How to transfer data from Xiaomi to iPhone: 5 proven ways (2026)

Moving from Xiaomi to iPhone is not only about changing the ecosystem, it's also about moving all the important data: contacts, photos, messages, even notes. Some files are lost, contacts are duplicated, and messages from Mi Messages don't want to move to iMessage — 5 current methods of transfer, taking into account the characteristics MIUI iOS 17/18, including hidden nuances that are not written in the official instructions.

We tested each method on the Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12 and iPhone 15 Pro models to identify pros and cons. For example, Apple’s standard Move to iOS app is unstable. MIUI 14+ And the Google Drive transfer can take hours if you don't turn off battery optimization. MIUI iOS, which will help you choose the best option.

1. Xiaomi Preparation for Data Transfer

Before you start the transfer, you need to prepare both devices: MIUI It aggressively optimizes background processes, which can cause portable applications (like Move to iOS) to suddenly shut down:

• 📱 Update. MIUI until the last version. MIUI 14.0.5+ Fixed bugs with file transfer over Wi-Fi Direct that interfered with the work of Move to iOS.
• 🔋 Charge both phones to at least 50%.Transfer data over cable or Wi-Fi drains the battery by 20-30% in an hour.
• 📶 Connect to one Wi-Fi network (preferably 5GHz).If not, use the hotspot on Xiaomi, but turn off Traffic Savings in Settings SIM-map.
• 🧹 Clear the cache in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Move to iOS (if previously installed).

Critical moment: on Xiaomi with MIUI 13 and below, you need to manually add Move to iOS to the AutoRun list and Without Limits:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Permissions → Autorun.
2. Find Move to iOS and turn on the switch.
3. Go back and select Battery Limitations. → Without restrictions for the same application.

💡

If Move to iOS is still closed after preparation, try turning off Adaptive Brightness and Dual Apps in Xiaomi settings – these features conflict with background data transfer processes.

Method 2: Move to iOS (official method)

Apple's Move to iOS app is the easiest way to move most of the data, but it doesn't work perfectly. The main plus is that it doesn't just transfer contacts and photos, but also:

• 📞 Call log (last 3 months).
• 💬 Communications (SMS and MMS, But not messages from Mi Messages or Telegram).
• 📅 Calendars (if synced to Google Account).
• 📷 Photo and video (but not in original quality – compression to 80%).

Step-by-step:

⚠️ Note: If Xiaomi is installed MIUI 14+, Before the transfer, turn off the Power Saving and Optimization mode MIUI in the developer settings (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Tap 7 times, then return to the additional → For developers, otherwise the connection will break 60-70% of the process.

What is not carried over through Move to iOS:

Method 2: Transfer through Google Account (for contacts and calendars)

If Move to iOS doesn't work, or you only want to migrate contacts and calendars, the most reliable way to do this is to sync through your Google Account. MIUI 12 and does not require additional applications.

Instructions:

1. On Xiaomi go to Settings → Google accounts → Synchronization.
2. Enable synchronization for Contacts, Calendar and Gmail.
3. On iPhone, add the same Google Account to Settings → Passwords and accounts → Add an account.
4. Enable the synchronization of contacts and calendars.

⚠️ Note: If your contacts are duplicated on Xiaomi (e.g. from Mi Account and SIM-cards, before synchronizing, clear them through the Contacts app (Management) → Combine and fix. Otherwise, the iPhone will be chaos from the repeated records.

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Fast – synchronization takes 5-10 minutes.
• 🔄 Automatic Update – Changes to one device will affect another.
• 📱 It works on all versions. MIUI (including MIUI 10).

Disadvantages:

• 🚫 No messages, photos and applications are transferred.
• 🔒 If you already have contacts on your iPhone, they will overwrite data from Google.

Method 3: Transfer photos and videos over cable or cloud

Photos and videos are the most voluminous data, and it takes a different approach to migrate them. If you have thousands of images, Move to iOS can hang around in the transfer phase.

Option A: Cable OTG + Lightning (without computer)

This method will require a Lightning adapter. → USB-C/OTG (for example, Apple USB-C Lightning or universal from Baseus).

1. Connect the adapter to the iPhone.
2. Connect Xiaomi to the adapter via cable USB-C → USB-C (or USB-A → USB-C, If you have an old Redmi).
3. On the iPhone, a “Trust this device” notification will appear.
4. On Xiaomi, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
5. Open the Files app on your iPhone and copy the folders DCIM and Pictures.

⚠️ Attention: On iPhone with iOS 17+ when copying large files (>5 GB) there may be a "Not enough memory" error, even if there is enough space:

• 🔄 Reboot both phones.
• 📁 Transfer files in packs of 1-2 GB.
• 🔌 Use the original Apple cable – cheap counterparts do not support high-speed transmission.

Option B: Cloud services (Google Photos, Yandex Disk, Dropbox)

If you don't have a cable, you can upload photos to the cloud and then download them to your iPhone.

Tip: if it is important to save the shooting date and geotags, use Google Photos in the "Original Quality" mode (but this will eat space in the account). To save space, turn on "High Quality" - the photos will shrink, but EXIF persist.

5. Method 4: Transfer messages from Mi Messages and SMS

Messages are the hardest part of the transfer. Move to iOS only transmits SMS/MMS, But not messages from Mi Messages, Telegram or WhatsApp:

SMS and MMS

Use Move to iOS (described in Method 1) or specialized apps:

• 📲 SMS Backup & Restore (export to the XML, Import to iPhone via iMazing).
• 💻 iMazing (paid computer software, transfers) SMS directly).

Mi Messages (Xiaomi system messaging)

These messages cannot be transferred directly to the iPhone, but you can save their archives:

1. On Xiaomi, open Mi Messages.
2. Go to Settings → Backup.
3. Backup your file to Mi Cloud or locally.
4. Download the backup file (.msgstore) to your computer.
5. Use Mi Message Decoder (web service) to export to the PDF.

WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber

For these messengers there are official tools:

• 💬 WhatsApp: Settings → chat → Backup (in Google Drive), then restore to iPhone on first launch.
• 📌 Telegram: Export chats to Settings → Additionally. → Data export (format) JSON/HTML).
• 🎵 Viber: Backup in Google Drive or on SD-Map (but only history, not media files, will be restored on iPhone).

💡

Messages from Mi Messages cannot be transferred to iMessage, they can only be archived. SMS Use Move to iOS or iMazing (paid software for PC).

6. Method 5: Transfer applications and their data

Android apps can't be migrated to iOS, they have different formats (.apk vs.ipa).

1. 🔍 Find analogues in the App Store (for example, Mi Fit) → Apple Health).
2. 📱 Transfer application data over the cloud (if supported).
3. 💻 Use emulators (BlueStacks) to run Android applications on your computer.

List of popular applications and their analogues/transfer methods:

⚠️ Note: Some apps (such as Mi Home for Smart Home) don’t have full-fledged iOS counterparts. Before you go, check if your smart appliance supports Apple HomeKit or Google Home.

7. What to do after the data transfer?

Transfer is only half the story.

Critical settings on iPhone that are often overlooked:

• 🔐 Enable two-factor authentication for Apple ID (Settings → [Your name] → Password and security).
• 📡 Turn off "Photo Optimization" in Settings → Photos if you want to keep the originals.
• 🔔 Set up "Do Not Disturb" on schedule (Settings) → Focus).
• 🔋 Activate "Optimized Charging" (Settings) → Battery. → Battery condition) to extend battery life.

If after the transfer some data is not displayed:

• 🔄 Reboot your iPhone (hold the Side button) + Loudness before the slider appears).
• 📱 Check if contacts or photos are blocked in Settings → Screen time. → Confidentiality.
• ☁️ Make sure there is enough space on your iPhone in iCloud (only 5GB is free).

8. Frequent errors and their solutions

Even if you follow the instructions, you can have problems, and here are the most common ways to correct them:

If none of these methods worked, try alternative tools:

• 🖥️ AnyTrans (paid computer software that transfers data directly).
• 📱 Send Anywhere (free application for transferring files over Wi-Fi).
• 🔗 SHAREit (Slow but supports large files).

💡

If Move to iOS doesn’t work, the best alternative is to move through Google Account (for contacts) + cable OTG (photo) + messenger-backup.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions