How to transfer all data from Android to Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Introduction: Why Data Transfers to Xiaomi Need a Special Approach

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but many users face unexpected difficulties when trying to migrate data from an old Android device. Unlike the iPhone, where the migration process is standardized through iCloud, the Android ecosystem offers dozens of options, from embedded tools to third-party applications. And Xiaomi smartphones have their own nuances: the proprietary shell MIUI, unique synchronization services and restrictions on some file formats.

This article will not just list the methods of transfer, but will help you choose the best method depending on your situation. Viber/Telegram older-chat history 2 Why standard Bluetooth portability is not suitable for large volumes of photos in the format HEIF, How to get around the restriction MIUI All instructions are relevant to the models. 2020-2026 Years and years ago, tested on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+, Xiaomi 13 Ultra and POCO F5.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s proprietary data migration tool pre-installed on all new devices of the brand, and supports transferring 11 types of content, from contacts to call history, but has critical limitations, such as not transferring passwords from Wi-Fi networks, settings for some system applications (such as Mi Fit) and data from banking applications (due to security policies).

How Mi Mover works:

• 🔄 Both phones must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network (or create a direct access point)
• 📱 You need to install Mi Mover from Google Play on your old phone (if you don’t have it)
• 🔗 On the new Xiaomi, run the original setup wizard and select Data Transfer"
• ⚡ Transmission speed: ~10-15 MB/sec (depending on the Wi-Fi module model)

An important caveat: if the old phone is Android 9 and lower, and the new one is MIUI 14+, there may be a compatibility error, in which case use alternative methods from the following sections.

• 🎵 Music in format FLAC (only MP3/AAC)
• 📁 Files with a weight of more than 4 GB
• 🔐 Data from applications with two-factor authentication

⚠️ Note: If your old phone has storage encryption enabled (such as on Samsung Knox), Mi Mover won’t be able to read some system files. → Security → Encryption before transfer.

Charge both phones at least 50% | Disable VPN on both devices | Make sure the new Xiaomi has enough space (at least +20% of the data portable) | Turn off power saving mode

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2.Google Account: Universal but incomplete transfer

Syncing through a Google Account is the easiest way to move basic data, but it only covers 40-60% of the information from an old phone.

• 📇 Contacts (if saved in Google, not in your phone’s memory)
• 📅 Calendars and reminders
• 📎 Notes from Google Keep
• 📍 Location history (if included)

What won't happen:

• 📷 Photos and videos (you need to use Google Photos separately)
• 💬 Communications SMS/MMS messenger chats
• 🎮 Game savers (except those that support Google Play Games)
• 🔊 Settings of sound, vibration, gestures

Instructions for setting:

1. On Old Phone: Settings → Accounts → Google → Account Sync → Enable All Items
2. On the new Xiaomi: when you first turn on, select “Restore from backup” and log in to the same Google account
3. Wait for synchronization to complete (may take up to 24 hours for large amounts of data)

Mi Mover from Xiaomi|Google Account|OTG/PC Cable |Third-party apps |I can't stand it, configure from scratch-->

Direct transmission by cable: maximum speed and reliability

Using a USB-OTG cable or adapter is the fastest way to transfer large amounts of data (from 50 GB or more), the transfer speed reaches 40-60 MB / s (3-4 times faster than Wi-Fi), and most importantly - you control which files are copied.

• 🎬 Video in resolution 4K/8K
• 📁 Documentary archives
• 🎵 Local music in lossless formats
• 📱 Full backups through TWRP (for advanced users)

Step-by-step:

1. Buy a USB-C to USB-C OTG cable (for new Xiaomi) or a MicroUSB adapter → USB-C (for older models)
2. On your old phone, turn on File Transfer Mode (MTP) in USB settings
3. Connect both phones with cable. On the new Xiaomi, select File Manager" → "USB-storage"
4. Copy the folders you need (DCIM, Download, WhatsApp, etc.) to your new phone

⚠️ Note: When copying an Android folder, some system files may not be migrated due to access restrictions. ADB.

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If the phone doesn't recognize OTG-cable, check the settings for developers → Configuration USB by default and select "File Transfer".

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

If the built-in tools fail (for example, when transferring data from Huawei without Google services or from custom firmware), specialized applications come to the rescue. 7 popular solutions and selected the top-3:

1. Clone Phone (from Xiaomi): ✅ Transfer applications with data (including games) ✅ It works without the Internet (via Wi-Fi Direct) ❌ It does not support some Samsung models with the One UI 5+
2. Send Anywhere: ✅ Transfer of files of any size (up to) 50 GB at once) ✅ Cross-platform (Android) → iOS and back) ❌ Requires manual code confirmation on both devices
3. Samsung Smart Switch (Yes, it works with Xiaomi!): ✅ The best solution for porting with Samsung Galaxy ✅ Save the lock screen settings and wallpaper ❌ It may not work properly with MIUI 14 on some models

For transferring messages and call history, we recommend a separate SMS Backup & Restore application:

• Create a backup on your old phone in.xml format
• Transfer the file to the new Xiaomi in any convenient way.
• Recover data via the application (permission to send SMS is required)

5. Computer Transfer: For Full Control

Using a Windows/Mac PC gives you maximum flexibility, especially if you need to:

• 🔍 Filtering unnecessary files before transferring
• 📦 Compress data in the archive to save space
• 🔄 Transfer data to multiple devices at the same time
• 🛠️ Recover damaged files before copying

Procedure:

1. Connect your old phone to your PC via USB and select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy all the necessary folders to your computer (we recommend using TeraCopy for large files)
3. Connect the new Xiaomi and move the data back
4. For apps: Use APK Extractor on your old phone, then install APK on your new one via Settings → Special Features → Install Unknown Apps

For advanced users: If you need to move system settings (such as the Mi Home configuration for smart devices), use ADB backup:

adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab


adb restore backup.ab

⚠️ Note: When transferring via PC, do not copy the folder Android/obb directly, this can lead to errors in games. Instead, use Google Play Games to sync your saves.

6.Perfect portability features for specific Xiaomi models

Different Xiaomi series of smartphones have unique nuances when migrating data:

For flagship models (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Mix Fold 3), the "Cloning Device" function is available in Settings → About Phone → Cloning This Device. It creates a full copy of all settings, including:

• 🎨 Theme and wallpaper
• 🔊 Sound and vibration profiles
• 📡 Saved Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth devices

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On models with MIUI 14+ and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset (such as Xiaomi 13 Pro), wireless data transfer speeds are increased by 30% thanks to the optimization of the Wi-Fi Direct protocol.

7.What to do after the transfer: verification and optimization

Even after a successful data migration, several critical steps are required:

1. File Integrity Check: Open a few photos/video from different folders Check messengers (especially chat history) Make sure contacts are displayed in the phone book
2. Storage optimization: Start Settings → Storage → Cleanup Remove duplicate photos via Google Photos or Files by Google
3. Sync setting: Enable autosynchronization for Google Photos, Contacts, Calendar Set up backup to Settings → Accounts → Xiaomi Cloud

Pay special attention to the battery: after transferring a large amount of data, you can experience an increased charge consumption in the first 2-3 days. This is normal - the system indexes new files. If the flow does not normalize after a week, perform the battery calibration:

1. Discharge your phone before automatically shutting down
2. Charge to 100% without interruptions (use the original power supply)
3. Repeat the cycle 2-3 times

Frequently asked questions