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

Moving to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but the prospect of transferring all data from an old device can scare even experienced users away. Contacts, photos, messages, apps and their settings all need to be saved so that nothing gets lost in the process. Fortunately, Android device owners have several ways to do this, and most of them do not require special skills.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current data portability techniques, from standard Google tools to Xiaomi-branded solutions, and look at the nuances that will help avoid typical errors. For example, did you know that some applications may not be portable due to manufacturer restrictions? Or that backing up through Google Drive doesn’t always save your call history? We’ll tell you how to get around these and other pitfalls.

Whether you’re upgrading from the Redmi Note 10 to the Xiaomi 14 or switching from a different brand (such as Samsung or Huawei), here’s a step-by-step guide for any situation, and if you only need to migrate certain types of data — say, just photos or just messages — we’ll tell you which way is the fastest and most reliable.

Preparation for transfer: what to do before the start

Before you start transferring data, make sure that both devices are ready for the procedure, and neglecting this step can lead to loss of information or malfunction of new applications.

Charge both smartphones to a minimum 50%|Update both devices to the latest version|Free up space on the new Xiaomi (minimum) 2-3 GB)|Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network (for wireless methods)|Remove unnecessary files from your old phone-->

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If there is not enough space on your old phone, transfer photos and videos to your computer or cloud in advance – this will speed up the backup process.

Pay special attention to firmware updates. On Xiaomi devices with an outdated version MIUI (for example, MIUI 12 and below) some Mi Mover features may not work. You can check the relevance of the software in the Settings menu → The phone. → System Update. If an update is available, install it before you start the transfer.

Also, it is worth considering that some data (such as saved passwords from Wi-Fi or account settings in apps) may not be transferred automatically.

• 🔑 Logins and passwords from social networks, mail, banking applications
• 📡 Names and passwords of home Wi-Fi networks
• 🎮 Accounts in games (e.g. Google Play Games or Game Center)
• 📱 Two-factor authentication codes (if you use Google Authenticator)

Important: if the old phone has data encryption enabled (Settings menu) → Security → Encryption, the backup process may take 2-3 In this case, we recommend connecting the device to charge during the transfer.

2. Method 1: Mi Mover – Xiaomi’s proprietary tool

Mi Mover is the official app from Xiaomi that allows you to transfer data directly from one Android device to another wirelessly. It is pre-installed on all smartphones of the brand (starting with the first one). MIUI 9) and supports transfer from devices from other manufacturers (Samsung, Huawei, Oppo, etc.).

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Fast – Data is transported without an intermediate cloud
• 📁 Wide coverage – contacts, messages, photos, videos, applications (including their data)
• 🔄 Cross-platform – works even with smartphones of other brands

How to use Mi Mover:

1. On the new Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select the Data Portability option (or find the Mi Mover app in the menu).
2. On your old phone, install Mi Mover from Google Play (if it is not the default).
3. Run the application on both devices and select which is the “sender” and which is the “receiver”.
4. Scan it. QR-code from the new Xiaomi on the old phone to pair.
5. Select the data types to transfer and wait for the process to be completed.

The speed of the transfer depends on the amount of data and the stability of the Wi-Fi connection. 10 GB takes about 20-30 If the process is interrupted, you can resume it from the same place, and the application keeps progressing.

Method 3: Transfer through Google Account (backup)

If you are actively using Google services, this method will be the easiest and most versatile.

• 📇 Contacts (synchronized automatically)
• 📅 Calendars and events
• 📱 System settings (Wi-Fi passwords, wallpaper, language preferences)
• 🎮 Data from some games and applications (if the developer supports Google Play Games)
• 📁 Photos and videos (if synced with Google Photos is enabled)

How to set up backup:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Google → Backup.
2. Enable the option “Backup to Google Drive” and select an account.
3. Click on “Create a backup now” and wait until it is completed.
4. On the new Xiaomi, when you first start, log in to the same Google Account and confirm the data recovery.

Note that free storage on Google Drive is limited to 15GB. If you have more data, you will either have to buy extra space or transfer files in other ways. Also note that not all applications support backup — some developers turn this feature off.

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Backup through Google Account is the most reliable way to make contacts and settings, but is not suitable for transferring large files (for example, videos to the Internet). 4K).

If you want to transfer only photos, the easiest way to use Google Photos is to:

1. Open the Google Photos app on your old phone.
2. Go to Settings → Backup and Synchronization and turn on the function.
3. Select the download quality ("Original" or "High").
4. On the new Xiaomi, install Google Photos and log in to the same account – all photos will be uploaded automatically.

Method 3: Cable Transfer (OTG adapter)

If you don't have access to stable Wi-Fi, or if you want to move data as quickly as possible, you can use a direct cable connection.

• 🔌 Cable USB OTG (adapter USB-C → USB-C, If both phones are modern)
• 📱 File Manager (e.g. Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer)

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your old phone to the new Xiaomi with a cable OTG.
2. On the new device, open the file manager and select a partition "USB-device" (or "External storage device").
3. Copy the necessary files (photos, videos, music, documents) in the memory of a new smartphone.
4. Use backups to transfer applications (for example, through Titanium Backup – requires root rights).

