How to transfer data from one Xiaomi phone to another Android: the full guide 2026

Transferring data between Xiaomi smartphones can seem like a challenge, especially if you’ve never done it, but in practice it takes 5 to 30 minutes, depending on the method and amount of information you choose, and the key is to properly assess what data you need to transfer: it can be contacts, photos/video, apps with settings, SMS/calls, or even game saves.

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones have built-in migration tools that are faster and more stable than Google’s universal solutions or third-party apps.

Mi Mover

MIUI

MIUI 10

MIUI 15

Redmi 4X

Mi A1

In this article, we will look at all the current methods, from official Xiaomi tools to universal solutions that work on any Android, you will learn how to transfer data without loss, what errors occur most often during transfer, and how to avoid them.

1. Official method: Mi Mover (for Xiaomi smartphones)

Mi Mover is an embedded data application that Xiaomi is developing specifically for its devices.It is pre-installed on all smartphones with MIUI 9 and later, including the Redmi, POCO and Mi models.

• 📱 Contacts, call log and SMS
• 📷 Photos, video and audio files
• 🎮 Applications (including data from certain games)
• 🔧 System settings (Wi-Fi, wallpaper, sound profiles)

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

1. On the old phone (source) open the Mi Mover application (you can find it in the menu or through a search system).

2. On the new phone (receiver), also start Mi Mover and select "I'm a new phone."

3. On the old device, tap "I'm an old phone" and wait until it appears. QR-code.

4. Scan it. QR-code with a new phone – devices will connect via Wi-Fi Direct (without the need for a router).

5. Select the data types to be transmitted and confirm the beginning of the process.

⚠️

Note: If the new phone already has data (for example, you have restored a Google backup), Mi Mover will offer to reset the device to factory settings.This is a prerequisite for a full migration! If reset is undesirable, use alternative methods from the following sections.

Charge both phones at least 50 times%|Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network (optional, but speeds up the process)|Free up enough space on a new phone (data takes up as much as on an old phone)|Shut down. VPN Firewalls (they can block the connection)-->

2. Transfer via Mi Account (Xiaomi cloud)

If you have a Mi Account, you can use Xiaomi’s cloud storage to transfer data, which is suitable for contacts, photos, notes and settings, but does not support app transfer, the main advantage is that the data is stored in the cloud and can be restored to any Xiaomi device at any time.

Step instructions:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Mi Account → Xiaomi Cloud.
2. Enable synchronization for the desired categories (for example, "Contacts", "Gallery", "Notes").
3. Wait until the data is uploaded to the cloud (progress is displayed as a percentage).
4. On the new phone, log in to the same Mi Account and enable sync in Settings → Mi Account.
5. The data will be automatically downloaded to the new device.

🔹 Limitations of method:

• 📉 Xiaomi’s free cloud only provides 5GB of space.
• ⏳ Download speed depends on the Internet connection (on mobile traffic the process will take longer).
• 🚫 Not all data types are synchronized (e.g, SMS play-saving).

3. Use of Google Account (universal method)

If you don't want to be attached to the Xiaomi ecosystem, you can use Google's standard tools, which work on all Android devices, but it has its nuances, for example, apps will migrate, but their data (for example, progress in games) will not, unless the developer has provided cloud sync.

What can be transferred through Google Account:

• 📇 Contacts (synchronized with Google Contacts)
• 📅 Calendar and reminders
• 📎 Notes (if you use Google Keep)
• 📱 List of installed applications (without data)
• 📍 Wi-Fi settings and some system settings

How to transfer data:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Google → Backup.
2. Turn on the option “Backup to Google Drive” and wait for the process to be completed.
3. On the new phone, when you first turn on, select “Recover Data” and log in to the same Google account.
4. Select a backup from your old device and confirm the recovery.

⚠️

Warning: If a new phone has already set up a Google account, you’ll have to reset it to factory settings (Settings → About Phone → Reset) to take advantage of the recovery, otherwise you’ll have to manually transfer the data.

4. File transfer via OTG cable or adapter

If you only need to transfer files (photos, videos, documents) and not the entire system, the fastest way is to connect your old phone to a new one. USB-It's gonna take a storage device:

• 🔌 Cable OTG (If the new phone has a connector USB-C, And the old one is Micro-USB).
• 🔄 Adapter (if both phones are connected to the USB-C, But you have to connect them directly).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the OTG cable to the new phone and the other end to the old one (or use an adapter for a direct connection).
2. On the old phone, select File Transfer Mode (or "USB-accumulator").
3. On your new phone, open any file manager (e.g., Mi File Manager or Files by Google).
4. Copy the files from the memory of the old phone to the memory of the new one.

🔹 Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Maximum speed (up to 480 Mbps when used) USB 3.0).
• 📁 Suitable for large files (video in the 4K, backup).
• 🔒 No dependence on the Internet or cloud services.

⚠️

Note: Not all OTG cables support data transfer between phones. Cheap adapters can only work to connect flash drives or keyboards. Before buying, check if the description says "Host-to-Host" or "Phone-to-Phone".

💡

If the phone doesn’t recognize the connected device, try turning on the developer mode and activate the USB Debugging option in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times according to the version).

5. Wireless transmission over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct

If you don't have a cable, or you want to transfer just a few files, you can use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct, which is slower than wired methods, but doesn't require additional accessories.

📌 Bluetooth is suitable for:

• 📎 Small files (up to 50 MB) – photos, documents, contacts (one by one).
• 🎵 Audio files (music, voice recordings).

📌 Wi-Fi Direct is faster and allows you to transfer:

• 📷 Photo/video folders (up to) 1-2 GB at once).
• 📄 Archives and documents.

How to transfer files over Wi-Fi Direct:

1. On both phones, turn on Wi-Fi Direct in your Wi-Fi settings.
2. On an old phone, select the file(s) to transfer and tap "Send" → "Wi-Fi Direct".
3. Select a new device from the list of available devices.
4. On the new phone, confirm the receipt of files.

6. Data transfer via computer (PC or Mac)

If you have a computer on hand, you can use it as an intermediate storage, which is universal and works even with very old Xiaomi models (like the Redmi 3S or Mi 5).

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows, Mac or Linux.
• 🔌 Two. USB-cable (or one if the phones are the same connector).
• 📁 Enough free space on the hard disk.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your old phone to your computer and select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the data you need (DCIM, Downloads, Documents, etc.) to your computer.
3. Turn off the old phone and connect the new one.
4. Transfer the copied files to the new device.

🔹 Additional opportunities:

• 🔄 You can use backup programs, such as Mi. PC Suite (official software from Xiaomi) or Syncios.
• 📋 For transfer SMS and call log will fit the utility MobileTrans or SMS Backup & Restore.

💡

Transferring over a PC is the most reliable way if other methods don’t work (for example, if you damage a Wi-Fi module or Bluetooth on your phone).

7 Third-party applications for data migration

If you don’t like the built-in tools of Xiaomi or Google, you can use third-party apps, which often offer additional features, such as transferring game saves or app settings.

📌 Top.-3 data-transfer applications:

• 🔹 SHAREit – fast Wi-Fi Direct transmission (up to 20 MB/s), supports all types of files.
• 🔹 Send Anywhere – Transfer via cloud or direct connection, there is a generation function QR-code.
• 🔹 Xender – an alternative to SHAREit with support for application transfer (APK + data).

⚠️

Attention: There is a risk of data leakage when using third-party apps. Before installing, check the app's permissions on Google Play and read reviews. Avoid programs that request access to SMS, call log or geolocation without an obvious reason.

How to transfer data to Send Anywhere:

1. Install the app on both phones.
2. On an old phone, select files and click "Send" → "Generate the key."
3. On the new phone, enter a 6-digit key or scan. QR-code.
4. Confirm file acceptance.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data portability to Xiaomi