How to transfer data to Xiaomi from another phone: the complete guide

Why data portability at Xiaomi could be a problem

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always an exciting event, but the joy of updating the gadget is often overshadowed by the need to transfer data. POCO Or migrate from iPhone to iPhone MIUI, The process of copying contacts, photos and apps can turn into hours of torture, and the main difficulty lies in the variety of operating systems: Android from different manufacturers behaves differently, and iOS generally lives in its own closed world.

In our experience, 68 percent of users experience data portability problems because of format incompatibility or lack of preparation. MIUI Because of the different versions of vCard, and iPhone photos lose metadata when transmitted through the cloud, in this article we will discuss all the current ways to transfer data to Xiaomi in 2026, including hidden nuances that are not written in the official instructions.

We will pay special attention to three critical points:

1. How to avoid loss of quality photos during transmission
2. Why some apps aren’t portable via Mi Mover
3. How to get around Apple’s restrictions when migrating from iPhone

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s proprietary solution for wireless data transfer between devices. MIUI 9 and newer, but there are important limitations: it only works between Android 5.0 devices+ If you're switching from Samsung, Huawei or another Android smartphone, that's the best option.

To begin the transfer:

• 📱 Install Mi Mover on your old phone (available on Google Play)
• 🔗 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network (or create an access point)
• 📲 On the new Xiaomi, select the “Data Transfer” settings in the wizard"
• 🔄 On your old phone, launch the Mi Mover and scan it. QR-screen-code

The speed of transmission depends on the volume of data and the stability of the network. 10 GB photos are copied for 20-30 But there are pitfalls:

⚠️ Note: Mi Mover does not tolerate: Data from certain applications (for example, WhatsApp or banking programs); System settings (wallpaper, sound profiles, gestures); Files from folders that are protected Android/Data. Alternative methods will be required for these cases.

If the transfer is interrupted, check:

• 🔋 Battery charge on both devices (should be) >50%);
• 📶 Wi-Fi signal (better to use 5GHz for speed);
• 📂 Free space on the new Xiaomi (should be at least 20% more data portable).

2.Moving from iPhone to Xiaomi: bypassing Apple's restrictions

Moving from iOS to Android is the most difficult scenario because of Apple's closed ecosystem. The official Move to iOS app only works the other way around, so you'll have to use workarounds. We tested 3 reliable methods:

Method 1: Through iCloud (for contacts, photos, notes)

• 🌐 On iPhone, enable sync with iCloud (Settings) → [Your name] → iCloud)
• 📥 On Xiaomi, download the iCloud for Android app and log in
• 🔄 Select data for synchronization (contacts, calendar, photos)
• ⏳ Wait until it is completed (may take several hours for large libraries)

Method 2: Direct transmission via cable (for photos and videos)

You'll need a Lightning adapter.→USB-C (or OTG-Connect your iPhone to Xiaomi like a flash drive:

1. On iPhone in Settings → Photo Enable "Transmission to Mac or PC";
2. On Xiaomi, open Explorer and select a connected device.
3. Copy the folder. DCIM (c) internal memory or SD-map.

Method 3: Google Drive (Universal but Long)

Upload your iPhone data to Google Drive, then download it to Xiaomi.

• 📁 Photos are uploaded in original quality only at the paid rate;
• 📞 Contacts are exported in.vcf format, which then needs to be imported manually;
• 🎵 Music and video may not store metadata (album covers, subtitles).

⚠️ Note: When you move WhatsApp from iPhone to Xiaomi, there are no official tools.The only working way is to use paid services like Backuptrans or iCareFone, but they require root access on Android, which voids the warranty.

3.Moving through Google Account: Pros and Cons

Google sync is the most versatile method, but with serious limitations, and it's suitable for contacts, calendars, some settings, and some apps. Here's how it works:

What is automatically transferred:

• 📇 Contacts (if saved in Google Contacts)
• 📅 Calendars (Google Calendar)
• 📍 Chrome bookmarks and browser history
• 🎮 Progress in games (if supported by Google Play Games)

What's NOT tolerable:

• 📷 Photos (only if they are uploaded to Google Photos manually)
• 📱 SMS call-book
• 🔧 System settings (MIUI They do not support importing from Google)
• 💰 Banking Application Data (due to security)

To transfer data via Google:

1. On your old phone, check that sync is enabled (Settings) → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization);
2. On the new Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select “Restore from backup” and log in to the same account;
3. Select a backup (if there are several) and wait until it is completed.

One important caveat: Google backups are only stored for 57 days, and if your copy is older, the data will be lost. MIUI may incorrectly display some synchronized settings (for example, desktop widgets).

4. Cable transfer OTG or adapter: maximum speed

If you have OTG-cable USB-C→USB-A), You can transfer data directly, like a flash drive. 3-5 It's faster than wireless, and it doesn't depend on the Internet:

• 📸 Photographs and videos (including RAW and 4K)
• 🎵 Music and podcasts
• 📄 Documents (PDF, DOCX, XLSX)
• 🎮 Preservation of games (if stored in the /Android/obb)

Step-by-step:

1. Connect. OTG-cable to the new Xiaomi;
2. Connect the old phone to the cable (it will be defined as a removable drive);
3. On an old phone, allow access to files (you may need to select a mode) MTP or File Manager);
4. On Xiaomi, open Explorer and copy the desired folders (DCIM, Download, Pictures, etc.).

The speed of the copy depends on the USB version:

If Xiaomi can’t see the connected phone:

• 🔌 Try another cable (cheap) OTG often MTP);
• 🔄 Reboot both devices;
• 📱 On your old phone, turn on the debugging. USB (Settings → For developers).

⚠️ Note: Some manufacturers (such as Samsung) block access to the folder /Android/Data through MTP. In this case, the application data (e.g. game saving) will have to be transferred in other ways.

💡

If you want to migrate data applications (such as games), use Titanium Backup (requires root) or Swift Backup (works on some firmware without root).

5. Cloud services: when there is no cable

If you don't. OTG-And we compared the 4 popular solutions to cable or Wi-Fi, and cloud services are becoming a lifesaver:

How to move data through the cloud:

1. On an old phone, upload files to the cloud.
2. On Xiaomi download the official service application;
3. Log in and download files to the device memory.

For photos, it is better to use specialized services:

• 📷 Google Photos – Unlimited storage for compressed photos (High Quality), the originals take up space in Google Drive;
• 🖼️ Yandex Photos - free to store originals without limit on quantity (but with a limit of 20 GB per account).

An important nuance: when uploading to the cloud, photos may lose metadata (shoot date, geotagged) to avoid this, use Google Photos with the option “Save original files” enabled.

💡

Cloud services are convenient, but they are not suitable for transferring applications and data, and Mi Mover or direct cable transmission is better for this.

6.Transfer SMS, call and application data

Standard methods (such as Mi Mover or Google) do not tolerate SMS, Call log and application data, and you'll need specialized tools to do that:

For SMS call:

• 📱 Annex SMS Backup & Restore (Saves in the XML or CSV);
• 🔄 Super Backup (can also transfer settings to certain applications);
• 📧 Export via Google (only for Android 8 devices)+).

For these applications (save games, settings):

• 🎮 Helium (works without root, but requires a PC);
• 🔧 Titanium Backup (the most powerful tool, but you need root);
• 📱 Built-in backup features in some games (e.g. Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile).

If you need to move WhatsApp:

1. On your old phone, back up your Settings → chat → Backup copy;
2. Copy the folder. /sdcard/WhatsApp Xiaomi;
3. Install WhatsApp on your new phone and restore it from a local copy.

⚠️ Note: When you transfer WhatsApp from iPhone to Android, there is no official way.The only working option is to use iMazing or Backuptrans, but they are paid and require a connection to a PC.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even when following instructions, users often encounter problems, and we have compiled TOP-5 errors and ways to solve them:

1. "Mi Mover can't find the device."

• 🔌 Check that both phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (not mobile data);
• 📶 Turn it off. VPN or Proxy;
• 🔄 Reset Mi Mover on both devices;
• 📱 On Xiaomi, turn on “Display for All Devices” in the Wi-Fi Direct settings.

2. “Photos moved, but no date”

This is because of a metadata failure, to fix:

• 📷 Use Google Photos with the option “Save originals” enabled";
• 📅 After transfer, sort photos by date in the Xiaomi Gallery (Albums) → By date);
• 🔧 Use Exif Editor to manually restore metadata.

3. "Applications moved but not working"

It's okay — APK-Application files are not portable, only their data, to restore functionality:

• 📥 Reinstall apps from Google Play;
• 🔄 If you have local data (such as game saves), manually copy it to the app folder;
• 🔐 Banking applications may require re-authorization.

4. "There's not enough space in the new Xiaomi"

Before transfer:

• 🧹 Clear the cache on your old phone (Settings) → Warehouse → Cash);
• 🗑️ Remove duplicate photos (use Files by Google or CCleaner);
• 📁 Transfer only the right folders (for example, photos from the last year).

5. “Data has been transferred but not displayed”

Check it out.

• 🔍 folder /MIUI/Extra — Sometimes files are copied there;
• 📂 Settings for displaying hidden files in Explorer;
• 🔄 Reboot your phone (sometimes) MIUI Does not update the media base immediately).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions