How to make a backup on a Xiaomi phone: 5 proven ways

Losing data on a smartphone is one of the most frustrating situations a user can face. Vacation photos, important contacts, messages or app settings can disappear overnight due to a system failure, device theft or accidental factory reset. Xiaomi smartphones based on MIUI offer several built-in backup tools, but many users do not use them - either out of ignorance or out of fear of doing something wrong.

In this article, we’ll take a look at all the current backup methods for Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, from standard MIUI Backup features to cloud services and third-party applications. You’ll learn how to save not only multimedia files, but also SMS, call log, application data and even desktop settings. And we’ll also tell you what mistakes users often make when creating backups and how to avoid them.

Why Xiaomi Backup Is Important: Real Data Loss Cases

According to statistics from service centers, more than 30% of data recovery requests on Xiaomi are due to a lack of backups, and here are the most common scenarios when a backup saves the situation:

• 🔄 Update firmware, even official updates MIUI Sometimes they cause crashes, especially on older models (Redmi Note 5, Mi 8). Without a backup, it is almost impossible to recover data from the brick.
• 💦 Even if the phone turns on after drying, corrosion on the board can lead to data loss after a few months.
• 🔓 Theft or loss: According to Kaspersky, in 2023, every 5th stolen smartphone in Russia was Xiaomi.
• 🧹 Many users make a hard reset before selling, forgetting to save important files.

The data in the internal memory is particularly vulnerable, because it can't be extracted by simply plugging the phone into the computer like a flash drive. SD-Maps where files remain available even after a system reset.

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi models with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip (such as Xiaomi 13 Ultra), data encryption is enabled by default. EDL-regime.

Method 1: Built-in MIUI Backup – How to Make a Full Backup

The easiest and most reliable way to use the built-in MIUI Backup feature is available on all Xiaomi smartphones starting with MIUI 10 and allows you to save:

• 📱 System settings (wallpaper, brightness, sound profiles)
• 📞 Contacts and call logs (including blocked numbers)
• 💬 SMS and MMS (except for multimedia investments)
• 📁 Data from some applications (e.g. Notes, Calendar)

However, this method has limitations:

• ❌ Does not save photos, videos and music (they must be backed separately)
• ❌ Not all third-party applications support redundancy through MIUI
• ❌ Maximum backup size is 2 GB (on some models – 4 GB)

To create a backup through MIUI Backup, follow the following steps:

1. Open Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Click Create a backup and select the data to save.
3. The location of the storage: internal memory or SD-map (recommended).
4. Wait until the process is completed (it can take up to 10-15 minutes).

Battery charge > 50%|Free space on the device > 3GB|Optimizers are disabled (Clean Master, DU Speed Booster)|Phone connected to Wi-Fi (if backup to the cloud)-->

The finished backup will be saved in the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder in.mbk format. To recover data, go to the same settings section and select the backup file.

⚠️ Attention: On models POCO F5 Redmi Note 12 Pro+ when restoring the backup through MIUI You reset your Face Unlock settings. You have to reset them.

Method 2: Cloud backup via Mi Cloud – pros and cons

Mi Cloud is Xiaomi’s official cloud storage, which offers 5GB of free space, enough for backup contacts, notes and basic settings, but not enough for high-resolution photos.

Advantages of Mi Cloud:

• ☁️ Automatic synchronization of contacts and notes
• 🔒 Data protected by two-factor authentication
• 📲 Access from any device via i.mi.com web version

How to set up a cloud backup:

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Sign in or create an account if you don’t already have one.
3. Turn on the switches next to the data you want to sync (contacts, notes, call log).
4. For a full backup, click Device Backup and select Create Backup.

It is important to note that:

• 📸 Photos in Mi Cloud are compressed to resolution 2048×2048 (if you don't subscribe).
• 🕒 Full backup devices can take up to 24 hours on slow internet.
• 🌍 On some models (Xiaomi) 12T, Redmi K50) Cloud backup is not available in regional firmware (for example, for Russia).

Once a week | Once a month | Only before a firmware update | Never done-->

Method 3: Backup to your computer via Mi PC Suite

If you prefer to store backups on your hard drive, the official Mi PC Suite is a good option, and it allows you to create a full copy of the data, including:

• 📂 All internal memory files (except system memory)
• 📱 Settings and applications (with selective recovery option)
• 🔧 System Logs (useful for diagnosing problems)

Instructions for creating a backup through Mi PC Suite:

1. Download and install Mi PC Suite from the official website.
2. Connect your phone to your computer through USB-cable (original cable is recommended).
3. Turn on the phone File Transfer Mode (MTP) (notification will appear when you connect).
4. In the program, select the Backup section and click Create a Backup.
5. Select the data to save and specify the path on the computer.

Advantages of this method:

• 💾 The backup takes up less space than the full copy via adb backup.
• 🔧 You can recover individual applications or files without a complete system rollback.
• 🛡️ Data is encrypted with a password (optional).

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi with unlocked bootloader (Redmi) K40 Gaming, POCO F3) Mi PC The Suite may not recognize the device. In this case, use adb backup (see next section).

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If the Mi PC Suite doesn’t see your Xiaomi, try enabling USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times on the line with the version, then go back to Additional Settings → For Developers).

Method 4: ADB Backup – Full Backup for Advanced Users

For those who are not afraid of the command line, ADB Backup is the most reliable way to create a full backup, including application data and system settings, which works even on devices with a locked bootloader.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original)
• 🛠️ Established ADB and Fastboot

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on the phone Debugging by USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times Press → For developers → Debugging by USB).
2. Connect your phone to your computer and confirm your trust in the device.
3. Open the command line (Win + R → cmd) and type:

adb devices

If the device appears in the list, enter the command to create a backup:

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

Where:

• -apk — retain APK-file
• -obb - includes additional game data
• -shared — file-back SD-map
• -all - all application data
• -f C:\backup_Xiaomi.ab — backup file path and name

On the phone will appear a request for confirmation – set a password (optional) and click Create a backup.

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi with MIUI 14 and newer ADB Backup does not save data from some system applications (such as Themes or Security).

Method 5: Third-party backup applications

If you don't like Xiaomi's built-in tools, you can use third-party apps, and we tested some of the popular solutions and picked the best ones:

For most users, Xiaomi without root rights, Swift Backup or G Cloud Backup are the best choice, the former allowing you to create local copies, and the latter allowing you to automatically upload data to the cloud.

Instructions for Swift Backup:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Provide access to Special Features (required for SMS backup).
3. Select the applications to backup and click Backup.
4. The finished backup will be saved in the SwiftBackup folder on the internal drive.

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi with MIUI 13/14 Swift Backup cannot backup system application data (e.g. Camera or Gallery) without root rights.

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For a full root-free backup, combine the built-in MIUI Backup with cloud services (Mi Cloud + Google Photos) and third-party SMS applications (e.g. SMS Backup & Restore).

Frequent mistakes when creating a backup on Xiaomi

Even experienced users sometimes make mistakes that make backup useless, and here are the most common mistakes and how to avoid them:

• 🔋 Low battery power. If the phone runs out during the backup, the file may get damaged. Always start the process when you charge more than 60%.
• 📶 Instable Internet connection. In cloud backup, interrupted downloads result in incomplete copies. Use Wi-Fi, not mobile Internet.
• 🔐 No password on the backup..ab files (from ADB) and.mbk (from) MIUI) You can easily get out without protection. Always set a password.
• 🗑️ Store the backup only on your phone, and if the device breaks, you lose both the original data and a copy of it.
• 🔄 Ignoring backup checks.Always test recovery on another device or after a reset.

Another common mistake is using outdated firmware versions to restore, for example, if you back up MIUI 12 and restore it to MIUI 14, some of the settings may not apply.

1. Update the firmware to the current version before restoring.
2. Use the Selective Recovery feature in MIUI Backup to avoid conflicts.

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Before selling or resetting your phone, make two backups: one via MIUI Backup (for settings), the second – manually copy the DCIM, Downloads and WhatsApp folders to your PC.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About Xiaomi Backup