How to Transfer Data from One Xiaomi to Another: 4 Ways to Transfer Data

Transferring data between Xiaomi smartphones: what you need to know before you start

The transition to a new Xiaomi is always an exciting moment, especially if the old device has accumulated years of photos, correspondence and settings. The main question is: how to transfer all the data quickly, without loss and without having to customize the phone from scratch? Fortunately, Xiaomi has several built-in tools for migration, but each of them has its own limitations and pitfalls.

In this article, we will discuss 4 Official way to transfer data between Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi models, POCO And Black Shark, and we'll also talk about how to avoid common mistakes, like why you might be able to transfer over the Mi Mover to the other side of the equation. 99% Lack of space on a new device, or how to properly prepare both phones so as not to lose data from the device DCIM/Thumbnails or Android/data. If you are planning to sell an old Xiaomi, you will find instructions for safe data erasure after migration.

Important: the transfer procedure depends on the version of MIUI. This article provides current screenshots and paths for MIUI 14/15 (2026), but if you have older firmware (for example, MIUI 12 on the Redmi Note 8 Pro), some menu items may differ.

Method 1: Transfer over Mi Cloud – Pros and Cons of Cloud Method

The Mi Cloud is the most versatile way to migrate, as it doesn’t require physical phone connections, but it has some critical limitations: only 5GB of storage is available for free, and download speeds depend on your Internet connection. If you have 64GB of storage on your old Xiaomi, this method won’t work without buying additional space.

To transfer data through Mi Cloud:

• 📱 On your old phone: go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud, log in to your account (if not logged in) and enable sync for the desired categories: Contacts, Notes, Photos (galleries), Call Records and System Settings.
• ⏳ Wait until the synchronization is complete (it can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours depending on the amount of data.
• 🆕 On new phone: when you first turn on, select Restore from backup and log in to the same Mi Account. If the phone is already set up, go to Settings → The phone. → Backup and reset → Restore from Mi Cloud.
• 🔄 Choose the latest backup and confirm the recovery.The process can take up to 30 minutes.

What is carried over the Mi Cloud:

⚠️ Note: If the new Xiaomi already has data (for example, you have partially configured the phone), the recovery from the Mi Cloud can overwrite it.

Method 2: Mi Mover – Direct Wi-Fi Transfer without Cloud

Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s proprietary app for direct data transfer between two devices over a local Wi-Fi network, which is faster than cloud and has no volume restrictions, but requires both phones to be close by and have enough battery power (at least 50% recommended).

Instructions for using Mi Mover:

1. Install the Mi Mover app on both phones (unless it's pre-installed). On the newer models (Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12), it's called Transfer Data and it's in the Tools folder.
2. On the old phone, choose I give, on the new phone, I receive.
3. Scan it. QR-code from the new phone on the old one (or enter it) PIN-manually).
4. Select data types to transfer: Apps, Photos, Videos, Contacts, etc. Please note that WhatsApp messages are only portable if both phones have the latest version of the messenger installed.
5. Confirm the transmission. The process can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours depending on the amount of data.

Advantages of Mi Mover:

• 🚀 No volume limits (unlike the Mi Cloud).
• 🔌 No Internet connection – it works through a local network.
• 📱 Transfers application data (e.g. saves in games if the application supports migration).

Disadvantages:

• 🔋 Battery drains – we recommend connecting both phones to charge.
• 🛑 It can freeze 99% if there is not enough space on the new phone!
• 📱 Not all models support Mi Mover (for example, the POCO F1 manual installation may be required APK).

Charge both phones at least 50 times%|Free up memory on a new phone (minimum) +10 GB of the amount of data transferred)|Update MIUI last-minute|Shut down. VPN and energy-saving regimes-->

Method 3: Transfer over OTG cable is the fastest, but with nuances

If you have an OTG cable (or a USB-C to USB-C adapter for new models), you can transfer data directly by connecting your old phone to your new one as an external drive, a method that is 2-3 times faster than Mi Mover, but requires manual file copying.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the old Xiaomi to the new one with an OTG cable. On the screen of the old phone, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. On a new phone, open Explorer (or any file manager, such as Mi File Manager) and the Devices section will show the folder of the old phone (usually called Xiaomi [model]).
3. Copy the right folders: 📷 DCIM — photo and video. 🎵 Music, Downloads – Music and Downloads. 📱 Android/data — Application data (but not all applications will support recovery!). 📞 Contacts – export contacts to.vcf file via Contacts app.

SMS

log-in

SMS Backup & Restore

Google Play

Important folders that are often forgotten to copy:

• 📁 Pictures/Screenshots — screenshot.
• 📁 WhatsApp/Media — Media files from chats (unless you have enabled autoload to the cloud).
• 📁 Bluetooth - received files.
• 📁 MIUI/Wallpaper — wallpaper.

⚠️ Warning: Do not copy the folder Android/obb — This is a game cache that might not work on a new device.

Method 4: Local backup for experienced users

If you prefer full control of the process, you can create a local backup on your old phone and restore it to a new one, which is suitable for porting system settings, SMS and call logs, but takes longer to set up.

How to make a backup copy:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Select the data for reservation: 📱 System data (settings, wallpaper, sounds). 📞 SMS call-book. 📁 Annexes (only) APK, data-free!).

Create a backup copy

MIUI/Backup/AllBackup

AllBackup

Restore

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ Photos, videos and music are not transferred – they must be copied separately.
• ❌ Not all app settings are restored (depending on the developer).
• ⚠️ When you restore to another Xiaomi model, some settings may reset (for example, control gestures).

💡

If the backup weighs more than 4GB, break it apart with an archiver (such as ZArchiver) before copying it, which will speed up the transfer and reduce the risk of errors.

What to do after transfer: check and clean the old phone

After the data migration, be sure to check:

• 📞 Contacts: Open the Contacts app and make sure all numbers are in place (including groups and favorites).
• 📷 Gallery: Check the folders DCIM/Camera, Pictures/Screenshots and WhatsApp/Media.
• 🎮 Games and apps: Run key apps (such as banking or instant messengers) and log in again.
• 🔊 Sounds and notifications: check if alarm clock melodies and ringtones are restored.

If something has not been transferred, use manual copying (method 3) or repeat the migration via Mi Mover.

How to safely erase data on your old phone before selling:

1. Make a reset to factory settings: Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Reset settings.
2. Choose to erase all data and confirm the action.
3. After reset, format internal memory (if the phone supports): in the recovery menu (Volume Up + Power when the phone is off), select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
4. Remove the memory card (if any) and format it separately on the PC.

⚠️ Attention: Simply resetting settings is not enough to completely delete data! Use specialized utilities (e.g. iShredder) or encrypt your phone before resetting: Settings → Security → Encryption of the telephone.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even when following instructions, users often encounter problems, and here are the most common mistakes and solutions:

Additional advice:

• 🔄 If the transfer is interrupted, do not turn off the phones - wait 5-10 minutes, sometimes the process resumes automatically.
• 📶 For Mi Mover, use a router with support for 5 GHz – this will speed up the transfer.
• 🔋 If the battery is running out too quickly, turn on air mode on both phones during the transfer.

💡

Before transferring data, always check the space available on the new phone – it should be at least 20% more than the volume of files being transferred.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions