new phone on the old one (or enter it) PIN-manually).
4. Select data types to transfer and confirm the start of the process.

⚠️ Warning: If the new smartphone already has data, Mi Mover will prompt you to erase it before transferring!

Both devices are charged at least 50%

On the new smartphone there is enough free space

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled on both phones

The latest version has been installed MIUI (or updated Mi Mover app)-->

2. MIUI Backup Backup: Reliable, but not universal

The built-in Backup feature in MIUI allows you to save data to the cloud or local storage and then restore it to a new device. This method is suitable if you want to migrate system settings, SMS, call log and some application data, but not all file types.

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ Does not transfer installed applications (only their data)
• ❌ Does not work with some stock applications (e.g. Gallery or Music)
• ❌ Requires authorization to Mi Account for cloud reserve

Instructions for creating a backup copy:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Select data to save (e.g. System settings, SMS, Call Log).
3. Click Create a backup and wait until it is completed.
4. Transfer the backup file (located in /MIUI/backup/AllBackup) to the new smartphone and restore it through the same settings section.

3. Google Account Transfer: Universal, but not completely

If you use Google services, most of the data is already synced automatically, a method that can be ported to Xiaomi from any Android device (including Samsung, Huawei, etc.) and to an iPhone (with restrictions).

What is synced through Google:

• 📇 Contacts (if saved in Google Account)
• 📅 Calendar and reminders
• 📧 Gmail and other letters
• 📸 Photo and video (via Google Photos if Autoupload is enabled)
• 🎮 Game data if the games support Google Play Games)

How to set up synchronization:

1. On your old smartphone, go to Settings → Accounts → Google → Account Sync.
2. Turn on synchronization for all the categories you need.
3. On the new Xiaomi, add the same Google Account and wait for the sync to complete.

⚠️ Note: If your old phone has your contacts stored in local memory (not Google), they won’t be transferred! before migrating, export them to.vcf via the Contacts app.

Mi Mover|Google Account|Manual cable transfer|Cloud services (Yandex Disk, Dropbox)|Other-->

4. Transfer over OTG cable or computer: for large amounts of data

If you have tens of gigabytes of photos, videos or other files, wireless methods may be too slow, in which case it is better to use a direct connection via cable (if the new Xiaomi supports OTG) or a computer as an intermediary.

Connection options:

• 🔌 Cable OTG: Connect the old and new smartphone directly (requires an adapter) USB-C to USB-C or micro-USB to USB-C).
• 💻 Through PC: Copy files from your old phone to your computer and then to your new one.
• 🖥️ FTP-server: run FTP-server on an old phone (for example, via Solid Explorer) and connect to it from a new one.

Step-by-step instructions for transfer via PC:

1. Connect your old smartphone to your computer via USB and select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the folders you need (DCIM for photos, Download for downloads, etc.) to your hard drive.
3. Disable the old phone, connect the new one and transfer the files back.
4. For apps: Use APK Extractor to save.apk files and install them manually on your new device.

💡

If you don’t display photos in the Gallery on your new smartphone when you copy them via cable, restart the app or use the MediaScanner (for example, via Files by Google).

5.Moving from iPhone to Xiaomi: features and pitfalls

The transition from iPhone to Xiaomi requires a separate approach, as Apple uses a closed ecosystem.

• 🍎 iMessage and FaceTime don’t work on Android – you can’t transfer your message history.
• 🎵 iTunes music is not automatically synced (you need to use Apple Music for Android or manual transfer).
• 📱 iCloud backups are not compatible with MIUI.

How to transfer data from iPhone:

1. Contacts and calendar: sync via iCloud (enable the option on your iPhone, then export to.vcf and import to Xiaomi).
2. Photos and Videos: Use Google Photos or iCloud for Windows (download files on PC, then on Xiaomi).
3. Apps: Find analogs on Google Play (for example, WhatsApp will move the story through the cloud).
4. Notes: Export from Apple Notes to PDF or use Google Keep.

💡

To transfer WhatsApp from your iPhone to Xiaomi, use the official “Transfer Chats” feature in the messenger settings. This is the only reliable way to save your message history.

6. Data portability for specific models: POCO, Redmi, Black Shark

Some Xiaomi devices have features when transferring data:

• 📱 POCO: Use the Mi Mover, but keep in mind that you are POCO with a "clean" Android (for example, POCO F1) There may not be a pre-installed app – download it from the Play Market.
• 🎮 Black Shark: These devices are optimized for gaming, so when migrating through Mi Mover, the priority is to save the game data (for example, Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile).
• 🔋 Redmi Note: On budget models (e.g. Redmi) 9A) There may not be enough memory for a full reserve - pre-clean the cache.

Black Shark also has Shark Space, a cloud storage for game data, available for use:

1. Register with Shark Space on an old device.
2. Save game data to the cloud.
3. Sign in to the new Black Shark and restore your saves.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even when following instructions, users face problems, and here are the most common ways to solve them:

Problem 1: Mi Mover is stuck in the connection phase.

⚠️ Solution: Turn it off VPN Or firewall on both devices. Reboot both smartphones. Try connecting through a hot spot (on an old phone, turn on Wi-Fi, connect a new one to it).

Problem 2: Some applications do not work after the transfer.

⚠️ Solution: Update apps via Google Play. Clear the app cache in Settings → Applications. If the application doesn't start, uninstall it and reinstall it.

Problem 3: Wi-Fi settings are not moved.

⚠️ Solution: Use Mi Mover is the only method that saves passwords from networks. Manually export settings through the WiFi Password Viewer app (root rights required).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions