Changing a mobile device often becomes a stress test for the owner, especially when the memory of an old gadget stores years of correspondence, thousands of photos and hundreds of important contacts. The question of how to transfer information from a Xiaomi phone becomes critical when unpacking a new device, because no one wants to manually reprint numbers or search for lost photos. Fortunately, the MIUI ecosystem and modern cloud technologies offer several reliable ways to migrate data, each of which has its own characteristics and use scenarios.
In this article, we will discuss in detail the manufacturer’s regular tools, cloud synchronization capabilities and proven third-party solutions for copying files. You will learn what nuances exist when switching between different versions of Android and how to avoid common errors that can lead to loss of data.
Preparation of devices before the migration
Before you start any tool for transfer, you need to conduct basic training of both smartphones to ensure that the process goes smoothly. Make sure that both devices are charged at least 50-60% of the battery, as active data transfer over Wi-Fi Direct or Bluetooth consumes significant energy. Also check the availability of free space on the receiving device – the amount of available memory should exceed the size of the copied data with a margin of 10-15%.
An important step is to clear your old phone of junk files that will only take too long to transfer. Remove the cache of heavy apps, unnecessary downloads and duplicate photos to speed up the copy algorithms. This is especially true if you use cloud services, where traffic limits or space may be limited by a plan.
⚠️ Note: Before any transfer operations are initiated, it is strongly recommended to make a complete backup of important data to an external medium or computer, which will protect you from accidental loss of information in the event of a software failure or connection breakage.
- 📱 Charge both smartphones to at least 60% or connect them to a power source.
- 📶 Make sure both devices are connected to a stable Wi-Fi network (preferably the same one).
- 🔒 Unlock the screens of both phones and allow all device detection requests.
- 💾 Check the availability of free space on the new Xiaomi phone.
Use of the built-in Mi Mover application
The most efficient and quickest way to transfer information from Xiaomi phone to another Android is to use the proprietary utility Mi Mover. This application is pre-installed on most devices with the shell MIUI and HyperOS, but if necessary, it can be downloaded for free from the Google Play store or GetApps. The basic principle of work is to create a direct Wi-Fi hotspot between devices, which ensures high speed transfer without using Internet traffic.
The process starts with running the app on both smartphones, and the new device needs to select the Reciever role, and the old one needs to select the Sender role. QR-If you have a code or manual connection to the network you've created, you can choose data categories to migrate, and the algorithm allows you to flexibly configure the settings, selecting only contacts, messages, call history or multimedia files.
⚠️ Note: Do not interrupt the Mi Mover app or switch to other tasks during the process. Leaving the application or going to sleep screen mode can cause the transfer to stop and damage files.
One of the key features of the Mi Mover is the ability to save folder structure and even the location of icons on the desktop, if the transfer is carried out between Xiaomi devices. This creates a seamless transition when the user on the new phone sees the familiar environment.
What if the Mi Mover can’t see the device?
If automatic detection doesn’t work, try manually creating an access point on one phone and connecting to it from the other via Wi-Fi settings. Also helping is rebooting both devices and disabling VPN or antivirus programs that can block a local connection. In rare cases, the problem is solved by updating the application to the latest version through the official store. Synchronizing through a Google account and cloud services For those who prefer automation and do not want to mess with cables or manually running utilities, synchronizing through a Google account is the ideal solution. This method is the standard for the Android ecosystem and allows you to save contacts, calendar events through the Google passwords, even saved in the manager. To activate this feature, just go to Settings → Google → Sync and make sure that all the necessary switches are active. In addition to basic data, Google Photo allows you to safely store media files in the cloud. With Autoupload and Sync enabled, all the photos and videos taken are automatically uploaded to the server. On the new phone, it is easy to log into the same account4unt, and the entire media library will be available instantly, without taking up space in the internal memory of the device until the specific file is opened. Data Type Synchronization Limits and features Google Contacts Unlimited, Instantly Synced Photos and Videos Google Photos/Mi Cloud 15GB Free (Google), 5GB (Mi Cloud) Google Play Apps Store Restored List, Data Inside Apps Not Always Wi-Fi Passwords Google / Mi Cloud Automatic Connection in Familiar Networks Transfer Data Through Local Backup Shell MIUI It has a powerful built-in tool for creating complete copies of the system, which users often ignore. Local backup allows you to create an image of the system, including applications, their data, system settings and multimedia, and save it in internal memory or on the Internet. SD-You can find this tool by the Settings path. → The phone. → Backup and restoration. Once you have created a backup, you need to copy the file with the.bak extension to the new device, and you can do this through a computer by connecting both phones over the phone. USB, Or through a file manager, if you can share it online, and on a new smartphone, you put the file in the same directory (MIUI/backup/AllBackup), Then the “Restore” button appears in the recovery menu». 💡Local backup is the only way to fully migrate application data (such as game progress or messaging settings) that doesn’t support cloud sync. It is important to note that this method is most effective when switching between devices of the same brand, since versions of the operating system and shells must be compatible. When you try to restore a backup from a newer version of Android to an older system, you may fail to restore or restore to avoid conflicts. 📂 Create a backup through the About Phone menu». 💻 Copy the AllBackup folder to your computer or new device. 🔄 On the new phone, select the backup file and click “Restore». ⏳ Using Mi Cloud for migration Owners of Xiaomi devices should pay attention to their own cloud service Mi Cloud, which is deeply integrated into the system. Unlike Google, Mi Cloud specializes in synchronizing shell-specific elements: desktop layouts, alarm settings, voice recordings, and even open tabs of the Mi browser. The service requires a Mi Account, which can be created when the phone is activated for the first time. The main advantage of Mi Cloud is the ability to remotely control the device and the function “Find the device”, but for data transfer, it is interesting to synchronize the gallery and contacts. By enabling gallery sync, you free up space on the device, as the original photos are stored in the cloud, and only optimized previews remain on the phone. When you log in to your account on the new device, all images will be automatically uploaded. 📊 What is the most convenient way to transfer data?Mi Mover (direct connection): Google Synchronization (automatically): Local backup (full copy): Manual copying via PC It is worth considering the regional features of the service. In some countries, Mi Cloud servers may be slower or have limited functionality due to local data retention laws. So, check the region specified in your Mi Account settings before activating and change it to a suitable one if necessary (e.g. Singapore or Europe) to ensure stable operation. Changing the platform from iOS to Android previously caused many difficulties, but now the process is as simple as possible. the Move to iOS app from Apple works only in one direction, so to switch to Xiaomi you need to use the application MIUI Mover (available on the App Store) or third-party solutions. The algorithm is similar to transferring between Android devices: installing an application, connecting to a Wi-Fi network and selecting data. When migrating from an iPhone to Xiaomi, contacts, messages are successfully transferred (SMS), Photos, videos and calendar. However, be prepared for the fact that paid apps from the App Store will not go automatically – they will have to re-buy or search for free analogues in Google Play. Also, data will not be transferred inside applications if the developer does not provide cross-platform synchronization through his own account. ⚠️ Note: iMessage and FaceTime Messages Will Stay Linked to Your Apple ID. Before selling or surrendering your old iPhone, be sure to turn off iMessage in the settings, otherwise you may stop receiving it. SMS Problems with WhatsApp when switching from iOS Transferring the history of WhatsApp chats from iPhone to Android requires the use of a special cable (Lightning to USB-C) And Google's "Move to Android" apps during the initial setup of the new phone, without which standard iCloud backup methods won't work on an Android device. Frequently asked questions (FAQ) Will Wi-Fi and app passwords be saved after the transfer? Passwords from Wi-Fi networks are saved when using a Google account or a full backup of Mi Cloud. Passwords from apps (banks, social networks) are not portable for security purposes - they will have to be re-entered, although in some cases biometric authorization may work if it was configured. Can I transfer data if the screen of the old phone is broken? If the sensor is not working, but the image is, you can connect it. USB-mouse-wise OTG-If the screen is completely black, but the phone is turned on, you can try to retrieve the data through the computer in debugging mode (if it was turned on earlier) or through cloud services if the synchronization was active. How long does it take to transfer 100 GB of data through Mi Mover? Speed depends on the Wi-Fi standard and processor power. On average, 100GB transfers take between 40 minutes and 1.5 hours. Using a USB-C to USB-C cable (if both phones support data transmission over the wire) can cut that time by half. Should I reset the new phone to factory settings before transferring? No, it's not necessary. Mi Mover and other tools work on top of the existing system. However, if a new phone already has a different account set up or there are unnecessary files, reset can be useful for clean installation, but in most cases it's enough to just start the migration process.