How to transfer data from Android to Xiaomi Redmi 8 Note: the full guide

The transition to a new smartphone is always an exciting moment, especially if we are talking about a model with unique features like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8. This device, released in 2019, still remains popular due to the balanced characteristics: the Snapdragon 665 processor, a 48 MP quadruple camera and a capacious battery of 4000 mAh. But even with such a “hardware” data transfer from an old Android device can turn into a headache if you do not know the nuances.

Many users face problems: not all files are copied, applications are not restored, and contacts are lost when switching. SIM-In this article, we'll look at maps. 7 Proven ways of transferring data — from standard tools Xiaomi to little-known life hacks. 8, including version restrictions MIUI 12/13 and work with slot cards (hybrid tray under the 2 nano-SIM + microSD).

Whether you’re changing Samsung to Xiaomi or upgrading from an older Redmi model, the instructions below will help you keep everything you need from WhatsApp messages to gaming progress. FAQ Responding to frequent errors (e.g., why Mi Mover doesn’t see the old device on the device) MIUI 14).

1.Preparation for transfer: what to do before the beginning

Before you start copying files, be sure to follow 3 steps:

1. Check the version. MIUI Redmi Note 8 (path: Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI). On versions below 12.0.3, Mi Mover may not work.
2. Free up at least 20% of the memory on both devices. If the old smartphone has less than 1 GB of free space, some methods (for example, through Google Drive) will not be available.
3. Charge both phones to 50% or higher. Transferring data over cable or Wi-Fi Direct consumes a lot of power - at a charge below 15%, the process can be interrupted.

Also consider the features of the Redmi Note 8:

• 📱 Hybrid slot: if you use 2 SIM-MicroSD must be removed before transferring via Mi Mover.

⚠️ Note: If your old phone has data encryption enabled (e.g. Samsung with Knox), some files may not be copied. → Security → Encryption 1-2 hours before transfer.

2. Method 1: Mi Mover is the official tool of Xiaomi

Mi Mover is an integrated application on all Xiaomi smartphones designed to migrate data from other Android devices.

• 📞 Contacts, call logs, SMS/MMS
• 📷 Photos and videos (including Google Photos albums)
• 🎵 Music and documents
• 📱 System settings (wallpaper, sounds, Wi-Fi passwords)
• 🎮 Some app data (such as WhatsApp, but not all games)

How to use Mi Mover on Redmi Note 8:

1. On your old phone, install Mi Mover from Google Play (if not).
2. Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network (or use the access point on Redmi).

⚠️ Note: If the Mi Mover is hanging out in the "Data Preparation" phase, try restarting both phones and repeating the process. MIUI 12.5+ Also helps to disable the function "Optimization" MIUI" developer-setting.

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If Mi Mover can’t see the old device, try connecting via the hotspot on Redmi Note 8: turn it on to Settings → Access Point and modem, and on your old phone connect to this network.

3. Method 2: Transfer through a Google account (for contacts, calendar, mail)

If you only need to transfer basic information (contacts, calendar events, notes), the most reliable way is to sync with Google, which works even if you don’t have access to your old phone (for example, it’s broken), but requires that syncs be enabled earlier.

Instructions:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings. → Accounts. → Google and make sure that sync is enabled for the right data.
2. On Redmi Note 8, when you first turn on, select “Restore from Backup” and log in to the same Google account.
3. If the phone is already configured, go to Settings → Accounts. → Google → Synchronize and manually update data.

What is synchronized automatically:

• 📇 Contacts (including groups and tags)
• 📅 Calendar (events, reminders)
• 📧 Gmail (letters, tags, drafts)
• 📝 Notes from Google Keep
• 🌐 Bookmarks and Chrome history

What's not synchronized:

• ❌ Communications SMS/MMS
• ❌ Photos and videos (you need to use Google Photos separately)
• ❌ Application data (e.g., game progress)
• ❌ Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings

4. Method 3: Google Photos and Google Drive for Media Files

Google’s cloud services are the most convenient way to transfer photos, videos and documents, with the advantage of being accessible from any device, and the disadvantage of limiting free storage (15 GB).

Transfer via Google Photos:

1. On your old phone, install Google Photos (if not installed).
2. Log in to your account and enable autoload in Settings → Backup and synchronization.
3. Wait for the download to be completed (you can speed up the process by connecting to 5 GHz Wi-Fi).
4. On Redmi Note 8, install Google Photos, log in to the same account and download files to the gallery.

Transfer via Google Drive:

• 📁 Upload files to Drive via the web version or application.
• 🔗 Generate a link to (if you need to transfer data to another user).
• 📥 On Redmi Note 8, download files through your browser or Google Drive app.

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Google Photos compresses photos and videos for free downloads. To maintain original quality, select the option “Original Quality” in your backup settings (but this will be factored into the 15GB limit).

5. Method 4: Transfer over an OTG cable or computer

If you have a lot of data (over 20GB) or don't have stable Wi-Fi, the best option is to connect directly via cable. There are two options for the Redmi Note 8:

Option 1: Cable OTG (for phones with microUSB)

• Buy an adapter. OTG s USB-C (for Redmi on microUSB (for old phone).
• Connect the old device to the Redmi Note 8 via an adapter.
• Redmi will be notified "USB-Drive connected" - open the file manager and copy the data.

Option 2: Through a computer (for large volumes)

1. Connect both phones to the PC via USB-cable.
2. On your old phone, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
3. Copy data from one device to a PC hard drive, then to the Redmi Note 8.
4. Use management software (e.g. Total Commander or Xiaomi File Manager) to speed up.

Which files are best transferred in this way:

• 🎬 Video in resolution 4K/Full HD (occupy a lot of space)
• 🎵 Local music (files.mp3,.flac)
• 📄 Documents (.pdf,.docx,.xlsx)
• 🎮 Save games (folder) Android/obb)

⚠️ Note: When you connect Redmi Note 8 to your PC for the first time, allow access to files in the notification on your phone screen.

Method 5: Transfer applications and their data (including WhatsApp)

Standard methods like Mi Mover don’t always correctly port app data, and you’ll need tools to fully migrate saves to games, WhatsApp chats, or program settings.

WhatsApp portability:

Data transfer of games and applications:

• 🎮 Use Google Play Games or Facebook accounts for games (most games support cloud-based saves).
• 📱 For other applications (e.g. Viber, Telegram) check for built-in data export in the settings.
• 🔧 For root access: use Titanium Backup (requires root on both devices).

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If the game does not support cloud saving, copy the folder with data (Android/obb/[Title games]) via cable to PC, then transfer it to Redmi Note 8 similarly.

7. Method 6: Bluetooth and NFC (small-file)

If you need to transfer multiple files (up to 1 GB), you can use Bluetooth or NFC. This method is slower than the others, but does not require Internet or cables.

Transfer via Bluetooth:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on both phones.
2. Make your devices visible to everyone (in Bluetooth settings).
3. On your old phone, select files. → "Send via Bluetooth and select Redmi Note 8.
4. Confirm Redmi.

Transfer through NFC (only for contacts and links):

• 📱 Make sure that NFC enabled on both devices (Settings) → Connected devices → NFC).
• 🔗 Open the contact or link you want to send.
• 🤝 Put the phones back to each other (antenna) NFC It is located at the top of the Redmi Note 8).

Limitations of methods:

• ⏳ Transmission speed: ~1–2 MB/s (Bluetooth 4.2 on Redmi Note 8).
• 🚫 Folders are not supported – only individual files.
• 🔋 High battery consumption (up to 10% in 30 minutes with active transmission).

Method 8: Third-party applications (SHAREit, Xender, Send Anywhere)

If standard methods don’t work, you can use popular file transfer applications, which are often faster than Bluetooth and support cross-platform transfer (e.g. from iPhone to Xiaomi).

Top.-3 portability:

How to use (in the example of Shareit):

1. Install Sharet on both phones.
2. On the old device, select "Send" and specify the files.
3. On Redmi Note 8, select “Get” and scan QR-code.
4. Wait for the transfer to be completed (don’t interrupt the connection!).

⚠️ Note: Apps like SHAREit and Xender create a temporary Wi-Fi hotspot that can conflict with the main connection. If the Internet is lost after transfer, restart the Redmi Note 8.

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Third-party apps often ask for extra permissions (such as access to contacts or location). Before installing, check reviews on Google Play for security.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions

This problem most often arises from:

• 📶 Different versions MIUI (The Redmi Note 8 should be on the market. MIUI 11 or newer).
• 🔌 Incompatible cables (use original cables) USB-C Xiaomi cable).

Solution: Try connecting via an access point (turn it on Redmi and connect the old device to that network).

Yes, but not through Mi Mover.

• Move to iOS (from Apple) – transfers contacts, photos, mail, but does not work in the opposite direction.
• Google Drive – upload your iPhone to the cloud, then download it to Redmi.
• SHAREit or Send Anywhere – for Wi-Fi file transfer.

There are no official ways to transfer WhatsApp from iPhone to Android, but you can use informal tools (for example, Backuptrans).

The way depends on the game:

• 🎮 Google Play Games: Sign in to the same account on Redmi Note 8 and progress will pick up automatically.
• 🌍 Account-based games (e.g. Facebook, MiHoYo): log in to the game on a new device.
• 📁 Local saves: copy the folder Android/obb/[Title games via cable (see Method) 4).

For Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, use a cross-platform account (attach to your email or Twitter prior to the transition).

If you need to keep the original resolution (for example, for a photo with a photo of the DSLR-camera):

1. Use the cable. OTG Computer (see Method 4) – This guarantees 100% quality.
2. In Google Photos, select the “Original Quality” option (but this will take up space in your cloud).
3. For large archives (e.g, RAW-Files) use external files SSD-adapter USB-C.

On the Redmi Note. 8 Photos are saved in a folder DCIM/Camera — Check that after transferring the mark dates and geotagged not lost.

After migrating, the Redmi Note 8 can index files in the background, which increases battery consumption.

• 🛠️ Go to Settings. → Battery → Battery usage and check which apps consume the most.
• 🔄 Reboot your phone – it will reset the background processes.
• 📁 Turn off autosynchronization for unnecessary folders in Google Photos or Mi Cloud.

If the problem does not go away, reset the cache to Settings. → Memory. → Clear the cache.