Transferring Data from Phone to Phone by Xiaomi: Full Guide 2026

Transferring data from an old smartphone to a new Xiaomi is a challenge that every user faces when upgrading a device. Even if both phones are from the same manufacturer, the process can raise questions about which files will be automatically transferred, how to save application settings, and why some data is “lost” along the way. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways of migration — from branded Mi Mover to manual copying via PC — and also reveal hidden nuances that are not written in the official instructions.

Xiaomi's ecosystem is very different in that it offers multiple tools for portability, such as cloud services (Mi Cloud), local wireless, and even physical cable, but not all of them are equally efficient. For example, transferring through a Google Account can take hours if you're talking about tens of gigabytes of photos in the original resolution, and Mi Mover sometimes forgets to move notes or call history. We tested each method on devices with MIUI 14 and HyperOS so you can choose the best option for your tasks.

1. Mi Mover branded tool: pros and pitfalls

Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s official app for data migration between the brand’s devices, pre-installed on all MIUI/HyperOS smartphones and supports Wi-Fi Direct transmission, which speeds up the process, but the tool has limitations that the manufacturer does not mention.

First, Mi Mover only works between Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO devices. Trying to migrate data from Samsung or iPhone will end in error. Second, the application does not copy passwords from Wi-Fi, data from some banking applications (due to security restrictions), and smart home settings (if they are tied to another account), and it is worth considering that on devices with HyperOS, the Mi Mover interface has changed slightly – it is now integrated into the initial setup wizard.

• 📱 What is transmitted: contacts, messages (SMS/MMS), photos, videos, music, documents, call history, calendar, notes, system settings (wallpaper, sounds, brightness).
• ❌ What NOT to be transferred: Wi-Fi passwords, application data (such as game progress), files from root folders (/data/), some system settings (e.g. navigation gestures).
• ⚡ Speed: ~1-2 GB/min (depending on model and version) MIUI).
• 🔌 Requirements: Both phones must be charged at least 50%, the new device must be started initial setting (or reset data).

⚠️ Note: If the old phone has data encryption enabled (for example, through Settings) → Security → Encryption, Mi Mover may not work, in which case first decrypt the device or use alternative methods.

Step-by-step:

1. On the new phone, when you first turn on, select Data Transfer from another device (or manually run Mi Mover from Settings → About Phone → Data Transfer).
2. On the old phone, open Mi Mover and select the role of Sender.
3. Scan it. QR-code from a new phone or connect via Bluetooth.
4. Select data types to transfer (you can mark all or only individual categories).
5. Confirm the transmission. Do not interrupt the connection, even if the process is 99% frozen - sometimes it takes up to 10 minutes for the final synchronization.

Turn off VPN on both devices |Close background apps (especially messengers) |Connect to the same Wi-Fi network (not necessary, but speeds up search) |Check out free space on a new phone (should be 20% more data volume) |Deactivate power saving mode

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2.Mi Cloud Transfer: When Wireless Method is Better Than Cable

The Mi Cloud is an alternative to Mi Mover if you don't have physical access to your old phone or it's damaged, and the main advantage is that the data is stored on Xiaomi's servers, and you can restore it to your new device at any time.

• 📦 Storage volume: Free 5 GB (this is the case) ~1500 photos in compressed format or ~500 songs. For more, you'll have to buy a subscription (from 100 songs). ₽/month).
• 🔄 Sync: Contacts, notes and calendar sync automatically if the option is enabled in Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud. Photos and videos must be downloaded manually.
• ⏳ Speed: Downloading 10GB of data over a mobile network can take up to 5 hours (depending on the tariff — ~30-60 minutes.

How to transfer data through Mi Cloud:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Turn on sync for the desired categories (contacts, gallery, etc.). For photos and videos, click Gallery → Download everything.
3. On the new phone, log in to the same Xiaomi account and wait for the sync to complete (a reboot may be required).

⚠️ Note: If you used Google Photos to back up, disable autosynchronization before uploading to Mi Cloud. Otherwise, the photos will be duplicated, taking up extra space.

3.Transfer via OTG cable: maximum speed and control

If you need to move tens of gigabytes of data (like a 4K movie collection or raw photo), wireless methods will be too slow. In this case, an OTG cable (or USB-C → USB-C adapter for modern Xiaomi) will help. This method is universal: it works between any smartphone, including iPhone (with a Lightning → USB-C adapter).

Advantages of the method:

• 🚀 Speed: Up to 5 GB/min (on Xiaomi 13 Pro with a UFS 4.0).
• 📁 Control: You manually choose which files to copy (you can eliminate unnecessary folders).
• 🔌 Reliability: No risk of data loss due to Wi-Fi disruption.

Instructions:

1. Buy a USB-C → USB-C cable with OTG support (or an adapter if on an old Micro-USB phone).
2. Connect your old phone to your new one. On the screen of your old device, select File Transfer (or MTP) mode.
3. On the new phone, open Files by Google or the standard Mi File Manager.
4. Go to the old phone’s internal memory folder (usually /storage/emulated/0/) and copy the files to the appropriate folders on the new device.

⚠️ Warning: Don't copy the entire Android folder - it could disrupt the apps on the new phone. Android/data/ for save games (e.g. Genshin Impact) and Android/obb/ heavy-duty.

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If the new phone doesn’t see the old one, OTG, Try changing the roles of the devices: connect the cable in reverse order (new) → old) and select the mode "USB-host" in the engineering menu (#3646633##).

4.Move over Google Account: universal, but with limitations

If you use Google services (Gmail, Drive, Photos), some of the data can be transferred through your account, which is suitable for contacts, calendar, mail and notes, but has critical limitations:

• 📸 Photos and videos: Google Photos compresses media files if you have an unpaid account (maximum 15GB in original quality).
• 📱 Apps: Only the settings of some apps (e.g. Chrome or YouTube) are ported, but not the apps themselves APK-file.
• ⏳ Time: Synchronizing 10 GB photo can take up to a day.

How to transfer data:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Google → Backup.
2. Enable Backup in Google Drive and wait until it is completed.
3. On the new phone, when you set up, select Restore from backup and log in to the same Google account.

5. Portability of applications and their data: keeping progress in games

One of the most difficult aspects of migration is migrating installed applications and their data (such as saves in games or messaging settings), which standard tools (Mi Mover or Google) can't do.

• 🎮 Games: Use the built-in account binding (Google Play Games, Facebook, or game server). For example, in Genshin Impact, you need to go to Settings → Account. → Link to the mail.
• 💬 Messengers: Telegram and WhatsApp have the option to export chats, Viber – backup in Google Drive.
• 📱 APK-Files: Use the installed applications to transfer APK Extractor (extracts) APK) + SAI (establishes data-saving).

For manual transfer of application data:

1. Install MyBackup Pro (or Swift Backup for rooted devices) on both phones.
2. On your old phone, back up your apps (select Backup to SD/Cloud).
3. Transfer the backup file to your new phone (via Mi Cloud, cable, or messenger).
4. On the new phone, restore the data from the backup.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (e.g. banking) block backups because of security policies, and you'll have to reconfigure them.

6. Data transfer from iPhone to Xiaomi: bypass Apple’s restrictions

If you move from iPhone to Xiaomi, standard methods (Mi Mover or Mi Cloud) won't work.Apple restricts data exports, but there are workarounds:

• 🍎 Move to iOS: Apple’s app works the other way if you install an up file on Xiaomi (unofficially).

For photo and video transfer:

1. On your iPhone, open Google Photos and enable autosynchronization.
2. On Xiaomi, log in to the same Google account and wait for media files to download.
3. To save a photo in the gallery, open Google Photos, select files and click Save on your device.

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When migrating from iPhone to Xiaomi, the key is not to use iTunes or Finder to copy files. They convert media formats, which can lead to loss of quality.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even when following instructions, users face problems, and here are the most common mistakes and solutions:

If after transferring on the new phone lost SMS or call log, check:

• Is synchronization enabled in Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Synchronization?
• Have you lost your date/time settings (this may disrupt the history display).
• Is there a third-party application for calls (for example, Truecaller), which conflicts with the system?

FAQ: Answers to popular questions