How to transfer data from Xiaomi phone to another smartphone or computer: the complete guide

Contents

• Introduction: Why Data Transfers to Xiaomi Need a Special Approach
• Mi Mover and MIUI Transfer Tool
• Mi Cloud Transfer: Pros and Hidden Limits
• Direct cable transfer between two Xiaomis (without PC)
• Using a computer: when is the only way out
• Third-party applications: risks and better alternatives
• Transfer of specific types of data: contacts, SMS, WhatsApp
• FAQ: answers to complex questions about transfer

Shifting data from Xiaomi’s phone to a new device or computer often becomes a headache for users. Unlike the iPhone with its iCloud ecosystem or Samsung with its Smart Switch service, smartphones on MIUI offer several alternative ways — but each has its pitfalls. For example, the Mi Mover tool does not work with all models, and the Mi Cloud limits free storage to 5 GB.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to transfer data, from official solutions to workarounds for complex cases (for example, if a new phone is not from Xiaomi or an old device is blocked), pay special attention to porting WhatsApp without losing history, as this is one of the most common problems users, and learn how to avoid typical errors that cause data to be damaged or not transferred at all.

Mi Mover and MIUI Transfer Tool

The most reliable and recommended method for Xiaomi is to use the built-in Mi Mover tool (formerly known as the Mi Mover tool). MIUI Transfer Tool. It's pre-installed on all smartphones with MIUI 9 and newer, but only works between Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO. The main advantage is the preservation of the data structure: applications are transferred with the settings, not as usual. APK-file.

To take advantage of the Mi Mover:

1. On both phones, go to Settings → About Phone → Mi Mover (or additionally → Mi Mover in older versions).
2. Select a role: on the old phone - "Sender", on the new - "Receiver".
3. Connect devices via Wi-Fi Direct (automatically) or USB-cable OTG.
4. Select data types to transfer: contacts, messages, photos, videos, apps, or notes.
5. Confirm the transfer and wait until the completion (can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour depending on the volume).

The Mi Mover limitations that Xiaomi doesn’t warn about:

• 🚫 It doesn’t work with other brands’ phones (even Android phones).
• 🚫 Does not transfer data from some system applications (for example, Mi Fit or Mi Home).
• 🚫 When you transfer applications, account settings may reset (for example, in Instagram or banking applications).
• 🚫 On devices with MIUI 12.5+ need to be unlocked USB-cable-transfer debugging.

Charge both phones at least 50% | Update MIUI to the latest version |Disable VPN and firewalls |Connect to the same Wi-Fi network (if using wireless mode) |Create a backup of important data in case of a crash-->

⚠️ Warning: If the new phone already has data, Mi Mover will prompt you to erase it before transferring it!

Mi Cloud Transfer: Pros and Hidden Limits

Mi Cloud is a cloud service from Xiaomi that allows you to sync data between devices, unlike Mi Mover, it works even with phones from other brands (such as Samsung or Realme), but has strict restrictions:

• 📱 Free rate - only 5 GB (this is the case) ~1000 photos in high resolution).
• 📱 Not all data types are synchronized: for example, SMS The log of calls is only transferred to Xiaomi devices.
• 📱 Apps are not portable – only their lists are re-installable via Google Play.

Step-by-step:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Turn on synchronization for the desired categories: Contacts, Photos, Notes, etc.
3. Wait for the download to be completed (may take several hours with a large volume).
4. On the new phone, log in to the same Xiaomi account and enable sync.

How do you get around the 5GB limit? There are two options:

1. Buy additional space in Mi Cloud (from 100 GB for ~300 rubles / year).
2. Use Google Photos for Media Files and Google Contacts for Address Book, while Mi Cloud only for Notes and SMS.

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If you are transferring data to a non-Xiaomi phone, first export the contacts to the VCF file via Contacts → Settings → Export, and then import them on the new device.

Direct cable transfer between two Xiaomis (without PC)

If you don’t have Wi-Fi or Mi Cloud access, you can transfer data through the USB-cable OTG. It's faster than wireless, and it doesn't depend on the speed of the Internet:

• 🔌 I need a cable. USB-C — USB-C (Adapter for older models with Micro-USB).
• 🔌 There should be enough space on the recipient phone.
• 🔌 Some models (such as the Xiaomi 12 Pro) require unlocking. USB-debugging.

Instructions:

1. Connect your phones with a cable. On the screen of the old device, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. On a new phone, open Explorer (or Files) and find the old smartphone connected.
3. Copy the folders you want (DCIM for photos, Downloads for downloads, etc.) to your new device.
4. To port applications, use Mi Mover in manual mode (see section above).

⚠️ Note: When you copy your Android folder (where app data is stored), some files may not be migrated due to Android restrictions, such as saving games or settings WhatsApp will have to be restored separately.

If the phones can't see each other:

• 🔄 Reboot both devices.
• 🔄 Try another cable (cheap cables often don't support data transfers).
• 🔄 Enable Developer Mode and Activate USB-debugging (in Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI press 7 times).

Using a computer: when is the only way out

Transfer via PC is relevant in three cases:

1. The new phone is not from Xiaomi (like iPhone or Huawei).
2. The data volume exceeds 100 GB (for example, a 4K video collection).
3. The old phone is locked or not turned on (but is determined by the computer).

For Windows and macOS, a standard Explorer is suitable/Finder, But we recommend using the Mi. PC Suite is Xiaomi's official phone management software:

• 💻 Move over SMS, call log and contact format CSV/VCF.
• 💻 Install applications from backup copies (APK + data).
• 💻 Recover data from Mi Cloud backups directly to PC.

Step-by-step instructions for Mi PC Suite:

1. Download the program from the official website and install.
2. Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable (select File Transfer Mode).
3. In Mi PC Suite, select Backup and create a backup.
4. Turn off the old phone, plug in a new one and recover data from the backup.

If the Mi PC Suite can't see the phone:

• 🔌 Install Xiaomi drivers manually (you can download on the support page).
• 🔌 Try another one. USB-port (preferably) USB 3.0 on the back of the PC).
• 🔌 Disable the antivirus – it can block the connection.

Third-party applications: risks and better alternatives

Applications like SHAREit, Xender or Send Anywhere promise fast data transfer over Wi-Fi, but have serious drawbacks:

• 🛡️ In 2022, SHAREit was removed from Google Play for vulnerabilities that allow data to be stolen.
• 📶 Speed: The real transmission speed rarely exceeds 5–10 MB/s (versus 40–50 MB/s for cable).
• 📱 Limitations: Many applications do not carry SMS, call log or application settings.

If you still decide to use third-party software, choose from this list:

How do you minimize the risks?

• 🔒 Before transferring, turn off mobile internet on both phones (use only Wi-Fi).
• 🔒 Do not transfer sensitive data (for example, screenshots of banking applications).
• 🔒 After the transfer, remove the app and clean its cache.

💡

Third-party applications are convenient for one-time transfer of small files (photos, music), but are not suitable for full data migration. For reliability, use them only as a backup option.

Transfer of specific types of data: contacts, SMS, WhatsApp

Some types of data require a special approach, and let's look at the most complex cases.

1. Contacts

The most reliable way is to sync with Google Contacts:

1. On an old phone: Settings → Accounts → Google → Contact Synchronization.
2. On a new phone: Log in to the same Google account and enable sync.

If the contacts are stored in SIM-card:

• Export them to.vcf via Contacts → Settings → Export.
• Transfer the file to a new phone and import.

2. SMS and call log

SMS Backup & Restore is suitable for SMS:

1. Put it on both phones.
2. On your old phone, create a backup.
3. Transfer the backup file to the new phone and restore (Restore).

For call logs, use Call Logs Backup & Restore (similar process).

3. WhatsApp (with chat history)

WhatsApp on Xiaomi is only ported via Google Drive – local backup SD-The map is not working:

1. On an old phone: WhatsApp → ⋮ → Settings → chat → Backup copy.
2. Make sure the backup is saved to Google Drive (Google account required).
3. On the new phone, install WhatsApp, log in to the same account and restore chats.

If Google Drive is not suitable (for example, there is little space), use Dr.Fone – WhatsApp Transfer (paid, but reliable).

Photo and video in original quality

For media files, Google Photos is best:

• 📸 Enable Backup and Sync in Google Photos Settings.
• 📸 Choose the original quality (without compression).
• 📸 On the new phone, log in to the same account and wait for the files to load.

If you have a lot of files (more than 50 GB), use the physical media:

• Copy the folders. DCIM and Pictures on SD-map USB-accumulator.
• Connect the media to the new phone and transfer the files.

FAQ: answers to complex questions about transfer