How to Transfer Data from an Old Phone to Xiaomi: A Complete 2026 Guide

Why migrating data to Xiaomi requires a special approach

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always an exciting moment, but many people face the problem: how to save all the important data from the old device? Contacts, photos, messages, apps and even settings – all this must be transferred without loss. MIUI, It offers unique tools for migration, but also has its limitations.

Unlike pure Android, where you just need to use Google Account, Xiaomi owners often have to combine several methods. For example, Mi Mover (built-in solution from Xiaomi) does a great job of porting media, but may not work correctly with some models of Samsung or iPhone. And the standard Google Backup does not always restore SMS and call log on new versions of MIUI.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to transfer data – from official tools to universal workarounds.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is an embedded data portability app that Xiaomi is developing specifically for its devices, supports Wi-Fi Direct (without the internet) and works with most Android smartphones, as well as limited ones with iPhones.

To take advantage of it:

• 📱 Install Mi Mover on both phones (on Xiaomi it is pre-installed, for an old device download from Google Play).
• 🔗 Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network or activate Wi-Fi Direct in the Mi Mover settings.
• 📤 On the old phone, select the role of “Sender” (Sender), on Xiaomi – “Receiver” (Receiver).
• 📋 Check the data for transfer: contacts, SMS, Photos, video, audio, apps (not all supported).

Important: Mi Mover does not carry data from some system applications (for example, notes or calendar from Samsung), and does not save passwords from Wi-Fi. Also on iPhone this method works only for photos and videos – contacts and SMS will have to be transferred separately (more on this below).

Battery charge for both phones > 50%

Both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (or Wi-Fi Direct enabled).

Xiaomi has plenty of free space (data takes up as much as on an old phone)

Disabled. VPN Firewalls that can block transmission-->

2.Moving from Android to Xiaomi via Google Account

If you used Google on an old phone, most of the data is already synced to the cloud, and it works even if you had other brands (Samsung, Huawei, OnePlus).

What can be transferred through Google Account:

• 📇 Contacts (synchronized automatically if option is enabled in settings)
• 📅 Calendar and reminders
• 📧 Gmail and Notes (if you use Google Keep)
• 📱 Some system settings (language, date/time, wallpaper)
• 🎮 Game and App Data (if developers support Google Play Games)

How to recover data on Xiaomi:

1. When you first turn on your phone, select “Restore from backup” and log in to your Google Account.
2. If the phone is already set up, go to Settings → Google → Backup and start recovery.
3. Select the most recent backup (check the date of creation!).

💡

If no contacts have appeared after recovery, check Settings → Accounts → Google if the contacts sync is enabled. Sometimes it turns off automatically after changing the device.

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ Not tolerated: SMS, call log, files (photo/video), music.
• ❌ Some apps (like WhatsApp) require a separate backup.
• ⚠️ On Xiaomi MIUI 14+ The desktop layout may not be restored.

3.Moving from iPhone to Xiaomi: workarounds

iPhone owners face the most challenging challenge of all: MIUI and iOS use different data formats, such as iCloud backups that cannot be directly restored on Android.

Method 1: Move to iOS (Reverse port)

Yes, this app from Apple is designed to move from Android to iPhone, but it can be used in the opposite direction:

1. Install Move to iOS on your iPhone.
2. On Xiaomi, enable the “Data Receiving” mode (in the Initial Setup Wizard or through Settings → Additional → Data Transfer).
3. On your iPhone, select “Send data to Android” and follow the instructions.

This method will transfer contacts, photos and videos, but not SMS and applications.

Method 2: iCloud + Google Account

For transfer of contacts and calendar:

1. On iPhone, export contacts to iCloud → Contacts → Export vCard.
2. Import the.vcf file to Google Contacts via the web version.
3. On Xiaomi, sync your contacts through your Google Account.

Method 3: Third-party Developer Programs

For full transfer (including SMS and call log) suitable:

• 🔄 Dr.Fone – Phone Transfer (paid but reliable)
• 📲 Copy My Data (Free but Slow)
• 🌐 MobileTrans (supports iCloud and iTunes backups)

4. Wireless transfer via OTG or computer

If wireless methods are not suitable (for example, because of a large amount of data or unstable Wi-Fi), you can use a wired connection, which is universal and works even with very old phones.

Option 1: OTG-cable → Xiaomi)

It will require:

• 🔌 OTG-Type-C or Micro-USB adapter, depending on the port of the old phone)
• 📁 flash drive or external drive (formatted in FAT32)

Instructions:

1. Connect the flash drive to the old phone via OTG and copy all the necessary files to it.
2. Disconnect the flash drive and connect to Xiaomi.
3. Use the MIUI File Manager to transfer data to internal memory.

Option 2: Computer transfer

Suitable for any device, including iPhone:

1. Connect your old phone to your PC and copy the files to a folder on your computer.
2. Connect Xiaomi and move files to the appropriate folders: Internal Storage/DCIM/ – for photos and videos Internal Storage/Download/ – for downloads Internal Storage/Music/ – for audio
3. For contacts, export them to the.vcf file (on iPhone via iCloud, on Android via Contacts → Export) and import them to Xiaomi.

Advantages of the wired method:

• ⚡ Maximum speed (especially with large amounts of data).
• 🔒 Security – data is not transmitted over the network.
• 🛠️ It works even if your old phone has broken Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

5. Transfer of applications and their data

The hardest part is to transfer not only the applications themselves, but also their data (save games, settings messengers, etc.) There is no universal solution, but there are proven approaches for popular services:

For the remaining applications:

• 🔍 Check if the application supports backup (usually there is a clause in the settings) Backup/Restore).
• 📦 Use Titanium Backup (requires root rights) or Swift Backup (for non-rooted devices).
• ⚠️ On Xiaomi MIUI 14+ Some backups may not recover due to changes in security policy.

💡

For critical data (e.g., save in games), always use cloud services or manual export. Local backups can get corrupted when transferred.

6. Transfer system settings and personalization

Few people think about moving the settings, but they're what make the phone "your": wallpaper, icon layout, gestures, sound circuits. MIUI has built-in tools for this:

Method 1: Backup of MIUI

How to create a backup:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup.
2. Select "System Backup" and tick the necessary items: Applications and their data System Wallpaper Settings and Topics Call log and SMS (if not moved earlier)
3. Save the backup to Mi Cloud or to your device.

How to restore:

On the new Xiaomi in the settings wizard, select “Restore from MIUI backup” and specify the backup file.

Method 2: Transfer of themes and wallpaper

If you have used MIUI custom themes:

• 🎨 Export the theme to the file through the themes → My subjects. → Exports.
• 📲 Transfer the file to a new phone and import it.

For wallpaper:

They're stored in the Internal Storage/MIUI/wallpaper folder. Copy them to the new phone in the same directory.

💡

If some settings have reset after restoring the MIUI backup (such as screen brightness or sound), check the permissions for the Settings in Settings application → Applications → Permissions Management.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even when you follow instructions, users have problems. TOP-5 mistakes and their solutions:

⚠️ Note: If the transfer through Mi Mover process is suspended 99% — Don't force it to be interrupted, it's about verifying the integrity of the data. 10-15 If there is no change, restart both phones and try again.

• 🚫 Lack of space on Xiaomi Solution: Clear the memory of your new phone before transferring (remove pre-installed games or videos) or use it SD-card (if supported).
• 🔄 Contacts are duplicated after porting Solution: In Google Contacts, select Find and Combine Duplicates. On Xiaomi, also check your sync settings in Settings → Accounts. → Google.
• 📱 Applications are not restored from the backup Solution: Go to the Library on Google Play and manually install the desired applications. Some programs (for example, banking) cannot be ported due to security policies.
• 🔒 Mi Mover doesn't see iPhone Solution: On iPhone, turn on Airplane Mode, then manually activate Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Also check that both phones are disabled VPN.
• 📡 Slow Wi-Fi Solution: Switch to Wi-Fi Direct (in Mi Mover settings) or use a wired connection.

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi with MIUI Global and MIUI China may have different backup settings. If you use Chinese firmware, some features (such as backup in Mi Cloud) may be limited without a Chinese Mi Account.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions