How to transfer WhatsApp to Xiaomi: all ways to save history

Xiaomi lossless: Why WhatsApp port needs attention

Changing your smartphone is always exciting, especially when it comes to porting WhatsApp with a long history of correspondence. Xiaomi owners face unique nuances: from the features of the file system MIUI before folder access restrictions /Android/media/ Incorrect portability can lead to the loss of media files older 30 days (due to WhatsApp backup policy) or a full chat reset.

In this article, we present current ways of transferring for all scenarios: from old Android to Xiaomi, from iPhone to iPhone. Redmi/POCO, And we also solved the problem of backup recovery. MIUI 14/15 WhatsApp’s new authorization requirements SIM-If you're moving from an iOS device, check out the section on direct transfer over Lightning-USB-C, which is the only officially supported method. 2023 year-end.

Preparation for transfer: what to do before changing the phone

The mistake most users make is to start a transfer with a new smartphone, and in fact, 80 percent of success depends on the old device being prepared.

Create a fresh backup on WhatsApp (menu) → ⋮ → Settings → chat → Backup copy)

Check the vacant space (at least 2 required)× backup)

Disable battery optimization for WhatsApp in Android settings

Record or photograph two-factor authentication codes (if enabled)

Make sure the new Xiaomi has the same version of WhatsApp (or newer)-->

Pay special attention to backups. MIUI may default to backup compression, resulting in loss of media quality, to avoid this:

1. Open Settings → Memory → Backup on your old phone.
2. Turn off the option "Compress backups" (if any).
3. On WhatsApp, select Settings → Memory → Media Quality and set “Original”.

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If you're migrating WhatsApp from your iPhone to Xiaomi, use Apple's original Lightning-USB-C cable, which can interrupt data transmission at the authentication stage.

Method 1: Transfer WhatsApp between Android devices (including Xiaomi)

This is the most reliable method for owners of Samsung, Huawei, Realme and other Android smartphones, the main condition is that both devices must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network (or use a mobile hotspot).

1. On an old phone: 📱 Open WhatsApp. → ⋮ → Settings → chat → Hand over the chats. 🔄 Select “Start” and wait for the generation to arrive. QR-code. ⚠️ Do not close the application until the transfer is completed!
2. On the new Xiaomi: 📱 Install WhatsApp from Google Play (not from Google Play) MI App Store!). 🔍 When you first start, select "Restore History". 📷 Scan it. QR-code from an old phone.

It can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, depending on the amount of data, and if the transmission is suspended during the Preparation of Media Files phase,

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 12 Pro)+) There is an error due to background activity limitations. Add WhatsApp to Settings before transferring → Battery → No restrictions.

Method 2: Transfer from iPhone to Xiaomi (official method 2026)

Since 2023, WhatsApp has banned transfers through third-party tools like Dr.Fone or Backuptrans, and the only way it supports is direct transmission via cable.

• 🔌 Original Lightning-USB-C cable (or adapter) + cable USB-C Xiaomi).
• 📱 iPhone with iOS 15.5 or later.
• 🤖 Xiaomi on Android 12+ (firmware MIUI 13/14/15).
• 🔋 Charge of both devices at least 80%.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your iPhone to Xiaomi with a cable. The iPhone will be asked, "Trust this computer?"
2. On Xiaomi, open WhatsApp and select “Move chats from iPhone”.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen. At the authentication stage, enter the code from SMS (it will come to the number associated with WhatsApp).
4. Wait until the transfer is complete. Don't turn off the cable, even if it's 99 percent down, which is normal.

iPhone

Samsung

Huawei/Honor

Other Android

Nothing (first smartphone)-->

Method 3: Restore from Google Drive (if the transfer fails)

If the direct transfer didn’t work, you can restore chats from the Google Drive backup.This method is only suitable for transferring between Android devices. Note: WhatsApp only stores the latest backup in the cloud – if you didn’t backup before changing your phone, the data will be lost.

Instructions for Xiaomi:

1. Install WhatsApp on your new smartphone and open it.
2. Enter the same phone number as the old device.
3. When a request for recovery appears, select “Restore” and log in to the Google Account where the backup is stored.
4. Wait until the download is complete. If the process is stalled, check it out: 🌐 Internet connection stability (better to use Wi-Fi). 🔋 Battery Charge (WhatsApp interrupts recovery below 15%). 📥 Is there enough space on Xiaomi (backup can weigh 10)+ GB).

⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi models (e.g, POCO X5 Pro) there is an error "Can't restore media files" due to restrictions MIUI file-access /Android/media/. Solution: After restoring chats, manually copy the folder WhatsApp/Media from the old phone to the new.

Problem Solving: Frequent Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Even when following the instructions, Xiaomi users face typical problems, and here are the most common ways to solve them:

• 🔄 Cyclical WhatsApp reboot: Delete the app, clear the cache in Settings → Annexes → Application management → WhatsApp → Memory, then reset.
• 📂 No WhatsApp folder in memory: Enable the display of hidden files in MI File Manager (settings) → The folder can be called.WhatsApp.
• 🔒 Authorization error SIM-Some of the maps are Xiaomi with two SIM-WhatsApp cards "does not see" the number. Solution: temporarily retrieve the second one. SIM-map.
• ⏳ Eternal Recovery: Go to Settings → Accounts. → Google and Manually Sync Data.

If none of these methods worked, try an alternative method:

1. Copy the WhatsApp folder (including Databases and Media) from your old phone to your computer.
2. Connect Xiaomi to your PC and move the folder to the root of internal memory.
3. Install WhatsApp, but don’t run it.
4. Use MI File Manager to rename the file msgstore.db.crypt14 to msgstore.db.crypt12 (this bypasses the limitations of new versions of WhatsApp).
5. Launch WhatsApp and restore chats from local copy.

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If you are using Xiaomi with a MediaTek processor (like Redmi 10C), turn off the Smart Boot feature in the battery settings before transferring.

Transferring Media Files: Why They May Not Recover

Even if chats are successfully transferred, media files (photos, videos, voice messages) are often lost.

• 🗃️ WhatsApp doesn’t save media older than 30 days in cloud backups.
• 📱 On iPhone, media is stored in iCloud, not WhatsApp backup.
• 🔍 V MIUI folder WhatsApp/Media may be hidden or blocked.

To restore the media:

1. For Android → Xiaomi: Copy the WhatsApp/Media folder from your old phone to your new phone manually (via cable or cloud).
2. For iPhone→Xiaomi: Open iCloud Drive on your iPhone and find the WhatsApp folder. Select the files you want → Export → Save to Google Drive. On Xiaomi, download the files and move them to /WhatsApp/Media.

If the media files are not displayed in chats after transfer:

1. Open WhatsApp. → ⋮ → Settings → Memory.
2. Press "Renew Media."
3. Reboot your smartphone.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About WhatsApp Moving to Xiaomi