How to make a backup on Xiaomi Redmi: the complete guide

Xiaomi and Redmi are famous for their functionality, but the MIUI or HyperOS operating system sometimes requires radical measures: flashing or resetting to factory settings. At such moments, the issue of personal data security comes to the fore. Losing photos, correspondence in messengers or contact list can be a real disaster for any user.

Creating a full copy of information, or backup, is a must before any interference with the software part of the device, a step that many device owners neglect, relying on the cloud, which often syncs not everything they need, and in this article we will discuss in detail all the available ways to save data on Xiaomi smartphones.

There are several methods, from built-in system tools to using third-party software on the computer. The choice of the specific method depends on what you want to save and how deeply you plan to interfere with the system, we will look at the pros and cons of each option so that you can choose the best one for your situation.

Use of the built-in Mi Cloud

The easiest and most integrated way to do this is through Mi Cloud, which allows you to synchronize key data with your company's servers, making it available even if you lose or break your smartphone, and you'll need a Mi Account to work with it.

To activate sync, go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud. Here you will see a list of data categories available for saving. The system will offer to save contacts, messages, notes, voice recorder, Wi-Fi settings and even desktop layout.

⚠️ Warning: Free space in the Mi Cloud is limited to 5 GB. If you have a lot of high-resolution photos, this space may not be enough, and sync will stop.

It is important to understand that Mi Cloud does not create a complete copy of the system (firmware image), but only synchronizes individual data types, which means that installed applications and their data (cache, logins in games) will not be saved unless the application developer has provided separate synchronization.

To automate the process, enable the option "Sync over Wi-Fi" to prevent mobile traffic from being consumed when you update your backups. Check sync status regularly to ensure that your server is up to date.

Local backup to a memory card or storage

The second built-in tool is to create a local backup, which, unlike the cloud, stores data directly to the phone's memory or to the connected device. SD-This is ideal for those who do not trust their data to third-party servers or do not have a stable Internet connection.

To start the process, open Settings → About Phone → Backup and Restore. Here, the system will prompt you to create a new backup, and you can choose what to save: system data, apps, music, pictures, videos and documents.

Special attention should be paid to the app section. When selecting the Apps option, you can point out the specific programs that you need to save, but it is worth remembering that for some banking applications and instant messengers (such as WhatsApp), this method may not work fully due to Android security limitations.

Once the process is complete, the backup file will be saved via MIUI/backup/AllBackup. It is critical to copy this folder to your computer or external hard drive immediately after creation. If you reset the phone without saving this file separately, it will be irretrievably lost along with the rest of the data.

Synchronization through Google Account

Google’s ecosystem is the standard for Android, and it’s not something you can ignore when you build a backup on Xiaomi, and it’s especially good for saving contacts, calendar events, Chrome passwords, and installed app lists.

Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google. Make sure the switches opposite Contacts, Calendar, Drive and Photos are active. Unlike Mi Cloud, here data is tied to your inbox, making it easy to restore it to any other Android smartphone just by logging in to your account.

Google Photos is a special feature, which allows you to create unlimited (compressed) or high-quality (placed in Google Drive) storage for your photos. By enabling autoload, you can rest assured of your photo archive.

Using the Mi Account and Google Account bundle provides dual protection for the most important data, and as long as you remember passwords from these accounts, you can quickly restore the basic functionality of the phone after you buy a new device or reset.

Backup of messengers: WhatsApp and Telegram

Messengers store the most valuable information, which is correspondence. Standard backup methods often fail to properly store the history of messages due to encryption, so WhatsApp, Viber and Telegram have their own internal mechanisms.

WhatsApp needs to go to Settings → Chats → Chat Backup. Here you can select the automatic copy creation frequency and Google Drive account where they will go. Local WhatsApp copies are stored in the Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Databases folder and also require manual copying on your PC for complete security.

⚠️ Note: When you restore WhatsApp on a new phone, the phone number must be exactly the same as the device where the backup was created.

Telegram works differently: all the history of correspondence is stored on the messenger servers. You just need to install the application and log in, save secret chats (which are not stored in the cloud) and settings of the application if it is critical.

For Viber, the process is similar to WhatsApp: back up through the app’s settings by selecting Google Drive. Be sure to check that the copy has been successfully created and takes up current space.

Use of Mi PC Suite and third-party programs

For users who prefer to keep things under control, there are software for PCs. The official Mi PC Suite (or its Chinese version) allows you to create complete images of the system. However, it can be capricious and does not always work correctly with new models of smartphones.

A more versatile and modern solution is to use tools from XiaomiTool V2. It is a free, open source program that supports a huge number of Xiaomi and Redmi devices. It can do a backup of the Data partition that includes all the applications and their data.

The process of working with XiaomiTool V2 is as follows:

• 📱 Connect your phone to your computer through USB-cable.
• 💻 Run the program on PC and wait for the device definition.
• 🔒 Allow debugging on USB smartphone-screen.
• 💾 Select "Backup" and click "Start Backup".

This method requires USB debugging enabled. To activate it, go to Settings → About Phone and 7 times click on the MIUI version to become a developer. Then, in advanced settings, turn on the desired switch.

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Use the original. USB-A cable or a high-quality analogue with thick wires. Cheap charging cables may not provide stable data transfer, which will lead to an error in creating a backup.

Data recovery and typical problems

Once a backup is created, it's important to be able to restore it properly. The process depends on the method you choose. For cloud services, it's easy to log in to an account on a new device. Local copies require a file manager.

If you used a built-in Xiaomi tool, then when you initially set up the phone (after resetting), the system will itself suggest recovering data from the backup found. If the phone is already configured, go to Settings → About Phone → Reservation and Restore → Mobile device and select the desired date.

Backups made on Android 11 may not recover properly on Android 13, especially for system settings and some applications, in which case it is recommended to restore only personal files and contacts, and install the applications again.

⚠️ Warning: Never interrupt the recovery process. If the phone runs out or the cable goes off at this point, the file system may be damaged, resulting in the loss of not only the data being recovered, but also the system's health.

If standard methods don’t work, you can try transferring the AllBackup folder from your computer back to your phone’s memory (to the root or to the phone’s memory). SD-And then you start the recovery through the settings menu, which is a manual method that often saves the day.

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Regularity is a key to security. Do a full backup at least once a month or before any system upgrade.

Questions and Answers (FAQ)