How to copy Android phone to new Xiaomi: a step-by-step guide

Why migrating data to Xiaomi requires a special approach

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but many users face unexpected challenges when trying to migrate data from an old Android device. Unlike the iPhone, where the migration process is standardized through iCloud, the Android ecosystem offers several alternative paths – and not all of them are equally effective for Xiaomi devices.

The main problem lies in the firmware MIUI: it modifies standard Android mechanisms, adding its own services (for example, Mi Cloud) and limiting the work of some universal tools. For example, Samsung’s Smart Switch feature may not recognize the Redmi Note 12 as a compatible device, and the standard Android Backup Service does not always correctly restore the MIUI settings. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven methods of data transfer that take into account the features of Xiaomi phones, from the official Mi Mover to manual copying via ADB.

It’s also important to understand what data you need: contacts and SMS are easily transferred through a Google Account, but saving games or settings Always On Display will require other tools, and we’ve compiled a method comparison table so you can choose the best option without wasting time.

Method 1: Mi Mover – official solution from Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a proprietary application from Xiaomi designed to migrate data between devices to MIUI. It is pre-installed on all new smartphones of the brand (starting with MIUI 9) and supports the transfer of most types of data, including:

• 📞 Contacts and call log
• 💬 Communications (SMS/MMS)
• 📷 Photos and videos (including Google Photos albums)
• 🎵 Music and audio files
• 📁 Documents (PDF, DOC, XLS etc.)
• 🎮 Data from certain games (if the game supports) MIUI Backup)

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

1. On the new Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select the option “Data Transfer” (if the phone is already configured, find the Mi Mover app in the menu).
2. On your old phone, install Mi Mover from Google Play (if it’s not on the system).
3. Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network or use an access point (on your old phone).
4. On the new Xiaomi, select “I am the sender” and on the old one, “I am the recipient.”
5. Scan it. QR-code from the screen of a new phone with an old device.
6. Select data types to transfer and confirm the start of the process.

⚠️ Note: If your old phone has custom firmware installed (like LineageOS), Mi Mover may not recognize it as a compatible device.

Charge both phones at least 50% |

Make sure the new Xiaomi has enough memory |

Disable VPNs and firewalls |

Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network (5GHz is preferred)|

Close background applications on both devices-->

The speed of the transfer depends on the amount of data and the stability of the connection. On average, 30 GB of photos and videos are copied in 20-40 minutes.

• 🔄 Reboot both phones.
• 📶 Switch to a mobile hotspot instead of Wi-Fi.
• 🗃️ Transfer data in parts (for example, first contacts, then media files).

Method 2: Google Account – Universal but Incomplete Transfer

Syncing through Google Account is the easiest way to migrate basic data, but it has limitations. Xiaomi integrates Google services into MIUI, so this method works stably, however, not all settings and files will be copied.

What is automatically transferred:

• 📇 Contacts (if saved in Google Contacts).
• 📅 Calendars and reminders.
• 📧 Letters and settings Gmail.
• 📱 Some system settings (language, date/time, Wi-Fi network).
• 🎮 Progress in games (if the games support Google Play Games).

What's NOT tolerable:

• 💬 SMS and MMS (a separate application is required, for example SMS Backup & Restore).
• 📷 Full resolution photos and videos (only thumbnails for Google Photos).
• 🔊 Settings of sound, vibration, gestures MIUI.
• 📁 Download files and documents.

Synchronization instructions:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Accounts → Google and enable sync for all the data you need.
2. On the new Xiaomi, sign in to the same Google account when you set up.
3. Wait for the synchronization to be completed (it can take up to an hour depending on the amount of data).
4. To transfer photos in full resolution, install Google Photos and enable backup.

💡

If after synchronization contacts are not displayed, check in Settings → Annexes → Contacts → Contact Storage – Google Account should be selected there, not Google Account SIM-map.

The main drawback of this method is the limit on the amount of free storage (15 GB per account), if you have a lot of photos or videos, you either have to pay for additional space or use other methods.

Mi Mover|

Google Account|

OTG/PC| cable

Cloud services (Yandex Disk, Dropbox)|

Manual file transfer-->

Method 3: OTG Cable or Adapter – Direct File Transfer

If you don’t have Wi-Fi or want to move data as quickly as possible, you can use an OTG cable (or a USB-C to USB-C adapter for modern Xiaomi), a method that is suitable for copying large files — photos, videos, music and documents — but does not carry applications and settings.

You'll need:

• 🔌 Cable OTG (for older models with Micro-USB or adapter USB-C to USB-C (For the Redmi Note 11/12/13, Xiaomi 13/14).
• 📱 File Manager (e.g. Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your old phone to the new Xiaomi via cable/adapter.
2. On the new phone, in the notification that appears, select "File Transfer" (or "USB-drive").
3. Open the file manager and go to the section "USB-The device is the memory of an old phone).
4. Copy the right folders (DCIM for photo, download, etc.) to internal memory or SD-Map of the new Xiaomi.

⚠️ Note: When copying the WhatsApp folder, don’t forget to also transfer the file. msgstore.db.crypt14 from /storage/emulated/0/WhatsApp/Databases/, Otherwise, the chat history will not be restored.

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Maximum transfer speed (up to 40 MB/s when used) USB 3.0).
• 🔒 No dependence on the Internet.
• 📁 Only the necessary files can be selectively copied.

Disadvantages:

• 🚫 Applications and their data are not portable.
• 🔌 Additional cable/adapter required.
• 📂 You need to manually search for folders with the necessary data.

Method 4: Cloud Services – Yandex Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive

If you have slow internet or no OTG cable, you can upload the data to the cloud and then download it to the new Xiaomi, which is universal, but it takes time and free space in the cloud.

Comparison of popular services:

Instructions for transferring through Yandex Disk:

1. On your old phone, install Yandex Drive and log in to your account.
2. Upload the files to the cloud (you can select DCIM, Download, etc.).
3. On the new Xiaomi, install the same app and download the files.
4. To speed up the process, use Settings → Network & Internet → Modem Modem and connect the new phone to your PC via USB, then upload files from your PC to the cloud.

To transfer SMS and call logs through the cloud, use specialized applications:

• 📱 SMS Backup & Restore (Saves) SMS into XML Google Drive).
• 📞 Call Logs Backup & Restore (exporting call log to the Internet) CSV).

Method 5: Manual transfer via ADB (for power users)

If you need to migrate applications along with their data (e.g. save games, customize apps), you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires command-line skills, but allows you to copy even data that is not portable in standard ways.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 🔌 USB-cable.
• 📱 Included Debugging by USB on both phones (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to Settings → Additionally. → For developers).

Transfer commands:

Connect your old phone and do:


adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab




Turn off the old phone, connect the new one and do:



adb restore backup.ab

Limitations of the method:

• 🚫 Not all applications support backup through ADB (especially banking and some games).
• 🔒 Developer rights are required.
• ⚠️ On the new versions MIUI (MIUI 14+) Access to some system data may be blocked.

💡

ADB is the only way to migrate application data that is not synced through the cloud (such as local notes or launcher settings), but it does not guarantee 100% success for all applications.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

To make the choice easier, we have compiled a table with the pros and cons of each method:

Selection recommendations:

• 📱 If you have a new Xiaomi and an old Android 8 phone+ → Use the Mi Mover.
• 🌐 If you only need contacts, mail and calendars → Google Accounts are enough.
• 📁 If you need to transfer a lot of photos / videos → cable OTG cloud.
• 🎮 If it is important to save games and application settings → ADB hand-back.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When you move data, you often have typical problems, and here are the most common ones and the ways you can solve them:

1. Mi Mover doesn't see the old phone, because it's different versions of MIUI or custom firmware. Solution: Update the Mi Mover on both devices or use an alternative method.
2. Photos moved but not displayed in the gallery Reason: Xiaomi Gallery (Mi Gallery) has not scanned the new files. Solution: go to Settings → Apps → Gallery → Memory and click "Clear Cache".
3. Apps moved but didn't work The reason: no data or version incompatibility Solution: Update apps via Google Play or migrate data via ADB.
4. There is no room for the new Xiaomi: MIUI It's a system-based system-based system-based system-based system. SD-map or use the settings → Memory. → Cleaning to remove unnecessary data.

⚠️ Note: If you are migrating data from your iPhone to Xiaomi, use the Move to iOS app in reverse order: first install it on Xiaomi, then follow the instructions!

FAQ: Answers to popular questions