Xiaomi Backup to Google: A Complete Guide with Nuances

Backing up Xiaomi’s smartphone data in Google Account is not just a recommendation, but a necessity for those who value their photos, contacts and settings. Unlike a local memory card backup, cloud storage protects your data from physical damage to your phone, theft, or accidental reset. However, many users face problems: for some reason, they do not save their data. SMS, Mi Notes are missing, or the process is hanging on 99%. In this article, we will analyze all working methods of reservation for different versions. MIUI (including HyperOS), and also reveal hidden settings Google, which speed up the backup in the 2-3 once.

It’s important to understand that Xiaomi’s standard backup feature often doesn’t work properly due to limitations. MIUI. For example, in the versions below MIUI 14 did not save data of some system applications, and Android 13+ We've tested all the methods on models from Redmi Note 10 Pro to Xiaomi 14 Ultra — and we're ready to provide the latest solutions that work in 2026.

Why Google Backup is Better Than Local

Local backup to a memory card or PC seems reliable — until you lose the media itself. Google Drive cloud storage offers several key benefits:

• 🔄 Automatic sync: data is updated with each Wi-Fi connection (if configured).
• 🌍 Access from any device: Recover contacts or photos even on a new phone from another brand.
• 🛡️ Reset protection: If the phone is stolen or reset to factory settings, the data will remain in the cloud.
• 📅 Versionality: Google stores multiple versions of the backup (up to 30 days), allowing you to roll back to an earlier copy.

But there are pitfalls, too: Xiaomi doesn't save Google by default:

• 📱 Application data (game cache, Mi Fit or Mi Home settings).
• 📂 Files in a folder MIUI (Themselves, wallpaper).

⚠️ Note: If you use a Mi Account for sync, the data from it is not duplicated in Google, for example, notes from Mi Notes or call history will have to be stored separately.

Preparing Xiaomi Phone for Backup

There are a few critical steps that you have to take before you create a backup, or you may end up with a mistake or a copy will be incomplete. MIUI Android:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Remember the version. MIUI (For example, 14.0.5) and Android (for example, 13). TKQ1.221114.001).
3. If Android is below 12, upgrade to the system – in older versions, the backup in Google is unstable.

Check out the free space in Google Drive:

• 📱 On the phone: Settings → Google → Backup.
• 💻 On PC: go to drive.google.com and check the Storage section".

Minimum requirements for a full backup:

⚠️ Note: If you have Battery Optimization enabled for the Google Play Services app, the backup may be interrupted. → Annexes → Application management → Google Play Services → Battery.

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

Now, let's get to the process. The manual is suitable for all Xiaomi, Redmi and other models. POCO on MIUI 12-15 and HyperOS. If you have another firmware (for example, custom), some items may differ.

Step 1: Authorization in Google Account

Without a Google account, you can't create a backup if you haven't added it already:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Synchronization.
2. Click Add Add Account → Google.
3. Enter your email details (e.g. example@gmail.com).
4. Confirm access to contacts, calendar and other data.

Step 2: Enabling backups

Now activate the backup function itself:

1. Go to Settings → Google → Backup.
2. Activate the Backup Switch in Google Drive.
3. Click Create a backup copy now.

If the button is inactive, check:

• 🔌 Wi-Fi connection (backup does not work via mobile internet).
• 🔋 Battery level (should be) >15%).
• 📱 Free space on the phone (minimum 1 GB).

Step 3: Selecting data for copying

By default, Xiaomi offers to save only basic data. To expand the list:

1. In the Backup section, click Additional settings.
2. Choose:

Contacts and calendars|SMS call-book|Photo and video (Google Photo)|System and application settings|Wi-Fi data (requires Google Smart Lock)-->

To save photos and videos in their original quality:

1. Open the Google Photos app.
2. Go to Settings → Backup and Synchronization.
3. Choose Original Quality (to be placed in Google Drive) or High Quality (free but compressed).

💡

If the backup is 99% down, restart your phone and check your Wi-Fi connection. Often the problem is solved by changing the network (for example, from 5 GHz to 2.4 GHz).

Step 4: Checking the backup completion

It can take anywhere from 10 minutes to a few hours, depending on the amount of data you have, to make sure that it's a success:

1. Open Settings → Google → Backup.
2. Check the date of the last backup and its size.
3. On the PC, go to the drive.google.com/drive/backups Find your phone in the list of devices.

💡

If there is no backup SMS or contacts, check permissions for Google Contacts and Messages in Settings → Annexes → Permits.

What to do if a backup copy is not created

Even with the right settings, the backup may not work. Consider typical errors and their solutions:

Error: “I failed to create a backup copy”

Reasons and methods of correction:

• 🔄 Account Conflict: If there are multiple Google Accounts on your phone, the backup may be created in the wrong one. Solution: leave only one account (main) in Settings → Accounts.
• 📡 Wi-Fi problems: Reconnect to the network or turn on the plane mode for 30 seconds.
• 🔧 Google Play Services crash: Clear the app's cache in Settings → Annexes → Google Play Services → Warehouse.

The error is: “There is not enough space in Google Drive.”

Google Drive's free fare provides 15GB, which is shared between Gmail, Google Photos and backups.To make room:

1. Remove old backups of other devices on drive.google.com.
2. Clean the cart in Google Photos (files are stored there for 60 days).
3. Buy an extra seat (from 100 GB per ~140 ₽/month).

Error: "Backup is getting stuck at 0% or 99%"

This is the most common problem on Xiaomi.

• 🔋 Low battery power: Connect your phone to charge (even if the level is low) >15%).
• 📱 Application Blocking: C Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization Disable Optimization for Google Play Services and Google Drive.
• 🔄 Resetting Google Settings: Settings → Annexes → Google → Warehouse → Clean up the data After that, log in again and launch the backup.

⚠️ Attention: If you are using VPN Or proxies, disable them before creating a backup. Some servers block access to Google Drive due to geo-restrictions.

How to recover data from the backup to the new Xiaomi

If you bought a new Xiaomi phone or reset the old one to factory settings, you can recover data from Google in two ways: when you first turn on or through settings.

Method 1: Recovery at first start

This is the most reliable method.

1. Turn on your new phone and select your language.
2. At the Data Copy stage, select Restore from backup.
3. Log in to the same Google Account where the backup is stored.
4. Select the latest copy from the list (check the date of creation).
5. Check the data for recovery (contacts, SMS, applications).
6. Wait until the process is completed (it can take up to 1 hour).

Method 2: Recovery through Settings

If your phone is already set up but you missed the recovery phase:

1. Open Settings → Google → Backup.
2. Click Recover Data.
3. Select the device from the list (if there are several).
4. Confirm the restoration of the necessary data.

Important nuances:

• 📱 Apps are only restored from Google Play (not from the backup) and their data (such as game progress) is only restored if they support cloud sync.
• 📎 Files from Download or DCIM They are not automatically restored, but you need to download them manually from Google Drive.
• 🔑 Wi-Fi passwords are only restored if Google Smart Lock was enabled before the backup was created.

Alternative ways to backup for Xiaomi

If the backup in Google Drive for some reason is not suitable, consider the alternatives:

1. Local backup via Mi Cloud

Xiaomi offers its own cloud storage, the Mi Cloud (5GB for free).

• 📱 Stores Mi Account data (notes, themes, Mi Home settings).
• 🔄 Automatic synchronization when connecting to Wi-Fi.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ No PC version (access only via phone).
• ❌ File size limit (maximum 50MB for one file).

2. backup to PC via Mi PC Suite

The official utility from Xiaomi for controlling your phone from a computer:

1. Download Mi PC Suite from the official website.
2. Connect your phone via USB (enable File Transfer).
3. In the program, select Backup and mark the necessary data.
4. Save a copy to the PC hard drive.

3. Manual copying of important files

For complete control of the data:

• 📂 Copy the folders. DCIM (Photos, Downloads (downloads) and MIUI (theme settings on PC.
• 📋 Export your contacts to.vcf via Google Contacts.
• 📝 Save it. SMS using applications like SMS Backup & Restore.

Comparison of methods:

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi backup on Google