How to transfer data from Xiaomi to Xiaomi via Google: full instructions with nuances

Moving to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always an exciting moment, especially if the old device has accumulated years of photos, important messages and unique settings. Many users are afraid of losing data when moving, but in fact the process of migrating through a Google account takes up everything. 15-20 In this article, we will not only break down the standard procedure, but also reveal the hidden nuances of synchronizing specific types of data (for example, Mi Notes notes or Mi Home settings), which official guides usually miss.

The main advantage of transferring through Google is versatility: the method works for any Xiaomi models, from budget Redmi 13C Xiaomi 14 Ultra, and between devices on different versions MIUI (even if one of them is still MIUI 12, and the other has already upgraded to MIUI You will not need cables, computers or third-party programs, but only a stable Internet connection and a little patience.

Note: If you have not previously used Google services on an old smartphone, some of the data (e.g., Google’s Google Services, SMS Or a call log, it might not be saved, and we'll tell you how to fix it in advance.

1. Preparing the old Xiaomi smartphone for data transfer

Before you start migrating, make sure your old Xiaomi is ready for the procedure, which will eliminate unpleasant surprises like unsynchronized contacts or lost photos.

First, check if your Google account is linked to your device.

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Synchronization.
2. Find the Google section and make sure your email is listed.
3. Tap your account and check if sync is enabled for the desired categories (contacts, calendar, drive, etc.).

If you don't have an account, add it right now.

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Accounts and synchronization → Add an account.
• 🔑 Select Google and follow the instructions on the screen (you will need to enter a login / password).
• ☁️ After adding, enable synchronization for all necessary data.

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If you have forgotten your Google account password, recover it INFORMATION via your computer at accounts.google.com. On your smartphone, the recovery process may take longer due to additional security checks.

Pay special attention to photos and videos. Google Photos saves media files in "high quality" (compressed format) by default, but you can change this in the app settings.

1. Open the Google Photos app.
2. Tap the account avatar. → Photo settings → Backup.
3. Make sure that the backup and sync option is enabled.
4. Check the quality of the preservation: Original (saves without compression) or High (saves space).

2. Set up a new smartphone Xiaomi to receive data

Once the old smartphone is ready, it’s time to get to the new device, and the key here is not to miss the initial setup stage, as adding a Google account can limit the automatic migration of some data.

When you first turn on the new Xiaomi system will offer to transfer data.

• 🔄 On the "Copy Data" screen, select "Copy from Android device".
• ☁️ Next step, tap "From Cloud Storage" (do not choose the cable!).
• 📱 In the list of services, select Google and log in under the same account as on your old phone.

If you've already passed the initial setup and missed this step, don't worry. You can still manually transfer the data:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Synchronization.
2. Add the same Google account that was used on the old phone.
3. Enable synchronization for all data categories.
4. For photos, install the Google Photos app and wait for the media files to download.

Pay attention to app permissions. Once logged in to a Google account, some data (such as contacts or calendar) may not be displayed immediately, to speed up the process:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Contacts, Calendar and Google Play Services.
3. For each of them, check that your account and storage permissions are included.

3. Transfer of specific data types: what is synchronized automatically and what is not

Not all data is transported equally well through Google, so let's figure out what's migrating without you, and what you'll have to keep an eye on separately.

Xiaomi apps that are not synced via Google deserve special attention:

• 📝 Mi Notes: Use the built-in export function in Settings → Exports/imports.
• 🏠 Mi Home: Link Smart Devices to a Xiaomi (not Google!) Account via Profile → Settings → Backup.
• 🎵 Mi Music: export playlists manually or use alternatives like YouTube Music.

✔ All contacts are saved to a Google account (not to the Google account). SIM)

✔ Google Photos Completes Media Backup

✔ Calendar and mail synchronization enabled

✔ Exported. SMS and call logs if important)

✔ Retained settings Mi Home and Mi Notes-->

For messages in messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.), use the built-in backup functions:

• 💬 WhatsApp: Settings → chat → Backup (saves to Google Drive).
• 📌 Telegram: Cloud chats sync automatically, but local secret chats will have to be exported manually.

4. How to speed up synchronization and avoid errors

Sometimes the data transfer process through Google is delayed or interrupted.

Problem 1: Data doesn’t show up on the new phone.

Decision:

1. Check your internet connection (better use Wi-Fi).
2. Open the Settings. → Accounts and synchronization → Google and manually run sync (circular arrow button).
3. Make sure that the new phone has enough free space (especially if you are transferring photos in their original quality).

Problem 2: The photos take too long to load.

Decision:

• 📶 Connect to 5GHz Wi-Fi network (more stable than 2.4GHz).
• 🔋 Connect your phone to charge – Google Photos suspends booting at low battery level.
• ⏳ In Google Photos, turn off the option “Only when connecting to Wi-Fi” if you use mobile Internet.

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If the data is not synced for more than 24 hours, try to delete your Google account on your new phone and add it again, which often solves problems with “hungry” processes.

Problem 3: There is not enough space in Google Drive.

Google Drive's free fare provides only 15GB, which may not be enough for all photos and videos.

• 🗑️ Remove unnecessary files from Google Drive (such as old backups).
• 📦 In Google Photos, select High quality instead of Original (saves space).
• 💳 Buy an extra seat (from 100 GB per ~139 ₽/month).

If you are moving data between smartphones with different regions (e.g. Xiaomi Europe to Xiaomi Global), there may be problems with some Xiaomi apps.

⚠️ Note: When you change region in your Mi Account, some services (such as Mi Video or Mi Music) may become unavailable. Before perenosom, check whether your model supports work in a new region, or use the new one. VPN access to the usual services.

5. Alternative ways to transfer data (if Google is not suitable)

While Google migration is the most universal method, it may not work in some cases.

Method 1: Through cable OTG adapter

If you have OTG-cable USB-C to USB-C, You can transfer files directly:

1. Connect your old phone to your new phone via cable.
2. On the new phone, select the "File Transfer" mode" (MIUI will automatically suggest it).
3. Copy the right folders (DCIM Photos, Downloads for downloads, etc.).

Disadvantage of the method: application settings and system data are not transferred (SMS, call-in).

Method 2: Through Mi Mover (Official Xiaomi App)

Mi Mover is a proprietary utility for migrating between Xiaomi devices.

• 📱 Applications and their data (including game saves).
• 📞 Call log and SMS.
• 📁 Files and media (without compression).

How to use:

1. Install Mi Mover on both phones from the Mi App Store.
2. On the new phone, select "I am new" and on the old one, "I am old."
3. Scan it. QR-code and select data to transfer.

Limitation: only works between Xiaomi devices MIUI 9 and newer.

Method 3: Through a computer

If the data volume is very large (tens of gigabytes), it is more convenient to use a PC:

1. Connect your old phone to your computer and copy all the files to the folder.
2. Connect the new phone and transfer the files back.
3. For contacts, export them to.vcf via Contacts → Settings → Exports.

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To transfer notes from Mi Notes, export them in.zip format through the app's settings, and then import them on a new phone. This will save the formatting and attachments.

6.What to do after data transfer

When all the data is in place, there are a few important steps to make the new smartphone work perfectly:

Step 1: Checking the integrity of data

• 📞 Open Contacts and make sure all numbers are in place (check out groups and favorite contacts).
• 📷 In the Gallery, check that all photos and videos are displayed (especially in WhatsApp Images or Screenshots folders).
• 🎮 Run key applications (messaging apps, games, banking programs) and log in again.

Step 2: Set up backup for the future

To avoid repeating the transfer process when you next update your phone, set up automatic backups:

• ☁️ Enable autosynchronization for Google Photos, Contacts and Calendar.
• 🔄 B Settings → System system → Backup activate Xiaomi Backup (saves system settings to the Mi cloud).
• 📱 For critical data (such as passwords), use Google Password Manager or Bitwarden.

Step 3: Optimizing the new smartphone

Once the data is transferred, the new Xiaomi can run slower due to background synchronization.

1. Go to Settings. → Annexes → Manage apps and clear cache for heavy apps (Facebook, Instagram, etc.).
2. Turn on the settings. → Special facilities → System optimization (available on the MIUI 13+).
3. Turn off auto-run of unnecessary apps in Settings → Battery and productivity → Autostart control.

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After transferring data, restart the new smartphone – this will help the system correctly index files and eliminate possible lags.

Step 4: Delete data from your old phone (optional)

If you are planning to sell or transfer your old Xiaomi, be sure to erase all data from it:

1. Make a final backup (in case you forgot to move something).
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select “Erase all data” and wait until the process is complete.
4. After reset, check that the phone is not tied to your Mi Account (go to Settings). → Xiaomi account – your email should not be there).

⚠️ Note: If you used Mi Account to lock your phone (Find your device option), be sure to turn it off before resetting. Otherwise, the new owner will not be able to activate the phone without your password!

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even when following the instructions, users often encounter common errors, and here are the most common ways to solve them:

Error 1: “I couldn’t log into a Google account”

Causes and solutions:

• 🔒 Two-factor authentication: If enabled, you will need to enter code from SMS Google Authenticator Apps.
• 🌍 Regional restrictions: some Xiaomi models (especially for the Chinese market) do not support Google services. MIUI Global.
• ⏳ Too many login attempts: wait 24 hours or restore access via accounts.google.com.

Error 2: “Google photos are blurry”

This happens if you choose "High" over "Original" -- two solutions:

• 🔍 In the web version of Google Photos (photos.google.com) find the originals in the shopping cart (stored for 60 days).
• 💾 If the originals are still on your old phone, transfer them over cable or Mi Mover.

Error 3: "Applications are installed, but data is not saved"

This is normal for most applications, as their data is stored locally.

• 🎮 Games: use the built-in account binding (Google Play Games, Facebook, etc.).
• 💰 Banking applications: you will have to log in again (according to security requirements).
• 📱 Social networks: log in to your account – chats and settings will be restored automatically.

Mistake 4: “There is not enough space on the new phone”

If the new Xiaomi has less memory than the old one:

• 🗃️ Transfer media files to a memory card (if supported).
• ☁️ Save rarely used files in Google Drive or Mi Cloud.
• 🧹 Use the built-in cleaning: Settings → Warehouse → Cleanup.

Mistake 5: "SMS And the call log didn't move"

As we mentioned earlier, Google is not syncing this data.

• 📱 For SMS: Use Google Messages (set up as the main one) SMS-annex) or SMS Backup & Restore.
• 📞 For call log: export via phone → History → Exports (not available on all models).
• 🔄 If nothing helps, transfer data via Mi Mover.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions