How to transfer SMS to the new Xiaomi phone: all the ways with instructions

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always an exciting event: fresh firmware, an improved camera, a powerful processor. But along with the joy of updating comes a headache: how to transfer accumulated over the years SMS messages from an old device? Especially if they store important confirmation codes, correspondence with banks or just dear dialogue.

Many users mistakenly believe that message history is lost irrevocably when changing a gadget. In fact, Xiaomi offers several built-in tools for migrating data, from cloud backup to manual export via the SIM- card. If standard methods do not work, third-party applications will come to the rescue. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to transfer SMS to the new models of Redmi, POCO and flagship Xiaomi, including nuances for devices with MIUI 14 and later.

It is important to understand that the choice of method depends on three factors: the version of MIUI on both phones, the presence of root rights and your desire to use third-party services. For example, owners of Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi Note 12 Pro+ will suit a quick transfer through Mi Account, and older models like Redmi 5 may require manual export to.xml file.

Before you start, make sure that both phones have enough battery power (at least 50%), and the new device has already set up the main user profile. If you are transferring data from an iPhone or a phone of another brand, skip the section on universal solutions.

1. Transfer SMS via Mi Account (the fastest way)

The built-in synchronization function through the Xiaomi account is the best option for owners of two devices of the brand. The method works on all smartphones with MIUI 10 and later, does not require a connection to a PC and saves not only messages, but also other data (contacts, notes, settings).

To use this method, the old phone must have cloud sync enabled. Check this in the Settings menu → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Sync. If the option is disabled, activate it and wait for the download to complete.

• 📱 On your old phone: Open Settings → Mi Account, make sure you're logged in. Go to Mi Cloud → Sync and turn on the slider opposite Messages. Wait for the sync to complete (can take up to 10 minutes depending on the number of SMS messages).
• 🆕 On new phone: When you first turn on, select the Restore from Backup option and log in to the same Mi Account. If the device is already configured, go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Restore and select the latest copy.
• ⚡ Important: Make sure the new phone has the same or newer version MIUI installed, or compatibility errors may occur.

⚠️ Warning: If your old phone has mobile internet or Wi-Fi turned off, sync with Mi Cloud will not end, and check if there is enough cloud storage (5GB is free, but SMS is not enough space).

Once restored, the messages will appear in the standard Messages app (com.android.mms) and may require a new device to be rebooted in some cases.

2. Export SMS via Google Drive (universal method)

If you prefer not to be attached to the Xiaomi ecosystem or transfer data from a phone of another brand (for example, Samsung or Google Pixel), use backup via Google Drive. This method works on all Android devices with an OS version at least 6.0 Marshmallow.

The main advantage of the method is cross-platform: you can restore SMS even on a phone of another brand. However, there is a disadvantage: Google reserves messages in a format that is not always correctly restored to MIUI. In some cases, sender names or date messages may disappear.

• ☁️ On your old phone: Go to Settings → Google → Backup. Enable the option “Backup Google Drive” and click “Create Backup Now.” Make sure there are “Messages” in the backup list (SMS & MMS).
• 📲 On the new Xiaomi: When you first start, select Copy Data and log in to the same Google account. If the phone is already set up, reset it to factory settings (Settings → About Phone → Reset) and repeat the procedure.
• 🔄 Alternative: If Settings Restore fails, install and log in to Google Messages from the Play Market — sometimes messages are restored only through this software.

On devices with MIUI 14 and later, you may need additional permission to access SMS for Google services. Go to Settings → Apps → Permissions Management → Autostart and enable auto-run for Google Play Services.

⚠️ Warning: If your old phone has a third-party SMS application installed (e.g. Textra or Chomp SMS), Google Drive may not reserve messages, in which case use the built-in export in these applications.

Check out the Android version (not lower than 6.0)

Sign in to one Google account on both phones

Make sure there is enough space on Google Drive (minimum 100MB)

Turn off battery optimization for Google Play Services

Create a backup the day before the transfer (in case of failures)-->

3 Transfer SMS via SIM- card (for older models)

The method using SIM- card is suitable for owners of older smartphones (for example, Redmi 4X or Mi A1), where there is no cloud synchronization, or if you want to transfer only the most important messages. Note that the SIM- card stores a limited number of SMS (usually up to 250 pieces), and messages will be saved without the sender names - only phone numbers.

This method also does not support MMS (multimedia messages) and may not work on some operators (for example, Tele2 blocks SMS recording on SIM in some regions).

• 📋 Export to SIM: On your old phone, open the Messages app, select the dialog you want, click More (three dots) → Copy to SIM- card. Repeat for all important correspondence.
• 🔄 Import to the new Xiaomi: Insert SIM into the new phone, open Messages → More → Import from SIM- card. Select messages to transfer.
• ❌ Limitations: Not all Xiaomi models support imports with SIM. For example, on POCO F5 this option may not be available on the menu.

If your model doesn’t support importing with SIM, try pasting the card into another brand’s phone (like Samsung), moving messages there, and then syncing them with Google Drive or Mi Account.

4. Use of third-party applications (for advanced users)

If built-in methods don't work, like transferring messages from your iPhone or phone without cloud sync, third-party utilities will come to the rescue.

• 📲 SMS Backup & Restore (from SyncTech) - exports SMS to a.xml or.json file, which can then be imported to a new phone, supports scheduled backup and encryption.
• ☁️ Super Backup & Restore — allows you to save messages to the cloud (Google Drive, Dropbox) or to a memory card.
• 🔗 Send Anywhere -- sends SMS via a direct link or via a QR- code, convenient if the phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Let’s look at the SMS Backup & Restore:

1. Install the app on your old phone and new Xiaomi.
2. On the old device, click “Create a Backup”, select “Messages” and specify the location of the save (for example, Internal Memory or SD- card).
3. Copy the resulting file (usually sms-YYYY-MM-DD.xml) to a new phone via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct, or a USB-OTG cable.
4. On the new Xiaomi, open the app, select “Restore” and specify the path to the file.

⚠️ Warning: When recovering via third-party apps, messages may be duplicated in the standard Messages app. To avoid this, clear your SMS history on your new phone before importing, or use the "Delete existing messages" option in the recovery settings.

For users who have root rights on their old phone, another option is available: manually copying the SMS database. A message file is usually along the way:

/data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db

Copy it to the new phone in the same folder (requires Root Explorer or ADB).

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If after transferring SMS are displayed without the sender names, update contacts manually: open the Contacts app, click More → Update.

5. Transfer SMS from iPhone to Xiaomi (cross-platform method)

The transition from iPhone to Xiaomi is complicated by the fact that Apple does not provide built-in tools to export SMS to a format compatible with Android.

The most reliable way is to use the Move to iOS app (yes, it works the other way around!).

• 📱 iPhone Preparation: Install the Move to Android app on your iPhone (like Copy My Data). Run it and select Transfer to Android.
• 🤖 Xiaomi Setup: On a new phone, when you first turn on, select "Copy Data from iPhone." If the device is already set up, reset it to factory settings.
• 🔗 Device pairing: On your iPhone, type in the code that will show up on Xiaomi. Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network.
• ✅ Data selection: In the list of available data, mark "Messages" and wait for the transfer to be completed.

If this method doesn’t work, use iTunes and third-party utilities:

1. Connect your iPhone to your PC and back up to iTunes (or Finder on macOS).
2. Install iMazing or AnyTrans on your computer, open a backup copy and export SMS to.csv or.xml format.
3. Transfer the file to Xiaomi and import it via SMS Backup & Restore (see previous section).

Note that MMS and iMessage may not be portable, and will require a separate procedure via iCloud.

6. Manual export of SMS to file (for technically savvy)

If you prefer full control of the process or want to keep a backup of SMS for the future, you can export messages manually through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting the phone to a PC and basic command line knowledge, but guarantees 100% lossless data transfer.

You'll need:

• A computer with ADB and Fastboot installed.
• USB-Type C cable (original to avoid connection issues)
• USB debugging enabled on your old phone (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times click on build number → go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging by USB).

Export instructions:

adb backup -f sms_backup.ab -app com.android.providers.telephony

This command will create a sms_backup.ab file on your PC. To restore it to the new Xiaomi, use:

adb restore sms_backup.ab

If ADB issues a device unauthorized error, check that a window has appeared on the phone requesting trust of this PC, and confirm the connection.

⚠️ Warning: On some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi K50), the ADB backup may not work due to manufacturer restrictions, in which case use an alternative method with root rights or third-party applications.

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ADB- is the only way to transfer SMS without loss if your phone is not synchronized with the cloud or there is no access to Wi-Fi.

7. Problems in the transfer of SMS and their solutions

Even when following instructions, users often encounter errors, and consider the most common problems and ways to fix them:

If none of the methods worked, check:

• 📶 Both phones have mobile internet or Wi-Fi enabled.
• 🔋 Battery level not lower than 30% (at low charge MIUI can suspend background processes).
• 📱 The new Xiaomi has power-saving modes disabled (Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Mode → Standard).

In extreme cases, contact the Xiaomi service center – specialists can transfer data through specialized software (for example, Mi PC Suite), which is not available to ordinary users.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the transfer of SMS to Xiaomi