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

Moving to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but data porting often becomes a headache. Contacts, photos, WhatsApp messages, app settings all need to be saved to keep important information in check. Fortunately, Xiaomi devices have several built-in tools and third-party solutions that make this process easier.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to transfer data between Xiaomi phones, including official methods from the manufacturer and universal solutions. You will learn how to migrate not only basic files, but also system settings, call history, and data from instant messengers.

Whether you upgrade from the Redmi Note 10 to the Xiaomi 14 Ultra or upgrade from the POCO F5 to the Redmi K70 Pro, the instructions below are suitable for all modern models, the main thing is to prepare both devices correctly and choose the best method depending on the amount of data and Internet connection speed.

1.Official method: Mi Mover (built-in Xiaomi app)

Mi Mover is a Xiaomi-branded tool that automatically installs on all of the brand’s smartphones, and allows you to transfer almost all types of data without using a computer using direct Wi-Fi transmission. The method works even without an Internet connection, making it ideal for large amounts of information (20+ GB).

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

• 📱 On an old phone: Open the Mi Mover app (if not available, download from Google Play).
• 📲 On your new phone: Run the Mi Mover and tap "I'm a receiver." Confirm that this is a new device.
• 🔗 The link: The old phone will appear QR-Scan it with a new device or type it in. PIN-manually.
• 📤 Data selection: Check the categories for transfer: contacts, messages, photos, video, audio, applications (including their data) and even system settings.

Important: If you port apps, note that some apps (like banking apps) may require re-authorization due to security policies, and Mi Mover doesn’t transfer data from WhatsApp — it requires a separate method (discussed below).

Charge both phones to at least 50%|Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network (not necessarily, but speeds up the process)|Make room on your new phone (should be at least 1.5).× portable)|Turn it off. VPN Firewalls (they can block the connection)-->

⚠️ Note: If the new phone already has data (for example, you started using it before the transfer), Mi Mover will suggest resetting the device to factory settings.

2.Move over the Mi Cloud: Pros and Cons

The Mi Cloud is another Xiaomi solution that allows you to synchronize data between devices, which is convenient if you have a stable Internet and a small amount of data (up to 5-10 GB), the main advantage is automatic synchronization of contacts, notes, call history and even some settings (for example, checkout topics).

How to transfer data through Mi Cloud:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud and enable sync for the desired categories (contacts, gallery, posts, etc.).
2. On the new phone, sign in to the same Mi Account (if not already logged in) and enable sync in Mi Cloud.
3. Select categories to download. Data will start to load automatically.

The speed of the transfer depends on the speed of your Internet, for example, 5 GB of photos at 50 Mbps will load in about 15-20 minutes.

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Before using Mi Cloud, check if there is enough space in the cloud. If not, clear unnecessary backups in Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Storage Management

3. Transfer WhatsApp and other messengers: step-by-step instructions

Data from WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber doesn’t move through Mi Mover or Mi Cloud, but needs separate actions, and consider the most reliable way to do this: backup in Google Drive (for WhatsApp) and local transfer (for other messengers).

For WhatsApp:

1. On your old phone, open WhatsApp. → ⋮ → Settings → chat → Backup.
2. Click “Create a copy” and select the Google account where the backup will be saved. Wait until it is completed (it can take up to 30 minutes for large chats).
3. On the new phone, install WhatsApp, log in to the same number and restore chats from Google Drive when requested.

For Telegram:

• 📁 Export chats manually: Settings → Data and memory → Export Chat History (available only for individual dialogs).
• 📎 Transfer the file you receive (.html or.json) to your new phone via Mi Mover or the cloud.

For Viber:

• 🔄 Make a backup in the settings: Settings → Account. → Backup copy (save in the memory of the phone).
• 📲 Copy the Viber folder from the internal memory of the old phone to the new one (for example, via cable). OTG computer).
• 🔄 On the new phone, install Viber, log in to your account and restore data from the local copy.

4. Computer Data Transfer: Reliable but Longer

If you have a slow Internet connection or a very large amount of data (50)+ GB, the best way to do this is to use a computer as an intermediary, and this is a method that can be used to transfer any file, including music, documents, and even save games. USB-cable (preferably original from Xiaomi) and free space on PC.

Instructions:

1. Connect your old phone to your computer via USB. From the connection menu, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the folders you need (DCIM for photos, Downloads for downloads, WhatsApp for backups, etc.) to your PC hard drive.
3. Disable the old phone, connect the new one, and transfer the files back to the appropriate folders.
4. For contacts and messages, use export in.vcf (contacts) and.xml (SMS) formats through applications like Contacts or Messages Backup & Restore.

The advantage of this method is that you have complete control over the data you're carrying, so you can choose just the right photos, or you can exclude heavy videos, but there are also disadvantages:

• ⏳ It takes a lot of time (100GB copying can take hours).
• 🔌 Requires a computer with enough disk space.
• 🔧 You need to manually configure paths for some data (for example, for WhatsApp, the folder should be called strictly WhatsApp).

5. Alternative applications: SHAREit, Xender, Send Anywhere

If for some reason Mi Mover doesn’t work (for example, one of the phones is not Xiaomi), you can use third-party applications for wireless transfer.

• 📲 SHAREit supports file transfer at up to 20 MB/s, works without the Internet.
• ⚡ Xender is similar to SHAREit, but with a simpler interface.
• 🌐 Send Anywhere – allows you to send files via a link or QR-code, there's a PC version.
• 🔗 LocalSend – open source software for transferring files over a local network (without advertising).

How to use (in the example of Shareit):

1. Install the app on both phones from Google Play.
2. On your old phone, select “Send” and tag files.
3. On the new phone, click “Get” and connect to the access point created by the first device.
4. Confirm transmission on both phones.

These applications are convenient for one-time transfer of a small amount of data (up to 10-15 GB). For large volumes, it is better to use Mi Mover or a computer, since third-party programs can “hang” or interrupt the transfer.

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When using third-party apps, disable battery optimization for them in Xiaomi settings (Settings → Apps → Permissions → AutoRun), otherwise the transfer may be interrupted.

6. Transfer of purchases and licenses: how not to lose money

Many users forget that when changing their phone, you can lose access to paid themes, fonts and apps purchased through Mi Account.

• 🔑 Make sure you are logged in to the same Mi Account on your new phone as you were on your old one.
• 🎨 For the design themes: go to the themes → My themes and click on "Restore Shopping».
• 📱 For paid apps: Open Google Play → Library → Buy them and install them again.
• 🔄 If purchases don’t recover, check to see if the attached mail in Mi Account has changed (sometimes this knocks down the licenses).

Pay special attention to subscription apps (such as Mi Fit or Xiaomi Cloud Storage) and reconfigure them:

1. On an old phone, cancel your subscription (if it is tied to the device).
2. On the new phone, log in to your account and activate your subscription again.

⚠️ Warning: If you are selling or giving away an old phone, be sure to log out of Mi Account in the settings and reset to factory settings. Otherwise, the new owner will be able to access your data, including purchases and backups!

7. 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 neither method worked, try resetting the network settings on both phones (Settings → System → Settings Reset → Resetting Wi-Fi, mobile network and Bluetooth settings).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions