Xiaomi backup in Google: how to save all data without loss

Losing contacts, photos or messages due to a Xiaomi phone reset can be a disaster. Fortunately, Google offers a built-in backup solution that works on all of the brand’s smartphones, from budget Redmi to flagship Xiaomi 14. But how to set up this process to avoid losing important data? In this article, we will analyze all the nuances of creating a backup through Google Account on devices with MIUI, including hidden settings and typical user errors.

Many Xiaomi owners mistakenly believe that synchronization with Mi Cloud completely replaces reservation in Google. In practice, these services complement each other: Mi Cloud better saves system settings and notes, and Google Drive works more reliably with contacts, calendar and application data. We will show how to combine both methods to maximize the protection of information, even if you use Xiaomi on Android 13/14 with the MIUI 14/15 shell.

Why Google Backup is More Secure Than Mi Cloud

Xiaomi’s Mi Cloud service has a 5GB free storage limit for new accounts (previously 10GB), while Google Drive provides 15GB immediately after registration.

• 🔄 Cross-platform: Data from Google is easy to recover on any Android device, not even from Xiaomi (for example, when switching to Samsung or Pixel).
• 📱 App sync: Google saves the settings of most programs (including WhatsApp, Telegram and games), while Mi Cloud only works with system data.
• 🔒 Security: Two-factor authentication is more reliable in Google than Mi Account, where vulnerabilities are common (e.g. data breaches in 2022).
• ⚡ Recovery speed: When you first turn on a new Xiaomi, data from Google is automatically downloaded, while Mi Cloud requires manual recovery.

However, Google has its downsides: it doesn’t save SMS/MMS and call logs on default MIUI devices, which will require additional configuration, and some apps (such as Xiaomi Gallery) can block the backup of media files to Google’s cloud.

Preparing Xiaomi smartphone for backup

Before creating a backup, you need to follow several critical steps to avoid synchronization errors, starting with checking your account and settings:

1. Add a Google Account (if not): Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Add an account → Google.
2. Update Google Services: Go to Google Play → Profile → Device Management and check for updates for Google Play Services.
3. Clear the cache of the Google Drive app: Settings → Apps → App management → Drive → Storage → Clear the cache.

Pay special attention to permissions: on MIUI, some redundancy functions are blocked by default.

1. Go to Settings → Privacy → Special Permissions → Auto Run and enable it for Google Drive and Google Photos.
2. In the same menu, check App Permissions in the background and add Google Play Services.

If you use Xiaomi with an unlocked bootloader or custom firmware, backup to Google may not work smoothly, in which case we recommend temporarily returning stock MIUI or using alternative methods (for example, adb backup).

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI Global and MIUI China's reservation process may be different. If you have a Chinese firmware version, switch region to Settings first. → Additionally. → Regions on "Russia" or "Europe" or some menu items will not be available.

Step-by-step: how to make a Xiaomi backup in Google

Now, let's get to the process. On Xiaomi with MIUI 14/15, the algorithm is a little different from pure Android, so follow the instructions carefully:

1. Open your backup settings: Go to Settings → Google → Backup. If this is not the case, update Google Play Services or reset your Google Account settings (see spoiler below).
2. Enable backup: Activate the Backup switch in Google Drive and select your account. The system will prompt you to choose which data to save - leave all the ticks.
3. Manually start the process: Click Create Backup Now. On Xiaomi, this process can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours depending on the amount of data.

After completing the backup, check it in Google Drive:

1. Open the Google Drive app on your phone or go to drive.google.com.
2. In the menu on the left, select Backups – there should appear a file with your Xiaomi name and date of creation.

If the backup doesn't show up, check:

• 🔌 Wi-Fi connection (mobile internet can block large files from downloading).
• 🔋 Battery level (by MIUI The charge is suspended when the charge is below 20%).
• 📱 Free space in Google Drive (delete unnecessary files if the limit is exceeded).

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If the backup is 0% down, try disabling the VPN or proxy server, and on some Xiaomi firmware, they block access to Google servers.

What data is saved in a Google backup on Xiaomi

Not all of your Xiaomi data is automatically backed up, and the table below is a complete list of what is saved and what needs to be manually configured:

On Xiaomi with MIUI 15, Google’s backup does not save lock screen settings, gestures and Always-On Display settings – they will have to be manually configured after recovery, and files from the MIUI/Theme folder and data from some system applications (for example, Mi Fit or Xiaomi Community) are not synchronized.

For a full backup, we recommend combining Google Drive with local reservation via Settings. → The phone. → Backup and reset → Local backup. This will create a file on internal memory or SD-A map that can be copied to a PC.

How to Recover Data from Google Backup on Xiaomi

Backup recovery is automatically done when you first turn on your phone after you reset, but if you missed this step or want to return data selectively, follow this instruction:

1. Phone Reset (if required): Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Reset. Select Delete All Data.
2. Setup when you first turn on: On the welcome screen, select Copy Data → From Cloud Storage → Google. Enter your account details.
3. Selective Restore: If your phone is already set up, go to Settings → Google → Backup and click Restore (not available on all firmware).

Xiaomi with MIUI 14/15 may experience a "failed to restore backup" error.

• 🔄 Restart your phone and try again.
• 📶 Connect to another Wi-Fi network (sometimes the lock is due to the provider).
• 🔧 Install the latest version of Google Play Services via APKMirror if the update is not available through the Play Market.

⚠️ Note: If you are restoring backup on Xiaomi with another model (e.g., with Redmi Note 12 on Xiaomi) 13T), Some settings (such as camera or sensor settings) may not work properly, in which case, after recovery, reset the camera settings to Settings. → Annexes → Camera. → Warehouse → Clear the data.

Common mistakes and their solutions

Even with the right setup, Xiaomi users often face backup issues, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

• 🚫 "Backup is not completed": Reason: Background activity restriction on MIUI. Solution: Add Google Drive to Settings → Battery and productivity → Battery consumption management → Applications without restrictions.
• 🔒 "Not enough space in Google Drive: Remove old backups of other devices or buy extra space (from 100GB for 139) ₽/To find old copies, go to the backup section of Google Drive.
• ⚠️ "Contacts are not synchronized: Check that in Contacts → Settings → Contact management selected Save to: Google, not Device or SIM-map.
• 📱 "Phone does not see backup": Make sure you use the same Google Account as when you created backup. If the account is changed, the copy will not be available.

If none of the solutions worked, try an alternative method:

1. Download the backup to your PC via Google Takeout.
2. Transfer files to Xiaomi via USB-cable.
3. Use apps like Swift Backup for manual recovery.

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On Xiaomi with MIUI, Google backup can be blocked by the battery optimizer. Always add Google Drive to your app list without restrictions!

Alternative ways to backup for Xiaomi

If Google Drive doesn’t work for you for some reason, consider these options:

• 🖥️ Local backup through MIUI: Go to Settings. → The phone. → Backup and reset → Local backup. The file will be stored in internal memory (MIUI/backup/AllBackup).
• ☁️ Mi Cloud: 5GB storage, but well integrated with MIUI. Included in Settings → Mi Account. → Mi Cloud → Backup of the device.
• 💻 ADB Backup (for advanced users): Connect Xiaomi to your PC, enable Debugging by USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 once) and execute the command: adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab
• 📁 TWRP Recovery: Requires an unlocked bootloader, allows you to create a complete image of the system, including: /data and /system.

For automatic backup of photos and videos, the best solution is Google Photos:

1. Open the Google Photos app.
2. Click on profile avatar → Photo settings → Backup and synchronization.
3. Turn on the switch and select quality (Original or High).

On Xiaomi with MIUI 14/15, Google Photos can conflict with the standard Gallery. To avoid duplication of photos, turn off autoload to Mi Cloud (Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Gallery).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi backup in Google