How to Transfer Everything from Phone to Xiaomi: From Contacts to Apps

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always an exciting moment: how to save all the important data so that nothing is lost? Contacts, photos, messages, notes and even app settings can all be transferred without loss, if you know the right tools. In this article, we will analyze 5 proven ways to migrate data, including official Mi Mover and Mi Cloud services, as well as universal solutions for iPhone owners and Android devices.

Xiaomi’s smartphone features are deep integration with the MIUI ecosystem, which makes it easier to move data between devices of the same brand, but even if you switch from Samsung, Huawei or iPhone, the process will not take more than 30 minutes, the main thing is to prepare correctly: charge both phones, make room for the new device and choose the best method depending on the amount of data.

Preparation for transfer: what to do before the start

Before you start migrating, follow a few steps that will prevent errors such as interrupted transfer or loss of files.

Step 1. Check device compatibility. If you migrate data from Android to Xiaomi, there will be no problems. iPhone will require additional software (e.g. Move to iOS doesn’t work backwards, but there are workarounds), make sure both phones have enough charge (at least 50%) or connect them to the network.

Step 2. Free up space on the new Xiaomi. Transfer 50GB of photos to a device with 16GB of free space will crash. Check available space in Settings → Memory. Delete unnecessary files if necessary or transfer them to the Mi Cloud temporarily.

Step 3. Update your firmware. Outdated versions of MIUI may not support new transmission protocols. Go to Settings → About Phone → System Update and install the latest patches.

• 🔋 Charge of both phones: at least 50% (better than 80%)
• 📱 Compatibility of OS: Android 5.0+ or iOS 9.0+
• 📁 Free space on Xiaomi: 1.5 times more data portable
• 🔄 Updates: MIUI 12+ for stable operation of the Mi Mover

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If you are transferring data from your iPhone, turn off iMessage in the settings to avoid SMS issues on the new device.

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

Mi Mover is an integrated application for transferring data between Xiaomi devices and other Android smartphones, it supports the transfer of contacts, messages, photos, videos, music, apps and even some settings, the main advantage is that it does not require Internet (works on Wi-Fi Direct), which speeds up the process and saves traffic.

How to use:

1. Open Mi Mover on both phones (the older device may be called Data Transfer or Smart Switch for Samsung).
2. On the new Xiaomi, select I am a new user, on the old one, Send data.
3. Scan it. QR-code from the screen of a new phone or connect via Wi-Fi Direct.
4. Select data types to transfer and confirm the start of the process.

The speed of the transfer depends on the amount of data: 10 GB of photos will be transferred in ~20-30 minutes. If the process is interrupted, start again - Mi Mover will resume transfer from the last successful file.

Turn off VPN on both devices | Make sure there is enough space for temporary files on your old phone | Do not lock the screen while transferring | Use the original cable (if you connect over USB)

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⚠️ Note: If the old phone is installed Android 11+, You may need permission to access files manually. → Annexes → Mi Mover → Permissions and enable all options.

3. Method 2: Mi Cloud – Xiaomi Cloud Storage

Mi Cloud is a cloud service from Xiaomi that allows you to sync data between devices, suitable for transferring contacts, notes, photos, calendar entries and even SMS. The main advantage is that data is available from any device, even if the old phone broke.

Instructions for transfer:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Enable synchronization for the desired categories (e.g. Contacts, Gallery).
3. On the new Xiaomi, log in under the same Mi Account.
4. Go to Mi Cloud and wait for the sync to complete.

Limitations:

• 📸 Photos and videos are synced in compressed quality (originals take up space in the cloud).
• 📱 Applications and their data are not transferred through Mi Cloud.
• 💾 Free rate - 5 GB (for a larger volume you will have to buy a subscription).

Up to 5GB|5-20 GB|20–50 GB|More than 50GB-->

4. Method 3: Transfer from iPhone to Xiaomi (via iCloud or PC)

The transition from iPhone to Xiaomi is complicated by the closed Apple ecosystem, but there are workarounds, so the key is not to use Move to iOS (it only works backwards), instead, use iCloud or your computer.

Method 1: Through iCloud (for contacts, photos, notes)

1. On iPhone, enable sync with iCloud (Settings → [Your name] → iCloud).
2. On Xiaomi, open your browser and go to iCloud.com, log in.
3. Export contacts to the.vcf file and download photos in the archive.
4. Transfer files to Xiaomi via Mi Mover or Google Drive.

Method 2: Through PC (for music, videos, documents)

Connect your iPhone to your computer, copy files via iTunes or Explorer (for Windows 10/11). Then transfer them to Xiaomi via USB or Mi Mover.

⚠️ Note: When transferring music from Apple Music files will be protected DRM and will not be played on Xiaomi. Use third-party programs to remove protection (e.g. TunePat).

5. Method 4: Google Account – a universal solution

If you’ve used Google services on an old phone, it takes only a few minutes to migrate data to Xiaomi, a method that works for contacts, calendars, emails, photos, and even some app settings.

Step-by-step:

1. On your old phone, check that sync with Google is enabled (Settings → Accounts → Google → Sync).
2. On the new Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select Restore from backup and log in to the same Google account.
3. Select a backup (if there are several) and wait for the recovery to be completed.

Advantages of the method:

• ☁️ It works on any Android device, including Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi.
• 🔄 Automatic synchronization of new data (for example, added contacts will appear on both phones).
• 📸 Google Photos retains original image quality (when choosing the tariff original quality).

Restriction: Applications and their data (e.g., game progress) are not restored, but Mi Mover or Titanium Backup backups are required.

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Use Google Account for basic data (contacts, mail) and Mi Mover for the rest – this is the most reliable duo to transfer.

Method 5: Manual transfer via OTG cable or memory card

If you don’t have access to Wi-Fi or cloud services, you can transfer data physically through the Internet. USB-OTG, A memory card or even a good old Bluetooth (for small files) is suitable for photos, videos, music and documents, but not for applications or system settings.

Option 1: Memory Card (microSD)

1. Insert the card into an old phone and copy the files to it.
2. Transfer the card to the new Xiaomi and import data through Explorer.

Option 2: OTG cable

Connect your old phone to your new one via USB-OTG (you’ll need a Type-C → USB-A or Micro-USB adapter). The new Xiaomi will open a Explorer window where you can copy files manually.

Option 3: Bluetooth (for small files)

Suitable for multiple photos or contacts.Slow (~1MB/s), but no additional accessories required.Activate Bluetooth on both phones, pair them and send files.

⚠️ Note: When copying through OTG Do not remove the cable until the process is complete – this may damage the file system on the memory card.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even when you follow instructions, users have problems. TOP-5 errors and ways of solving them:

1. Mi Mover can't find the device. Make sure both phones have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on, restart the router, or use the hotspot on one of the phones.

If none of the methods worked, try resetting the new Xiaomi to factory settings and repeating the transfer from clean state.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions