How to download data from Xiaomi to Xiaomi: all ways with details

Moving to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but data porting often becomes a headache. Contacts, photos, messages, apps all need to be saved, or you risk losing important information. Fortunately, Xiaomi has several built-in tools for rapid migration, as well as universal methods that work on any device. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to transfer data from one Xiaomi to another, from the official Mi Mover to manual transfer via cable.

It's important to understand that not all methods are equally effective. For example, Mi Mover copies almost everything automatically, but requires both phones at hand and stable Wi-Fi. Cloud backup via Mi Cloud is convenient if you have slow Internet or devices are scattered in different places. And cable transfer is suitable when you need to transfer large files — video to 4K or application archives. We will analyze each option in detail, indicate hidden limitations (for example, why some applications are not portable), and give tips on how to speed up the process.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a Xiaomi app that is designed to migrate data between the brand’s devices, pre-installed on all modern Redmi, POCO and Mi smartphones, so you don’t have to download anything, and the main advantage is that it automatically transfers most types of data: contacts, messages, photos, videos, audio, notes, and even some system settings.

How does it work? It creates a local Wi-Fi network between phones and transfers files directly, without downloading to the cloud, which means that the speed depends only on the power of the devices, not your Internet connection.

• 📱 Both phones must be charged at least 50% - the process can take up to an hour.
• 🔄 There should be a version on the old phone. MIUI 9 or newer, on the new - any current firmware.
• 🚫 Not all apps are portable, for example WhatsApp and Viber require a separate backup.
• 📡 Wi-Fi must be enabled on both devices, but connecting to a router is not necessary.

To begin the transfer:

1. Open Mi Mover on both phones (on the new one, select “I am new” and on the old one, “I am old”).
2. On the old phone, click Send, on the new one, Receive.
3. Scan it. QR-code from the new phone old (or enter the code) PIN-manually).
4. Select data types to transfer and confirm the start of the process.

Charge of both phones >50% | Free space on new phone > data portability | VPN turned off and power saving modes |Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled on both devices-->

⚠️ Note: If the new phone already has a Mi Account, the data from Mi Mover may be mixed with the existing ones, we recommend you first log out or create a new user profile in the settings.

2.Move over Mi Cloud: Cloud Backup

If you can’t physically connect your phones (like an old smartphone from a friend or in repair), use Xiaomi’s Mi Cloud, a cloud storage method that is suitable for transferring contacts, notes, photos, videos and some settings, but doesn’t carry apps and their data. The main advantage is that you can backup in advance and restore it to a new phone at any time.

Important: the free Mi Cloud tariff only gives 5 GB of space. If you have a lot of photos or videos, you will either have to clean the cloud or buy additional space (from 100 GB for ~150 rubles per year), Also note that downloading large files can take hours with slow Internet.

Instructions for transfer:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Enable synchronization for the desired data types (contacts, gallery, etc.).
3. Wait until the download is complete (progress is displayed in the same menu).
4. On the new phone, log in to the same Mi Account and enable sync in the Mi Cloud.

Mi Mover|Mi Cloud|Cable OTG|Google Account|Other-->

If you don't want to pay for Mi Cloud, you can use Google Photos for media files and Google Contacts for your address book, which gives you 15GB for free and works on any Android device, but they don't carry messages and notes, you have to use Mi Mover or third-party apps.

3. Direct transfer via OTG cable

If you have an OTG cable (or USB-C to USB-C adapter), you can transfer files directly, like a flash drive, which is the fastest method for large files (video, application backups) and is independent of the Internet, but it requires manual control — you have to manually choose which folders to copy.

Preparation:

• 🔌 Buy a cable. USB-C to USB-C (for new models or Micro-USB to USB-C (If you have an old phone with a micro USB).
• 📁 Make sure there is enough space on the new phone (check in Settings). → Warehouse).
• 🔒 Unlock both phones – you will need access confirmation when connecting.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the cable to both phones. On the screen of your old phone, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. On the new phone, open Explorer (or any application for working with files).
3. An old phone will appear in the list of devices – open it.
4. Go to DCIM (photo/video), Download (download), Pictures (images) folders and copy the files to your new phone.

💡

If the phone isn’t showing up when connecting via OTG, try restarting both devices or using a different cable. Sometimes it helps to turn on the developer mode and activate the USB debugging option in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times).

The main disadvantage of this method is that applications and their data are not portable, you can only copy media files, documents and certain settings (for example, wallpaper or calls), and you will have to combine OTG with other methods, for example, with Mi Mover, to fully migrate.

4. Transfer through Google Account

If you use Google, you can transfer some of your data through your Gmail account, which is universal, and works on any Android device, not just Xiaomi, but it has some serious limitations:

• ✅ Transferred: contacts, calendars, mail, some system settings.
• ❌ Not portable: messages, notes, photos (only if uploaded to Google Photos), apps.
• 🔄 A stable connection to the Internet is required.

How to synchronize data:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Select your account and enable synchronization for the services you need (contacts, calendar, etc.).
3. On the new phone, log in to the same Google account and wait for automatic sync.

To transfer photos and videos, use Google Photos separately:

1. Install the app on your old phone and turn on autoload.
2. Wait until the download is complete (you can speed up by connecting to Wi-Fi).
3. On the new phone, install Google Photos and log in to the same account – all media files will be available.

⚠️ Note: If your old phone has photos saved to an SD card, Google Photos won’t see them. First, copy the files to internal memory or connect the card to your computer for manual transfer.

5. Third-party applications for data transfer

If you don't like Xiaomi's built-in tools, you can use third-party apps.

• 📲 SHAREit - transfer files over Wi-Fi Direct (without the Internet), speeds up to 20 MB / s.
• 🔗 Send Anywhere – 6-digit code generation for fast transfer.
• 📎 Xender – Supports application portability (APK-files and their data.
• 🖥️ AirDroid – File Management via a Web-based PC Interface.

Advantages of third-party applications:

• It works on all Android devices, not just Xiaomi.
• Cross-platform portability is often supported (e.g. from iPhone to Xiaomi).
• They can transfer files without any size restrictions (unlike the Mi Cloud).

Disadvantages:

• 🛡️ Data Leakage Risk – Some Apps Collect Statistics.
• 📶 Requires a connection to a single Wi-Fi network or mobile Internet.
• 💰 The free version may have speed or volume restrictions.

Recommendation: If you choose a third-party app, choose Send Anywhere or SHAREit, which are the most reliable and do not require registration. Xender is suitable for porting applications with data (for example, saving in games), but note that some programs (for example, banking) are not portable due to security restrictions.

Comparison of all methods: which one to choose?

To determine the transfer method, evaluate your priorities:

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For most users, the best option is a combination of Mi Mover (for basic data) + Google Photos (for media files). If you only need to transfer files, use an OTG cable. For cross-platform transfer (for example, from an iPhone), third-party applications like Send Anywhere will suit.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even when using official Xiaomi tools, errors can occur.

1 Mi Mover doesn't find a second phone

• Check that both phones have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled.
• Reboot both devices.
• Make sure that the latest version of MIUI is installed on the phones (update to Settings → System Update).
• If you are using a VPN, turn it off.

2.There is not enough space on the new phone

• Before transferring, clear unnecessary files (use Settings → Storage → Cleanup).
• Transfer some of the data to the memory card (if there is a slot).
• Use Mi Cloud or Google Photos for temporary storage.

3. Applications are not portable or operational after transfer

• Xiaomi blocks the transfer of certain applications (banking, instant messengers) for security reasons.
• For WhatsApp, Viber and other messengers, use the built-in backup to the cloud.
• If the app doesn’t start, uninstall it and install it again from Google Play.

4.Photos and videos are not displayed in the gallery

• After transferring via OTG or Mi Mover, the phone may need to be rebooted.
• Open Explorer, find a folder with media files and manually update the gallery (most viewers have an option to “Update”).
• If files are corrupted, try opening them through another app (like Google Photos).

⚠️ Note: If you transfer data from your phone to your phone MIUI 12 or older on a device with MIUI 14+, Some settings (such as themes or gestures) may not apply, due to changes in the firmware architecture.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions