How to transfer all data from one Xiaomi phone to another: 5 proven ways

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always a joy, but the process of data transfer can become a headache if you do not know the nuances. Even between devices of the same brand, there are pitfalls, from incompatibility of MIUI versions to limitations on the amount of files transferred.

We'll look at all the current ways, from the Mi Mover branded tool to cloud services and physical copying via cable, and we'll focus on porting data-saving applications (such as progress in games or setting up messengers), because that's the most problematic part, and we'll also look at why Xiaomi sometimes doesn't see an old device when transferring and how to fix it.

If you're switching from the Redmi Note 10 to the Xiaomi 14 or the POCO X3 to the Redmi K70, it doesn't matter. The instructions are universal for all models on the MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS. The main thing is to properly prepare both phones before starting the process.

1. Preparation of telephones before data transfer

The first step that many people miss is syncing accounts and checking the space, so if the new phone has less memory than the data from the old one, the transfer will be interrupted in the middle.

✅ Update the firmware on both devices to the latest version. MIUI It can block transmission. You can check the relevance in Settings. → The phone. → Updating the system.

✅ Charging at least 50%. The transfer process can take up to 1-2 hours (especially if there is a lot of data.

✅ Clear the cache in the applications you don't use, and that reduces the amount of data you're transferring. → Annexes → Application management → Clear the cache.

✅ Connect to the same Wi-Fi network (if you use wireless porting). For Mi Mover, this is a must-have, otherwise the phones will not see each other.

Charge both phones up to 50%+

Update MIUI/HyperOS on both devices

Clear the cache of unnecessary applications

Connect to a single Wi-Fi network (for wireless transfer)

Backup important data on the PC

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⚠️ Note: If the old phone has data encryption enabled (in Settings) → Security → Encryption, it must be disabled beforehand, otherwise Mi Mover will not be able to read some files, including messages and notes.

Also check if there's enough space on your new phone. For example, if you're carrying 64GB of data and the new device only has 50GB of data, you'll have to make room first or use the cloud. Xiaomi has a built-in memory analyzer: Settings → Memory → Memory Analysis.

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

Mi Mover is Xiaomi's proprietary app for wireless data transfer between the brand's devices, pre-installed on all smartphones with MIUI 9 and newer.

• 🔹 No cable required – it works on Wi-Fi Direct
• 🔹 Transfers applications with data (for example, saves in games)
• 🔹 Keeps it. SMS, call log, contact log
• 🔹 Supports large amounts of data (up to 100 GB)

There are, however, downsides:

• ⚠️ Slower than cable transfer (speed) ~5-10 MB/s)
• ⚠️ Sometimes it “hangs” during the connection stage (the solution is to restart Bluetooth)
• ⚠️ Does not transfer data of some applications (for example, WhatsApp or Viber – they need to be reserved separately)

Step-by-step:

1. Open Mi Mover on both phones (you can find it through search).
2. On the old phone, select "I send" and on the new one, "I receive."
3. Press "Next" and wait for the phones to find each other: 🔄 Restart Bluetooth on both devices. 🔄 Make sure your phones are connected to a single Wi-Fi network. 🔄 Try using a mobile hotspot (distribute Wi-Fi from an old phone).

Select data to transfer (you can mark everything or select individual categories).

Don't interrupt the process!

Important: If the transfer is interrupted in the middle, don't start it again immediately. Wait 5-10 minutes, restart both phones and try again. Otherwise, you may duplicate files or lose data.

Method 3: Transfer through Xiaomi account (cloud)

If you have a Mi Account, you can sync your core data through the cloud, and this is a good method if you:

• 📱 You have slow Wi-Fi and Mi Mover is too long.
• 📱 You only need to transfer contacts, notes, photos (not apps).
• 📱 The old phone has already been given to someone, but there is a backup in the cloud.

What can be transferred through Mi Cloud:

How to transfer data through Mi Cloud:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Turn on sync for the desired categories (contacts, photos, etc.).
3. Wait for the download to be completed (you can check the progress in the "Storage Management" section).
4. On the new phone, log in to the same Mi Account.
5. Open Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Synchronization and enable the necessary options.
6. Wait until the data is downloaded to the new device.

⚠️ Warning: Free cloud Mi Cloud only gives 5 GB. If you have more photos, you will either have to buy a space (from 100 GB per one). ~300 rubles per year, or use another method of transfer. Also note that the video in the original quality takes up a lot of space - it is better to transfer them over the cable.

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If you change phones frequently, sign up for the Mi Cloud, which is cheaper than buying extra memory on a new device and will save you from portability problems in the future.

Method 3: Transfer via OTG cable or adapter

The most reliable and fastest method is to physically connect your phones via cable, with a transmission speed of 40 to 60 MB/s (5 to 10 times faster than Wi-Fi).

• 🔌 Cable OTG (If the new phone supports host mode).
• 🔌 adapter USB-C → USB-A (If you are using an old microUSB cable).
• 🔌 flash drive or external SSD (If you want to make an intermediate copy).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your old phone to your new phone via cable (or OTG-adapter).
2. A notification will appear on the new phone "USB-The drive is plugged in. Press it.
3. Select "File Transfer" (MTP-regime).
4. Open Explorer (or Mi File Manager) on your new phone.
5. Copy the right folders from your old phone: 📁 DCIM — photo and video. 📁 Downloads - downloads. 📁 Pictures – screenshots and images from messengers. 📁 Android/data — Application data (if necessary).

contact SMS

• Contacts: Contacts → Settings → Export/Import → Export to.vcf.
• SMS: Use the SMS Backup & Restore app (available on Google Play).

⚡ Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Maximum speed: 5-10 times faster than Wi-Fi.
• ⚡ There is no limit on the size (except for free space on the new phone).
• ⚡ Only the necessary files can be selectively copied.

⚠️ Deficiencies:

• ⚠️ I need to buy. OTG-Adapter (if not included in the package).
• ⚠️ Applications are portable without data (only) APK-file).
• ⚠️ On some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi) 9A) OTG-Default mode disabled – it must be enabled → Additionally. → Regime. OTG.

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Cable transfer is the most reliable way if you have a lot of data (100+GB) or slow Internet, and the main thing is to use a quality cable, otherwise the transmission may be interrupted.

5. Method 4: Transfer applications with data (including games)

Conventional portability methods (including Mi Mover) don't always store app data. For example, if you migrate WhatsApp in the standard way, the chat history won't be preserved. Same with games, progress will reset. To avoid this, you need to use specialized tools.

For messengers (WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram):

• 💬 WhatsApp: On an old phone: Settings → chat → Backup (save to Google Drive) on your new phone: install WhatsApp, log in to the same account and restore chats.

Telegram

1. All chats and media files are synced automatically through the Telegram cloud, just log in to your account on a new phone.

For games and other applications:

Use Titanium Backup (requires root rights) or Swift Backup (works without root on some firmware). Alternatively, Helium (free but harder to set up).

Instructions for Swift Backup:

1. Install Swift Backup on both phones.
2. On an old phone, back up the desired applications.
3. Transfer the backup file to your new phone (via cable or cloud).
4. On the new phone, restore the data from the file.

⚠️ Attention: Not all applications support redundancy, such as banking applications (Sberbank, Tinkoff) blocking data transfer for security reasons.

6. Method 5: Transfer through Google Account (for contacts, calendar, mail)

If you use Google services, most of the data is already synchronized automatically, and this method is suitable for:

• 📇 Contacts (from Google Contacts).
• 📅 Calendar (Google Calendar).
• 📧 Mail (Gmail).
• 📍 Location History (Google Maps).
• 🎵 Music and books (if you bought them on Google Play).

How to turn on synchronization:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Select your account and enable sync for the right categories.
3. Click "Sync Now."
4. On the new phone, log in to the same Google account.
5. Wait for automatic synchronization (it can take up to 10-15 minutes).

⚡ Advantages:

• ✅ Automatically – you don’t have to carry anything manually.
• ✅ It works on all Android devices (not just Xiaomi).
• ✅ Free and unlimited in scope (except Google Photos, which has quotas in place since 2021).

⚠️ Deficiencies:

• ❌ I can't stand it. SMS, call log, apps.
• ❌ Google Photos compresses images if you run out of space (only 15GB is free).
• ❌ Some data (such as Wi-Fi settings) are not synced.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even if you follow instructions correctly, you can have problems, and here are the most common mistakes and solutions.

🔧 Additional advice:

• 🛠 If Mi Mover is hanging, try resetting the network settings on both phones.
• 🛠 If you don’t have enough space in Google Photos, buy a space temporarily (100GB costs) ~140 rubles / month) or transfer the photo via cable.
• 🛠 If apps aren’t recovering, check if the new device supports the same CPU instructions (e.g., Redmi Note 8 on Snapdragon and Snapdragon). POCO X3 Snapdragon is compatible, but MediaTek may be in trouble).

8. FAQ: Answers to frequent questions