How to transfer all data from the old Xiaomi to the new: 5 proven ways

The switch to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but the data transfer process often turns into a headache, and even between devices of the same brand, users are faced with lost contacts, unsynchronized chats or suddenly disappeared photos. The reason lies not in technical limitations, but in the variety of migration methods: from built-in tools to the most complex migration methods. MIUI off-site.

This article will help avoid common mistakes. We will analyze the unique features of the transfer between Xiaomi and the other. MIUI 14/15, What are not mentioned in the standard instructions: how to save the settings of the Home screen, why Mi Mover sometimes "hangs" on the screen 99%, How to get around the restriction on transferring applications to a larger volume 2 All methods tested on models from Redmi Note 12 Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

1.Preparation for transfer: what to do before the beginning

The first step that 80% of users skip is to check version compatibility. MIUI. If the old phone has an older firmware installed MIUI 12, and on the new one — MIUI 15, a direct migration through Mi Mover may result in an error called "Incompatible Software Versions." The solution is simple: upgrade your old device to at least the same level. MIUI 12.5 through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.

The second critical point is the amount of data. 8/256 GB and less frequently face space shortages when transferring:

• 📁 Free up at least 10GB on your new device (remove pre-installed games via Settings) → Annexes → Delete)
• 🔄 Reboot both phones - it will reset the Mi Mover cache
• 🔋 Charge both devices to at least 50% (at low charge, the transmission will be interrupted at the check stage)

Pay special attention to applications with two-factor authentication (Telegram, WhatsApp, banking programs), after transfer, they may require re-assignment of the number.

1. Save backup access codes (in Telegram: Settings) → Confidentiality → Two-step authentication)
2. Disable device binding in banking applications (usually under Security)
3. Check the work. SIM-Cards on new phone – some operators block SMS shift IMEI

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If you transfer data from Poco F5 Xiaomi 13T, Temporarily disable the Smart Lock function in Settings → Lock screen. It can interrupt transmission because of the automatic switch off of the screen.

2. Method 1: Mi Mover is the official tool of Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a built-in migration solution that works on all devices with a mobile device. MIUI 9 and newer. Its main advantage is the transfer of all types of data (including system settings and call history), but there are nuances:

New models (Xiaomi 14, Redmi Note 13 Pro)+) Mi Mover is integrated into the Initial Customization wizard, and on older ones (before the Redmi Note 11), you have to manually run it through Settings. → Additionally. → Mi Mover, it looks like this:

Install Mi Mover on both phones (if not available)|Connect both devices to the same 5GHz Wi-Fi network|On the old phone, select “I am the sender” and on the new one, “I am the receiver"|Confirm the connection through QR-code|Select data types to transfer (minimum 3GB of free space on the new one)|Do not interrupt the process until the message "Done" appears"-->

Typical problems and solutions:

Important limitation: Mi Mover does not tolerate:

• 🔐 Wi-Fi passwords (they will have to be re-entered)
• 🎮 Game data (Genshin Impact, Honor of Kings, etc.)
• 📥 Settings of mail clients (except for standard mail) MIUI)

Method 2: Backup through MIUI Cloud

Cloud service MIUI Cloud allows you to transfer data without connecting devices directly:

• 📱 Home screen settings (location of icons, folders)
• 🔧 Energy saving profiles and automatic switching rules
• 📝 Notes and Notes from the Standard Appendix Notes

Algorithm of action:

1. On an old phone: Settings → Xiaomi account → MIUI Cloud → Backup
2. Select categories for reservation (minimum: System settings, Contacts, Messages)
3. On a new phone: log in to the same Xiaomi account and recover data from the cloud

💡

MIUI Cloud provides 5GB of free space. Photo/video transfers require a subscription (from 199+)₽/The alternative is to temporarily vacate space by deleting old backups in the MIUI Cloud → Storage management.

Limitations of the method:

⚠️ Note: If the new phone has already created data (for example, added contacts), it will be overwritten when you restore it from the cloud.

To speed up the process:

• 🌐 Connect to Wi-Fi 6 (the loading speed will increase in 2-3 once)
• ⏳ Break backup into parts: first move contacts/messages, then multimedia
• 🔄 If the process is frozen, restart it from another browser (in Chrome, script blocking sometimes works)

4. Method 3: Transfer through Google Account (for clean MIUI)

If your Xiaomi is running on Android (e.g. Xiaomi) A3 POCO X5 5G And with global firmware, the most reliable way to do this is to sync through Google Account, and this is guaranteed to carry over:

• 📇 Contacts (including groups and tags)
• 📅 Calendars and events
• 📧 Letters from Gmail
• 📍 Google Maps data (selected places, travel history)

Instructions:

1. On an old phone: Settings → Google accounts → Synchronization → Turn on all the switches.
2. Wait for the synchronization to be completed (check in Settings). → Accounts. → Google → Account management)
3. On a new phone: add the same Google account and wait for automatic sync

For photo and video transfer:

• 🖼️ Use Google Photos with the “Original Quality” setting (without compression)
• 📁 Manually check the folder. DCIM/Camera — Sometimes files are not downloaded due to mobile traffic restrictions.

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If you have Xiaomi with Chinese firmware, install Google Play Services manually before syncing through Google. APK from the APKMirror website and install through Settings → Annexes → Install unknown applications.

Advantages of the method:

Method 4: Local backup (for power users)

If you need to transfer all data without exception (including root settings and hidden files), use a local backup through the ADB or TWRP. This method requires an unlocked bootloader and is suitable for Xiaomi models with support for custom firmware.

Step-by-step instructions for ADB Backup:

1. Connect your old phone to your PC via USB (enable USB debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version [7 times press] → Developer → USB debugging)


2. Open the command line and type:




adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f C:\XiaomiBackup.ab




3. on the phone confirm the creation of a backup copy (do not set a password!)




4. Copy the XiaomiBackup.ab file to a new phone




5. Restore data by command:




adb restore C:\XiaomiBackup.ab

For TWRP:

• 🔧 Install custom recovery on both phones
• 📀 Create a full section backup /data old-device
• 🔄 Transfer the backup file to the new phone via OTG-cable
• 🔄 Restore the backup to TWRP (section")

⚠️ Note: When restoring through ADB or TWRP The new phone will completely overwrite all data, including pre-installed apps, a method not recommended for devices with HyperOS (such as Xiaomi 14), as it can disrupt the work of branded services.

The advantages of local backup:

• 🔐 All data is saved, including hidden files and application settings
• 🔄 It works without the internet.
• 🛠️ Allows selective recovery of individual applications

Method 5: Transfer of specific data types

If you don’t need to carry everything, just individual categories (like WhatsApp or photos), use specialized methods:

For WhatsApp:

1. Create a local copy of chats: WhatsApp settings → chat → Backup copy
2. Move the folder. /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases to a new phone (via a new phone) OTG PC)
3. Install WhatsApp on your new phone and restore it from local copy

For photographs in original quality:

• 🖼️ Connect your old phone to your PC as a media device (MTP)
• 📁 Copy the folders. DCIM, Pictures and Movies on hard disk
• 🔄 Transfer files to your new phone via File Manager Pro (built-in) MIUI)

For game data (Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile):

• 🎮 Use built-in game tools (e.g. in Genshin Impact: Settings) → Account. → Link to email)
• 🔗 For PUBG Mobile connect your account to Facebook or Twitter
• 📱 If the game doesn’t support the cloud, use Helium (requires root)

For SMS call-book:

• 📞 Install. SMS Backup & Restore from Google Play
• 🔄 Create a backup on an old phone and restore it to a new one
• 📱 Alternative: Export SMS into XML via #4636## (test menu)

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even when following instructions, users face typical problems, and here's how to solve them:

Error 1: “Not enough space on the device”

• 📱 Remove pre-installed games (Mi Game Center, Mi Pay) via Settings → Annexes → Delete
• 🔄 Move some of the data to SD-card (if supported)
• 🖥️ Use your PC as an intermediate storage

Error 2: "Devices cannot connect"

• 🔌 Switch from Wi-Fi to Direct USB-connection (needed) OTG-cable)
• 🔄 Turn it off. VPN and firewall on both phones
• 📶 Manually install. IP-addresses in the same subnet (e.g. 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.1.2)

Error 3: “Data has been moved, but applications are not working”

• 🔧 Check permissions for applications in Settings → Confidentiality → Permits
• 🔄 Reinstall problematic apps via Google Play
• 📱 Reset network settings: Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings

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If after transfer the sound in the calls disappeared, check the settings → Sound. → Sound effects. In some cases, MIUI Resets the sound profile to "Silent Mode" after the migration.

Mistake 4: “Photos open with artifacts”

• 🖼️ Transfer the photo back to Google Photos in original quality
• 🔧 Check the codecs: install MX Player for video playback
• 📁 Remove the Gallery cache in Settings → Annexes → gallery → Warehouse → Clear the cache

8.Optimize the new phone after the transfer

Data portability is only half the battle, so that the new Xiaomi works as efficiently as possible.

Step 1: Set up productivity

• 🔋 Turn off "Adaptive Charging" in Settings → Battery → Battery settings (increase charging speed on the 15-20%)
• 🔄 Enable "Performance Mode" in Settings → Special facilities → Performance mode
• 📱 Limit background activity for unnecessary apps in Settings → Battery → Choice of applications

Step 2: Personalization MIUI

• 🎨 Install. MIUI 14/15 Super Wallpapers via Themes → Super wallpaper.
• 🔧 Set up Control Center: Settings → Notification panel → Tile setting
• 📱 Activate Double Press to Wake Up in Settings → Lock screen → Additionally.

Step 3: Security and privacy

• 🔒 Enable Application Protection for Banking Programs: Settings → Confidentiality → Application protection
• 🛡️ Set up a Security Scanner for a weekly check: Security → Settings → Automatic check
• 📱 Turn off personalized ads in Settings → Confidentiality → Advertising

Step 4: Optimizing Storage

• 🗑️ Enable Auto Cleanup: Settings → Warehouse → Cleaning up garbage → Auto-cleaning
• 📁 Move rarely used files to Mi Drive (Xiaomi’s built-in cloud)
• 🔄 Set up Data Compression for Mobile Traffic: Settings → SIM-map → Data compression

After the transfer, it is recommended to perform a data integrity check:

1. Open the Gallery and check out all the albums (especially Screenshots and Camera)
2. Start Contacts and Export them to VCF-file (for reserve)
3. Check the work of all messengers (send test messages)

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions