Losing contacts, photos or important documents due to a setting reset, phone theft or breakdown is a situation that almost every smartphone owner has faced. Xiaomi offers several built-in backup tools, but not all users are aware of their capabilities and limitations. This article will help you understand how to save data on Redmi, POCO, Black Shark and other brands – from the simplest cloud backup to advanced methods through TWRP or ADB.
We're going to look at not only standard ways through Mi Cloud and local storage, but also alternative solutions for those who want to have full control over their data. Special attention will be paid to the hidden features of MIUI, which allows you to save application settings and system data without root rights. If you have never backed up or want to optimize the process, this is the guide for you.
1. Built-in backup via MIUI
The easiest way to create a backup on Xiaomi is to use the built-in Local Backup feature in MIUI. It is available on all devices of the brand, starting with MIUI 10, and allows you to save:
- 📱 Contacts, messages and call log
- 📁 Photos, video and audio files (optional)
- ⚙️ System settings (Wi-Fi, wallpaper, sound profiles)
- 🎮 Data from some applications (not all!)
To use this feature, go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup. The system will prompt you to select items to save. Note: applications and their data are copied selectively - many programs (such as banking or instant messengers) block access to their files for security reasons.
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If you want to save data from a particular application (such as a game) but it doesn’t appear in the backup list, try manually copying the /Android/data/[packet name] folder through the file manager.
The finished archive is stored in the folder MIUI/backup/AllBackup internal memory or SD-The file can be as large as several gigabytes, so make sure that the device has enough free space. You can recover data through the same settings section, and the system will automatically find the last backup.
⚠️ Note: Restoring from local backup will reset your phone’s current settings to the backup when you create it, which means that any changes made after copying (new contacts, installed apps) will be lost.
2.Mi Cloud Cloud Storage: Pros and Cons
Mi Cloud is Xiaomi's official cloud storage, which offers 5GB of free backup space, a method that is convenient because data is synchronized automatically and accessible from any device, to enable cloud copying:
- Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud
- Sign in or create an account if you don’t have one.
- Select the Backup section and activate the switch
- Set up a list of copied data (contacts, notes, photos, etc.)
The main advantage of Mi Cloud is that it's automatically synchronized, so if you add a new contact, it's almost instantaneously in the cloud, but there are limitations.
- 🚫 There is no way to selectively restore individual elements (only a full backup)
- 📉 5GB free – not enough for a full backup (photos/video take up a lot of space)
- 🔒 Some data (such as Wi-Fi passwords) are not stored for security reasons.
To expand the space, you can buy additional space: 50 GB cost about 100 rubles a month, 200 GB - 300 rubles. Alternatively, use other cloud services (Google Drive, Yandex Disk), but they require manual file downloads.
What to do if Mi Cloud is not synced?
3. Computer Backup (ADB)
For power users who want to gain full control of the backup, the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) method is suitable. This method allows you to save all application data, including those that are usually blocked (for example, saving games).
Instructions for Windows:
- Download and install ADB Tools from Google
- Enable USB Debugging on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times to activate Developer Mode), then Settings → Additional → Developers → Debugging over USB
- Connect your phone to your computer and confirm your trust in the device
- Open the command line in the folder with ADB and type in adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f C:\backup.ab where -apk — preservation APK-file, -obb — play-off, -shared — file SD-map.
The process can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour depending on the amount of data you have, and the backup.ab file you've prepared will be stored on disk C: To recover the data, use the command:
adb restore C:\backup.ab⚠️ Note: Some apps (such as WhatsApp or banking services) encrypt their data and cannot be restored via the service. ADB It's rootless, and it doesn't save system settings. MIUI.
4. Advanced backup via TWRP (for sewers)
If your Xiaomi is unlocked and you have a custom TWRP recap, you can create a complete system image, including the boot partition, data and cache.
Step-by-step:
- Load the phone into TWRP mode (usually by clamping Power + Volume up)
- Select Backup from the main menu
- Mark the sections for copying: 📁 Boot - Boot section 🗃️ System - System files 📱 Data – User data and applications 🔄 Cache - cache (optional)
Select a storage location (internal memory or storage). SD-map)
Swipe for confirmation
Recovery is similar: you load into TWRP, select Restore, and specify the backup folder, and the main advantage of this method is the ability to restore the phone even after the bootloader is “bricked” (if the bootloader is not damaged).
Charge your phone at least 50%
Copy important files to your computer (double insurance)
Check the vacant space for SD-The map (if you save it there)
Make sure the TWRP version is compatible with your Xiaomi model
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| Backup method | PC required | Save the applications | Post-discharge recovery | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local copy of MIUI | ❌ No. | ⚠️ Partially. | ✅ Yes. | ⭐⭐ |
| Mi Cloud | ❌ No. | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes. | ⭐ |
| ADB | ✅ Yes. | ✅ Completely. | ✅ Yes. | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| TWRP | ❌ No. | ✅ Completely. | ✅ Yes, including the system) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Backup of specific data (photos, contacts, messages)
If you don’t need a full backup, but only the preservation of individual data types, you can use specialized tools:
Photos and videos:
- 📷 Google Photos – automatically uploads media files to the cloud with the option of selecting quality (source or compressed). → Photo Photo → Backup and synchronization
- 🖼️ Local Copy – Connect your phone to your PC and copy folders DCIM and hand-pictures
Contact:
- 📇 Export to file VCF: Open your contacts. → Settings → Exports/imports → Export to storage. You can copy the file to your PC or send it to yourself by mail.
- 🔄 Sync with Google: Settings → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization of contacts
SMS messages:
- 💬 Annex SMS Backup & Restore (available on Google Play) SMS and MMS into XML-file-to-map
- 📧 Exports through MIUI: Communications → Settings → Backup and recovery (not available on all models)
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For maximum reliability, use the 3-2-1 rule: 3 copies of data on 2 different media, 1 of which is stored outside the home (for example, in the cloud).
6. Automation of backups: scheduler and third-party applications
To remember about backup, you can configure automatic backup using third-party utilities:
Applications for automatic backup:
- 🤖 Swift Backup – the most flexible solution with support for cloud storage
- ☁️ OAndBackupX is a free alternative for copying applications and their data
- 📱 Titanium Backup (Old, but Still Runs on Older Android Versions)
Automation through Mi Cloud:
- Open Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Backup
- Activate the option Automatic backup
- Choose the frequency: daily or when connecting to Wi-Fi
On devices with MIUI 12+, a Task Planner (Settings → Additional → Task Planner) is also available, where you can create a rule to run a local backup regularly.
7. Frequent errors and their solutions
Even if you follow the instructions, users have trouble creating backups.
Error: “Not enough space for backup”
- 🗑️ Clear the app cache in Settings → Warehouse → Cleanup
- 📁 Move the backup to SD-card
- 🔍 Check the folder. MIUI/backup — Sometimes there are old archives.
Mi Cloud does not sync photos
- 📶 Check the mobile traffic restrictions for Mi Cloud in the settings SIM-map
- 🔄 Restart the sync service: Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Synchronization → Update
- 📥 Install the latest version of the Mi Cloud app from Google Play
ADB does not see the device
- 🔌 Try another one. USB-cable (preferably original)
- 🖥️ Update the drivers ADB on the computer (use the Mi) PC Suite for Automatic Installation)
- 🔄 Restart your phone and computer, then turn on Debugging again. USB
⚠️ Note: If, during the recovery process, TWRP Error mounting error appears /data, This could mean that the partition is encrypted. Solution: before the backup, disable the encryption in the developer settings (Settings) → Additionally. → For developers → Disable encryption).