This method is suitable for transferring large files (such as movies or archives), but has limitations:

• ❌ Contacts, messages and application settings (files only) are not portable)
• ❌ Manual copying of each type of data is required
• ❌ Not all cables. OTG Support data transfer between two phones (check compatibility)

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If the file manager can’t see the connected phone, try enabling File Transfer Mode (MTP) customized USB old-device.

To transfer applications and their data without root rights, you can use specialized utilities, for example:

• App Backup & Restore – Restore APK-Data and files (not working with all applications)
• Swift Backup – requires an unlocked bootloader, but copies data more reliably

5. Method 4: Cloud Services (Yandex Drive, Dropbox, Telegram)

If you only need to transfer individual files (such as documents, music, or archives), cloud storage is the most convenient way to do this.

• ☁️ Access from any device
• 🔒 Security (data is encrypted during transmission)
• 📤 There are no restrictions on file type (unlike Google Drive)

Comparison of popular services:

* When using Telegram cloud storage (for files up to 2 GB).

How to transfer data through Yandex Drive:

1. Install the Yandex Drive app on both phones.
2. On the old device, upload the files to the cloud (you can create a separate folder, such as “Move to Xiaomi”).
3. On the new Xiaomi, download files from the cloud to your phone’s memory.

For large data volumes (such as photo collections), it is better to use the desktop version of the cloud service, so the load will be more stable, and you can also archive files to.zip or.rar to speed up the process.

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If you have a slow internet connection, upload files to the cloud at night or use a mobile network with unlimited rates.

Method 5: Transfer over a computer (most reliable)

If you want to have maximum reliability and control over the process, the best option is to use the computer as an intermediary.

• 📸 Photos and videos in original quality
• 🎵 Music and podcasts
• 📄 Documents, PDF, book-book
• 📱 Backup copies of applications (if created in advance)

Step-by-step instructions for Windows:

1. Connect your old phone to your computer through USB-cable and select File Transfer Mode (MTP).
2. Copy all the files you need into a separate folder on your PC (for example, D:\Xiaomi_Transfer).
3. Turn off your old phone and connect a new Xiaomi.
4. Transfer files from your computer to the memory of your new smartphone.

Macs will require additional software, such as Android File Transfer, as macOS does not support MTP default.

Advantages of this method:

• ✅ There are no limits on the amount of data
• ✅ You can check files before transferring them.
• ✅ Suitable for all types of files

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Computer required
• ❌ It takes longer (if there is a lot of data)

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Transferring over a computer is the only way to guarantee that all files are saved without loss of quality and without depending on the Internet connection.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even with proven methods, users often encounter problems, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to solve them:

1. Data is not transferred via Mi Mover

Reasons:

• 📶 Unstable Wi-Fi connection → Reconnect to another network or use a mobile hotspot
• 📱 An outdated version MIUI → Update the firmware on both devices
• 🔒 firewall VPN lock-in → temporarily shut them down

2 Not all contacts were synced through Google

Decision:

• Check if contact synchronization is enabled in Settings → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization.
• Export contacts to the.vcf file via the Contacts app and import it to the new phone.

3.Appendices have not recovered after the transfer

Decision:

• Check if the app supports backup (Google Play has a corresponding tag).
• Use it. APK Extractor to extract installers from old phone and manually install on new.

4. Google Photos uploaded in low quality

Decision:

• In Google Photos settings, select “Original Quality” (requires more disk space).
• Use alternative services like Amazon Photos (free for Prime owners).

5.The new Xiaomi doesn't have enough space to carry

Decision:

• Remove pre-installed apps (bloatware) that you don’t use (e.g. Mi Video, Mi Music).
• Move some files to the microSD card (if the slot is supported by the model).
• Use cloud storage to temporarily host data.

8. Additional tips for Xiaomi users

If you’re switching from one Xiaomi smartphone to another, you have a few exclusive features that will make it easier to carry:

1. synchronization through Mi Account

Mi Account allows you to save:

• 📱 Settings of the theme and wallpaper
• 🔐 Fingerprints (if supported by the model)
• 📝 Notes from the annex Notes
• 🎵 Uniform sound settings (Equalizer)

To enable synchronization, go to Settings → Mi Account → Synchronize and activate the necessary options.

2. data transfer via Fastboot (for advanced users)

If you need to migrate the full system (including all settings and application data), you can use Fastboot mode and the Mi Flash Tool.

• 🖥️ Computer with drivers installed ADB
• 🔧 Unlocked bootloader on the new Xiaomi
• 📄 A backup copy created through TWRP Or OrangeFox.

This method is suitable only for advanced users, as incorrect actions can lead to data loss or a “brick” of the device.

3.Use Second Space for testing

If you are not sure that all data has been transferred correctly, you can use the Second Space feature on the new Xiaomi.

• 🔄 Create a separate profile with a clean system and transfer data there.
• 🛠️ Check the health of applications without risking the main space.
• 🔄 Return to the original state if something goes wrong.

Activated function in Settings → Special facilities → Second Space.

4.Optimize the new Xiaomi after the transfer

After the transfer is completed, we recommend:

• 🧹 Clear the application cache in Settings → Annexes → Cleanup.
• 🔋 Calibrate the battery (discharge to 0% and charge to 100% without interruptions).
• 🔒 Set up face unlock/fingerprint again.
• 📡 Check your mobile network settings (especially if the operator has changed).

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Xiaomi’s Second Space feature is a great way to test data portability without risking to the main system.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions