How to transfer data from an old smartphone to a new Xiaomi: the full guide 2026

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but data transfer often becomes a headache, with contacts scattered across accounts, photos lost in the cloud, and app settings having to be reconfigured. In practice, 87% of users MIUI Facing problems with data migration – from missing data SMS This article will help you avoid typical errors and choose the best way to transfer depending on your situation.

We analyzed all the current methods of 2026 – from the proprietary Mi Mover solution to manual transfer through the Internet. ADB, — And we've highlighted the pros and cons for different scenarios, for example, Redmi Note 12 owners with data over 64 GB should avoid wireless transmission because of the limitations of the data. MIUI by file size, and for POCO F5 With pure Android, the standard Google Backup will do. Read on to find out what will save you time and nerves.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover - built-in solution in the MIUI 12/13/14/15, It automatically transfers contacts, messages, photos, videos, music, and even some of the system application settings, both over cable and over Wi-Fi Direct, and the main advantage is that it doesn't require root rights and it keeps the folder structure intact.

How to start:

• 📱 On an old smartphone: Settings → The phone. → Data Transfer (Mi Mover)
• 🆕 On the new Xiaomi: select “Get Data” when you first turn on or find Settings → Additionally. → Data portability
• 🔗 Connect devices through QR-code (wireless mode) or cable OTG

Limitations of Mi Mover:

• ⚠️ Does not carry Wi-Fi passwords (manual input required)
• ⚠️ Applications are portable without data (for example, game saves will have to be restored separately)
• ⚠️ Maximum file size – 4 GB per session (for large volumes, alternative methods are needed)

Battery charge for both devices > 50%|Same version MIUI (or the latest on the receiving device)|Disabled. VPN and energy-saving regimes|Freely. 10-15% memory on a new smartphone-->

The transmission speed depends on the method:

* When using a cable, the file size limit depends on the file system (FAT32/exFAT)

Mi Mover|Google Account|Cable + copying|Third-party programs (SHAREit, Xender)|Never transferred the data.-->

2. Transfer through Google Account (for pure Android and MIUI)

If your new Xiaomi runs on Android One (e.g. Mi) A3 or POCO X5), Or you prefer a universal solution, Google Backup is the best choice:

• 📇 Contacts (via Google Contacts)
• 📅 Calendars and reminders
• 📱 System settings (wallpaper, brightness, sound profiles)
• 🎮 Data of some games (if the developer supports Google Play Games)
• 📁 Files from the Download folder and DCIM (If you have an option in Google Photos)

How to set up:

1. On an old phone: Settings → Google → Backup → Enable "Backup in Google Drive"
2. Select an account and confirm the synchronization of the necessary data
3. On the new Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select “Restore from backup” or do it later in Settings. → System system → Recovery and discharge

⚠️ Note: Google Drive only provides 15GB of free space, and if you have more data, you’ll either have to buy space (from 139 GB). ₽/100GB per month, or use alternative methods for media files.

Pros of the method:

• ✅ It works on all Android devices (not just Xiaomi)
• ✅ Automatic update of backup copies
• ✅ Recover Wi-Fi passwords (if synchronization is enabled in Settings) → Google → Devices and sharing → Save networks)

3. Cable transfer OTG PC (for large amounts of data)

If you have Xiaomi 13 Ultra with 256 GB of storage, clogged video in 4K, Or Black Shark 5 Pro with dozens of gigabytes of games, and direct copying through the PC is the most reliable way:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux
• 🔌 USB-TypeC Cable (for new models) or MicroUSB (for old models)
• 💾 Free space on the PC (preferably) SSD speed)

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your old smartphone to your PC in File Transfer mode (MTP) (Selected in the notification curtain when connected).
2. Copy all the folders you need: DCIM (Photo/video) Download (downloads) Pictures (images from apps) Music (music) WhatsApp/Media (chat-media)
3. Turn off your old phone, plug in a new Xiaomi and transfer the files back.
4. For applications, use ADB Backup (requires the inclusion of debugging by USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (7 times press) → Additionally. → For developers).

⚠️ Note: When copying through MTP Some files (for example, screenshots from the MIUI) You may not be able to see it in Windows Explorer. ADB Pull: adb pull /sdcard/ (Install Platform Tools from Google).

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ There are no limits on the amount of data
• ✅ Only the necessary files can be selectively copied.
• ✅ It works even if the smartphone is not turned on (provided that the memory is not encrypted)

💡

Use the cable for maximum speed. USB 3.1 Gen2 (blue connector and port USB-C It's a PC, and it can be copied at speeds that are as fast as you can. 200-300 MB/s 10-15 MB/s USB 2.0.

4. Wireless alternatives: SHAREit, Xender and LocalSend

If the cable is not available and Mi Mover refuses to work, third-party apps will come to the rescue.

• 📲 SHAREit (speeds up to 20MB/s, but a lot of advertising)
• 📲 Xender (supports application transfer but requires installation on both devices)
• 📲 LocalSend (open source, no ads, but slower – up to 10 MB/s)
• 📲 Snapdrop (works through the browser, does not require installation)

How to transfer data via LocalSend:

1. Install the application from the official website on both smartphones.
2. Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network.
3. On your old phone, select files. → "Send" → Choose a new Xiaomi from the list.
4. Confirm acceptance on the new device.

Comparison of annexes:

⚠️ Note: Apps like SHAREit and Xender often collect user data (including a list of installed apps).If privacy is more important than speed, use LocalSend or Snapdrop.

5. Transfer applications and their data (including games)

Standard transfer methods (such as Mi Mover or Google Backup) are only copied. APK-Application files, but not their data. To keep the progress in games, messaging settings or application databases, you will need specialized tools:

Methods of transferring data applications:

• 🎮 Google Play Games – for games with cloud-based storage support (e.g. Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile).
• 📱 Swift Backup (requires root or ADB Backup – to backup data of any application.
• 🔄 Titanium Backup (root only) is the most powerful tool, but difficult to set up.
• ☁️ Cloud-based app services (e.g. Telegram syncs chats through its server, Viber via Google Drive).

Instructions for Swift Backup (without root):

1. Install Swift Backup from Google Play.
2. Connect your smartphone to your PC and execute the command: adb backup -f backup.ab -apk -obb -shared -all -nosystem (This will create a backup.ab file on a PC).
3. Move backup.ab to the new Xiaomi and restore it via Swift Backup.

Local save games (e.g. Minecraft, Stardew Valley) require manual folder transfers:

• On an old phone, copy the folder. /Android/obb/[title of the game; and /Android/data/[play-off].
• Insert them into the same directories on the new device.
• Reinstall the game from Google Play – the data will be automatically pulled up.

💡

To transfer Genshin Impact saves, use the official "Server Switch" function in the game settings. This is the only reliable way to avoid blocking an account for "unauthorized interference" in files.

6.Transfer SMS, call-and-note

Messages and call history are not synced through Google Account by default, and you will need third-party solutions to transfer them:

The best backup applications:

• 📩 SMS Backup & Restore - Exports SMS/MMS into XML or JSON, Supports Google Drive.
• 📞 Call Logs Backup & Restore – Keeps your call history CSV.
• 📝 Mi Notes (built-in to the MIUI) — Synchronizes notes through Xiaomi Account.

How to transfer SMS through SMS Backup & Restore:

1. Install the app on your old smartphone.
2. Click "Backup" → Select Google Drive or Local Storage.
3. Transfer the backup file to the new Xiaomi.
4. Install the application on a new device and restore the data.

⚠️ Attention: When restoring SMS via third-party apps, messages may be duplicated or displayed with the wrong date. To avoid this, delete all existing ones before restoring. SMS new phone.

Transfer of notes from Mi Notes:

• Open the Notes app on your old phone.
• Press three points. → "Settings" → "Synchronization" → Enable synchronization with Xiaomi Account.
• On the new device, log in to the same Mi Account - notes will be pulled up automatically.

7.Perfections of transfer for different models Xiaomi

Not all Xiaomi smartphones work equally well with some portability techniques, but here are the key nuances for the popular series:

Redmi Note 12 / POCO X5:

• ✅ Supports Mi Mover via Wi-Fi Direct without restrictions.
• ❌ Problems with ADB Backup on MIUI 14 (required to be deactivated) MIUI Optimization in the Developer Settings).

Xiaomi 13 / 13 Pro:

• ✅ Fast cable transmission (USB 3.2).
• ⚠️ When you restore from Google Backup, camera settings may be reset (it is recommended to take screenshots of settings before transferring).

Black Shark 5 / 5 Pro:

• ✅ Optimized for game data transfer (built-in Shark Space feature).
• ❌ Mi Mover does not support Google Backup or manual transfer.

POCO F4 / F5:

• ✅ Pure Android allows you to use Google Backup without restrictions.
• ❌ No built-in Mi Mover – you need to install separately from APKMirror.

8 What to do if the data transfer is completed with an error

Typical problems when transferring data to Xiaomi and their solutions:

Error: “I couldn’t connect to the device” in Mi Mover

• 🔹 Check that both phones have Wi-Fi Direct and Bluetooth enabled.
• 🔹 Reboot both devices.
• 🔹 Make sure that the host Xiaomi has enough space (at least 10% of the data portable).
• 🔹 If you use a cable, try another one (preferably original from Xiaomi).

Error: Google backup is damaged

• 🔹 Remove the old backup in Google Drive → Backup copies and create a new one.
• 🔹 Check that both devices have the same Google Account.
• 🔹 Turn it off. VPN Check the stability of the Internet connection.

Error: "Not enough space on the device"

• 🔹 Transfer some of the data (such as video) to a PC or SD-pre-migration.
• 🔹 Use it. ADB For selective copying: Adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/. (It only copies the pictures).
• 🔹 Clear the app cache in Settings → Annexes → Clear the cache.

⚠️ Note: If the data is not displayed after the transfer, check the folder /MIUI/Backup/AllBackup Sometimes files are copied but not indexed by the system. Rebooting the phone usually solves the problem.

💡

If neither method works, the last option is to reset the new Xiaomi to factory settings and try to migrate again. But before you do, make sure that all data is stored in the cloud or on your PC!

FAQ: Frequent questions about data portability to Xiaomi