How to Transfer Information from One Xiaomi to Another: 2026

Moving to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting. Even if you stay in the ecosystem of a single brand, migrating all the data can seem like a daunting task: contacts, messages, photos, app settings, even call history. Unlike switching from Android to iOS or vice versa, inside the Xiaomi lineup, the process is simplified by branded tools, but there are nuances that many people don’t know about.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to transfer data between Xiaomi devices, from the official Mi Mover to manual backups through Google Account and Mi Cloud. You’ll learn how to avoid file loss, why some data is not automatically transferred, and what to do if the new smartphone does not see the old one through Wi-Fi Direct. And also a unique life hack to transfer settings MIUI without resetting to factory settings.

Preparation for transfer: what to do before the start

Before you start migrating data, make sure both devices are ready for the process, which will eliminate errors such as connection breaks or incomplete file copying.

On an old smartphone:

• 🔋 Charge the battery to at least 50% – transfer can take up to an hour with a large amount of data.
• 📶 Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network (if you use the cloud) or make sure that Wi-Fi Direct is enabled.
• 🔒 Unlock the screen — some methods require constant confirmation of actions.
• 🗑️ Delete unnecessary files (cache, duplicate photos) to speed up the process.

On the new smartphone:

• 📱 Complete the initial setup before connecting to Wi-Fi (don’t miss this step!).
• 🔄 Update. MIUI Up to the latest version through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 📦 Free up enough space – a temporary buffer (at least 10% of the data volume) is required to transfer.

⚠️ Warning: If your old phone has data encryption enabled (Settings → Additional → Encryption), some portability methods may not work, in which case use Mi Cloud or manual copying via PC.

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

Mi Mover is a Xiaomi-branded app designed to quickly transfer data between the brand’s devices, and it uses Wi-Fi Direct technology, eliminating the need for the Internet or cables.

What Mi Mover is carrying:

• 📞 Contacts (including groups and contact notes).
• 💬 Messages (SMS/MMS, but not always WhatsApp or Telegram)
• 📷 Photos and videos (except hidden folders)
• 🎵 Music and audio files.
• 📥 Installed applications (but not their data!)
• ⚙️ System settings (MIUI, wallpaper, sound profiles).

What doesn't stand:

• 🔐 Wi-Fi passwords (re-enter required).
• 📊 Data from certain applications (e.g., progress in games).
• 📁 Files from Android/data folders (application cache).
• 📧 Emails from Gmail or other email clients.

Step-by-step:

1. On the new smartphone, at the initial start, select Data Transfer → Mi Mover.
2. On the old phone, open Settings → Additional → Mi Mover.
3. Scan the new device scan the QR- code that appears on the old one.
4. Select data types to transfer and confirm the start of the process.
5. Wait until the connection is completed (don’t interrupt the connection!).

⚠️ Warning: If the Mi Mover is stuck in the Prep phase, restart both devices and try again, most often due to a version conflict MIUI (the new phone should have a version no lower than the old one).

Make sure both phones have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled

Disable VPN and energy saving modes

Close all background applications

Check that there is enough room on the new phone-->

Method 2: Mi Cloud - Cloud Transfer

Mi Cloud is a cloud storage from Xiaomi that allows you to sync data between devices, and the advantage of the method is that you can transfer data remotely, without physical access to the old phone, but there are limitations in terms of volume (free — 5 GB) and download speed.

How to transfer data through Mi Cloud:

1. On your old phone: Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud. Enable sync for the right categories (contacts, notes, photos). Wait for the download to complete (check in the Storage section).

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• Sign up with the same Xiaomi account.
• Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Synchronization.
• Enable synchronization for the same categories.

Features of the method:

• ⏳ Transfer time depends on internet speed (at 100 Mbps ~5 GB loads in 20-30 minutes).
• 🔄 Data is updated in the cloud with a delay (for example, contacts can be synced up to a day).
• 📁 Photos and videos are uploaded in compressed format (originals take up more space).

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If you have a lot of photos, then you can sort them by folder before you upload them to Mi Cloud, so you can selectively download only the right albums to your new phone.

4. Method 3: Google Account – Universal Method

If you don’t want to depend on Xiaomi services, you can use Google Account, which is a way to transfer basic data: contacts, calendar, mail and some applications, the main plus is cross-platform (data will be available on other Android devices).

What's transferable:

• 📞 Contacts (in full, including avatars)
• 📅 Calendar and reminders.
• 📧 Letters from Gmail.
• 📍 Google Maps data (selected places, history)
• 🎮 Progress in games (if linked to Google Play Games)

Instructions:

1. On your old phone: Go to Settings → Accounts → Google. Select your account and enable sync for the right categories. Wait until you complete (check in Settings → Accounts → Sync).

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• When you first turn on, log in to the same Google Account.
• Enable sync in Settings → Accounts → Google.

⚠️ Warning: If the old phone has been enabled with Google Backup (Settings → System → Backup), the new device will prompt you to restore data from the last copy when you first start it, which is the most reliable way to transfer, but it only works if you have a backup created no later than 24 hours before you set up the new phone.

5. Method 4: Manual transfer via PC (for power users)

If you need to transfer all data without exception (including hidden application files, game saves, or MIUI settings), manual transfer via computer is the most reliable way. It takes longer, but guarantees 100% control over the process.

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with Windows/Mac/Linux.
• 🔌 USB Type C C Cable (preferably original).
• 📁 Enough hard disk space (minimum 2× data volume).
• 🛠️ Mi PC Suite (optional, to simplify the process)

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your old phone to your PC in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the following folders from internal memory: DCIM (photo/video), Download (download), Pictures (images from apps), Android/data (application data, requires root for full access) MIUI (theme settings, wallpaper)
3. To transfer SMS and calls, use the SMS Backup & Restore app (export to.xml file).
4. Connect a new phone and transfer the copied data to the same folders.
5. Install apps from Google Play and restore their data (if supported).

Advantages of the method:

• 🔍 Complete control of the files being transferred.
• 📦 There is no limit on volume (other than disk size).
• 🔧 Only the data you need can be selectively transferred.

Disadvantages:

• ⏱️ It takes a lot of time (especially when you have a lot of data).
• 🔐 Some folders (Android/data) require root rights for full access.
• ⚙️ The settings MIUI are not fully portable (e.g. gestures or sound profiles).

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Manual transfer over PC is the only way to save data from applications that don’t support cloud sync (such as some banking apps or games).

Method 5: Transfer through OTG-memory-card

If you don’t have access to a computer or Wi-Fi, you can use a OTG- cable (to connect a flash drive) or a memory card (if both phones support microSD), a method that is suitable for transferring multimedia files, but not system data.

Instructions for OTG-cable:

1. Connect the USB- flash drive to the old phone via the OTG- adapter.
2. Copy the necessary files (photos, videos, music) to the flash drive.
3. Turn off the flash drive and connect to a new phone.
4. Transfer the files to internal memory.

Instructions for the memory card:

1. Insert microSD into your old phone.
2. Transfer files to the card (for example, through Explorer).
3. Remove the card and insert it into a new phone.
4. Copy the data back into internal memory.

⚠️ Warning: Not all Xiaomi models support OTG out of the box. For example, the Redmi Note 12 requires the feature to be enabled in Settings → Additional → OTG. Also check the memory card format: exFAT is not supported by all devices (better use FAT32 for files under 4GB).

7. Data portability of specific applications

Some apps (like WhatsApp, Telegram, or banking) require special attention when migrating.

WhatsApp:

• 📱 Use the built-in Backup function in Google Drive (Settings → Chat → Backup).
• ⚠️ Make sure the new phone has the same number and Google Account.
• 🔄 When you first start, WhatsApp will offer to restore chats.

Telegram:

• ☁️ All chats and media files are stored in the Telegram cloud, so just log in under the same number.
• 📁 To transfer local files (e.g. downloaded documents), copy the Telegram folder from internal memory.

Banking applications (Sberbank, Tinkoff, etc.):

• 🏦 Most banks prohibit backups for security reasons.
• 🔑 You will have to re-enter the app on a new phone (you will need SMS or push notification).
• 📱 Some banks (e.g. Alfa-Bank) allow exporting of transaction history to PDF.

Games (e.g. Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile)

• 🎮 Use a link to your Google Play Games account, Facebook account, or internal game account.
• 💾 For local saves (e.g., in Minecraft), copy the games folder from Android/data.

8. Frequent errors and their solutions

Even when using official tools, users face problems, and let's look at some of the most common mistakes and how to fix them.

Additional advice:

• 🔄 If the transfer is 99% frozen, restart both phones and try again.
• 📡 To speed up Mi Mover, connect both devices to the same 5 GHz Wi-Fi network.
• 🔋 If the battery is running out too quickly, connect the phones to charge during transfer.

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If none of these things worked, try resetting the new phone to the factory settings (Settings → Reset) and repeating the transfer from scratch. Sometimes conflicts arise because of pre-installed apps.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions