How to transfer all data and settings from the old Xiaomi to the new via Bluetooth: detailed instructions

Introduction: Why to move data over Bluetooth and when it’s relevant

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, especially when it comes to saving all the usual settings, contacts and files. Many users mistakenly believe that transferring data over Bluetooth is a slow and inefficient way, but in 2026 the technology has evolved significantly. Modern Xiaomi devices (beginning with MIUI 12 and later) support accelerated transmission over Bluetooth 5.2+, which allows you to transfer basic data in 10 to 30 minutes - without cables and cloud services.

This method is particularly relevant in three cases:

1. You have limited mobile traffic and no Wi-Fi access.
2. You want to avoid uploading data to the cloud (for example, for privacy reasons).
3. The new smartphone is not yet connected to the Internet, but you need to urgently move contacts or SMS.

However, it is important to understand that Bluetooth is not a substitute for full backup – it is only suitable for basic data (contacts, SMS, photos in compressed form, some system settings), applications and their data, as well as large files (video, music) will have to be transferred in other ways.

What can be transferred via Bluetooth between Xiaomi smartphones

The list of supported data types depends on the version of MIUI on both devices, and the following is the current table for MIUI firmware 13/14/15 (2022-2026):

Note that applications and their data (e.g., save in games, messenger cache) cannot be transferred via Bluetooth, either through a Mi Account (cloud) or through a physical connection via an OTG cable.

⚠️ Note: If the old smartphone has enabled data encryption (Settings) → Additionally. → Encryption, Bluetooth transmission will be blocked. First, disable encryption or use alternative methods.

Preparation of devices for data transmission

Before starting the transfer, several critical steps must be taken to avoid errors, and skipping at least one point can cause a transmission failure or loss of some data.

Update MIUI on both smartphones to the latest version

Battery charge ≥ 50% on both devices

Turn off VPN and energy saving modes

Remove unnecessary files from your old smartphone (free up ≥ 1 GB of storage)

Enable Bluetooth and geolocation on both devices-->

Pay special attention to the MIUI version. If one of the smartphones has firmware older than MIUI 12, update it through Settings → About Phone → System Update. Otherwise, the Mi Mover feature (built-in port tool) may not start.

Also check if the device is active with debugging settings, some settings (e.g., Bluetooth debugging) may conflict with the transfer process, to turn off the developer mode:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. 7 times click on the MIUI version.
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Turn off the developer mode toggle.

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If Bluetooth on the new smartphone doesn’t turn on, try resetting it: go to Settings → Connections → Bluetooth, click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Reset settings.

Step-by-step: transfer data via Bluetooth

Now, to the process itself, it's important to follow the instructions in strict order, because skipping the steps can lead to the "failed to connect" error.

Step 1: Activate Mi Mover on an old smartphone

1. Open the Mi Mover app (if not available, download from the Mi App Store).

2. Select the option I send (or Send from this device in English).

3. Press Bluetooth as a transmission method.

Step 2: Connecting a new smartphone

1. On the new device, also open Mi Mover and select I Receiver.

2. Wait for the old device to appear on the list of available devices.

• 🔄 Reboot Bluetooth on both smartphones.
• 📱 Make sure the distance between the devices ≤ 1 metre.
• 🔋 Check if the devices are overheating (at temperature) ≥ 40°C Bluetooth is automatically disabled).

Step 3: Selecting data for transfer

On the screen of the old smartphone will appear a list of available data.

• 📇 Contacts (export in.vcf format is recommended).
• 💬 SMS/MMS (media-free).
• 📷 Photos (will be compressed to 1200px long-sided).
• ⚙️ System settings (only for MIUI 14+).

Click Next and confirm the start of the transfer.

Step 4: Transfer process and possible errors

The transfer time depends on the amount of data:

• Contacts (500 units) – ~2-5 minutes.
• SMS (1000 units) – ~5-10 minutes.
• Photos (100 pieces) – ~15-25 minutes.

If the process is suspended during the “Data Preparation” stage:

⚠️ Warning: Do not interrupt the transmission by pressing the Back button, which can cause.db files to be damaged in the contact database:

1. Close Mi Mover through the recent app menu.
2. Reboot both smartphones.
3. Reconnect the connection from step 1.

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If the transmission is interrupted by 90%+, do not start it again – wait for the completion in the background (it can take up to an hour).

What to do if Bluetooth transfer does not work

Even with proper preparation, users are faced with errors, and below are the most common problems and solutions based on data from Xiaomi service centers for 2023-2026.

If none of the solutions worked, try an alternative method:

1. Export contacts to.vcf via Contacts → Settings → Export.
2. Send the file to your new smartphone via Bluetooth manually (Files → Send).
3. Import contacts on the new device.

Alternative ways to transfer data (if Bluetooth is not suitable)

If Bluetooth portability is not possible (for example, due to firmware incompatibility or a large amount of data), consider these methods:

• 🔌 Cable OTG: Connect the old device to the new one via an adapter USB-C → USB-C and use Mi Mover in Cable mode. Transfer speed up to 40 MB/s.
• ☁️ Mi Cloud: Upload data to the cloud (Settings) → Mi Account → Mi Cloud, then sync on your new smartphone. 5GB is available free.
• 🤖 Google Account: Sync contacts, calendar and email through your Google account (Settings) → Accounts. → Google).
• 💾 Local backup: Create a backup on an old smartphone (Settings) → Additionally. → Backup, then restore it to a new one via Mi Mover.

To transfer applications and their data (for example, saves in games) only:

• 🔄 Titanium Backup (requires root rights).
• 📲 Built-in function MIUI (Settings → Annexes → Backup applications, available with MIUI 15).

⚠️ Note: When transferring through Google Account, they are not synced SMS And call logs, and you can use specialized applications to save them, like, for example, SMS Backup & Restore.

Tips after the transfer: optimization of the new smartphone

After successful data transfer, it is recommended to perform several actions to ensure that the new smartphone works stably:

1. Check the contacts duplicates: Open Contacts → Settings → Combine Doubles.
2. Update apps: Go to Google Play or Mi App Store and click Update All.
3. Set up autoboot: In Settings → Apps → Autoboot Disable Autostart for Unnecessary Programs.
4. Clear the cache: Go to Settings → Memory → Clear the cache.

If after transferring the smartphone began to slow down or overheat, do:

Settings → Additional → Resetting settings (without deleting data)

This will reset system settings to factory settings, but save your files and applications.

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To speed up your new smartphone, turn on Performance Mode in Settings → Special Features → Performance Mode. This will turn off animations and background processes, saving battery life.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions