Changing a smartphone is always stressful, but what worries users most is keeping a personal library. Owners of the Xiaomi ecosystem have a huge advantage, as MIUI and the new HyperOS offer built-in tools for data migration that work much more efficiently than standard Android tools. However, the process of transferring music has its own nuances, depending on which operating system (iOS or Android) you are switching from and how much files you need to move.
In this article, we will discuss all possible methods: from the use of cloud storage and branded utilities to the classic connection through the Internet. USB-You will learn how to avoid file encoding errors and why some tracks may not be determined by the system after copying.
Preparing devices for file transfer
Before you start the immediate copying process, make sure both devices are ready to go.If you're transferring music from your iPhone, make sure the files aren't protected. DRM-Apple Music protection, as standard copying methods will not miss them. For Android smartphones, it is important to check the availability of free space on the receiving device, since Lossless formats can take up gigabytes of space.
Be sure to charge both phones to a minimum of 50-60%.The process of transferring a large amount of data (for example, 20-30 GB of music) can significantly consume energy, and suddenly turning off the device in the middle of the operation will damage the file tables.
⚠️ Note: When using wireless transmission methods, make sure that phone screens don't go out during the process.Many Xiaomi aggressively models optimize background processes and can break the connection to save energy.
For convenience, create a separate folder on your new phone, or make sure the standard Music directory is empty and ready to fill, which will help the system index new tracks faster. If you use microSD cards, format them in the exFAT file system to support files larger than 4 GB.
Using the Mi Mover app for migration
The most effective way for users to switch to Xiaomi from another Android smartphone is to use the native Mi Mover app, which is pre-installed on all modern models of the brand and allows you to transfer music over a local Wi-Fi channel at high speed without consuming mobile traffic.
Run the app on both devices. On the new Xiaomi phone, select Reciever and on the old one, Sender. QR-When you code and establish a connection, select Music or Audio from the list of data categories, and the system will prompt you to select specific tracks or copy the entire library at once.
☑️ Check before launching the Mi Mover
An important advantage of the method is to maintain the structure of ID3 folders and tags. Once the transfer is complete, Mi Mover automatically scans the media library, and the tracks appear in a standard player. If you move from iOS, this method is also available, but requires you to install the Mi Mover application from the App Store on your iPhone.
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If Mi Mover is stuck in the Preparation phase, try turning off VPN and mobile internet on both devices, leaving only the Wi-Fi module.
Transferring music through USB-cable
The classic method that remains the most reliable for transferring large libraries without loss of quality and compression: you will need a USB cable (preferably original, coming with a bundle) and a computer with a Windows or macOS operating system. This method is ideal if you want to transfer music from your iPhone via iTunes or just copy folders manually.
Connect a new Xiaomi phone to your computer. In the notification curtain on your smartphone, click on the USB connection message and select File Transfer (MTP) mode. On your computer, open My Computer, find the device, and go to the Internal Storage folder. Copy music files from your computer or old phone to the Music folder.
MacOS users will need to install Android File Transfer or OpenMTP, as native MTP support is not available in macOS. Once you copy files, turn off the cable safely. The phone will automatically scan the media space and the music will appear in the player.
| Parameter | MTP Mode (File Transfer) | PTP Mode (Camera) | Just charging. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission speed | High (up to 40 MB/s) | Low. | Absent. |
| Access to folders | Full access | Photo/video only | No access. |
| Use for music | Recommended | Not suitable. | Not suitable. |
| Stability of connection | Tall. | Medium | - |
⚠️ If your computer can’t see your phone, try replacing it. USB-Cheap cables often only support charging and don't have lines to transmit data.
Xiaomi Cloud Storage and Services
Cloud technology allows you to transfer music without physically connecting devices, which is especially convenient if the phones are in different places. Xiaomi Cloud service is integrated into the system and allows you to synchronize audio recordings, but free space (5 GB) may not be enough for a large collection.
Popular services like Google Drive, Yandex.Disk or Dropbox allow you to download music from an old device and download it to a new Xiaomi phone, and the advantage of this method is that you can listen to music directly from the cloud without taking up the device’s memory, but it will require stable and fast Internet.
To automate the process, you can set up a Music folder sync in a cloud storage application, and once you install the app on your new phone and log in, all the tracks will load automatically, which is the most convenient way for those who are constantly changing devices.
How to speed up loading from the cloud?
Wireless transmission via Bluetooth and Nearby Share
If you don't have a computer and you don't have much music, you can use the built-in wireless connectivity, and Bluetooth is available in every smartphone, but it's slow (about 2-3 Mbps), so it takes a long time to transfer albums, and it's a method that's good for fast-moving a few tracks.
A more modern and faster analogue is Google’s Nearby Share feature, which is built into Android. It uses a combination of Bluetooth to find devices and Wi-Fi Direct to transfer files, providing speeds up to 100 Mbps and higher. On Xiaomi, this feature works stably and allows you to stream music even to devices without the Internet.
To transfer, turn on Bluetooth and geolocation on both phones. From the Share menu, select the desired track and click on the Nearby Share icon. The receiving device will receive a confirmation request. Once accepted, the files will automatically be saved to the download or music folder.
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Nearby Share is much faster than Bluetooth and does not require network or password settings, being the optimal choice for fast file transfer between Android smartphones.
Solving problems with formats and display
After transfer, users often face a situation where files are copied, but the player can not see them or play them without sound. Most often the problem lies in unsupported formats. The standard MIUI player works well with MP3, AAC, WAV and FLAC, but can ignore specific codecs like ALAC (no conversion) or DRM-protected files.
If music is being played but without album covers or with incorrect titles, you need to update your ID3 tags. This can be done through third-party tagging apps on your computer or directly on your phone. Also check if the music folder is hidden with the.nomedia attribute, which prevents the system from scanning the directory.
In some cases, cleaning the cache of the Music or Media Storage app helps. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find the system component responsible for media, and select Clear cache. After that, the phone will scan the memory again.
⚠️ Attention: Formats OGG and M4A It can be played incorrectly in the standard player of older versions. MIUI. In this case, install a third-party player, such as PowerAmp or VLC, which have their own codecs.