How to Transfer Application Data from One Xiaomi to Another: A Complete Guide to 2026

Why Standard Backups Don't Always Work

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always an exciting moment. It seems that it is enough to copy files to a flash drive or use the cloud, but in practice, users face loss of application data, reset settings and even missing accounts. The point is that simple copying APK-files cannot carry the cache of applications, save games, chat history in messengers or authorization data.

The manufacturer offers several built-in tools, from MIUI Clone to Mi Mover, but each has limitations: for example, Mi Mover does not work between devices with different versions of MIUI (say, from MIUI 13 to MIUI 14), and Google Backup ignores many Chinese applications. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to transfer data between Xiaomi smartphones in 2026, including bypass errors and recovering “forgotten” files.

Method 1: Mi Mover is the official tool of Xiaomi

Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s proprietary solution for migrating data between devices to MIUI. The app is pre-installed on all modern models (starting with the Redmi Note 7 and Mi 9) and supports porting:

• 📱 Contacts, messages and call logs
• 📷 Photos and videos (including Google Photos albums)
• 🎮 Game data (e.g. saves in Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile)
• 📁 Documentation files (.pdf,.docx,.xlsx)
• ⚙️ System settings (wallpaper, sound circuits, brightness)

However, there are nuances: Mi Mover requires the same or compatible version of MIUI on both devices. For example, if you transfer data from Poco X3 Pro (MIUI 12.5) to Xiaomi 13 Ultra (MIUI 14), the process can end with an error Incompatible versions of the software.

• 🔒 Wi-Fi passwords (they will have to be re-entered)
• 📌 Browser bookmarks (except Mi Browser)
• 💳 Banking Application Data (due to security restrictions)

⚠️ Note: If the old smartphone has enabled data encryption (Settings) → Additionally. → Encryption), Mi Mover will require you to enter a password to unlock the transfer. Without it, the process will be interrupted at the scan stage.

Step-by-step:

1. On both smartphones, open Settings → About the phone → Mi Mover.
2. Select a role: on the old phone - I am the source, on the new one - I am the receiver.
3. Connect devices to a single Wi-Fi network or use a direct Wi-Fi Direct connection (recommended for large amounts of data).
4. On an old phone, tick the data category for transfer and click Next.
5. Wait until the process is complete (it can take up to 30 minutes for 64GB of data).

Battery charge >50% both-device|Same version MIUI (compatible)|Disconnected. VPN/proxy on both phones|Enough free space on the new smartphone-->

Method 2: MIUI Clone - cloning the system "1 in 1"

MIUI Clone is an extended version of the Mi Mover that allows you to create a full copy of an old smartphone, including system settings, data apps and even the location of icons on the desktop.The feature is available on devices with MIUI 12 and later, but only works between Xiaomi, Redmi or Poco smartphones.

The main advantage over Mi Mover is support for different versions of MIUI (for example, from MIUI 12.5 to MIUI 14).

• 🚫 Does not transfer data of certain banking applications (for example, Sberbank Online or Tinkoff).
• 🔄 Requires resetting of the new smartphone to factory settings (Settings) → Resetting settings).
• ⏳ The process takes 2-3 times longer than the Mi Mover (up to 1 hour for 128 GB).

How to use MIUI Clone:

1. On a new smartphone, when you first turn on, select Clone data from the old device (if the phone is already configured, reset).
2. On your old phone, open Settings → About Phone → MIUI Clone and select I Am the Source.
3. Connect devices via USB-C cable to USB-C (recommended) or via Wi-Fi.
4. On the new phone, select Full Cloning and confirm the data erasure.
5. Wait until the cable is completed (don’t shut off the screen!).

Method 3: Backup through Google (for international firmware)

If your Xiaomi is running on global firmware (with Google services), you can use built-in backup in Google Drive.

• 📞 Contacts, calendars and notes (Google Keep)
• 📸 Photos and videos (if synced with Google Photos is enabled)
• 🎮 Save games (if the game supports Google Play Games)
• ⚙️ Some system settings (Wi-Fi passwords, wallpaper, brightness)

Limitations of the method:

• 🔒 I can't stand it. SMS call log (in Russia this function is disabled due to data retention laws).
• 📱 It does not work on Chinese firmware (China) ROM) without pre-installing Google Play Services.
• 📁 Do not copy documentation files and music (only if they are manually uploaded to Google Drive).

Instructions for setting:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Google → Backup.
2. Enable the option to back up in Google Drive and select an account.
3. Click Create a backup now and wait until it is completed.
4. On the new phone, when you first turn on, log in to the same Google account and select Restore Data from the backup.

⚠️ Warning: If the new smartphone has already been performed the initial setting, reset it to factory settings (Settings) → Resetting your settings, otherwise, data recovery from Google will not be available.

Mi Mover|MIUI Clone|Google Backup|Cloud services (Yandex Disk, Mail.ru)|Manual cable transfer|Other-->

Method 4: Cloud services (Yandex Disk, Mail.ru Cloud, Mi Cloud)

If Xiaomi’s built-in tools don’t fit, you can use third-party cloud services, which are convenient for transferring media files, documents and contacts, but can’t handle application data (such as game saves or instant messenger settings).

Comparison of popular services:

How to transfer data through Yandex Disk:

1. Install the Yandex Disk application on both smartphones.
2. On an old phone, upload files to the cloud: Open the app → click + → Download files. Select folders with photos, videos or documents.
3. On the new phone, download files: Open Yandex Drive → find uploaded files → click Download.

To transfer contacts through Mi Cloud:

1. On your old phone: Settings → Accounts → Mi Account → Sync → Enable Contacts.
2. On the new phone, log in to the same Mi Account and enable synchronization.

💡

If you want to transfer large files (for example, video to 4K), use Mail.ru Cloud with the "Send File" function on the link, which will bypass the limit on the download size through the mobile application.

Method 5: Manual transfer via OTG cable or computer

If clouds and built-in tools don’t fit, you can manually transfer them over cable or PC, which is the most time-consuming method, but it ensures that all files are safe, including those that ignore other ways (like.apk apps or saving games in your Android/data folder).

What you need:

• 🔌 Cable USB-C to USB-C (for direct connection) or USB-C to USB-A + OTG-adapter.
• 💻 Computer with Xiaomi drivers installed (if you transfer via PC).
• 📁 flash drive or external SSD (Optionally, for intermediate storage).

Step-by-step instructions for transfer via PC:

1. Connect your old smartphone to your computer via cable and select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the following folders on your PC (they are in the root directory of the phone): DCIM (Photos and videos) Downloads (downloads) Pictures (images from messengers) Android/data (file) Android/obb (game-file)
3. Turn off the old phone and connect the new one.
4. Move the copied folders to the root directory of the new smartphone.
5. Reboot your new phone so that the system recognizes new files.

⚠️ Attention: Folder Android/data It contains personal data of apps (such as Telegram cache or Brawl Stars save) and not all apps will restore work after manual transfer – some (such as WhatsApp) require additional authorization.

For transfer via direct connection (without PC):

1. Connect your old smartphone to your new one OTG-adapter.
2. On the new phone, open File Manager → select the connected phone.
3. Copy the folders you need into the internal memory of the new device.

💡

Manual transfer is the only way to save data from applications that do not support cloud synchronization (for example, AliExpress or 1C:Enterprise).

Method 6: Transfer data from specific applications

Some applications require a personalized approach to data transfer, such as WhatsApp (Telegram) that stores chats in encrypted databases, and games (Genshin Impact, Honor of Kings) that link saves to an account.

📱 Messengers: WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber

• WhatsApp: On an old phone: Settings → Chat → Backup (saves chats to Google Drive or locally). On a new phone: install WhatsApp, log in to the same account and restore chats.

Telegram:

Chats are synced automatically through the Telegram cloud, just log in to your account on a new phone.

Viber:

Chat transfer is possible only through a backup to Google Drive or iCloud (on Android – only Google Drive).

🎮 Games: Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile, Brawl Stars

• Genshin Impact: Link your account to your email or Facebook (Settings → Account → Link). On your new phone, log in through this account.
• PUBG Mobile: Use Facebook or Twitter to sync your progress.
• Brawl Stars: Link the game to Supercell ID (Settings → Tie up).