How to Transfer Data from the Old Xiaomi to the New: The Complete 2026 Guide

Moving to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but data transfer often becomes a headache: Contacts are scattered across accounts, photos are lost in cloud storage, and app settings have to be reconfigured. This article will help avoid typical mistakes and choose the best way to migrate depending on your tasks.

We tested all the current portability methods on Redmi Note devices 12, POCO X5 Pro and Xiaomi 13T latest-edition MIUI 14/15 And HyperOS, which focused on keeping WhatsApp chats, Wi-Fi passwords and games safe, the things that are most likely to cause problems. If you're afraid of losing important information or don't know where to start, read on.

Preparation for transfer: what to do before the start

The first step is to audit the data on your old phone, make a list of everything you want to transfer, which will help you not miss the important thing.

• 📞 Contacts (including groups and notes)
• 📷 Photos and videos (including hidden folders and stories in the gallery)
• 💬 Communications (SMS, MMS, messenger-chat)
• 🎮 Game data (progress, purchases, accounts)
• 🔑 Passwords and Wi-Fi settings
• 📥 Downloads and documents (PDF, Excel, archives)
• 🔔 System settings (wallpaper, sound circuits, gestures)

Pay special attention to the cloud services that your old phone is attached to. Check sync in: Settings → Google accounts → Synchronization and Settings → Mi Account. → Cloud. If sync is disabled, turn it on 24 hours before the transfer, which ensures that the latest changes are kept safe.

⚠️ Note: If the old phone used Mi Account with reference to the region of China, the transfer through official Xiaomi tools may not work).

Don't forget to place on the new device. Check the free space in Settings → Storage and clean it if necessary. 60 GB of data transfer will require at least 70 GB of free space (including temporary files).

2.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s proprietary tool for wireless data transfer between the brand’s devices. MIUI 9 and later (including HyperOS) The main advantages of the method:

• 🔄 Transfer all types of data (except for some system application settings)
• 🚀 Up to 20 MB/s (depending on the model and software version)
• 🔒 Transfer encryption (data not entering the cloud)
• 📱 Support for transfer between Redmi, POCO and Mi-series

Step-by-step:

1. Install Mi Mover on both phones from AppGallery or Google Play (for global versions).
2. On the new phone, select This is the new phone, on the old one, This is the old phone.
3. Scan it. QR-code from the screen of a new phone with an old device.
4. Select data types to transfer (you can choose all or individual categories).
5. Confirm the start of transmission on both devices.
6. Wait until the end (time depends on the amount of data).

The average transfer time of 30 GB of data is about 25-35 minutes. If the process is interrupted, start again: Mi Mover resumes transmission from the break site, but only for 2 hours after stopping.

Install Mi Mover on both phones|Connect both devices to charging|Shut down. VPN and energy-saving regimes|Make sure you have stable Wi-Fi or mobile internet|Free up 10-15% of memory on a new phone-->

⚠️ Note: If the new phone is HyperOS installed, and the old one — MIUI 14 or older, upgrade your old device to the latest available version before transferring. MIUI_TRANSFER_ERROR_104.

3. Transfer through Google Account: a universal method

If you prefer not to depend on Xiaomi’s branded tools, syncing through a Google Account is a reliable option, which works even when switching from Xiaomi to smartphones of other brands.

• 🌐 Cross-platform (Android) → Android/iOS → Android)
• 🔄 Automatic synchronization of contacts, calendars, notes
• 📁 Backup photos in Google Photos (with compression capability)
• 🔑 Saving passwords from Wi-Fi (if synchronization is enabled)

Instructions for setting:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Google → Backup.
2. Enable Backup in Google Drive and select an account.
3. Click Create a backup now and wait until it is completed.
4. On a new phone, when you first turn on, select Copy data from an old device. → From cloud storage. → Google Drive.
5. Enter the same Google account and select the latest backup.

Important: Google Drive backups are only stored for 57 days from the time of creation, and if you don't move the data within that timeframe, the copy will be deleted without recovery.

To transfer photos separately use Google Photos: Open the application → Profile → Photo settings → Backup and sync. Select quality (Original or High) and enable autoboot.

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If you have slow internet, connect your phone to Wi-Fi before backing up and leave it on overnight charging. Google Drive will continue copying in the background.

4. Alternative methods: for specific tasks

If standard methods are not suitable (for example, when switching from Chinese firmware or when transferring these games), use specialized tools:

4.1.Mobilization of WhatsApp and other messengers

To save WhatsApp chat history: Open WhatsApp → ⋮ → Settings → chat → Backup. Create a copy in Google Drive (requires Google account binding). On your new phone, install WhatsApp, confirm the number and restore the chats from the backup.

For Telegram, sync is done automatically through the cloud, but Viber will require manual backup in Settings. → Account. → Backup copy.

4.2. transfer of these games (Call of Duty, Genshin Impact, etc.)

Most mobile games are linked to Google Play Games accounts, Facebook or their own systems (e.g. miHoYo for Genshin Impact).

1. Make sure the game is linked to your account.
2. In the game settings, find the Account or Link section.
3. On the new phone, install the game, log in to the same account and download saves.

For games without cloud sync (such as some offline projects), use manual copying of save files through My file. → The device → Android → Data (root rights required).

Transfer from Chinese firmware (CN ROM)

If your old Xiaomi is running on Chinese firmware (CN ROM), Standard transfer methods may not work due to the limitations of the region:

1. Install Global. ROM on the old phone (instructions on Xiaomi.eu).
2. Use Mi Mover or manual file copying.
3. For the transfer of applications export APK through settings → Annexes → Exports (available on MIUI 12+).

5. Manual file copying: for advanced users

If you only need to transfer certain files, or you don't trust cloud services, use direct copying via cable or memory card, which takes longer, but gives you complete control over the process.

5.1. Transfer through OTG-cable

It will require:

- OTG-cable (Type-C) → Type-C or MicroUSB → Type-C depending on ports)

Card reader (optional, for microSD use)

Instructions:

1. Connect. OTG-cable.
2. Connect your old phone or memory card to the cable.
3. On your new phone, open my file. → USB-storage.
4. Copy the folders you want (DCIM for photos, Downloads for downloads, etc.).

5.2 Computer-assisted transfer

If you have a PC or laptop, use it as an intermediate storage:

1. Connect your old phone to your PC via USB (select File Transfer Mode).
2. Copy the data into a folder on the computer.
3. Connect the new phone and transfer the files back.

To speed up the process, use archiving:

- Select folders on your old phone → PCM → Add to the archives (ZIP or RAR).

Transfer the archive to a new phone and unpack it through My file.

⚠️ Note: When manually copying, you cannot: - System application settings (calls, messages, alarms) - Data from some games (if stored in secure folders) /data/data/) - Wi-Fi passwords (they will have to be re-entered)

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Manual copying is suitable for transferring media files and documents, but does not replace synchronizing accounts for contacts and applications.

6.Verification and adjustment after transfer

After the transfer is completed, perform a check:

• 📞 Check contacts: open Contacts and make sure all numbers are in place (including groups).
• 📷 Open the Gallery and check for all photos/videos (especially in Screenshots and Camera folders).
• 💬 Run messengers and make sure that the chat history is restored.
• 🎮 Open the games and check for saves (in some cases, you will need to re-download additional files).
• 🔔 Check notification and sound settings in Settings → Sound and vibration.

Typical post-transfer problems and their solution:

If after transferring the phone began to work slower, perform optimization: Settings → The phone. → Optimize or use the built-in Security app.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

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

• 🔋 Discharge of the phone during transfer → Connect both devices to charging before the process begins.
• 📶 Wi-Fi connection breakage → Use a 5GHz stable network or connect via a mobile hotspot.
• 📱 Version incompatibility MIUI → Upgrade both phones to the latest available firmware.
• 🔒 Blocking of Mi Account → Make sure that both phones use the same Xiaomi account.
• 🗃️ Lack of space on the new phone → Free up at least 20% of memory before transferring.

If the Mi Mover is making a mistake MIUI_TRANSFER_ERROR_102, It means a connection problem. Solutions:

1. Reboot both phones.
2. Turn off the VPNs and firewalls.
3. Try connecting via another Wi-Fi network.
4. Update the Mi Mover to the latest version.

For error. MIUI_TRANSFER_ERROR_201 (Data incompatibility only manually copying files or using alternative methods (see section) will help. 4).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions