How to quickly and securely transfer data from one Xiaomi phone to another

Moving to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but data porting often becomes a headache. Contacts, photos, messages, notes and even app settings all need to be saved to keep from starting from scratch. Fortunately, Xiaomi devices have several built-in tools for seamless migration, as well as universal ways that work on any Android device.

In this article, we'll look at 5 proven methods for transferring data between Xiaomi phones, from the official Mi Mover app to manually copying via cable. You'll learn which is the fastest, which saves the most types of data, and how to avoid errors that can cause files to get lost or corrupted. And if you're switching from an iPhone or another brand, there's a solution for you, too.

Before you start, make sure both phones are at least 50% charged and there is plenty of free space on the new device. And be sure to check the compatibility of MIUI versions - some features may not work on very old firmware.

1. Official method: Mi Mover app

Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s proprietary solution for transferring data between the brand’s devices, pre-installed on most smartphones with MIUI 9 and newer, but can be downloaded from Google Play or App Gallery if needed, with the main advantage of supporting almost all types of data, including:

• 📞 Contacts (including call history)
• 📸 Photo and video (in original quality)
• 💬 Communications (SMS and MMS)
• 📝 Notes and calendar
• 🎵 Music and other media files
• ⚙️ System settings (Wi-Fi, wallpaper, sound profiles)

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

1. Open the app on both phones.
2. On the old device, select I am the sender, on the new device, I am the receiver.
3. Connect to the same Wi-Fi network or create an access point on one of the phones.
4. Scan it. QR-code from the screen of a new phone with an old device.
5. Select data types to transfer and confirm the start of the process.

The speed of the transfer depends on the amount of data and the stability of the connection. On average, 10 GB of files are copied in 15 to 30 minutes. If the process is interrupted, you can resume it from the same place - Mi Mover saves progress.

Charging both phones > 50%|The same Wi-Fi network (or access point)|Free space on the new phone > portable|Disabled. VPN firewalls|Updated both versions MIUI last-->

💡

If Mi Mover doesn’t see the device, try restarting the app on both phones or using a mobile hotspot instead of Wi-Fi.

2. Transfer via OTG cable or adapter

If you don't have Wi-Fi or data that's too big (like tens of gigabytes of video), the most reliable way to connect directly is to connect via cable.

• 🔌 USB-cable OTG (for an old phone or adapter USB-C → USB-C (new-model)
• 📱 Both phones with support OTG (Check the settings for additional functions → OTG)
• 🔋 Battery charge not lower than 70% (transmission over cable consumes more energy)

Instructions:

1. Connect the OTG cable to the old phone and the other end to the new one.
2. On the old device, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
3. On the new phone, open Explorer (Files) and find the connected device in the Devices section.
4. Copy the folders you want (DCIM for photos, Downloads for downloads, etc.) to your new phone.

This method is suitable for transferring any files, including those that Mi Mover does not support (such as game saves or custom fonts), but it does not copy system settings and application data – they will have to be manually configured.

3.Using Xiaomi Cloud Storage

Xiaomi Cloud is a cloud service from the manufacturer that offers 5GB of free backup space, and is convenient to use if you want to move data not immediately, but within a few days, or if the phones are in different places.

To take advantage of the cloud:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Enable synchronization for the desired types of data (contacts, notes, photos, etc.).
3. Wait for the download to complete (you can check the progress in the Storage Management section).
4. On the new phone, log in to the same Xiaomi account and enable sync.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ No cable or Wi-Fi binding (data uploaded to the cloud and downloaded to the cloud).
• ✅ Only the necessary data can be selectively synchronized.
• ✅ Automatic backup (good for the future).

Disadvantages:

• ❌ 5 GB limit (for photos and videos you will have to buy additional space).
• ❌ Not all types of data are supported (e.g., messages or app settings).
• ❌ Speed depends on the Internet connection.

Xiaomi Cloud|Google Drive|Yandex Drive|iCloud|Nothing else |Not using-->

4. Transfer through Google Account (universal method)

If you use Google, you can transfer a lot of data through your Gmail account, which works not only between Xiaomi phones, but also when you switch from your iPhone or other Android devices.

• 📇 Contacts (from the Google Contacts app)
• 📅 Calendar and reminders
• 📧 Posts and Notes (from Google Keep)
• 📸 Photos and videos (if sync is enabled in Google Photos)
• 🎮 Data of certain games (if linked to Google Play Games)

How to transfer data:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Select your account and enable synchronization for the right services.
3. Add the same Google account on your new phone and wait for the sync to complete.

Important: If you used a Mi Contacts app instead of a standard one, then your contacts may not sync with Google, in which case export them to the VCF file first via Settings → System → Import / Export.

💡

Google account is the most versatile way, but it doesn’t carry messages, call history, or MIUI settings.

5. Alternative methods: Bluetooth and third-party applications

If for some reason the previous methods are not suitable, you can use alternatives:

📲 Bluetooth transmission

Suitable for small files (up to 50 MB at a time).

1. Turn on Bluetooth on both phones.
2. Connect the devices (enter the same one) PIN-code, if required).
3. Select files in Explorer and send via Share → Bluetooth.

Cons: low speed (about 1-2 MB/s) and a limitation on file size.

📱 Third-party applications (SHAREit, Xender, Send Anywhere)

These programs create a local network between devices and transmit data without the Internet, for example, Send Anywhere allows you to send files through a six-digit code or QR-Speed is faster than Bluetooth, but lower than Mi Mover.

💡

If you’re migrating data from your iPhone to Xiaomi, use the Move to iOS app (for back-portal) or Google Drive for backup.

6. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even with the detailed instructions, users face problems when transferring data.-5 mistakes and their solutions:

⚠️ Warning: If the new phone already has data (for example, you started using it before the transfer), Mi Mover can overwrite it!

• 🔄 Mi Mover doesn’t see the device: Check that both phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (not to different bands) 2.4/5 GHz: If an access point is used, disable traffic savings in mobile network settings.
• 🚫 Messages or contacts are not copied: Make sure that on your old phone they are saved in standard apps (Messages and Contacts) rather than third-party messengers (like Truecaller or Textra).
• 🔋 Process interrupted by discharge: Connect both phones to charge during transfer.Some models (e.g. Redmi Note 10) automatically pause transmission when charged low.
• 📁 Lack of space on new phone: Clear cache and unnecessary files via Settings before transfer → If you have a lot of data, use it. SD-map.
• 🔒 Requested. PIN-Encrypted data code: If encryption is enabled on your old phone, enter your password from your Xiaomi or Google account (depending on the port method).

⚠️ Note: After transferring through Mi Mover, the new phone may get lost in the order of photos in the gallery, which is due to the fact that metadata (the date of creation) is sometimes not stored.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions