Xiaomi phone: How to save all data without errors

Why you need a backup and what happens if you don’t make it

Imagine if your Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5 Pro suddenly stopped turning on after a crash, or you decided to flash your device through Fastboot, but something went wrong. Without a backup, you would lose not only your last vacation photos, but also SMS with confirmation codes, call history, app settings, and even game progress. It would be impossible to recover this — cloud services like Google Drive or Mi Cloud save far from everything.

According to Xiaomi statistics, 68% of users lose data when resetting or updating firmware precisely because of the lack of backup. while full copy through MIUI Backup takes no more than 15 minutes and does not require root rights. In this article, we will analyze all working methods, from standard tools to advanced methods using ADB and custom TWRP.

Important: if you plan to sell your phone, take it for repair or sew through EDL, The backup should include not only user data, but also a section NVRAM (stored IMEI and MAC-This is in the section on SP Flash Tool.

Method 1: Standard backup with MIUI Backup

The simplest method that works on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones with MIUI 12+ firmware.

  • 📱 Contacts, SMS and Call History
  • 📷 Photos and videos (except screenshots from some games)
  • ⚙️ System and application settings
  • 🎮 These games (if they support Google Play Games)

How to do this:

  1. Open Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
  2. Click Create a backup and select the data to save (we recommend marking everything except the Cache applications).
  3. The location of the storage: internal memory or SD-card (if supported).
  4. Confirm backup. It'll take 5 to 30 minutes depending on the amount of data.

Battery charge > 50%|Free disk space > 2GB|Optimizers are disabled (for example, Greenify)|All applications closed.-->

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

⚠️ Attention: MIUI Backup does not retain:

  • 🔐 Wi-Fi passwords (they will have to be re-entered)
  • 📂 Files in Download folders, DCIM/Camera (They need to be copied manually)
  • 🤖 Data from applications that do not support reservations (for example, some banking programs)

Method 2: Cloud backup via Mi Cloud

If you’re afraid of losing your phone with a local copy, use Xiaomi’s Mi Cloud, which is free of charge for 5GB, which is enough for contacts, notes and a portion of photos, and you’ll have to buy an extra space for a full backup (from 100GB for ~300 rubles a year).

How to set up:

  1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
  2. Enable synchronization for the desired data (required: Contacts, Notes, Bookmarks).
  3. To back up applications and settings, activate Device Backup.
  4. Click Create a backup and wait until it is completed.
📊 How often do you make backup copies?
Once a week.
Once a month
Just before the firmware.
Never.

Advantages of Mi Cloud:

  • 🔄 Automatic synchronization when connecting to Wi-Fi
  • 🌍 Access data from any device via the web version
  • 🔒 Encryption of transmitted data

Disadvantages:

  • 📉 Volume limit (5GB is little for a full backup)
  • 🚫 Some apps (such as WhatsApp) are not backed up in the Mi Cloud)
  • 🐢 Slow loading in case of poor internet

⚠️ Warning: If you reset your phone to factory settings without a Mi Account attached, it will be impossible to recover data from Mi Cloud. log in first! Method 3: Full backup via TWRP (For advanced ones: If you need to save all firmware, including system partitions, use custom Recovery TWRP. This method requires an unlocked bootloader and is suitable for: 🛠️ Firmware experiments 🔧 Recovery from “bricking" 📱 Transfer data to another Xiaomi with the same model Instructions: Install TWRP For your model (download on the official website) Download to the recavator: turn off the phone, then pinch the power. + Volume up. Go to Backup. Check all sections (Boot, System, Data, EFS — last IMEI!). Select a place of preservation (recommended) SD-map OTG-Swipe to start the backup. What's a section? EFS Why do you need to back up? section EFS (Encrypted File System: Stores your phone’s unique data: - IMEI (device identifier) - MAC-Wi-Fi and Bluetooth addresses - Module serial numbers (e.g. camera) - Sensor calibration data If this partition is damaged, the phone will lose connection to the network (no cellular or Wi-Fi catching). TWRP: Load to the receptacles. Go to Restore and select the backup you want. Mark the partitions to recover (e.g., Data only if the firmware crashes). Swipe to confirm. Section What Stores Need to Backup Boot Core and bootloader Yes (for recovery after firmware) System Firmware and system applications Yes (if you plan to return to the current version) Data User data and settings EFS IMEI, MAC-Vendor Drivers and proprietary libraries are desirable (for compatibility) 💡Backup through TWRP — The only way to save a partition EFS, which is not reserved for standard means MIUI. Method 4: Backup copy through ADB (without root, if you don't TWRP, But there's a computer, you can backup through ADB (Android Debug Bridge: This method doesn’t require unlocking the bootloader, but only copies user data (/data). What's the matter: 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB-driver 📱 Included debugging by USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 once) → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB) 🔌 Cable USB (Preferably original) Backup commands: adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f C:\backup.ab Decoding of flags: -apk — reserve APK-file -obb — play-cash -shared — file SD-map -all — all applications and data -f — Once you enter the command, you will receive a confirmation request on your phone, allow the backup and enter the password (if required). The backup.ab file will be saved on your computer. To recover the data: adb restore C:\backup.ab 1. Reconnect the cable to another USB-port (preferably) 2.0). 2. In Device Manager, update the driver for your Xiaomi. 3. Execute Adb kill-server, then Adb start-server.--> Method 5: Cloning a Data partition through SP Flash Tool (for Mediatek) If your Xiaomi is running on a Mediatek processor (for example, Redmi) 9A or POCO M3), can be used SP Flash Tool to create a complete Data partition image: 🔄 You need to transfer the data to another phone with the same model. 🛠️ Restore your phone after a major failure 📱 You sell the device and want to completely erase the data (after creating the image) SP Flash Tool and firmware for your model (e.g., xiaomifirmwareupdater.com). Unpack the firmware and find the scatter.txt file (it describes the memory structure of the phone). SP Flash Tool, download scatter.txt and go to the Readback tab. Add a new region: enter the title (such as UserData) and the section address USERDATA from scatter.txt. Press Read Back, connect the phone turned off to your computer (no battery if removable). Wait until it is completed, the partition image will be saved as a file.img. ⚠️ Note: This method requires caution: - Incorrect addresses in scatter.txt can lead to data corruption. - Image USERDATA It weighs as much as the space on your phone (e.g. 64GB) = 64GB file). - Restore an image to another phone will erase all the data on it! What to do if the backup is not created or is not restored Backup problems on Xiaomi are usually related to: Lack of space - clear internal memory or use SD-With damaged files, try creating a backup in a different format (e.g., via a computer). ADB instead MIUI Mi Cloud errors – check your internet connection or log in again. Blocking the antivirus – temporarily disable the protection (for example, Avast or 360 Security: 🔄 Restart your phone and try again. 📂 Check the integrity of the backup file (for example, by an archiver) 7-Zip). 🔧 For TWRP: Make sure that the Recovery version is compatible with your firmware. 🛠️ If the backup is made on another Xiaomi model, recovery may not be possible due to partition differences. MIUI? Backup files.mbk are archived data. To check their integrity: 1. Rename the extension from.mbk to.zip. 2. Try opening it with the archiver. 3. If the archiver shows an error, the backup is corrupted and you can't restore it. FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi backup Can you backup a locked phone (if you forgot the pattern lock)? No, standard means – can not. Options: If debugging is enabled USB and the phone is recognized by the computer, try the adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key (Delete the pattern lock, but not PIN). For Mediatek: Use it SP Flash Tool in Format All mode + Download (Erase everything, including locking) For Snapdragon: you need EDL-In any case, the data will be lost if there is no backup. TWRP? The volume depends on the model and memory: Boot — ~30–100 MBT System — ~2–4 GB Data is equal to the occupied space (for example, if the 128 GB is occupied. 50 GB, backup will be. ~50 GB) EFS — ~10–50 MB Total: for the phone with 64 GB of memory and fullness on 70% need ~40–50 GB SD-Can we recover the backup? MIUI - On another Xiaomi model. You can rebuild it: 📱 Contacts, SMS, notes (if synced with Mi Cloud or Google) 📷 Photos and videos (if copied manually) can not be restored: ⚙️ System settings (different firmware) 🎮 Application data (due to version incompatibility) 📡 IMEI How to transfer backup from Xiaomi to iPhone? There is no direct way, but you can: copy photos / videos via Google Photos or a computer. Export contacts to.vcf and upload to iCloud. Move music through iTunes or streaming services. Apps and their data cannot be moved, they are incompatible between Android and iOS: MIUI Titanium Backup: Titanium Backup is more powerful, but requires root rights. Comparison: Criterion MIUI Backup Titanium Backup Root rights ❌ Not necessary. ✅ Mandatory Application Reservation ⚠️ Partially (supported only) ✅ Everything, including Automation Data ❌ Only manually. ✅ Timetable, cloud Recovery on another firmware ❌ Often mistakes. ✅ Possibly (with amendments) Conclusion: for most users enough MIUI Titanium Backup is only needed for deep backup with root.