How to Transfer All Data from One Xiaomi Phone to Another: A Complete 2026 Guide

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but data transfer often becomes a headache, with accounts scattered, photos taking up tens of gigabytes, and app settings seemingly impossible to save, while in practice, the process of transferring data between Xiaomi devices can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, depending on the method chosen and the amount of information.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways of migration (including hidden functions). MIUI 14/15), We'll compare them in terms of speed and reliability, and we'll also reveal some nuances that even the official instructions don't mention. For example, did you know that when you use the Mi Mover, some Redmi models automatically reset your network settings? Or that cloud backup in Mi Cloud doesn't keep your call history older 30 days?

We tested data portability across multiple generations, from the Redmi Note 8 Pro (2019) to Xiaomi 14 Ultra (2026) and found critical differences, and if you need to save not only media files, but also Smart Home settings, Mi Fit data, or even game progress, this guide will be your cheat sheet, and for those who are afraid of losing data, we have prepared a checklist before you start migrating.

1.Preparation for transfer: what to do before the beginning

The data transfer from one Xiaomi to another begins long before the cable is connected or the app is launched. Incorrect preparation can lead to loss of contacts, duplication of photos or even blocking the Mi Account account due to suspicious activity.

✅ Check the version. MIUI If the difference is greater than 2 versions (e.g., on both devices, MIUI 13 → MIUI 15), use the cloud method - direct transmission via Mi Mover can result in the error "Protocol Incompatibility". MIUI 14 if possible.

✅ Clean up the trash. Go to Settings. → Memory. → Clean up and remove the cache of the applications, which will reduce the amount of data transmitted to the 15–30%. Especially important for memory devices 64/128 GB, where every gigabyte counts.

✅ Sync critical data with clouds in advance:

• 📇 Contacts: Check if they are linked to a Google Account or Mi Account in Contacts → Settings → Contact management.
• 📅 Calendar and Notes: Export to Google Calendar or Mi Cloud (in Notes) → Settings → Backup).
• 🎮 Save Games: Use built-in sync via Google Play Games or Mi Game Center.

⚠️ Note: If the old phone has enabled the “Data Protection” function (in Settings) → Password and security, disable it 1 hour before the transfer, otherwise Mi Mover may block access to files, citing "suspicious activity».

Charging both phones > 50%|Disabled. VPN and energy-saving regimes|Both devices have the same Wi-Fi.|Freely. ≥ 10 GB on a new phone|Checked backups in Mi Cloud/Google Drive-->

2. Method 1: Mi Mover is the official tool of Xiaomi

Mi Mover is built into the MIUI Application for direct data transfer between Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO. It works on the Wi-Fi Direct protocol, which provides speeds up to 50-70 MB / s (2-3 times faster than Bluetooth.

🔹 How to start Mi Mover:

1. On a new phone: when you first turn on, select Data Transfer from the welcome screen. If the phone is already configured, find Mi Mover in Settings → The phone. → Data portability.
2. On an old phone: Open Mi Mover (download from Play Market if removed) and select "I'm the sender."
3. Scan it. QR-code from a new phone or connect via Wi-Fi Direct.
4. Select data for transfer (contacts, messages, photos, etc.) and confirm the beginning.

✅ Pros of the method:

• 🚀 The fastest speed of all methods (up to 10 GB in 15-20 minutes).
• 📱 Stores system settings (wallpaper, sound circuits, screen brightness).
• 🔄 Supports porting apps along with data (e.g., game progress or chats in Telegram).

❌ Cons and limitations:

• 🔌 Requires stable connection - when the communication breaks, the process begins again.
• 📵 Does not transfer data from some third-party applications (for example, WhatsApp or Viber – they need a separate backup).
• 🔒 On devices with MIUI 12 and older may require unlocking the bootloader to transfer system settings.

⚠️ Warning: If the new phone already has data (for example, you have started setting up without transfer), Mi Mover will offer to reset the device to factory settings. This is irreversible.

Method 2: Cloud Transfer over Mi Cloud

If you don't have a cable or you don't have a device in different places, Mi Cloud is a reliable alternative, and it's a method that can be used to transfer contacts, notes, calendars, photos and certain settings, but has limitations on the volume and type of data.

🔹 Step-by-step instruction:

1. On your old phone: go to Settings → Accounts. → Mi Cloud and enable sync for all categories (contacts, gallery, etc.).
2. Wait until the download is complete (progress is displayed in the same menu).
3. On a new phone: Log in to the same Mi Account and enable sync in Mi Cloud.
4. The data will start to load automatically. Connect to 5GHz Wi-Fi to speed up.

📊 Comparison of Mi Cloud fares (2026):

⚠️ Note: Mi Cloud only stores backups for 30 days from the last update.If you haven't synced the data for more than a month, they will be deleted without recovery. → Storage management.

💡 Lifehack: If you only need to transfer photos, use Google Photos with the option “Original Quality.” It offers 15 GB for free (versus 5 GB in the Mi Cloud) and does not compress images:

1. Install Google Photos on your old phone.
2. Enable autoboot in Settings → Backup and Synchronization.
3. On the new phone, log in to the same Google Account and wait for sync.

4. Method 3: Cable transfer OTG/USB (advanced)

If you have a cable. OTG (adapter USB-C → USB-C), You can transfer data directly, like a flash drive. 100–120 MB/s on Xiaomi 13/14), It requires manual control and knowledge of Android folder structure.

🔹 What's the matter:

• 🔌 Cable USB-C → USB-C (or OTG + USB-A old-model).
• 📁 File Manager (built-in) MIUI Or Solid Explorer).
• ⚡ Charge. ≥ 70% on both devices (large volume transfer drains the battery).

🔹 Instructions:

1. Connect your old phone to your new phone via cable. On the screen of your old device, select File Transfer Mode (not Charge!).
2. On your new phone, open the file manager and go to the section «USB-device».
3. Copy the right folders: DCIM → Photo and video by Download → Pictures downloads → Images from WhatsApp apps → Backup copies of chats (if any)
4. To transfer contacts, export them to.vcf via Contacts → Settings → Export.

⚠️ Warning: Don’t copy the entire Android folder, which can disrupt the system applications on the new phone. MIUI, It contains settings of the old device that are incompatible with the new model.

1. Reboot both devices.

2. Use the original Xiaomi cable (cheap) OTG Often not supporting data transmission).

Insert “Debugging of the USB» In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 times) → Additionally. → For developers.-->

5. Method 4: Third-party applications (ShareIt, Xender)

If Xiaomi's built-in tools don't work for some reason, you can use third-party file transfer apps, the most popular ones are ShareIt, Xender, and Send Anywhere, which work over Wi-Fi Direct or create a local network, which is convenient if there is no cable.

🔹 Comparison of applications:

🔹 How to transfer data through Xender (Step-by-step):

1. Install Xender on both phones from the Play Market.
2. On the old phone, select “Send” and on the new one, “Get”.
3. Connect to a single Wi-Fi network or create an access point on one of your devices.
4. Select files to transfer and confirm on both phones.

❌ Cons of the method:

• 🛑 Low speed compared to Mi Mover or cable.
• 🔒 Does not tolerate system settings and application data.
• 📴 May be interrupted due to advertising (in free versions).

💡 Tip: If you only need to transfer music or documents, use Google Drive or Yandex Drive. Upload files to the cloud from your old phone, and then download them to a new one. This is slower, but more reliable for smaller volumes.

Method 5: Manual transfer via computer (for full control)

This method is suitable for those who want to have full control of the process or transfer data to a device of another brand (for example, from Xiaomi to Samsung). Windows/Mac and cables for both phones.

🔹 What can I transfer:

• 📂 All media files (photos, videos, music).
• 📄 Documents and downloads.
• 📱 Backup applications (via Titanium Backup for rooted devices).
• 🔑 Contact and SMS (export to.vcf and.xml).

🔹 Instructions:

1. Connect your old phone to your computer and copy all the folders you need (DCIM, Download, etc.) to a hard drive.
2. To transfer contacts: 1. On the phone: Contacts → Settings → Export (save the file.vcf). 2. Copy the file to your computer. 3. On a new phone: Contacts → Settings → Import (select the.vcf file).
3. For transfer SMS use the app SMS Backup & Restore (Save Backup to.xml and Restore on New Phone).
4. Connect a new phone and transfer all the copied files.

⚠️ Note: When copying the WhatsApp folder, don’t forget to also transfer the file. msgstore.db.crypt14 (situated WhatsApp/Databases). Without it, chat history won’t be restored, even if you copy all media files.

💡

Manual transfer over a computer is the only way to save data from applications that do not support cloud sync (such as some banking programs or local games).

7.Smart home and wearable device data transfer

If you are using the Xiaomi Smart Home ecosystem (smart lamps, robot vacuum cleaners, sensors) or wearable devices (Mi Band, Xiaomi Watch), their settings are not automatically transferred through the Mi Mover or Mi Cloud.

🔹 How to Move Mi Home Devices:

1. Make sure that the new phone has the Mi Home app installed and you are logged in to the same Mi Account.
2. Open Mi Home on your old phone and check that all devices are linked to your account (in Profile). → My devices).
3. On your new phone, update the list of devices in Mi Home – they should appear automatically.
4. If the devices don’t show up, delete them from your account on your old phone and add them again through a new one.

🔹 Data portability with Mi Band/Xiaomi Watch:

• 📱 Install Mi Fitness (or Zepp Life for new models) on your new phone.
• 🔄 Sign in to the same Xiaomi account – steps, sleep and workout data are synced automatically.
• ⚠️ If the bracelet is not connected, reset it to factory settings (in the app: Device Profile) → Untie).

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi smart devices (such as the Xiaomi Robot Vacuum) are tied to a Wi-Fi network, not an account, and after transferring the phone, they will have to be reconnected, entering the password from the network.

8. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even when following instructions, users have problems with data transfer, and here are the most common errors and solutions:

🔴 Error: “I couldn’t connect to the device” in Mi Mover

• 🔄 Reboot both phones.
• 📶 Connect to a single Wi-Fi network (do not use mobile internet).
• 🔌 Try another cable (sometimes the problem is damaged) USB-port).

🔴 Mistake: “Not enough space” when recovering from Mi Cloud

• 🧹 Clean up the memory of a new phone (remove unnecessary apps or transfer files to a memory card).
• 📉 Select only the right categories to recover (for example, only contacts and photos).
• 💾 Buy extra space in the Mi Cloud (if the backup weighs more than 5GB).

🔴 Error: Photos moved but not displayed in Gallery

• 🔍 Check the folder. DCIM File Manager – Files may have been copied but not indexed.
• 🔄 Restart your phone or update your media library manually (in Google Photos: Settings) → Renovate the library).
• 📂 If the photo is in format.HEIC (iPhone, install the codec HEIF Viewer from Play Market.

💡 Advice for owners of Redmi Note: If after the transfer the vibration disappeared when typing, check the settings in Settings → Sound and vibration → Press vibration: This option is often reset after migration.

💡

If the data is not displayed after the transfer, don't panic - in 90% of cases it is simply not indexed by the system. Give the phone 10-15 minutes to process or restart it.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions