How to transfer all files from Xiaomi to Xiaomi: Full instructions

Buying a new smartphone from Xiaomi is always accompanied by a pleasant excitement and desire to start using the device faster. However, the first obstacle to comfortable use is the need to transfer accumulated information. Photos, contacts, correspondence history and application settings – all this makes a digital life of the user, which can not simply leave on an old gadget.

Fortunately, the MIUI ecosystem (and the newer HyperOS) offers powerful built-in tools for data migration: you don’t have to search for third-party apps or connect your phone to your computer to copy gigabytes of information. Modern algorithms allow you to complete the process in minutes, preserving the structure of folders and logins.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available cloning methods, including the Mi Mover app, the Xiaomi Cloud, and Google’s standard synchronization mechanisms, and learn to avoid common errors and quickly set up a new device.

Preparation of devices for the migration procedure

Before you start the copying process, you need to perform a number of preparatory steps on both smartphones. This is a critical step, as interruption of data transmission due to battery discharge can lead to file damage or malfunction of applications. Make sure that both devices have a charge level of at least 60%, or better connect them to a power source.

The second requirement is a stable connection. Both phones must be in close proximity to each other to work on local port tools. Although the Internet is not always necessary for direct transmission, updating system components may require access to the network. Check that Bluetooth and GPS are on the old device, as they are often used to detect a new gadget.

It's also worth checking if there's space on the receiving device, and the amount of memory you have available should be larger than the data you're planning to transfer, and if you're storing hundreds of gigabytes of media and the new phone has a modest storage capacity, the process may be interrupted in the middle, so you should delete the cache beforehand or move some of the archives to an external storage medium.

⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to interrupt the transfer process by turning off the screen or closing applications.This may cause some files to be partially copied, making them unreadable.

Using the Mi Mover app for direct transfer

The most efficient and quickest way to migrate is to use the built-in Mi Mover tool, which is pre-installed on all modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones, and works by creating a secure communication channel between devices, allowing data to be transmitted at high speeds without using Internet traffic.

To get started, open the app on both smartphones. On the new device, select Recieve and on the old device, Send. QR-This is a code that will appear on the screen of the new phone, and this action will automatically establish a secure connection via Wi-Fi Direct.

Once you connect, you'll see a list of data categories to transfer, you can choose all at once, or you can manually specify what to clone, and the algorithm allows you to save folder structure, which is especially important for file managers.

• 📱 Contacts and Messages: Full Copy of Phone Book and History SMS/MMS.
• 📷 Gallery: All photos and videos in original resolution without compression.
• ⚙️ System settings: wallpaper, alarm clocks, Wi-Fi hotspots and passwords.
• 📲 Applications: installation files and, in some cases, data within them.

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Using Mi Mover is the fastest way, as it does not compress data and does not depend on the speed of the Internet connection, working directly between devices.

When you've finished selecting, click Send. The progress bar will show you the status of the operation. The latency depends on the amount of data: 100GB transfer can take 20 to 40 minutes. At this time, the screens of the devices may go out, but the process will continue in the background.

Sync with your Mi and Google account

An alternative to direct connectivity is cloud synchronization, which is ideal if you don't have both phones on hand at the same time or if an old device has already been sold/damaged but the data is still in the cloud. Xiaomi's ecosystem allows you to reserve key data on the company's servers.

To activate the function, go to the Mi Account settings and select the Cloud section, where you can activate the synchronization of contacts, notes, voice recorder and gallery, and after you log in to the same account on the new phone, all this data will automatically be pulled from the network.

Google Photos and Google Contact Sync are also worth a special attention. If you’ve been using Android for a long time, chances are your contacts are already saved. Simply enter your email address when you first set up your new Xiaomi smartphone, and the phone book will fill in automatically.

It’s important to remember the limits of free storage: Xiaomi’s base cloud is 5GB, which may not be enough to fully back up high-resolution photos, and in such cases, it makes sense to purchase an extended tariff or use a hybrid method.

Transfer of messages and call history

One of the most delicate tasks is to keep your correspondence history in your standard Messages app and call log. Unlike messengers like Telegram or WhatsApp, which store your history on their servers (when synchronization is enabled), regular SMS will not go anywhere without manual intervention.

Mi Mover can port SMS and call logs without problems, but if you use third-party apps to dial or messaging, their data may not be copied automatically, and you need to use the built-in MIUI backup feature.

Find the About Phone section in the settings and select Reservation and Recovery, where you can create a local copy of the system that will be stored in internal memory or on the phone. SD-This file can then be transferred to a new phone and only retrieved from it messages and calls.

• 📝 Create a backup through system settings.
• 💾 Copy the backup file to your computer or the cloud.
• 📲 On the new phone, start recovery from the local file.
• ✅ Check the call log and the incoming folder».

⚠️ Attention: Local backups can take up a lot of space.Make sure you don't delete the backup file from your old phone until you successfully recover on a new one.

Migration of data messengers: WhatsApp and Telegram

Messengers are central to communication, so transferring them requires a separate approach. Telegram works on a cloud-based basis: just enter the phone number and confirmation code, as all chats (except secret ones) will appear on the new device instantly.

WhatsApp is more complicated because the history of correspondence is stored locally or in Google Drive/iCloud. When transferring from Android to Android (Xiaomi to Xiaomi), the easiest way to use the built-in migration function inside WhatsApp itself. When you first launch the application on a new phone, it will offer to restore the history from a backup copy of Google Drive.

To do this, open WhatsApp on your old phone, go to Settings → Chats → Chat Backup and click on “Backup.” Make sure the copy is newly created. Then, on the new device, select Restore from Google Drive when you install the app.

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If you change your phone number, use the “Replace Number” feature inside WhatsApp settings on your old device BEFORE you create a backup so that your chat history is tied to the new number.

In some cases, automatic recovery may not work, so you can use the Chat Transfer feature in WhatsApp settings, which will create a new version of the system. QR-If you scan it with your new phone's camera, you'll start a live Wi-Fi history transmission.

Solution and troubleshooting

Despite the fact that things are fine, there are some crashes, such as a new phone that may not see the old one when trying to connect via Mi Mover, and then try to turn off the mobile internet on both devices, leaving only the Wi-Fi module active, and rebooting both phones before trying again helps.

Another common problem is the “Not enough space” error, even when there is free space, which may be due to file system fragmentation or hidden system files, and it is recommended to clear the application cache before migrating.

If the process is stuck at a certain percentage (e.g. 99%), don't panic. Often the system completes the background indexing of files. Wait 10-15 minutes. If the progress is not moving for more than half an hour, you will have to interrupt the process and try to transfer the data in smaller portions, choosing categories individually.

• 🔄 Reboot both smartphones before starting.
• 📶 Turn it off. VPN and proxy servers.
• 🔋 Turn off energy saving during transmission.
• 📂 Break down large amounts of data into several stages.