Switching from iPhone to Xiaomi Poco F3 — It's not just a change of operating system, it's also a migration of all the important data -- contacts, photos, notes, even passwords -- and many users fear this process as complex or risky. In fact, with the right approach, data transfer takes no more than 30 minutes and requires no technical skills.
The main problem is that iOS and Android use different storage formats, such as iCloud backups that are not compatible with Google Account, and photos in the format of the data. HEIC Most Android devices will not open without converting, and in this article we will look at all the current ways to transfer data in 2026, including official tools from Xiaomi and workarounds for complex cases.
Poco's Feature F3 — Mi Mover, which makes it easier to migrate from the iPhone, is not always stable, especially if the iOS device has a firmware beta, so we’ll also look at alternatives: Cloud services, wired connectivity, and even manual export via computer.
1.Preparation for data transfer: what to do on the iPhone
Before migrating, you need to take a few critical steps on your iPhone to prevent data loss and speed up the process.
First, update iOS to the latest version. Older versions of the operating system may contain errors that prevent the correct export of data. → Mainstream → Software Update: If an update is available, install it and restart the device.
Second, back up to iCloud, and even if you plan on using a different portability method, backup will be a crash insurance.
- 📱 Go to Settings. → [Your name] → iCloud → Backup copy of iCloud
- 🔄 Click “Create a backup” and wait for the process to complete.
- 🔒 Make sure that the copy includes contacts, photos and notes
Step three: disable iMessage and FaceTime, which are linked to a phone number and can block sending. SMS It's a new Android smartphone, so you can avoid problems:
- Open the Settings. → Messages and deactivate iMessage
- Go to Settings. → FaceTime and turn off the function
- Reboot your iPhone after the changes
⚠️ Note: If you use two-factor authentication SMS, temporarily switch it to an email or authenticator (e.g. Google Authenticator) after transferring the data to Poco. F3 You can get it back. SMS-authorization.
2. Method 1: Mi Mover is the official tool from Xiaomi
Mi Mover is a built-in app on Xiaomi Poco F3, It's designed to migrate data from other devices, including the iPhone:
- 📞 Contacts (including groups and labels)
- 📷 Photos and videos (with preservation) EXIF-data)
- 📝 Communications (SMS and iMessage in text format)
- 🎵 Music and documents (if stored locally)
To take advantage of the Mi Mover:
- On Poco. F3 Open the Mi Mover app (find it in the Tools folder or search it).
- Select the option “I am the recipient” (on Android) and “I am the sender” (on iPhone).
- On your iPhone, scan it. QR-code that appears on the Poco screen F3.
- Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network (required!).
- Select data types to transfer and confirm the start of the process.
The speed of transmission depends on the amount of data. 10 GB photos are transferred to the 20-30 The main advantage of the method is to preserve the structure of folders and metadata files:
| Type of data | Transferred? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | ✅ Yes. | Including linked social media accounts |
| Photo/video | ✅ Yes. | Format HEIC automatically convertible into JPEG |
| Annexes | ❌ No. | Only application data (e.g. saves in games) is transferred |
| Notes | ⚠️ Partially. | Text notes only, no attachments |
| Passwords. | ❌ No. | Manual export is required through Settings → Passwords. |
⚠️ Warning: If Mi Mover is stuck at the connection stage, check that the iPhone has disabled the mode “Saving traffic” (Settings) → Cellular service → Also make sure that both devices have enough free space (at least 10% of the data transfer volume).
Charge both devices at least to 50%|Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network (5 GHz is recommended)|Shut down. VPN both-smartphone|Release. 2-3 GB of memory on Poco F3|Make sure that Bluetooth is on the iPhone-->
Method 2: Move over Google Drive (for contacts, photos and calendars)
If Mi Mover didn’t work or you prefer cloud solutions, Google Drive is a great alternative.
- 📞 Contacts (synchronization with Google Account)
- 📅 Calendars (including recurring events)
- 📷 Photos and videos (via Google Photos)
- 📄 Documents (from Files or iCloud Drive)
Step instructions:
- On your iPhone, install the Google Drive app from the App Store.
- Sign in to the same Google account you use on Poco F3.
- Click on the icon «⚙️» → «Backup».
- Select data types for reservation: 📞 Contacts (will be transferred to Google Contacts) 📅 Calendars (synchronized with Google Calendar) 📷 Photos and videos (uploaded to Google Photos)
Start backups
Poco F3
The advantage of this method is that it's automatically synchronized, so once you've moved it, all the changes on one device will be reflected on the other, for example, if you add a new contact to Poco. F3, It will also appear in iCloud (provided that sync is enabled on the iPhone).
But there are nuances:
- 🚫 Communications (SMS/iMessage) Not carried over Google Drive.
- 🔄 Music and apps require separate exports.
- 📥 Photo format HEIC will be automatically converted to JPEG, But the quality won't make it worse.
💡
If you have a lot of photos, turn on the option “High quality” (non-original size) in the application settings before uploading to Google Photos, which will save space in the cloud without noticeable loss of quality.
Method 3: Wireless transfer via computer (for large amounts of data)
If you have more than 50GB of data or slow Internet, wired PC connectivity is the most reliable solution, and it takes longer, but it gives you 100% control over the process.
You'll need:
- 💻 Computer with Windows or macOS
- ⚡ Lightning cables→USB and USB-C→USB (POCO F3)
- 📂 iTunes (for Windows) or Android File Transfer (for macOS)
Step-by-step:
- iPhone data export: Connect your iPhone to your computer and open iTunes (or Finder on macOS Catalina and later). Select your device and create a local backup (in iTunes, this is the option to “Create a copy now”). Use iMazing or iExplorer (free versions allow you to export contacts, messages and media files) to extract data from the backup.
Transfer to Poco F3:
- Get Poco on. F3 to the computer in the mode File transfer (MTP).
- Copy exported folders (for example, DCIM for photos) in the internal memory of the smartphone.
- For contacts and calendars, use export in.vcf and.ics formats, then import them through Google Contacts.
This is ideal for transferring music, documents and archives that are out of sync with the clouds, for example if you have a local collection of songs in a format. FLAC, You can move it without losing quality.
⚠️ Note: When connecting Poco F3 MacOS may require installing an Android File Transfer driver. If the program does not see the device, restart the smartphone and try another one. USB-port (preferably) USB 3.0 for speed).
How to transfer passwords from iCloud Keychain?
Method 4: Message transfer (SMS and iMessage) through third-party applications
One of the most difficult types of data to migrate is messages. Standard tools (Mi Mover or Google Drive) only carry text. SMS, Ignoring attachments and iMessage, you'll need specialized applications to make a full transfer.
The best options in 2026:
- 📲 iSMS2droid (Free for Android: Exporting SMS/iMessage from iTunes backup to.xml. Save attachments (photos, videos, voice messages) Requires iTunes backup on your computer.
- 🔄 Backuptrans iPhone SMS Transfer (paid, Windows/macOS): Directly transfer messages from iPhone to Android via USB. Supports group chats and emojis. Cost: ~$20 license.
- ☁️ AT&T Mobile Transfer (free, cloud service): Works through a web interface (no software installation required) Limit: up to 3,000 messages per port.
Instructions for iSMS2droid:
- Back up your iPhone in iTunes (as described in Method 3).
- Download and install. iSMS2droid Poco F3.
- Connect your smartphone to your computer and copy the backup file (*.sqlite) to the Download folder.
- Open up. iSMS2droid, Select a file and press “Convert».
- Messages will be imported into the standard Messages app on Android.
Important: Group chats can be displayed as individual dialogues, and to fix this, manually create a group chat and add members to it.
💡
If you only care about the latest messages, use manual export: take screenshots of important conversations on your iPhone and send them to your email or Telegram, faster than carrying the whole story.
6. Method 5: Transfer applications and their data
Unfortunately, it is not possible to directly transfer installed applications from iOS to Android due to different formats (.ipa vs.apk).
- 🔍 Find analogues in Google Play (for example, Apple Music) → Spotify).
- ☁️ Restore progress in gaming through a Google Play Games or Facebook link.
- 📥 Transfer application data (e.g. saves to games or databases).
For the transfer of application data:
- Check if the app supports cross-platform sync. e.g. WhatsApp: backup in Google Drive (configure in Settings) → chat → Telegram: all data synced through the cloud automatically. Spotify/Apple Music: Playlists are transferred via export to.csv (use Soundiiz service).
Minecraft
Stardew Valley
- On your iPhone, find a folder with saves via iMazing or iExplorer.
- Copy files to Poco F3 folder /Android/data/[play-off].
If the application does not support data portability, contact the developer via Google Play or the official website.Some companies (e.g. Niantic for the first time) Pokémon GO) Provides special tools for migration between platforms.
7. Post-transfer validation and optimization
After the migration is completed, it is necessary to verify the integrity of the data and optimize the work of Poco F3. Follow this checklist:
Make sure all contacts are displayed in the Phone app"|Check the synchronization of photos in Google Photos|Set up notifications for messages and calls|Update all apps on Google Play|Personalize the main screen (widgets, wallpaper)|Set up backup on Xiaomi Cloud-->
Pay particular attention to:
- 🔋 Battery: After transferring a large amount of Poco data F3 It can discharge faster because of the background indexing of files. 1-2 day-to-day.
- 📶 Networks: If mobile internet speeds are lower than expected, reset your network settings (Settings) → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting settings).
- 🔒 Security: Set up the unlock on the face (Settings) → Screen locking → Facial recognition) and check permissions for applications.
If you notice that some of the data has not been transferred (for example, some photos are missing), try:
- Repeat the transfer using another method (for example, if Mi Mover does not work, use Google Drive).
- Check the Internal Storage folder → MIUI → Backup → AllBackup on Poco F3 — Sometimes the data is stored there temporarily.
- Contact Xiaomi via the Feedback app (if the problem is Mi Mover).
8. Frequent errors and their solutions
Even when following instructions, users face typical problems, and here are the most common ones and how to fix them:
| Problem. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Mi Mover doesn't see iPhone | Different Wi-Fi networks or VPN enabled | Connect both devices to the same network, disconnect VPN Bluetooth |
| Photos moved, but not opened | HEIC format is not supported | Install. HEIF Viewer from Google Play or Convert via iMazing |
| Contacts are duplicated | Synchronization with multiple accounts (Google) + Xiaomi) | Open the "Contact» → «Management» → «Combine duplicates» |
| Messages moved without attachment | Limitation of free versions of applications | Use Backuptrans or transfer attachments separately via PC |
| Poco F3 overheats during transfer | High load on the processor | Close all background applications and connect charging |
If none of these methods worked, try an alternative approach:
- Drop Poco. F3 before factory settings (Settings) → The phone. → Resetting settings).
- Repeat transferring data to a clean system.
- If the problem recurs, contact Xiaomi’s service center – the Wi-Fi or memory module may be faulty.
FAQ: Answers to popular questions
Can I transfer my phone history from iPhone to Poco? F3?
How to transfer notes from Apple Notes to Android?
Gmail:
- On your iPhone, open a note. → «Share» → «Gmail».
- Send it to your address, then open the email on Android.
- Through third-party apps: Notion or Evernote support imports from Apple Notes.
Why did the photos lose their quality?
Can I transfer data from iPhone to Poco? F3 computer-free?
How to transfer data from Health from iPhone to Android?
Note that not all data types (e.g., ECGs) are supported by Google Fit.