How to transfer files from Android to Xiaomi: step-by-step instructions

Buying a new smartphone is always accompanied by the excitement, but also the inevitable stress of transferring the data you’ve accumulated over the years. If you’re switching to a Xiaomi device, you’re more fortunate than many other brands because the company has developed a powerful in-house migration solution.

The copying process can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour depending on the size of your library and the number of applications installed. It is important to understand that the structure of the Android file system is uniform, but the MIUI and HyperOS shells have their own folder organization features that you need to consider when transferring manually. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways, from cloud services to cable connection, so you can choose the most suitable for your situation.

Before you start to act, you need to do basic training on both devices, which is not just a formality, but a critical step to avoid connection breaks and data loss in the middle of the process, make sure that both phones are at least 60 percent charged, and better connect them to a power source if you plan to carry more than 50 GB of information.

Using the Mi Mover app: a native solution

The most effective way to build a Xiaomi ecosystem is the Mi Mover app, which is pre-installed on all of the brand’s smartphones, but it can also be downloaded from Google Play to any Android smartphone, and the main advantage of this method is that it can transfer not only photos and contacts, but also desktop layouts, system settings and even passwords from Wi-Fi.

To get started, run the app on both devices. On the new Xiaomi phone, select Recipient, and on the old device, Sender, the app will create a local Wi-Fi network that the second gadget will need to connect to, and the transfer speed in this mode is much faster than via Bluetooth or mobile Internet, and can reach 20-30 MB / s.

⚠️ Warning: Do not leave the Mi Mi Miver app or lock your smartphone screens during the process.A screen saver or go to sleep mode can break the connection and the procedure will have to start again.

Once the connection is established, the system will prompt you to select data categories to transfer.You can copy contacts, messages (SMS/MMS), calls, images, music, videos, documents and installed applications. that some Google system applications may not migrate correctly due to Android security limitations, but user content will be saved completely.

Here is a list of the main types of data that migrate through this tool:

• 📸 Media files: photos, videos, audio and uploaded documents.
• 📞 Personal data: contacts, call history and text messages.
• 📱 Annexes: APK-Program files and their data (if the application supports backup).
• ⚙️ Settings: alarm clocks, notes, voice recorder and system parameters.

Mi Mover is trying to find similar versions of programs in GetApps or Google Play, but if the application was removed from stores or is a modified version, it will be moved as an installation file. In some cases, after the migration, re-authorization in banking applications or messengers may be required for security reasons.

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If you have a lot of photos (more than 20,000), break the transfer into stages: first, move the contacts and applications, and leave the media files overnight so as not to interrupt the process due to a screen timeout.

Backup through Google Account

The classic method that works on any Android device is synchronization through a Google account, ideal for those who want to keep the continuity of the service. When you first turn on the new Xiaomi, just enter the username and password from your Gmail, and the system will suggest recovering data from the last backup.

To make sure all the important data is saved on your old phone, go to Settings and find Settings → Google → Backup. Here you will see the date of the last sync and a list of data that will be saved. Usually these are contacts, calendar events, Keep notes, Chrome history and a list of installed apps.

But there are limitations to this method: Google Drive only provides 15GB of free space that is shared between email, photos and backups. If your archive is large, a full copy of the system may not fit in the cloud. Plus, high-quality photos can take up storage space if the compression option is not enabled.

The recovery process on the new device is as follows:

• 🔑 Sign in to your Google account when you first set up Xiaomi.
• ☁️ Select the device and backup date you need to restore.
• ⏳ Wait for the list of applications to load – they will start downloading automatically.
• 🔄 Complete the setup by logging into social media accounts and messengers.

It is important to note that two-factor authentication can make it harder to sign in if the SIM card is not already recast or if the SIM card is not yet re-posted. SMS They don't come, so first make sure that they don't. SIM-The card is active on the new phone or that you have access to recovery codes. Photos and videos often require separate settings in the Google Photos app, as they are not always included in the standard system backup.

Data transfer via computer (USB-cable)

For users who prefer full control of their data or don’t have fast internet, the ideal option is to use a PC, which allows you to manually sort files, clear debris before transferring and be sure that the copy is physically created. You'll need a cable. USB Type-C (preferably original or high-quality analogue with data transmission support).

Connect your old phone to your computer and select the USB File Transfer (MTP) mode in the notification. The conductor window will open on your computer, where you will see the device's internal memory. Copy the required folders (DCIM, Pictures, Download, Documents) to your computer's hard drive. Then repeat the procedure with the new Xiaomi, connecting it and transferring the files to the appropriate directories.

When working with a file system, it is important to know where everything lies. The DCIM/Camera folder contains photos and videos from the camera, and WhatsApp/Media stores attachments from the messenger. The folder structure on Xiaomi may be slightly different, but the Android system is smart enough to recognize media files even if they lie at the root of internal memory.

⚠️ Note: When copying via PC, never remove the cable while writing data.This can damage the file system and lose some information without the possibility of recovery.

Once you have finished copying on your new phone, it may take time to index the media files, the gallery may temporarily not display all the photos until the system scans the memory, which is normal behavior that takes place after 10-15 minutes of active operation of the device.

Synchronization through cloud storage

If the data volume is not critical and the Internet is fast, you can use third-party cloud services. Google Drive, Yandex.Disk, Dropbox or Mi Cloud allow you to upload files to a server and download them on a new device, this is especially convenient for documents and important photos that you need to have in security.

Mi Cloud is deeply integrated into the MIUI/HyperOS shell, allowing you to sync contacts, notes, voice recorders and gallery, and when you sign in to a Mi Account on a new phone, all this data will be automatically pulled up, but it has only 5 GB of free space, so it may not be enough for a full copy of the system.

Using third-party clouds requires installing the appropriate apps on both phones, the process is simple: upload files to the cloud on the old device, then install the same app on Xiaomi and download content, the main advantage is independence from cables and having a PC on hand.

The main advantages of the cloud method:

• 🌐 Access data from any device that has the Internet.
• 🛡️ Additional insurance against data loss in case of a phone breakdown.
• 🔄 Automatic synchronization in the background.

Keep in mind that download and upload speeds are limited by your ISP’s tariff and the speed of the server itself, and it can take hours or even days to transfer tens of gigabytes of video, while it can take minutes to use local Wi-Fi (Mi Mover).

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Cloud services are ideal for synchronizing contacts, documents and favorite photos, but local methods are better for full system migration and heavy video.

Transfer of WhatsApp and messengers

Special attention should be paid to the transfer of correspondence in messengers, as they are often not saved during normal synchronization of contacts. WhatsApp has a regular backup mechanism that works best in conjunction with Google Drive.

On your old phone, open WhatsApp, go to Settings → Chats → Backup. Press Backup and wait until the process is complete. Make sure the copy is created on Google Drive, not locally. On the new Xiaomi, install WhatsApp, log in to your account, and agree to restore your chat history if you request it.

For Telegram, it's easier: all the data is stored on a server, just log in to your account by phone number, and all secret chats (if they weren't tied to the device) and normal correspondence will appear instantly, but files stored in Favorites or cache may require re-uploading.

In the case of Viber, there is also a backup feature, but it works less consistently when changing platforms or even phone models.It is recommended to export important chats in advance through the Send Chat History feature to email or Drive, so as not to lose critical information.

⚠️ Note: WhatsApp backup is tied to your phone number and Google account. Make sure you sign in to the same Google account on the new phone, otherwise recovery from the cloud will not be available.

Frequent problems and their solution

Despite the smoothness of the processes, there can be some errors, such as Mi Mover, which can freeze 99% or some apps may not open after the transfer, often due to differences in Android versions or access rights.

If the transmission is interrupted, don't panic. Check if one of the phones has a power saving mode that shuts down the Wi-Fi module to save charge. Also make sure that the receiving device has enough free memory. The file system can't take data if the disk is full.

In some cases, bank applications or enterprise services may require re-attachment of the device for security reasons, not a port error, but a regular data protection. Just go through the authorization procedure again.