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

Introduction: Why data transfers between Xiaomi require a special approach

Transferring data from an old Xiaomi smartphone to a new one is a challenge that every owner of the brand’s appliances faces. Unlike other devices, Redmi, POCO or Mi phones have unique tools like the Mi Mover, but also support universal methods like Google Drive or direct cable connection. The main problem for users is choosing the best way to preserve the folder structure, not “cut” the quality of the photo and do not hang on half the process.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways Xiaomi smartphones will communicate in 2026, including the hidden nuances of each method: for example, why Bluetooth is only suitable for small files, how to bypass the Mi Cloud limit on free storage, and why cable connection via OTG can be faster than cloud services. Particular attention will be paid to transferring data-saving applications (for example, progress in games or messaging settings) is the most difficult part of the process that many guides bypass.

If you are switching from Xiaomi Mi 9 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra or just want to copy photos from Redmi Note 12 to POCO F5, here you will find step-by-step instructions tailored to the specifics of MIUI firmware (including global and Chinese versions).

Method 1: Mi Mover is the official tool from Xiaomi

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 Redmi, POCO and Mi. The main advantage of this method is to preserve the folder structure and the ability to transfer installed applications along with their data (for example, saves in games or chats in Telegram).

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

• 📱 On both phones, open the Mi Mover app (you can find it through a menu search or in the Tools folder).
• 🔄 On the old phone, select I give, on the new phone, I receive.
• 📶 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network (or create an access point on one of the phones).
• 🔍 Scan on the receiving phone. QR-code that appears on the screen of the transmitting device.
• 📁 Select the types of data to transmit: contacts, messages, photos, videos, music or applications.

The process can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours, depending on the amount of data. For example, transferring 60 GB of photos and videos from Xiaomi Mi 11 to Xiaomi 13 Pro takes an average of 40-50 minutes when connecting to Wi-Fi 5 GHz. Importantly, if the transmission is interrupted, it can be resumed, but some data (for example, progress in games) may not recover.

Make sure that the receiving phone has enough free space | Battery charge of both devices > 50% | Disconnect VPN and firewalls |Use Wi-Fi 5 GHz to speed up the process |Do not lock the phone screens during transmission-->

⚠️ Note: If the new phone has a Chinese version MIUI (without Google Play, apps from the Play Market won't migrate, so use alternative methods for apps, like, APK-Backup via Titanium Backup (requires root).

Method 2: Direct cable connection (OTG + USB)

If you don't have Wi-Fi or data is over 100GB, the most reliable way to connect your phones directly is to connect them via cable, which requires a USB-OTG adapter (or USB-C to USB-C cable if both are modern), which works 3-5 times faster than the Mi Mover, and is independent of internet speed.

Instructions:

1. Connect. OTG-Adapter to a new phone (receiving).
2. Connect your old phone to an adapter via a standard phone. USB-cable.
3. On the new phone, select File Transfer Mode (or MTP in the developer settings).
4. Open Explorer on a new phone – the old phone will show up as an external drive.
5. Copy the files you want manually (or use the Select Everything for DCIM, Download, etc.)

The transfer speed depends on the USB version:

• USB 2.0 – up to 40 MB / s (old models Redmi 4/5).
• USB 3.0 – up to 500 MB/s (Xiaomi Mi 10 and later).
• USB 3.1/3.2 – up to 1 GB / s (Xiaomi 12/13/14 series).

⚠️ Note: When connecting through OTG The new phone may not recognize the old one as a drive if it has a lock on it. USB-To fix this, go to Settings. → The phone. → Version. MIUI and 7 times click on the version string to activate Developer Mode. → Additionally. → For developers, turn on debugging by USB.

Mi Mover| Cable Connection (OTG/USB)| Cloud Services (Google Drive, Mi Cloud)|Bluetooth/Wi-Fi Direct|Another way-->

Method 3: Cloud Services: Mi Cloud vs Google Drive

If you don't have cable or Wi-Fi, you can use cloud storage. Xiaomi offers its own service, Mi Cloud, but it has limitations: free is available only 5 GB, and to increase the volume you need to pay, the alternative is Google Drive (15 GB free) or Yandex Disk (10 GB).

Comparison of services:

• ☁️ Mi Cloud: ✅ Integration with MIUI (automatic backup of contacts, notes, SMS). ✅ The ability to recover data when you first turn on a new phone. ❌ Limit 5 GB (for photos in original quality, this is enough for the first time) ~1500 pictures taken). ❌ Slow loading/downloading at a large volume.
• ☁️ Google Drive: ✅ 15 GB free (can be increased to 100 GB per ~139 ₽/month). ✅ Automatic synchronization of photos via Google Photos (compression or original quality). ✅ Ability to selectively load folders. ❌ It requires a stable internet.

Instructions for Mi Cloud:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Turn on synchronization for the desired categories (contacts, gallery, notes).
3. Wait until the download is complete (time depends on the speed of the Internet).
4. On the new phone, log in to the same Xiaomi account and recover data from the cloud.

For Google Drive:

1. Install Google Photos and Google Drive on both phones.
2. On your old phone in Google Photos, turn on Backup and Sync.
3. Choose the quality of the download (Original or High).
4. On your new phone, download files via Google Drive or wait for automatic sync in Google Photos.

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If you have a slow Internet connection, archive your photo/video folders in ZIP before uploading to the cloud, which will reduce data by 10-30% and speed up the process. Use RAR or the built-in archiver in MIUI Explorer to archive.

Method 4: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct – when there are no other options

If you don't have cable, poor internet, and no access to Mi Mover, you'll have Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct, which is only suitable for small files (up to 1-2 GB) because the speed is extremely low, for example, transferring 1 GB of photos over Bluetooth 5.0 will take ~20-30 minutes, and over Wi-Fi Direct - ~5-10 minutes.

How to transfer data via Wi-Fi Direct:

1. On both phones, turn on Wi-Fi Direct in your Wi-Fi settings.
2. On one phone, select Create a Group, on the second, connect to it.
3. Open Explorer, select files and click Send → Wi-Fi Direct.
4. Take the files on the second phone.

For Bluetooth:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on both phones and pair them.
2. In Explorer, select files, click Share → Bluetooth.
3. Confirm reception on the second phone.

⚠️ Note: When you transfer files over 500MB via Bluetooth, you may freeze them at the sending stage, in which case you can split them up with an archiver or use Wi-Fi Direct. MIUI Limits the file size over Bluetooth to 1 GB – this method is not suitable for large files.

Method 5: Transfer applications with data storage

The hardest part of switching to a new phone is to migrate the installed apps along with their data, such as to keep up with the progress in games (Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile), chat history on WhatsApp or settings in VK. There are several ways to do this:

• 📲 Backup through Google Account: Works for most apps as long as they support Google Backup. → System system → Backup: Not suitable for locally saved games (e.g. Minecraft).
• 🔧 Titanium Backup (requires root): Allows you to create a full backup of applications and their data, but you need superuser rights.
• 🎮 Sync through game accounts: For games like Genshin Impact or Honkai: Star Rail, link your account to your email or Facebook, then log in on your new phone.
• 💬 Export chats in instant messengers: In WhatsApp or Telegram, you can back up to the cloud or locally and then restore it to a new device.

To port WhatsApp:

1. On your old phone, open WhatsApp. → ⋮ → Settings → chat → Backup copy.
2. Create a backup in Google Drive (make sure your Google account is the same as your new phone).
3. Install WhatsApp on your new phone and sign in to the same account.
4. When you request, restore chats from Google Drive.

To transfer games with local save (for example, Minecraft):

1. Copy the save folder (usually /games/com.mojang/) to your new phone via OTG or Mi Mover.

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To migrate these applications, always check if it supports cloud sync (for example, through Google or a developer account). If not, use manual copying of save folders or specialized backup tools.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When transferring data between Xiaomi phones, users often face typical problems, and here are the most common ways to solve them:

• 🚫 Mi Mover doesn't find a second phone: ✅ Make sure both phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (not mobile data). ✅ Restart the Mi Mover app on both devices. ✅ Turn it off. VPN Firewalls (e.g., Avast or built-in) MIUI Security).
• 🔌 The cable connection is not working: ✅ Check if your phone supports you. OTG (On some Redmi budget models, this feature is disabled). ✅ Try another cable (not all of it) USB-cables support data transmission). ✅ Turn on Debugging. USB developer-side.
• ☁️ Mi Cloud does not download files: ✅ Check if the 5GB limit is exceeded (remove unnecessary backups). ✅ Connect to another Wi-Fi network (possibly the current one blocks downloads). ✅ Update the Mi Cloud app to the latest version.
• 📱 Applications are not restored after the transfer: ✅ Make sure that the new phone is synced to the same Google account. ✅ For games, check if your account is linked to a social network or email. ✅ If the app doesn’t recover, install it manually from Play Market and check the backup settings.

If neither method worked, try alternative file managers like Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer, which support FTP or LAN transmission, which sometimes works more stable than standard MIUI tools.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions