How to Transfer All Data From the Old Xiaomi to the New: From Contacts to Wi-Fi Passwords

Why Shifting Data Between Xiaomi Isn’t as Easy as It Seems

You have bought a new Xiaomi 14 or Redmi Note 13 Pro+, But you're afraid you're going to lose important data when you move? Many users mistakenly think that it's enough to insert. SIM-And you can map it and copy it to a flash drive, but that's just the tip of the iceberg, and in fact, not only are there media files, but also between Xiaomi smartphones:

Hidden system settings (e.g., Developer Options settings or battery calibration), application data (save in games, chat history in Telegram), Wi-Fi passwords, lock screen settings (including fingerprints), and even customized audio profiles for headphones. Without proper porting, you'll have to reconfigure everything — hours of lost time.

Fortunately, Xiaomi offers a few built-in migration tools, but each has limitations. For example, Mi Mover does not work between devices with different versions of MIUI, and cloud backup can “forget” some data due to the limitations of the Mi Cloud. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of transfer (including hidden ones) that work even on custom firmware – taking into account the nuances for POCO, Black Shark and older models like Mi 9.

Method 1: Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s official tool (but not without pitfalls)

Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s proprietary wireless device-to-device transfer solution, pre-installed on all smartphones with MIUI 9 and newer, but not always stable, with the main advantage of being a direct Wi-Fi Direct connection, without uploading data to the cloud.

To take advantage of the Mi Mover:

• 📱 Turn on Mi Mover on both devices: Settings → The phone. → Data Transfer (Mi Mover).
• 🔄 On the old phone, select “I am the sender” and on the new one, “I am the receiver".
• 📶 Connect to the access point created by the new device (password will appear on its screen).
• 📋 Select data to transfer: contacts, messages, photos, applications (without their data!) and system settings.
• ⚡ Click "Transfer" and wait until it is completed (may take up to 30 minutes).

⚠️ Attention: Mi Mover is not tolerated:

⚠️ Wi-Fi passwords (you have to re-enter them or use Mi Cloud). ⚠️ Data from some applications (such as WhatsApp or banking programs require separate backups). ⚠️ Lock screen settings (fingerprints, pattern lock).

Method 2: Backup to Mi Cloud (and why it’s not always reliable)

Mi Cloud is a cloud storage from Xiaomi that automatically syncs contacts, notes, photos and even some settings.

• ☁️ Storage volume: free available only 5 GB (for photos in original quality this is not enough).
• 🔒 Account binding: If you forget your Mi Account password, it will be difficult to restore access to the backup.
• ⚙️ Incomplete sync: Mi Cloud does not save application data (e.g., save in games) and some system settings.

How to make a backup in Mi Cloud:

1. Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Turn on synchronization for the desired categories (contacts, notes, photos).
3. Click on “Backup” and select “Backup in the Cloud”.
4. On the new device, log in to the same Mi Account and recover data from the cloud.

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If you have a lot of photos, before backing up to Mi Cloud, turn on the option “Optimize Storage” in the gallery settings. This will reduce the file size without loss of quality.

⚠️ Attention: If you are using POCO Black Shark, check the version. MIUI. Some global firmware may not have Mi Cloud – in this case, use Google Account (see the following method).

Method 3: Google Account is a universal solution (but not for everything)

If you don't want to depend on the Xiaomi ecosystem, Google Account is a reliable alternative.

• 📇 Contacts and calendars (Google Contacts).
• 📧 Posts and Notes (Gmail, Google Keep).
• 📱 Installed applications (but not their data!).
• 📍 Location History (Google Maps).
• 🔑 Wi-Fi passwords (if sync is enabled in Google Smart Lock).

How to set up synchronization:

1. On the old phone: Settings → Accounts → Google → Account Sync.
2. Enable all the necessary options (contacts, calendar, apps, etc.).
3. On the new phone, sign in to the same Google account – the data will start syncing automatically.

⚠️ Note: Google Accounts are not available:

⚠️ Photos and videos (you need Google Photos with a separate setting). ⚠️ Communications SMS/MMS (Use Google Messages with backup enabled). ⚠️ Settings MIUI (topics, gestures, battery parameters).

Check the free space in Google Drive (minimum 1 GB)

Enable backup in Google Photos (Settings → Backup and Sync)

Make sure both phones have the same version of Android (or close ones)

Connect both devices to Wi-Fi (mobile internet may not be able to handle large volumes)-->

Method 4: Transfer over an OTG cable or adapter (for large data volumes)

If you have hundreds of gigabytes of photos, videos, or heavy applications (like games), wireless methods will be too slow, and direct cable connection will help.

You'll need:

• 🔌 Cable OTG (adapter USB-C to USB-C new-model).
• 📱 Old smartphone with unlocked screen.
• 🔋 Charging at least 50% on both devices (transfer drains the battery).

Instructions:

1. Connect your old phone to your new phone via an OTG cable.
2. On the new device, select "File Transfer" (or "MTP") in the connection notification.
3. Open Explorer on your new phone and copy the folders you need (DCIM for photos, Download for downloads, etc.).
4. Use the application transfer APK Extractor (from Google Play) - it saves APK-files that can then be installed manually.

⚠️ Note: In this way, they are not tolerated:

• 🔐 Application data (e.g. saves in games).
• ⚙️ System settings (MIUI).
• 📞 Call log and SMS.

Method 5: Local backup (for power users)

If you don’t trust the cloud or want to have full control of your data, local backup is your choice. MIUI allows you to create a full copy of the system that can then be restored to a new device.

How to make a local backup copy:

1. Open Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Select the data for reservation (you can note everything).
3. Click "Create a backup" and wait until it is completed.
4. The copy file will be saved in the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder on internal memory.
5. Copy this file to a new phone and restore it through the same menu.

⚠️ Note: Local backup does not work between devices with different CPU architectures (e.g., Snapdragon on MediaTek) or different versions MIUI (for example, MIUI 12 on MIUI 15).

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For the fullest possible port, combine the methods: use Mi Mover for basic data, Google Account for contacts and passwords, and OTG cable for large media files.

What to do if the data transfer is interrupted or terminated with an error

Even with the right actions, the transference process can go wrong.

• 🛑 Mi Mover connection error: reboot both phones, turn on Flight Mode for 10 seconds, then try again. If it doesn't work, check if the connection is blocking the firewall (on some firmwares). POCO It's on by default).
• ⏳ Transfer "hang" to 99%: Don't interrupt the process! 10-15 And if you've got minutes, often with the last little files, if you haven't changed anything, turn off your phones and start over.
• 🔌 Cable OTG It's not recognizable: try another cable (cheap cables often don't support data transfer) and check if the connector is contaminated. USB-C — Clean it carefully with a wooden toothpick.
• ☁️ Mi Cloud doesn’t restore data: make sure the new phone has the same version MIUI, If the versions are different, try updating the firmware before you restore it.

If none of these methods work, then manual transfer is left:

1. Copy photos and videos via Google Photos or cable.
2. Export contacts to the.vcf file (Contacts → Settings → Export).
3. Save SMS with the SMS Backup & Restore app.
4. Move your Wi-Fi passwords through Google Smart Lock or write them down manually.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About Xiaomi Data Transfer