How to transfer all data from Android to Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Why migrating data to Xiaomi requires a special approach

Xiaomi smartphones are based on MIUI — The usual methods of copying data (via Google account or cable) do not always work here: some settings MIUI (For example, the themes of the design or the Game Turbo settings are simply not portable by standard means. MTP-Connection to new models (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and newer), which makes it difficult to manually transfer files.

In this article, we’ve tried out the most relevant ways to migrate data to MIUI 14/15, including bypassing restrictions on Chinese firmware. We’ve tested each method on devices from Redmi 10C to Xiaomi 14 Ultra so you can choose the best option depending on the data volume and the phone model.

Method 1: Official Mi Mover app – fast transfer without PC

Mi Mover (built into MIUI) is designed to wirelessly transfer data between Xiaomi devices. It supports the transfer of:

• 📱 Contacts, messages (SMS/MMS), call-book
• 📷 Photos and videos (including Google Photos albums)
• 🎵 Music and documents (up to 50 GB per session)
• 📥 Established APK-Files (without application data!)

How to use:

1. On both phones, go to Settings → About Phone → Mi Mover.
2. On the old device, select "I give" and on the new one, "I receive."
3. Scan it. QR-code from the screen of the new smartphone old.
4. Select data types to transfer and confirm the start of the process.

Make sure that the new Xiaomi has enough memory|Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network|Battery charge >50% on both devices|Turn it off. VPN firewalls-->

⚠️ Note: Mi Mover does not transfer data from applications (for example, save in games or chat Telegram.

The transmission speed depends on the Wi-Fi module model: on the Xiaomi 13 Pro (Wi-Fi 6E), 20 GB of data is transferred in ~15 minutes, and on the Redmi A2 (Wi-Fi 4), the same amount will take up to 1 hour. If the process is interrupted, check the energy saving settings: add Mi Mover to the battery optimization exceptions.

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If Mi Mover doesn’t find the device, try creating an access point on the new Xiaomi and plugging in an old phone.

Method 2: Cloning through a Google account is a universal method

Syncing through Google accounts works on any Android device, but has limitations for Xiaomi:

Step-by-step:

1. On your old phone: Settings → Google → Backup → turn on data backup.
2. On the new Xiaomi: When you first turn on, select “Copy Data” and log in to the same Google account.
3. Select the last backup and wait for the recovery to be completed.

Importantly, if you use Chinese MIUI firmware (without Google services), this method will not work, in which case you will have to install the Google Services Framework manually or use alternative methods.

Mi Mover (official Xiaomi app)|Google account|OTG/PC Cable|Cloud services (Dropbox, Yandex.Disk)|Another option-->

Method 3: Direct transfer via OTG cable – for large volumes

If you need to transfer more than 100 GB of data (for example, a collection of films to the Internet) 4K or RAW-And the wireless methods are going to be too slow, and that's where direct connectivity will help. OTG-adapter:

You'll need:

• 🔌 Cable USB-C/USB-C (or USB-A/USB-C s OTG-adapter)
• 📱 File Manager (e.g. Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer)
• 🔋 Charger (transfer discharges the battery faster than usual)

Instructions:

1. Connect your old phone to the new Xiaomi OTG-cable.
2. On the new device, select File Transfer (MTP) mode in the notification panel.
3. Open the file manager and copy the data from the folders: /storage/emulated/0/DCIM (photos and videos) /storage/emulated/0/Download (downloads) /storage/emulated/0/WhatsApp/Media (media from WhatsApp)

⚠️ Attention: New Xiaomi (C) MIUI 14+) system folders /data/ and /system/ They're hidden even for root users. Don't try to copy them, because it could cause a system crash.

The OTG transmission speed is 40-60MB/s (3-5 times faster than Wi-Fi), the main disadvantage of which is the inability to transfer installed applications and their data, which will require separate backup via adb backup or Titanium Backup (requires root).

Method 4: Cloud Services for Selective Transfer

If you only need to migrate sample data (like photos from the last year or documents for work), it is more convenient to use cloud services. Xiaomi offers its own solution, Mi Cloud, but it has limitations:

How to transfer data through Mi Cloud:

1. On your old phone: Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud → turn on synchronization of the necessary data.
2. On the new Xiaomi: Sign in to the same Mi Account and wait until sync is complete.
3. For photos/video: use the built-in Gallery app → Cloud → Download.

An important nuance: if you migrate data from non-Xiaomi to Xiaomi, Mi Cloud will not be able to restore the backup completely, in which case, combine the cloud with other methods (for example, Google Contacts + Mi Cloud for photos).

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For maximum cloud upload speed, connect your phone to 5GHz Wi-Fi and turn off background synchronization of other apps.

Method 5: Backup via PC – for power users

If you need to migrate all the data without exception (including application settings, game saves, and system files), the most reliable way is to create a full backup through your computer.

• 💻 PC Windows/macOS/Linux
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original)
• 🛠️ Utilities: ADB, Fastboot, Mi PC Suite (optional)

Step-by-step instructions for creating a backup:

1. Install Android SDK Platform-Tools on your PC.
2. On your phone, turn on Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times to activate Developer Mode).
3. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable “Debugging by USB”.
4. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f C:\backup.ab
5. On the phone, confirm the creation of a backup (think up a password for encryption).

To recover on the new Xiaomi:

1. Connect your new phone to your PC and do: adb restore C:\backup.ab
2. Enter the backup password and wait for the process to be completed.

⚠️ Note: This method does not transfer data from some Xiaomi system applications (such as Mi Fit or Mi Home) and will require separate backups through your account settings.

The advantage of the method is 100% control over data and the ability to selectively restore. The disadvantage is that it requires technical skills and takes a long time (a full backup of Xiaomi 13T Pro with 256 GB of memory can weigh up to 80 GB).

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even if you follow the instructions correctly, users are faced with common errors, and here are the most common ways to fix them:

If none of the methods worked, check:

• 🔄 Firmware Region: on Global Versions MIUI (EEA/Global) More data transfer functions than in Chinese.
• 🔒 Access rights: new Xiaomis need to manually allow access to files for each application.
• 📡 Network settings: turn off VPN Firewalls that can block data transmission.

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If the transfer is interrupted at half, don't start over again - wait for a timeout (10-15 minutes) and try again. Mi Mover will resume transmission from the moment of the cliff.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions