How to sync Xiaomi phones for data transfer: 5 proven ways

Transferring data between Xiaomi smartphones is a challenge that every user faces when buying a new device or sharing files. Unlike the iPhone, where synchronization is tied to Apple ID, the MIUI ecosystem offers several alternative solutions, from cloud storage to Mi Cloud to the proprietary Mi Mover tool. But how to choose the best method when you need to transfer not only contacts, but also messages, photos in original quality or even app settings?

In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to sync Xiaomi smartphones, from standard MIUI features to workarounds for older models (for example, Redmi 4X or Mi A1). Particular attention will be paid to the hidden limitations of Mi Cloud for European regions and how to get around them without losing data. If you need to transfer more than 5 GB of information or synchronize devices on different versions of MIUI (for example, MIUI 12 and MIUI 14), here you will find the latest solutions.

1.Mi Cloud: Cloud synchronization with limitations

Mi Cloud is the most obvious solution for synchronizing data between Xiaomi phones, which automatically backs up contacts, notes, photos and even SMS, but there are nuances. First, the free tariff is limited to 5 GB (for comparison, Google Drive gives 15 GB); Second, in some regions (for example, in the EU), some of the Mi Cloud’s functions may be blocked due to GDPR.

To enable synchronization:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud.
• 🔄 Select data categories for backup (contacts, gallery, records, etc.).
• ☁️ Click on Sync and wait for the process to be completed.
• 📲 On the second phone, log in to the same Xiaomi account and enable sync of the same categories.

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If Mi Cloud does not display an SMS backup option, check your account region. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Personal Data → Region and select China (VPN required).

The main disadvantage of the method is the long synchronization time with a large amount of data, for example, transferring 2 GB of photos can take up to an hour at 50 Mbps Internet speed.

• 🎵 Local Playlists for Music Apps (e.g. Mi Music).
• 📁 Settings of some third-party applications (such as WhatsApp or banking customers).
• 📱 Game data (progress in Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile will have to be restored through developer accounts).

2. Mi Mover: a proprietary tool for fast transfer

Mi Mover is a MIUI-built application for direct data transfer between Xiaomi devices over Wi-Fi Direct, which works even without the Internet and supports porting:

• 📞 Contacts, call logs and SMS.
• 📷 Photos, video and audio files (without compression!).
• 📱 Applications and their data (if the application supports backup).
• 📋 System settings (wallpaper, sound schemes, screen brightness).

How to use Mi Mover:

1. On both phones, open Settings → Additional → Mi Mover.
2. On the old phone, select “I am the sender” and on the new one, “I am the receiver.”
3. Scan it. QR-screencode.
4. Select data categories for transmission and confirm the beginning of the process.

Charging the battery of both phones ≥ 50%|Turn it off. VPN and energy-saving regimes|Make sure that the new phone has enough memory.|Close all background applications-->

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Mi Mover does not work between Android 12+ and MIUI 13+ devices unless one of them is updated to the latest firmware version.

The Mi Mover can transmit 10-15MB/s (depending on the model), for example, 10GB of data can be transferred in about 15-20 minutes, but there are critical limitations:

⚠️ Note: Mi Mover does not transmit:

• 🔒 Wi-Fi passwords (they will have to be entered manually).
• 💳 Banking Application Data (due to security policy) MIUI).
• 🎮 Save games if they are not tied to Google Play Games or Mi Account.

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct: When Mi Cloud is not available

If you do not have a Xiaomi account or Mi Mover refuses to work (for example, on custom firmware such as LineageOS), you can use standard Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct protocols. These methods are suitable for transferring small files (up to 1-2 GB), but have their own characteristics.

For Bluetooth transmission:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on both phones (Settings → Connections → Bluetooth).
2. On your old phone, select files in Explorer and click Send → Bluetooth.
3. Confirm acceptance on the new device.

The transfer speed will be only 1-2 MB / s, and large files (for example, 4K video) can “hang”.

• 📶 Activate Wi-Fi Direct in Settings → Wi-Fi → Additionally. → Wi-Fi Direct.
• 🔗 Connect to the network created by the second phone.
• 📤 Use any file manager (e.g. Files by Google) to transfer data.

The main advantage of these methods is that they do not depend on cloud services, but there are also disadvantages:

OTG Cable and Adapter: for Big Data

If you need to move tens of gigabytes (like a movie collection or WhatsApp backup), the most reliable way is to use an OTG cable (or USB-C to USB-C adapter for new models), which works on all Xiaomi smartphones, including POCO and Black Shark, and is independent of the MIUI version.

You'll need:

• 🔌 Cable OTG (for older models with Micro-USB, or USB-C to USB-C (Xiaomi 11/12/13 series).
• 📁 File Manager (Enterprise Explorer or Solid Explorer).

Instructions:

1. Connect your old phone to your new phone via an OTG cable.
2. A notification will appear on the new device «USB-Device connected. Select "File transfer» (MTP).
3. Open the file manager and copy the data from one phone to another.

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If the phone does not recognize the connection by OTG, check the developer settings: turn on USB debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times) → For developers → Debugging by USB.

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Transfer speeds up to 40–50 MB/s (3–4 times faster than Mi Mover).
• 📂 Support for all file formats (including.APK,.ZIP,.RAW).
• 🔋 Minimum power consumption (compared to wireless methods).

But there are pitfalls:

⚠️ Note: When copying a folder Android/data (where the application data is stored, permission conflicts may occur on the new phone, and to avoid errors, after copying:

1. Reboot the new phone.
2. Install apps from Google Play (don’t port.APK manually!).
3. Restore app data through their internal functions (e.g. WhatsApp: Settings → Chat → Backup).

5 Third-party applications: when standard methods do not work

If the built-in MIUI tools don't work (for example, on custom firmware phones or after resetting to factory settings), you can use third-party apps.

• 📲 Xender – Wi-Fi transmission at speeds up to 20 MB/s, supports cross-platform synchronization (for example, Xiaomi) → iPhone).
• 🔄 Send Anywhere – generate six-digit code for fast transfer without registration.
• 📂 Google Files – a built-in “Send” feature for files up to 2 GB without loss of quality.
• ☁️ Resilio Sync – Decentralized Synchronization P2P (useful for regular backup).

Example of transfer via Send Anywhere:

1. Install the app on both phones.
2. On an old phone, select files and click “Send” → “Generate code.”
3. On the new phone, enter this code in the “Get” field.

Comparison of popular applications:

The main disadvantage of third-party applications is the risk of data leakage, for example, Xender in 2022 was in a scandal over the collection of user information, to minimize the risks:

• 🔒 Use apps from Google Play only (avoid Google Play) APK from unknown sources).
• 🚫 Disable access to contacts and SMS in the application permission settings.
• 🗑️ After transfer, delete temporary files in the Download or SendAnywhere folder.

6. Synchronization through Google account: universal method

If you use Google services, you can sync your basic data (contacts, calendar, photos) through your Google Account, which is suitable for Xiaomi owners who also use other Android devices or ChromeOS.

What is synchronized automatically:

• 📇 Contacts (Google Contacts).
• 📅 Calendar (Google Calendar).
• 📷 Photos (if Google Photos with original quality are included).
• 📍 Location History (Google Maps).

How to set up:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Turn on synchronization for the desired categories.
3. Add the same Google account on your new phone and wait for the sync to complete.

Limitations of the method:

• 🚫 Not transmitted. SMS, call log and application settings.
• 📸 Photos in Google Photos are compressed to 16 MP, if the rate “Original quality” is not paid».
• 🔄 Synchronization can take hours with a large amount of data.

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To transfer Wi-Fi passwords through Google Account, turn on the Backup function in Settings → Google → Backup. This will keep the networks encrypted.

Frequent mistakes and how to fix them

Even with proven synchronization methods, Xiaomi users face typical problems, and here are the most common ways to solve them:

1 Mi Mover does not find the device

• 🔄 Reboot both phones.
• 📶 Make sure that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are enabled.
• 📱 Update. MIUI Up to the latest version (in Settings) → The phone. → Updating the system).

2.Mi Cloud doesn't sync photos

• ☁️ Check the free space in the cloud (if 5GB is occupied, delete unnecessary files).
• 📁 Move photos from the folder DCIM/.thumbnails — They're out of sync.
• 🌍 Change your account region to China (required) VPN).

3. When transmitted over OTG, the phone is not visible as a drive

• 🔌 Try another cable (low-quality) OTG-cables are often not supported MTP).
• 📱 Turn on Debugging. USB (see the instruction above).
• 🔄 Switch the connection mode in the notification curtain (from Charging to File Transfer»).

4. Bluetooth breaks the connection when transferring large files

• 📶 Break the file into parts (for example, using ZArchiver).
• 🔋 Connect your phone to charge – with a low battery charge MIUI Limits background processes.
• 📱 Turn off the energy saving mode in Settings → Battery.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions