How to quickly and safely transfer data from one Xiaomi phone to another: the full guide 2026

Moving to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but transferring data from an old device can become a real headache if you don’t know the proven methods. Users often face problems: lost contacts, photos are transmitted in low quality, and applications have to be installed again. This article will help avoid typical mistakes and choose the best way to migrate depending on the volume of data and phone models.

Modern Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi series, POCO and Xiaomi’s flagship 13/14) support several built-in data transfer mechanisms, but not all of them are equally effective. For example, Mi Mover only works when a new phone is turned on for the first time, and Google Account does not sync all file types. We analyzed 7 ways — from standard to alternative — with regard to speed, security and preservation of folder structure.

It is important to consider the pitfalls: some methods require the same version of MIUI on both devices, others are limited by the amount of data transferred. If you move from Xiaomi Mi 9 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra, prepare yourself for the fact that old backups may not recover on the new firmware. Next, a detailed analysis of each option with step-by-step instructions and a comparison table.

1.Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s official data porting tool

Mi Mover is a Xiaomi-branded solution integrated into MIUI firmware that allows you to transfer almost all types of data: contacts, messages, photos, videos, music, apps (including their data), and even system settings, the main advantage is support for transferring accounts in applications (for example, login / password from Instagram or banking services), which is not available in standard cloud services.

However, the method has strict limitations:

• 🔹 It works only when you first turn on the new phone (after setting up, you will have to reset the device).
• 🔹 Requires the same or compatible version MIUI (for example, MIUI 12 on MIUI 14 transmission is possible, and c MIUI 9 - No).
• 🔹 Does not support transfer of certain system files (for example, wallpaper or gesture settings).

To take advantage of the Mi Mover:

1. Turn on the new Xiaomi and select the language.
2. At the Data Transfer stage, click “From Old Device” → “Android”.
3. On your old phone, open Settings → About Phone → Data Transfer (Mi Mover).
4. Scan it. QR-code from a new device or connect via Wi-Fi Direct.
5. Select the data types to transmit and confirm the operation.

⚠️ Note: If your old phone has encryption enabled, Mi Mover may not see some files. → Security → Encryption of the telephone.

Charge both phones at least 50% | Disable VPNs and firewalls | Connect to the same Wi-Fi network (optional) | Backup on an old phone-->

2. Transfer via Google Account: Reliable, but not universal

Syncing through Google Account is the most reliable way to transfer contacts, calendars, notes and parts of applications, and works on any Android device, including Xiaomi, and does not require additional programs.

• 📁 Does not transfer photos, videos or music (only if they are uploaded to Google Photos separately).
• 📱 Applications are ported without data (for example, progress in games or settings of messengers will have to be restored manually).
• 🔄 Synchronization can take hours with a large amount of data.

How to set up synchronization:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Select your account and enable sync for all the categories you want (contacts, calendar, Chrome, etc.).
3. On the new Xiaomi, add the same Google account when you first enable or through Settings → Accounts.
4. Wait for the synchronization to complete (progress can be seen in the notification bar).

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If contacts are not synced, check if they are duplicated in Mi Account and Google accounts. Delete duplicates in Contacts → Manage → Combine and fix.

To transfer photos and videos, use Google Photos separately:

• 📸 Install the app on both phones.
• 🔼 On the old device, enable backup in Settings → Backup and synchronization.
• 🔽 On the new phone, wait for files to be downloaded from the cloud (can take up to a day with a large volume).

3. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct: Slowly but without internet

If you don’t have access to Wi-Fi or mobile internet, you can use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct. These methods do not require network connection, but are only suitable for transferring small files (up to 1-2 GB), transfer speeds via Bluetooth are ~1-2 MB / s, and through Wi-Fi Direct - up to 10 MB / s (depending on the Xiaomi model).

How to transfer files via Wi-Fi Direct:

1. On both phones, turn on Wi-Fi and activate Wi-Fi Direct in your Wi-Fi settings (or in Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi Direct).
2. On one of the devices, create an access point (for example, on an old phone).
3. Connect your new phone to this point.
4. Use any file manager (such as Mi File Manager) to transfer data over a local network.

⚠️ Note: When transmitted via Bluetooth, files larger than 50MB can break into pieces, leading to errors. For larger files, use archiving (.zip format) or manually break them down into pieces.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔌 Doesn't require the Internet.
• 🔒 Data is transmitted directly, without intermediate servers.
• 📱 Suitable for older Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi) 4A or Mi A1).

Mi Mover|Google Account|Bluetooth/Wi-Fi Direct|Cloud services (Google Drive, Mi Cloud)|Cable OTG/PC|Other-->

4.Cloud Services: Xiaomi Cloud vs Google Drive vs Yandex Disk

Cloud storage is convenient for transferring large amounts of data, but requires a stable Internet connection. Xiaomi offers its own service - Mi Cloud (5 GB for free), but it is less versatile than Google Drive or Yandex Disk.

Instructions for transfer via Mi Cloud:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud.
2. Enable backup for the desired categories (contacts, SMS, applications, etc.).
3. Click on “Backup” and wait until it is completed (can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours).
4. On the new phone, log in to the same Mi Account and restore the data from the backup.

For Google Drive or Yandex Disk:

• 📁 Upload files to the cloud from your old phone (via app or web version).
• 📥 Download them to a new device.
• 🔄 For applications, use the Restore function in Google Play (Library menu»).

5. Transfer via OTG cable or computer: for large volumes

If you need to move tens of gigabytes of data (for example, a collection of movies or projects), the best option is to use an OTG cable (for direct connection of phones) or a computer as an intermediary, which ensures that the folder structure is preserved and that quality is minimal.

For transmission via OTG (Type-C to Type-C) cable:

1. Connect your old phone to your new one with the help of OTG-cable.
2. On the new device, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
3. Open the file manager (e.g. Mi File Manager) and copy the folders you want (DCIM, Downloads, Pictures, etc.).

For transmission via computer:

• 🖥️ Connect both phones to the PC USB (file transfer mode).
• 📂 Copy data from your old phone to your computer (for example, to a folder on your desktop).
• 🔄 Transfer files to a new phone.
• 🔧 For applications, use backups via Titanium Backup (requires root rights) or Swift Backup.

⚠️ Note: When copying the Android folder (where the application data is stored) through your computer, some files may not recover due to differences in access rights. Use specialized tools such as Helium to migrate game saves or messenger settings (requires a PC) to transfer your instant messenger settings).

6.Alternative applications: SHAREit, Xender, Send Anywhere

If standard methods don't work, you can use third-party data applications, which are often faster than Bluetooth and don't require cables.-3 decision:

• 🚀 SHAREit – speeds up to 20 MB/s, supports application transfer (APK) And their data.
• ⚡ Xender is a simple interface, no file size restrictions, suitable for transfer between Xiaomi and other brands.
• 🌍 Send Anywhere is a unique 6-digit code, no data stored on servers. Perfect for sensitive files.

How to use Send Anywhere:

1. Install the app on both phones.
2. On the old device, select files and click “Send”.
3. 6-digit code is generated or QR-code.
4. On the new phone, enter the code or scan the QR – the transfer will begin automatically.

Advantages of third-party applications:

• 🔥 High speed (up to 50 MB/s in the local network).
• 📱 Cross-platform (you can transfer data to iPhone or PC).
• 🔒 There are no limits on volume (unlike Bluetooth).

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The SHAREit or Xender side of an application is convenient for one-time transfer of large files, but not for regular backup. For constant synchronization, it is better to use cloud services or Mi Cloud.

7. Transfer of applications and their data: a separate history

Even if you successfully transferred APK-Application files, their data (save games, chats in messengers, settings) are often lost:

• 🎮 Helium (requires PC and root rights) – creates full backups of data-based applications.
• 📱 Swift Backup (root only) – Supports selective recovery.
• ☁️ Titanium Backup (Old but Functional) – even backs up system applications.

For instant messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) use the built-in export functions:

• 💬 WhatsApp: Settings → chat → Backup (saves history in Google Drive).
• 📌 Telegram: export chats through Settings → Additionally. → Export of data.

For games with cloud-based saves (such as Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile), you just need to log in to the same account on a new device. Local saves (such as Minecraft or Brawl Stars) will have to be copied manually through the file manager (Android/obb or Android/data folder).

Comparative table of data transfer methods

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions