How to make a copy of Xiaomi smartphone: 3 proven ways to save all data

Losing data on a smartphone is one of the most frustrating situations a user can face. Photos, correspondence, saved passwords and application settings often have value that cannot be restored. Xiaomi smartphones based on MIUI offer several built-in backup tools, but not all users know how to use them correctly. Moreover, standard methods do not always cover 100% of data - for example, some system settings or application cache files can be ignored.

In this article, we’ll look at three main ways to backup your Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices: through built-in MIUI features, through Google services, and through custom TWRP recovery (for advanced users), and how to recover data from the backup and what nuances are important to consider to avoid losses. If you plan to reset your phone to factory settings, flash it or just want to be safe, this guide will help you get it right.

1. backup through MIUI Backup

The easiest and most affordable way is to use the built-in MIUI Backup tool, which allows you to save most of your user data, including:

• 📱 Contacts and call log
• 📸 Photos and videos (unless you use Google Photos)
• 📱 Communications (SMS/MMS)
• ⚙️ System settings (wallpaper, sounds, network parameters)
• 🎮 Data from some applications (not all!)

To create a backup:

1. Open Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Click Create Backup and select categories of data to save.
3. Specify the storage location: internal memory or microSD card (recommended).
4. Wait until the process is complete (it can take 5-20 minutes depending on the amount of data).

The backup file will have the.mbk extension and will be saved in the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder, which can be copied to a PC or cloud for added security.

⚠️ Attention: Built-in backup MIUI does not store installed applications (.apk), their cache and data of some side programs (for example, games or instant messengers.

Battery charge > 50%|Free space on the device > 1GB|Memory optimizers are disabled (if any)|Backup files copied to cloud/PC-->

2. Copying data through Google Account

If you use Google services, some of the data is automatically synced to the cloud, and this is convenient because the backup is created in the background and is available on any device after authorization, to enable sync:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts → Google → [your account].
2. Activate the switches opposite Contacts, Calendar, Google Drive and other necessary services.
3. To back up applications and their data, enable Settings → System → Backup → Backup to Google Drive.

Advantages of the method:

• ☁️ Automatic backup update when connecting to Wi-Fi.
• 🔄 Recovery of a new Android device (not just Xiaomi).
• 📱 Keeping a list of installed applications (but not their data!).

Limitations:

• 🚫 Photos and videos are synced only through Google Photos (settings are separate).
• 🚫 Communications SMS No saving (use Google Messages for backup).
• 🚫 System settings MIUI (Wallpaper, sounds) not recovering.

3. Complete backup via TWRP (for advanced)

If you need to save your entire smartphone file system, including system partitions, kernel, and application data, the only reliable way is to use custom TWRP recovery. This method requires unlocking the bootloader and installing TWRP, which voids the warranty and can lead to problems with incorrect actions.

Advantages of TWRP:

• 🛠️ Save all partitions (including boot, system, data).
• 🔄 Restore to another device (with the same model).
• 📱 Support for backup compression and encryption.

Instructions for creating a backup in TWRP:

1. Install TWRP for your Xiaomi model (see instructions on XDA Developers or 4PDA).
2. Load into Recovery Mode: Turn off the phone, then press Power + Volume up.
3. In the TWRP menu, select Backup.
4. Check the boxes for Boot, System, Data (minimum).
5. Select a save location (recommended by MicroSD or OTG-flash-drive).
6. Click Swipe to Back Up and wait until it is finished.

⚠️ Attention: Backup through TWRP It takes up a lot of space (10-30 GB depending on the model), don't just store it on the device's internal memory, because if you reset or break it, the data will be lost. Always copy the backup to an external drive or PC.

4 Manual copying of important data on PC

Even if you use automatic backup methods, manually copying critical files to your computer is still the most reliable way.

• 📁 Personal documents (.pdf,.docx,.xlsx).
• 🎵 Music and video (unless synced to the cloud).
• 📂 Folders. DCIM (Photo/video), Downloads, WhatsApp/Media.
• 🔑 Password files (if you store them locally).

How to copy files:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC through USB-cable (select File Transfer Mode in the Notification Curtain).
2. Open Windows/macOS Explorer and go to the device’s internal memory.
3. Copy the desired folders to the hard disk of the computer.
4. For hidden files (such as application configs), enable the display of hidden elements in the Explorer settings.

Tip: Use programs like AirDroid or Send Anywhere to transfer files over Wi-Fi without cable, which is convenient for regular backup of small amounts of data.

💡

Check file integrity before copying! Open some photos or documents on your PC to make sure they are not corrupted. Sometimes, when you transfer them over USB, you get read errors.

5 How to recover data from the backup

The recovery process depends on the method by which the backup was created. Let's look at each case:

Important: If you are restoring data to a new device, log in to the same Mi or Google account that was used for the backup first, which will make it easier to sync.

6. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even if you follow instructions correctly, users often encounter problems, and here are the most common mistakes and solutions.

If some data is missing after recovery, check:

• MIUI compatibility (backup with MIUI 14 may not be restored correctly on MIUI 13)
• Updates for applications (some programs require re-authorization)
• Access rights (for example, permission to access Contacts may be required to restore contacts).

💡

Create backups regularly, at least once a month, especially before upgrading your firmware, resetting your settings, or selling your device.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions