How to transfer data from Xiaomi to iPhone 8 Plus: 5 proven ways

Why migrating data from Android to iOS is not so easy

Moving from Xiaomi to the iPhone 8 Plus is not just about changing the ecosystem, but also migrating all your data: contacts, photos, messages, and even app settings. Unlike switching between devices of the same brand (like the Redmi Note 10 to Xiaomi 13), you will encounter two fundamentally different operating systems: Android and iOS. Apple and Google are not interested in simplifying this process, so standard tools often work with errors or do not carry some of the data.

The main problem is storage formats. For example, Xiaomi backups are created in.bak or through Mi Cloud, while the iPhone uses.ipsw and iCloud. Even contacts can be stored in different encodings: Xiaomi defaults them to vCard 3.0, and the iPhone prefers vCard 4.0. If you do not take these nuances into account, you risk getting broken files or losing some information.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to transfer data, taking into account the specifics of the iPhone 8 Plus (including the limitations of its iOS version) and the features of Xiaomi firmware (MIUI 12-14).You will learn how to avoid typical mistakes, for example, why Move to iOS may not see your Xiaomi, or how to circumvent the restriction on porting WhatsApp chats without root rights.

Method 1: The official Move to iOS app - pros and pitfalls

Move to iOS is an Apple app that is designed to make it easier to move from Android to iOS, transferring contacts, messages, photos, videos, bookmarks, email accounts, and even some of the system app settings, but in practice Xiaomi users often face problems: the app “can’t see” the iPhone, breaks the connection, or transfers data incompletely.

To increase your chances of success, follow this algorithm:

• 📱 Prepare iPhone 8 Plus: Reset it to factory settings (Settings) → Mainstream → Reset → Delete content and settings. When you first turn on, select “Manual Setup” and go to the Programs and Data screen where you click “Move data from Android".
• 🤖 On Xiaomi: download Move to iOS from Google Play. connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network (better use the access point on Xiaomi, as public networks can block transmissions).

⚠️ Note: If Xiaomi has custom firmware installed (e.g. Pixel Experience or LineageOS), Move to iOS may not work.

The speed of the transfer depends on the amount of data. For example, 10 GB of photos can be transmitted up to 2-3 hours. If the process is suspended during the "Minutes left", do not interrupt it - wait for a timeout (usually 30-60 minutes) and try again.

Method 2: Transfer through Google Account (for contacts, calendars, and mail)

If Move to iOS didn’t work, or you only want to migrate contacts and calendars, the most reliable way is to sync through Google Account, which works even on older versions of MIUI and doesn’t require additional programs.

Instructions:

1. On Xiaomi: open Settings → Google Accounts → Sync and make sure that sync is enabled for Contacts, Calendar and Gmail. If sync has been disabled before, wait until the process is completed (may take up to 10 minutes).
2. On iPhone 8 Plus, go to Settings → Passwords and Accounts → Add an account → Google. Enter the same account details as you did on Xiaomi.

Advantages of this method:

• 🔄 It works even if the iPhone is already configured (does not require resetting).
• 📅 It transfers not only contacts, but also calendar events with reminders.
• 🔒 Data is encrypted during transmission (as opposed to cable transmission).

⚠️ Note: If your contacts are not stored in Google but in your local memory or Mi Cloud account, you must export them first. ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Export to a file and select the.vcf format. Then import this file to Google Contacts via the web version of contacts.google.com.

Make sure that Xiaomi has enabled contact synchronization|Check if there is enough space in your Google Account (15 GB free)|Shut down. VPN both-device|Use a stable Wi-Fi connection (not mobile internet)-->

Method 3: Transfer photos and videos over cloud services

Photos and videos usually take up the lion’s share of memory, and porting them requires special attention. iCloud and Google Photos are two of the most convenient tools for this task, but each has limitations.

Recommended algorithm:

1. Optimize media: on Xiaomi, open the Gallery app, select albums, and remove duplicates (use the built-in Clean → Duplicates feature). For videos, you can use Google Photos with the High Quality setting (compression to 1080p) to save space.
2. Upload to the cloud: Google Photos click on the avatar → Photo archive → Backup. Wait until it's finished (may take hours at a large volume).
3. Download to your iPhone: install Google Photos from the App Store, log in and wait for sync. To transfer files to the standard Photos app, select them and click Save to Film.

Alternative for larger archives: If photos are more than 100GB, use Yandex Drive or Mega (50GB for free). upload files to Xiaomi via your browser (in the mobile version of the site), and then download them to your iPhone through the official service app.

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If you want to transfer photos in original quality, but there is not enough space in the cloud, use the temporary Google One tariff (100 GB for 139). ₽/After the transfer, you can cancel your subscription and return to the free fare.

Method 4: Message Transfer (SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram)

Messages are the hardest part of data to migrate, especially when it comes to instant messengers. Standard tools like Move to iOS only carry SMS and MMS, but not WhatsApp, Telegram or Viber chats. Each instant messenger needs a different approach.

4.1. Transfer of SMS and MMS

If Move to iOS doesn’t work, use third-party apps:

• 📩 SMS Backup & Restore: Exporting SMS into XML-file on Xiaomi, which can then be imported to iPhone via iTunes (computer required).
• 🖥️ iMazing: a paid program for Mac/Windows, bearer SMS directly USB-cable (cost) ~$40).

4.2. Transfer of WhatsApp chats

WhatsApp doesn’t officially support chat transfers between Android and iOS, but there’s a workaround through Google Drive backup and third-party tools:

1. On Xiaomi, back up your chats: WhatsApp Settings → Chat → Backup.
2. Download the backup file from Google Drive to your computer (it is located in the WhatsApp/Databases folder and is named msgstore.db.crypt14).
3. Use Backuptrans or iMazing to convert your backup to an iOS-compatible format.

⚠️ Important: This only works if WhatsApp is not already installed on your iPhone, and if the app is already activated, you'll have to delete it and start over.

Telegram portability

In Telegram, chat transfer is easier thanks to cloud storage:

• 🔄 On Xiaomi, open Settings → Additionally. → Export chat data and save history to JSON-file.
• 📤 Send this file to yourself via the mail or cloud, then open it on your iPhone in your browser.
• 📥 In Telegram on iPhone import data through Settings → Additionally. → Data import.

Method 5: Transfer data over a computer (for power users)

If cloud services and mobile applications are not suitable (for example, due to slow Internet or large amounts of data), you can use the computer as an intermediary, which takes longer, but guarantees complete control over the process.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows or Mac.
• 🔌 Two. USB-cable (for Xiaomi and iPhone).
• 📂 Programs: iTunes (for Windows), Android File Transfer (for Mac), iMazing or Syncios (optional).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Xiaomi to your computer: unlock your phone, turn on file transfer mode (USB for transferring files in the notification curtain), copy the desired folders (DCIM, Downloads, WhatsApp, etc.) to the hard drive.
2. Convert formats: If you want to transfer music, check file formats. iPhone doesn’t support.ogg or.flac – convert them to.mp3 or.aac using Audacity or VLC.
3. Connect iPhone 8 Plus: Open iTunes (or Finder on Mac), select your device, and manually transfer files through the Files or Photos section.

⚠️ Note: If the iPhone enabled the function "Storage Optimization" (Settings) → Photo Photo → Optimize iPhone storage, full-size photos may not be copied.

To transfer contacts and calendars through the computer:

• Export them with Xiaomi in.vcf (contacts) and.ics (calendars).
• Open iCloud.com in your browser, log in and import files through the Contacts or Calendar section.

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Transferring over a computer is the most reliable way if you have slow Internet or need to transfer files in non-standard formats, but it takes more time and technical skills.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even when following instructions, users often encounter problems, and here are the most common mistakes and solutions:

If none of these methods worked, check:

• 🔋 Battery charge: both phones must have at least 50% charge. Data transfer is a resource-intensive process.
• 📶 Network: If you use mobile internet, make sure you have unlimited rates (a 10GB transfer will eat up" ~15GB of traffic).
• 🛠️ Updates: Xiaomi should have the latest version MIUI, a on the iPhone 8 Plus – the current iOS (maximum for this model – iOS 16.7.8).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions