How to completely reset data from Xiaomi phone to your computer: all working ways

Transferring data from Xiaomi to your computer is a challenge that every user will face sooner or later. Whether you plan to reset your phone to factory settings, upgrade your firmware or just free up your memory, it's important to keep all the information safe. But how do you do it quickly, without loss, and with minimal effort?

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to reset data from Xiaomi to PC: from standard tools like Mi. PC Suite to advanced methods using ADB You will learn which method is suitable for your model (be it Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 Or Mi 13 Ultra, which is how to avoid copying errors, and what to do if the phone is not computer-defined, and also a speed and reliability comparison table for each method, so you can choose the best option.

Whether you need to save your original photos, WhatsApp chats, contacts, or app settings, you'll find step-by-step instructions with illustrations and expert advice. USB.

1. Preparing Xiaomi phone for data reset on PC

Before you start transferring data, you need to follow a few critical steps, and if you skip them, you risk losing some files or experiencing connection errors.

• 🔋 Charge the phone to at least 50%. The process of copying a large amount of data (for example, 128 GB of photos) can take several hours, and discharging during transmission will lead to a connection break.
• 📁 Clear the app cache. Go to Settings. → Warehouse → Clean up and delete unnecessary temporary files, which will reduce the amount of data transferred and speed up the process.
• 🔒 Unlock the bootloader (when used) ADB). If you plan to use it ADB, Make sure that the phone is on debugging. USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI — 7 times press to activate the developer mode, then additionally → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🌐 Check the version. MIUI. On older versions (below). MIUI 12) some backup functions may not be available. Update firmware through Settings → Updating the system.

Pay particular attention to application permissions. PC Suite requires access to files, contacts and SMS, Google Photos to the media library. Without these permissions, programs will not be able to copy the data in its entirety. → Annexes → Permissions and manually activate the necessary options for backup services.

⚠️ Note: If you are using Xiaomi with a locked bootloader (e.g. global versions of Redmi or the same as the one you use). POCO), some methods ADB Backup may not work. In this case, prioritize Mi. PC Suite or Cloud Services.

Charge your phone to 50%+

Clear the cache in the storage settings

Enable debugging over USB (for ADB)

Update MIUI to the latest version

Check permissions for backup applications-->

2. Method 1: Transfer data through Mi PC Suite (official method)

Mi PC Suite is Xiaomi’s proprietary software that allows you to not only copy data to your PC, but also manage your phone, install firmware and restore the system, POCO and Black Shark, and maintains folder structure.

To reset data through Mi PC Suite, follow the following steps:

1. Download and install the program from the official website pcsuite.mi.com. Avoid third-party sources - they may contain viruses.
2. Connect your phone to your PC through the original USB-Use the port. USB 3.0 (usually blue) for maximum transmission speed.
3. Select Transfer Mode. A notification will appear on your phone screen, tap it, and select File Transfer (MTP).
4. Sign in to Mi Account on your phone and in Mi PC Suite. It's necessary for data synchronization.
5. Click Backup in the main menu of the program. Select data types (contacts, messages, photos, applications) and start the process.

The speed of copying depends on the amount of data and version. USB. For example, transfer 64 GB of photos to the USB 2.0 will take about 2-3 hours, and USB 3.0 - less than an hour. Once completed, the program will create a backup file with the.mbk extension that can be restored to the backup file.

⚠️ Attention: Mi PC Suite does not copy data from some third-party applications (e.g. Telegram or Viber) and use built-in export features or cloud services for these.

Method 2: Manual transfer through USB-cable (without programs)

If you don’t want to install additional software, you can copy data manually by connecting Xiaomi to your computer as a flash drive, a method that is suitable for transferring photos, videos, music and documents, but does not save messages, contacts or application settings.

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable.
2. On your phone, select File Transfer (MTP) mode in the connection notification.
3. Open This PC (Windows) or Finder (macOS) Your Xiaomi will appear as a removable drive (e.g. Redmi Note 12).
4. Go to the Internal Storage (Internal Memory) or SD Card (if you have a memory card).
5. Copy the right folders (DCIM — Photos, Download – downloads, Pictures – images on the computer.

To speed up the process, use archivers such as 7-Zip or WinRAR: first pack folders on your phone, and then transfer the archive to your PC, which is especially true for large collections of photos in the format of the file. RAW or video 4K.

Important: Folder /MIUI/backup It contains backups of system settings, but manually copying it does not guarantee correct recovery. PC Suite or Mi Cloud.

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If you have a “Device is not responding” error when copying files, try disabling Debugging by USB It's in the developer's settings. Sometimes it conflicts with the regime. MTP.

Method 3: Cloud backup via Mi Cloud

Mi Cloud is a cloud storage from Xiaomi that automatically syncs contacts, messages, photos and even system settings, and the main advantage is that data is accessible from any device and can be downloaded to a PC at any time.

• 📉 Free available only 5 GB. For a larger volume will have to buy a subscription (from 100 rubles / month for 50 GB).
• 🔒 Mi Account is required. Without it, the cloud doesn't work.
• ⏳ The download speed depends on the Internet. With a slow connection, the process can take hours.

How to configure Mi Cloud to reset data:

1. Open your phone Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Enable synchronization for the desired types of data (contacts, messages, gallery, notes).
3. Wait until the download is complete (progress is displayed in the same menu).
4. On your computer, go to i.mi.com and log in.
5. Select a section (such as Gallery) and click Download All.

To download large amounts of data (for example, the entire gallery), it is recommended to use Mi Cloud for PC, a desktop application that automates the process, and it is available on the official Xiaomi website in the Support section.

⚠️ Warning: If you reset your phone to factory settings before downloading data from the Mi Cloud, file access will be lost.Always save backup to your PC first!

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Mi Cloud is the only way to save SMS and a call log without root rights. Other methods (including: ADB) require additional adjustments.

5. Method 4: Use ADB Full backup (for advanced ones)

ADB (Android Debug Bridge is an Android debugging tool that allows you to create full backups, including application data and system settings. The method is suitable for experienced users, as it requires working with the command line.

Advantages ADB backup:

• 🔧 Stores application data (such as game progress or WhatsApp settings).
• 📱 It works without root rights (unlike Titanium Backup).
• 🔄 Restores data to a new phone with the same version of Android.

Instructions for creating a backup through ADB:

1. Install. ADB PC: Download Google's Platform Tools. Unpack the archive into a folder C:\adb. Add a path to the folder to the environment variable PATH (convenienceally).

Connect the phone.

USB debugging

Open the command line.

adb devices

Make sure the device is displayed in the list.

Launch backup creation

adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f C:\backup.ab

where -f C:\backup.ab — path and file name of backup.

Confirm on your phone.

Create a backup copy

The.ab file can be restored to another phone using the command:

adb restore C:\backup.ab

Please note that not all applications support recovery through ADB. For example, WhatsApp or Telegram data will have to be restored separately.

6. Method 5: Transfer data through Google Account and third-party services

If you use Google services, some of the data is already synced automatically.

• 📇 Contacts (via Google Contacts).
• 📅 Calendar and Notes (Google Keep).
• 📷 Photos (if sync is enabled in Google Photos).
• 🎮 Data from some games (via Google Play Games).

To download this data on PC:

1. Go to Google Takeout.
2. Select services for export (e.g. Contacts, Google Photos).
3. Specify the archive format (.zip or.tgz) and the delivery method (link to download or send to Google Drive).
4. Wait for the notification of readiness and download the archive.

For the transfer of messages (SMS/MMS) use the app SMS Backup & Restore:

• Install it from Google Play.
• Create a backup in.xml format.
• Copy the file on the PC through USB cloud.

For WhatsApp and Telegram, use the built-in chat export features:

• WhatsApp: ⋮ → Settings → chat → Backup (saves to Google Drive).
• In Telegram: Choose a chat → ⋮ → Chat export (saves to.json or.html).

7. Comparison of methods: which way to choose?

Each of these methods has its pros and cons, and below is a comparison table that will help you decide on the choice:

For most users, the best solution is the combination of Mi. PC Suite (for system data) and manual copying USB (If you need to save application data (e.g., game progress), use ADB Titanium Backup (requires root).

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For maximum reliability, use two methods at once, such as copying files by USB And you can create a backup in Mi Cloud, which will protect your data in case one of the ways fails.

8. Frequent errors and their solution

When you dump data from Xiaomi to your PC, users often face typical problems, and here are the most common ones and how to fix them:

• 🚫 Phone is not computer-defined: Check the cable - use the original from Xiaomi. Update the drivers through Device Manager (Windows). USB-port (preferably 3.0) Enable Developer Mode and activate Debugging by USB.
• ⚠️ Mi PC Suite gives you an error "Unconnected": Reinstall the program from the official website. Disable the antivirus (it can block the connection). Check if synchronization with Mi Account on the phone is enabled.
• 🐢 Slow transfer of files over USB: Use the port. USB 3.0 (blue). Turn off the others. USB-Archive files before copying (e.g., through a computer) 7-Zip).
• 🔒 ADB Does not see the device: Make sure that the debugging is USB Run adb kill-server, then adb start-server. Check that the phone is not in Charging Only mode.

If none of these methods work, try alternative programs like Dr.Fone, MobileTrans, or Syncios, which are paid, but often work where standard tools are powerless.

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When copying large files (e.g. video) 4K) the process is interrupted, break them into pieces using the HJSplit program or the WinRAR archiver (option "Separate into volumes").

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions