How to transfer data from Xiaomi to Realme: all the ways of 2026

Moving from Xiaomi to Realme is not just about changing your brand, but also migrating all your data, from contacts and messages to photos and app settings. Many users face problems with this transfer: files are lost, settings are lost, and sometimes the process is delayed for hours. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to transfer data between these two Android devices, including official tools, cloud services and manual methods.

Xiaomi and Realme both have their own shells on top of Android: MIUI and Realme UI, respectively, which means that standard Google tools (like Google Drive Backup) can run unstable, and we tested each method on Redmi Note 12 and Realme 10 Pro+ models to give you clear instructions without undue complexity.

Important: If you are transferring data from a device older than the 2020 (e.g., Redmi Note 8 or Realme 5), some features may not be available, in which case, look for universal methods such as the PC- transfer or the SD- card.

1.Official Method: Mi Mover vs. Realme Clone Phone

Both brands offer proprietary utilities for data migration, but they work differently. Xiaomi's Mi Mover is designed to transfer data to new Xiaomi devices, but may conflict with Realme.

How it works:

• 📱 On Xiaomi: Open Settings → About Phone → Mi Mover. If you don't have an option, download the Mi Mover app from Google Play.
• 📱 On Realme: Go to Settings → Additional Settings → Phone Cloning (or install Realme Clone Phone from the store).
• 🔗 Connect devices to a single Wi-Fi network or use Hotspot on Xiaomi.
• 📤 On Xiaomi, select the role "Sender", on Realme - "Receiver".

Advantages of the method: the structure of folders is preserved, even the settings of some applications (for example, WhatsApp) are transferred, however, when migrating from MIUI 14 to Realme UI 4.0, calendar data and notes can disappear - this is a known bug that has not yet been fixed.

⚠️ Warning: If Xiaomi has App Protection enabled (in Settings → Privacy), turn it off before the perenosom. Otherwise, some files (such as screenshots from the Gallery) may not be transferred.

2. Transfer through Google Account (the most reliable method)

Syncing through Google Account is a universal way that works on any Android device.

• 📇 Contacts (including groups and labels)
• 📅 Calendar and reminders
• 📧 Letters from Gmail
• 📱 System settings (Wi-Fi passwords, wallpaper, language settings)
• 🎮 Progress in games (if the games support Google Play Games)

Instructions:

1. On Xiaomi: go to Settings → Google Accounts → Sync and turn on all the switches.
2. Wait for the synchronization to be completed (check in Settings → About Phone → Account Status).
3. On Realme: When you first turn on, select “Restore from Backup” and log in to the same Google Account.
4. Select the most recent backup (see Google Drive → Backups for the date of creation).

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ Not tolerated. SMS/MMS (They need a separate backup through Google Messages).
• ❌ Photos and videos are synced only if the original quality Google Photos feature is enabled.
• ❌ Applications are portable as a list only to install (the APK- files themselves are not copied).

💡

Before perenosom, check the free space in Google Account. The backup system can weigh up to 25 GB, and the free tariff gives only 15 GB. If necessary, clear Google Photos or buy an extra space.

Transfer files over PC (for large amounts of data)

If you need to move tens of gigabytes of photos, videos or music, the fastest way is to use a computer, which is also suitable if you have slow internet or Wi-Fi problems.

You'll need:

• 💻 Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux
• 🔌 USB Cable (preferably original for both phones)
• 📁 Folder on PC with a minimum of 50 GB of free space (in case of temporary files)

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Xiaomi to your PC via USB, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy all the necessary folders (DCIM, Download, Movies, etc.) to your computer. Ways to standard folders Xiaomi: Internal memory /DCIM/Camera/ - photo and video Internal memory Z/Download/ - downloaded files Internal memory /MIUI/ - screenshots and screen recordings
3. Disable Xiaomi, connect Realme, and move files back to the appropriate folders.

Tip: If you have a Mac, install Android File Transfer to work properly with MTP. Windows 11 may require a driver update for Realme (download them from the official website).

⚠️ Warning: Don’t copy the entire Android folder, which could disrupt the apps on the new device, and only transfer user data from the data and obb subfolders (e.g., for gaming).

Make a backup copy of contacts in VCF|Check the integrity of the copied files|Format. SD-card (if you use it)|Install drivers for both phones-->

4.Move over Mi Cloud and Realme Cloud (manufacturer cloud)

Both brands offer their own cloud services, Mi Cloud for Xiaomi and Realme Cloud for Realme, which are convenient for transferring contacts, notes, SMS and certain settings, but have limitations on the volume and type of data.

Comparison of services:

How to transfer data through Mi Cloud:

1. On Xiaomi: Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Sync → Enable all options.
2. Wait for the download to complete (check in Mi Cloud → Devices).
3. On Realme, install the Mi Cloud app from Google Play and log in.
4. Select the data for download (contacts, notes, calendar).

The process is similar to that of Realme Cloud, but you can only transfer contacts and photos, and the main disadvantage is that there is no automatic synchronization of SMS, and you will have to transfer them separately (see section 5).

5. Transfer of SMS, calls and applications (specialized methods)

Standard tools often ignore call history and SMS, although this data is critical for many users.

The best tools for transfer:

• 📱 SMS Backup & Restore — saves SMS/MMS to a XML- file, which is then restored to Realme.
• 📞 Call Logs Backup & Restore – similar to call history.
• 📦 App Backup & Restore – Transfers APK- files and application data (requires root for full backup).

Instructions for SMS Backup & Restore:

1. Install the app on Xiaomi, make a backup (select the.xml format).
2. Move the backup file to Realme (via PC, cloud, or Send Anywhere).
3. Install the same app on Realme and recover the data.

To transfer applications with data (for example, saves in games) without root rights:

• Use Helium (requires a PC connection).
• For WhatsApp: Backup Settings → Chat → Backup and restore to a new device.

⚠️ Warning: When transferring WhatsApp data, make sure that your phone number hasn't changed. If you change the SIM- card, activate it on Realme first, and then restore the chats.

6 Transfer via SD- card or OTG- drive

If you do not have access to a PC or stable Wi-Fi, you can use a SD- card or USB-OTG.

• 📸 Photos and videos (folders) DCIM, Pictures)
• 🎵 Music and podcasts
• 📄 Documents (PDF, DOCX, XLSX)

How to transfer data through SD-map:

1. Insert the SD- card in Xiaomi (if there is no slot, use the OTG- adapter).
2. In Explorer (MIUI) or Google Files, select the folders you want and click Copy.

Important: Realme may not recognize folders created by Xiaomi, for example, screenshots from MIUI/Screenshot will not appear in the gallery.

1. Move files to the standard Realme folders: Internal Memory/Pictures/Screenshots/ - for screenshots Internal Memory/DCIM/Camera/ - for photo
2. Restart your device or update your media base through Settings → Storage → Clear media data.

7.Alternative methods: Send Anywhere, SHAREit and AirDroid

If you need to move data without a computer or cloud, you can use direct Wi-Fi applications, and we tested three popular services:

Instructions for Send Anywhere (recommended as the most stable option):

1. Install the app on both phones.
2. On Xiaomi, select files and click "Send".
3. 6-digit code is generated or QR-code.
4. On Realme, enter the code or scan the QR.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ There are no restrictions on file type.
• ✅ Works without internet (direct Wi-Fi connection).
• ✅ The original quality is maintained (unlike the clouds).

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Slower than PC transfer (especially for larger files).
• ❌ If you break the connection, you have to start over.

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To transfer files larger than 20 GB, you'd better use a PC or a SD- card, and applications like SHAREit can freeze with large amounts of data.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even if you transfer data correctly, it may not be displayed or it may not work properly, and here are the most common problems and ways to solve them:

1.Photos and videos are not displayed in the Realme Gallery

• 🔍 Check if files are hidden (in Gallery → Settings → Show hidden files).
• 🔄 Update the media base: Settings → Storage → Clear media data.
• 📁 Move files to standard folders (DCIM/Camera).

2. Contacts are duplicated or lost

• 📱 Export contacts to.vcf to Xiaomi and import to Realme.

3.Apps are not recovered from backup

• 📦 Check if the "Restore Apps" option is enabled in Google Settings → Backup.
• 🔒 Some applications (e.g. banking) block data transfer for security reasons.
• 🛠️ For games, use Google Play Games or manual backup via Helium.

4.The battery discharges quickly after transfer

• 🔋 Reboot Realme after transferring data.
• 🛑 Turn off unnecessary background processes: Settings → Battery → Optimize power consumption.
• 🔄 Reset cache: Settings → Storage → Cache data → Clear.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions