How to transfer data from Xiaomi Redmi phone to another Android: full instruction 2026

The switch to a new smartphone is always exciting, especially when it comes to protecting personal data. Xiaomi Redmi owners face a unique feature: MIUI offers its own migration tools that often work better than standard Android solutions. However, not everyone knows that there are alternative methods besides the branded Mi Mover, from cloud backup to direct transmission over Wi-Fi Direct.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to transfer data from the Redmi Note 12/11/10, Redmi A2 or other models to a new Android device - whether it is another Xiaomi, Samsung, Realme or even Google Pixel. Particular attention will be paid to the nuances that the manufacturer does not say: why sometimes the Mi Mover "hangs" by 99%, how to circumvent the limit on the amount of transferred files (500 MB in the free version), and what to do if the new phone does not see the old through Quick Share (former Nearby Share).

Spoiler: The most reliable method depends on the type of data, for example, contacts and calendars are easier to sync through a Google account, and photos and videos are easier to sync through a physical cable with an OTG adapter if the volume exceeds 10 GB.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a proprietary solution for migrating data between Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices. The application is pre-installed on all smartphones with MIUI 9+ and supports the transfer of contacts, messages, photos, videos, applications (including their data), and even some system settings. However, there are pitfalls: the program limits free portability to 500 MB, and for large volumes you need to buy a premium version.

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

• 📱 Install Mi Mover on both phones (if it’s not in the app list, download from AppGallery or APKPure).
• 🔗 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network (or create an access point on an old phone).
• 📤 On the old Redmi, select “Send” and on the new one, “Get».
• 🔍 Scan it. QR-code from the screen of a new phone or enter PIN-pairing.
• ✅ Select data types for transfer and confirm the start of transfer.

Charging both phones > 50%|Shut down. VPN firewalls|Release. ≥ 2 GB of memory on the new device|Check the compatibility of versions MIUI (difference of 2 years)-->

⚠️ Warning: If the process is 99% frozen, don’t interrupt it manually! wait 10-15 minutes – often this is due to optimizing the transfer of large files (for example, video to video). 4K). If the transfer is not completed in an hour, restart both phones and try again, pre-clearing the Mi Mover cache in the application settings.

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If Mi Mover doesn’t see a new device, check if the developer mode on both phones is enabled and if the Wi-Fi debugging option is activated in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times).

2. Move through Google Account (for contacts, calendars and notes)

Syncing with a Google account is the most versatile way to transfer basic data, as it works on any Android device, including non-Xiaomi.

• 📇 Contacts (including groups and labels)
• 📅 Calendars and reminders
• 📝 Notes from Google Keep or Mi Notes (if exported)
• 🔑 Passwords from Google Smart Lock

Instructions:

1. On the old Redmi go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Make sure that synchronization is enabled for the right categories (contacts, calendar, etc.).
3. Add the same Google account on your new phone and wait for automatic sync.

⚠️ Note: If contacts are duplicated after the transfer, check if sync with Mi Cloud is enabled in parallel. → Accounts. → Xiaomi to avoid conflicts.

Mi Mover|Google account|Physical cable (OTG/PC)|Cloud services (Dropbox, Yandex Disk)|Other-->

Direct transmission via cable (for large amounts of data)

If you need to transfer tens of gigabytes of photos, videos or music, the best option is a physical connection via cable. OTG adapter USB-C/USB-A. This method is in 3–5 faster than wireless alternatives and does not depend on the speed of the Internet.

You'll need:

• 🔌 Cable USB-C — USB-C (or USB-A — USB-C adapter-wise)
• 📱 adapter OTG (If the new phone does not support host mode)
• 🔋 Charging. ≥ 70% on both devices

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the old Redmi to the new phone with a cable.
2. On the new device, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
3. Open Explorer (or Mi File Manager) on your new phone.
4. Copy the folders you want (DCIM for photos, Download for downloads, etc.) from the old phone’s internal memory.

4. Wireless transmission via Quick Share (formerly Nearby Share)

Quick Share (formerly Nearby Share) is a cross-platform tool from Google for sharing files between Android devices. Unlike Mi Mover, it works with phones from other brands (Samsung, OnePlus, etc.), but has a file size limit of 2 GB per transfer.

How to transfer data:

1. Turn on Quick Share on both phones (Settings → Connected Devices → Quick Share).
2. On old Redmi, select files in Gallery or Explorer and click "Send".
3. Select a new device from the list of available devices.
4. Confirm receipt on the new phone.

⚠️ Note: If files are not sent, check:

• 🔄 Both phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (or turn on mobile data).
• 📶 Bluetooth is enabled on both devices.
• 🔒 On the new phone in the Quick Share settings selected “Visible to all».

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Quick Share automatically compresses video when it is transferred if it is larger than 1 GB. Use a cable or cloud to avoid loss of quality.

5. Cloud services: when there is no cable at hand

If you don’t have physical access to both phones at the same time, cloud storage will come to the rescue: Google Drive, Mi Cloud, Yandex Drive or Dropbox, a method that is convenient for transferring documents, archives or small media files, but requires a stable Internet connection.

Comparison of services:

Instructions for Google Drive:

1. On the old Redmi, open Google Drive and click “+ → Download”.
2. Select files or folders (for example, DCIM/Camera for photo).
3. After downloading, log in to the same account on the new phone and download the files.

⚠️ Note: When downloading a large number of files (>1000 pcs.) Google Drive can block an operation as “suspicious.” To avoid this, download data in portions of 200-300 files or use an archiver (such as ZArchiver) to pack in the data. ZIP.

6. Transfer of applications and their data (including games)

Standard methods (such as Mi Mover or Google account) are only portable. APK-Application files, but not their data (for example, save in games or configure messengers:

• 🔄 Titanium Backup (requires root rights) – copies both data and APK.
• 📦 Swift Backup (works without root on some firmware).
• 🎮 For games: Google Play Games (save sync) or Helium (outdated, but works with some games).

If root rights are not available, the only reliable way is to back up through ADB:

adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab

This team will create a full backup on the PC, which can then be restored on the new phone:

adb restore backup.ab

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even when following instructions, users face typical problems, and here are the most common ways to fix them:

• 🚫 Mi Mover does not find the device: Check that both phones are enabled Wi-Fi Direct (Settings) → Wi-Fi → Extra. Turn it off. VPN Firewall (e.g., Avast or 360 Security may block the connection).
• 🔄 Quick Share is interrupted by 50%: Reduce the size of files you transfer (slice 1GB in pieces) Switch to mobile data instead of Wi-Fi (sometimes helps).
• ⚠️ Photos won't open after transfer: Check file extensions (sometimes.jpeg turns into.jpeg.download). Use Mi File Manager to fix file attributes.

If none of the methods worked, the last option is to manually transfer via PC:

1. Connect the old Redmi to your computer and copy the data to your hard drive.
2. Connect the new phone and transfer the files back.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions