How to Move Data from One Xiaomi to Another: A Complete Guide to 2026

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but transferring data from an old device can turn into a headache if you don’t know the nuances. MIUI Users face problems: application settings are lost, messages from Mi Messages are not transferred, and photos are duplicated or compressed. This article will help you avoid typical errors and choose the best way to migrate depending on your tasks.

We will look at all the current methods – from the official Mi Mover tool to manual transfer through the machine. ADB, — with regard to the features of the latest versions MIUI 14 and HyperOS. Particular attention will be paid to hidden Xiaomi restrictions on the amount of data transferred (for example, the limit of 20 GB for wireless transfer via Mi Mover) and workarounds. 9T), Prepare for additional steps due to changes in synchronization protocols.

1. Device Preparation: What to Do Before Transfer

Regardless of the method chosen, both smartphones need to be prepared for the procedure. MIUI: On old and new devices, it should be no lower. MIUI 12 (for Mi Mover) or MIUI 11 (for manual methods) You can find the version in Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI.

Updating to the latest stable version is mandatory if:

• 📱 Your old device is Xiaomi or Redmi 2019-2020 (e.g. Mi) A3 These models often lack support for modern transmission protocols.
• 🔄 You plan to use Mi Mover: the tool works unstable on firmware older than 2021.
• 🔒 The new smartphone is equipped with HyperOS (for example, Xiaomi 14 or Redmi). K70): Compatibility with older devices requires a security patch no older than 3 months.

Update MIUI/HyperOS both-smartphone|

Charge both devices to a minimum of 50%|

Free up 10-15 GB of memory on a new phone|

Disable VPNs and firewalls |

Make sure both phones have the same Xiaomi account (or no accounts at all)-->

It's critical to free up space on a new device. Mi Mover and Google Backup require 1.5 to 2 times the amount of data you can transfer. For example, you need 15 to 20 GB of free memory to transfer 10 GB of photos. You can check the occupied space at Settings. → Memory.

⚠️ Note: If your old smartphone has encryption enabled (for example, after resetting the encryption settings), Mi Mover will not be able to read the files. → Security → Encryption or use alternative methods.

2.Official method: Mi Mover (wireless and cable)

Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s proprietary data migration tool integrated into the MIUI. It supports porting contacts, messages (including Mi Messages), photos, videos, music, apps (including their data), and even some system settings:

For wireless transfer:

1. On both phones, open Settings → Additional → Mi Mover.
2. Select a role: on the old phone - "Sender", on the new - "Recipient".
3. Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network (or create an access point on a new phone).
4. Scan it. QR-code from a new phone with an old one.
5. Select the data to transfer and confirm the start of the process.

For cable transfer (recommended for volumes) >10GB):

• 🔌 Use the original cable USB-C to USB-C (or adapter for Micro-USB).
• 📶 Turn off Wi-Fi and mobile data on both devices.
• ⚡ Connect the cable to the port of the new phone first, then to the old one.

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If Mi Mover is 99% frozen, don’t interrupt! wait 10-15 minutes – often this is due to indexing media files on a new device.

⚠️ Note: When migrating through Mi Mover on HyperOS devices (e.g. Xiaomi 14), some system applications (e.g. Mi Video) may be lost due to changes in the OS structure. Solution: After migrating, update all applications via Google Play.

3. Alternative: Google Account and Backup

If Mi Mover is not suitable (for example, due to the 20 GB limit), use Google Backup. This method is universal, but has its own nuances:

• ☁️ Contacts, calendars, notes are synced automatically if backup is enabled on the old phone. → Google → Backup.
• 📱 Applications and their data are only portable if the developer supports Android Backup Service (check in the application description in Google Play).
• 📷 Photos and videos can be transferred via Google Photos, but keep in mind that the original quality is only available when paying for Google One (free – compression up to 16 MP for photos).

Step-by-step:

1. On an old phone: Settings → Google → Backup → Create a backup copy now.
2. On the new phone, when you first turn on, select “Recover Data” and log in to the same Google account.
3. If the phone is already configured, reset it to factory settings (Settings) → The phone. → Reset your settings) and repeat step 2.

The main disadvantage of this method is that not all data is automatically restored. MIUI (Themes, gestures, screen settings are not portable, and there may be problems with restoring these applications if the new phone has a different version of Android (for example, from the old Redmi Note 8 to Xiaomi 13 Ultra).

4. Local transfer via computer (for advanced users)

If you have more than 50GB of data or want full control of the process, use manual transfer over a PC, a method that takes longer, but ensures that all files are safe without compression.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Windows computer 10/11 macOS.
• 🔌 Two. USB-cables (preferably original).
• 📁 Programme Mi PC Suite (optional, for backup settings) MIUI).

Instructions:

1. Connect your old phone to your PC in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the folders. DCIM (Photo/video), Download, Pictures, Music and Android/data (application data.
3. Connect a new phone and transfer the files to the same folders.
4. For transfer SMS and use the calls SMS Backup & Restore (available on Google Play).

To transfer applications with data (for example, saves in games) use ADB:

adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab


adb restore backup.ab

This team creates a complete backup of all applications and their data (.apk). +.obb) to backup.ab. Recovery is only possible on devices with the same version of Android.

⚠️ Note: When manually transferring folders Android/data On a new phone, some apps (such as Mi Fit or bank customers) may require re-authorization. ID device.

5. Transfer through third-party applications (SHAREit, Xender, LocalSend)

If standard methods don't work (for example, on custom firmware), use third-party tools.

For transfer via SHAREit:

1. Install the app on both phones from Google Play or APKMirror (if removed from a store in your area).
2. On the old phone, select “Send” and on the new one, “Get”.
3. Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network or use the Hotspot feature.
4. Select the files and confirm the transfer.

The advantage of third-party apps is that there are no limits on the amount of data (unlike Mi Mover), but be careful:

• 🛡️ Some applications (such as SHAREit) collect data about your files. → Annexes.
• 🔄 Transferring large files (>1 GB) possible connection breaks. Use cable connection via OTG-Adapter if supported.

6. Transfer of specific data (WhatsApp, Mi Fit, banking applications)

Some data require a special approach:

• 💬 WhatsApp: Use built-in backup to Google Drive (see spoiler above). Alternative - Dr.Fone - WhatsApp Transfer (paid PC software).
• 🏃 Mi Fit/Zepp: Health data is tied to your Xiaomi account. Just log in to the same account on your new phone and the story syncs automatically.
• 💳 Banking applications (SberBank, Tinkoff): Transfer is impossible - you will need a re-authorization through the bank SMS/Pre-export the history of operations to the PDF (if maintained).
• 🎮 Game saves: For games that support Google Play Games (such as Genshin Impact), sync is automatic. ADB backup or manual folder transfer Android/obb.

For transfer SMS and call logs without Mi Mover:

1. Install Backup & Restore SMS on your old phone.
2. Create a backup in.xml and save it to Google Drive or PC.
3. On a new phone, restore the backup through the same app.

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To transfer data from banking applications or messengers with two-factor authentication (such as Telegram), always use official backup methods. /data/data This will result in the account being blocked!

7. Post-transfer validation and optimization

After the transfer is completed, follow the following steps:

1. Check file integrity: Open a few photos, videos, and documents on your new phone. If files don't open, repeat the transfer (a copying error may have occurred).
2. Update apps: Go to Google Play and click Update All. This is especially important for Xiaomi system applications (like Mi Gallery or Security).
3. Set up sync: Enable automatic sync for Google Photos, Contacts and Mi Cloud in Settings → Accounts.
4. Clear the cache: Go to Settings → Memory. → Clean and delete unnecessary temporary files.

If the device is slower after the transfer:

• 🔄 Restart your phone (hold the power button for 10 seconds).
• 🧹 Clear the cache of system applications in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Filter (systemic) → Clear the cache.
• 🔋 Check battery consumption in Settings → Battery, if an application is consuming >10% in the background, reinstall it.

⚠️ Warning: If your desktop app icons are missing after migrating through Mi Mover, don't panic. MIUI To return the icons, drag them back from the app menu or reset the launcher settings: Settings → Home. → Reset.

8. Frequent errors and their solutions

Even if you follow the instructions, you can have problems.

If none of these methods worked, try a combination approach:

1. Move your contacts and calendars through your Google Account.
2. Use Mi Mover for messages and call logs.
3. Copy media files via PC.
4. Restore apps from Google Play manually.

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If you are switching from an old Xiaomi (such as the Mi 8 or Redmi Note 5) to a new HyperOS model, the only reliable way to transfer is to manually copy through a PC. MIUI hyperos.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions