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

Introduction: Why Data Transfers to Xiaomi Need a Special Approach

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but the joy of updating the gadget can be overshadowed by the problem of data transfer. Unlike other brands, MIUI phones have unique migration tools that simultaneously simplify the process and add nuance. For example, the standard Mi Mover does not work on all models equally well, and cloud backup through Mi Account can face volume restrictions.

In this article, we'll look at all the current ways of transferring, from official tools to alternative solutions for complex cases, learn how to save not only contacts and photos, but also application settings, SMS, calls and even game data, and focus on the common errors that cause users to lose some information, and show how to avoid them.

Important: If you are switching from another manufacturer’s Android (such as Samsung or Huawei), some of the instructions will be different – we’ll mention this in the relevant sections.

1.Official method: Mi Mover - fast transfer over Wi-Fi

Mi Mover is a Xiaomi-branded app designed to migrate data between devices to MIUI, pre-installed on all new smartphones of the brand and supports the transfer of most types of data without the use of cables.

1. On your old phone, open Settings → About Phone → Data Transfer (Mi Mover).
2. On the new phone, when you first turn on, select the “Data Transfer” option or find Mi Mover in the settings.
3. Scan the new device scanner QR-code that will appear on the screen of the old phone.
4. Select data types for transfer (contacts, messages, photos, apps, etc.) and confirm the start of the process.

⚠️ Note: If a new phone has already created a Mi Account, Mi Mover may request a factory reset.

• ✅ Supports data application portability (e.g., game progression).
• ✅ It works without the Internet (using a local Wi-Fi network).
• ❌ Does not tolerate passwords from Wi-Fi and some system settings.
• ❌ Can slow down with a large amount of data (more than 50 GB).

Charging the battery of both phones > 50%|Both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.|There is plenty of free space on the new phone.|Disabled. VPN firewalls-->

2.Move over Mi Account: Cloud Backup and Recovery

If Mi Mover doesn’t work for some reason (like very old Xiaomi models), you can use Mi Cloud storage, which requires a stable Internet connection, but allows you to transfer data even if the phones are in different places.

Instructions:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Backup.
2. Select data categories for the backup (we recommend that you note everything except System settings if the phone models are very different).
3. Wait for the backup to be completed (time depends on the amount of data).
4. On the new phone, log in to the same Mi Account and restore data from the cloud to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Recovery.

Important: If you are using Mi Cloud for the first time, wait 24 hours after you register your account – sometimes Xiaomi servers block new accounts from mass transactions.

Mi Mover over Wi-Fi|Mi Cloud (cloud)| OTG | Third-party applications (e.g. ShareIt)| Another way-->

OTG Cable Transfer: For Large Data Volumes

If you have a lot of heavy files (video) 4K, RAW-Photos, big games, cable OTG It's going to be the most reliable solution, and it works even without the Internet, and it doesn't depend on the versions. MIUI. You'll need it:

• 🔌 Cable USB-C to USB-C (or micro-USB to USB-C, depending on the port of the telephone).
• 📱 adapter OTG (If the new phone does not have a port for flash drives).
• 💾 A flash drive or external drive (optional if the direct transfer does not work).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your old phone to your new phone via an OTG cable (some models need to select File Transfer mode in the notification curtain).
2. On the new phone, open Explorer (or Files) and select the connected device.
3. Copy the folders you need (DCIM for photos, Download for downloads, WhatsApp for correspondence, etc.) to the internal memory of the new phone.
4. To port applications, use APK Extractor (retrieves installed APKs) + manual installation on the new device.

⚠️ Note: When you copy the Android folder (where app data is stored), some files may not be transferred due to the limitations of Android 10+. It will be necessary to restore them. ADB root-access.

4. Third-party applications: when standard methods do not work

If Mi Mover is bugging and Mi Cloud is not carrying the data, third-party utilities will come to the rescue, and we tested a few solutions and selected the most reliable ones:

• 📱 Xender – Wi-Fi transmission without volume restrictions. Supports cross-platform transfer (for example, from iPhone to Xiaomi).
• 🔄 Clone Phone (from Huawei, but it works on Xiaomi) – even transfers Wi-Fi settings and desktop wallpaper.
• ☁️ Google Drive is a universal backup for contacts, photos and documents (but not for apps).
• 🎮 Helium – specializes in data portability of games and applications (requires root or PC).

Example of transfer via Xender:

1. Install the app on both phones from Google Play.
2. On the old phone, select “Send” and on the new one, “Get”.
3. Scan it. QR-link-code.
4. Select the files and confirm the transfer.

⚠️ Note: Some apps (e.g. ShareIt) have been removed from Google Play for spreading malware.

💡

If you migrate data from your iPhone to Xiaomi, use Apple’s Move to iOS app in reverse order: first set up Xiaomi as a new device, then select the “Move from iOS” option and follow the instructions.

5.Settings and system data portability: Hidden MIUI capabilities

Few people know, but MIUI has hidden features for transferring system settings that are not covered by standard methods, such as:

• 🔊 Sound profiles and notification settings.
• 🌙 Themes and wallpapers (including user-generated ones).
• 🔋 Battery settings (optimization for applications).
• 📶 Mobile network parameters (APN, priority SIM).

For this:

1. Create a local backup in Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Select System Settings and start the process.
3. The backup file will be saved in the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder.
4. Move it to a new phone and restore it through the same settings section.

Limitations:

• It does not work between very different versions of MIUI (for example, MIUI 12 to MIUI 14).
• It does not carry biometric data (fingerprints, Face ID).

💡

Local backup MIUI is the only way to transfer the settings of the always-on VPN and the rules of automatic connection to Wi-Fi, which are not saved in the Mi Cloud.

6. Transfer from the phone of other brands (Samsung, Huawei, iPhone)

If you are switching to Xiaomi from a different manufacturer, standard methods may not work.

For the iPhone, there is a separate life hack:

1. Sync your contacts and calendars with iCloud.
2. On Xiaomi, add an iCloud account to Settings → Accounts.
3. Take the photo via Google Photos or iMazing.

7.Typical mistakes and how to avoid them

Even when using official tools, users are facing problems, and here are the most common ones:

• 🚫 Mi Mover: Mi Mover: Solution: Disable VPN, Check that both phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (not mobile internet.
• 🚫 Data moved, but apps don't work: Solution: After the transfer, reinstall problematic apps from Google Play - this will restore their cache and permissions.
• 🚫 Lack of space on new phone: Solution: Clear app cache before transfer (Settings) → Warehouse → Clear the cache) and delete unnecessary files.
• 🚫 Not tolerated. SMS: Solution: Use a third-party application SMS Backup & Restore to create a separate backup.

⚠️ Note: if you transfer data from the phone to the MIUI Global on the device MIUI China (or vice versa), some applications (such as Google Play Services) may not work properly, in which case you need to unlock the bootloader and firmware global version.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions