How to quickly and safely drop data from one Xiaomi phone to another: all ways 2026

Shifting data between Xiaomi smartphones is a challenge that every user faces when buying a new device or dumping an old one. Even if both phones are from the same brand, there are several options for transferring files, and each has its own nuances. Some prefer wireless methods for convenience, others choose cable connection for speed, and others trust only cloud services. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to transfer data between Xiaomi phones, from the standard Mi Mover to the little-known life hacks using PCs.

It's important to understand that not all methods work equally well for different types of data, like contacts and notes that are easier to sync through your Mi Account, and photos and videos that are much faster to transmit over cable, and we looked at the speed, reliability and limitations of each method so you could choose the best option for your tasks, and we'd also talk about what data can't be transferred by standard means and how to get around this limitation.

1. Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s official data migration tool

Mi Mover is a built-in app from Xiaomi, specifically designed to transfer data between the brand’s devices, pre-installed on all modern Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi smartphones (starting with MIUI 9), and allows you to transfer almost everything from contacts to call history. The main advantage is that you do not need to download anything, just activate the feature on both phones.

How does it work? The app creates a direct Wi-Fi network between devices, which allows for high transfer rates (up to 10-15 MB/s in ideal conditions). However, there are limitations: for example, not all applications can be transferred (especially if they are protected by DRM), and some system settings will reset to standard, and Mi Mover does not support data transfer from iPhones or other brands - only between Xiaomi smartphones.

• ✅ Supported data: contacts, SMS/MMS, photos, videos, music, documents, call history, some system settings.
• ❌ Restrictions: you can not transfer Wi-Fi passwords, data of some applications (for example, banking), files more than 4 GB.
• ⚡ Speed: ~10 MB/s (depending on model and version) MIUI).
• 🔌 Required: both phones with MIUI 9+, charge of at least 50%, free space on the receiving device.

To avoid errors, before starting the transfer, disable battery optimization for Mi Mover in settings (Settings → Applications → Application Management → Mi Mover → Battery → Without restrictions).

Charge both phones to 50% or more|Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network (not necessary, but recommended)|Make room on the receiving phone (should be at least 1.5).× from the volume of data transmitted)|Turn it off. VPN and energy-saving regimes|Make sure that both phones have the latest version installed. MIUI-->

2.Move over the Mi Cloud: Pros and Cons

The Mi Cloud is another official way to sync data between Xiaomi devices, and unlike the Mi Mover, you don’t have to keep your phones close by, you just upload data to the cloud from one device and download it to another, which is convenient if you buy a new smartphone in advance and want to back up.

However, the method has significant drawbacks: the free tariff is limited to 5 GB (this is the only one). ~1000 high quality photos or 2 hours of video, and paid plans start at 99₽/A month for 50 GB. In addition, the download / download speed depends on your Internet connection – on a slow one. 3G Mi Cloud allows you to selectively recover data, such as only contacts or only photos from the past month.

If you choose to use Mi Cloud, note that data in the cloud is stored in a compressed form, and when you restore it, you may lose some meta information (for example, photo creation dates or albums). Also, some Xiaomi models (for example, POCO F1 or Redmi Note 7) have problems synchronizing notes and calendar through the cloud – check this in advance.

Mi Mover (Direct) |Mi Cloud (cloud) | OTG/PC|Bluetooth/Wi-Fi Direct| Another way-->

3. Cable transfer: OTG-Adapter or PC as an intermediary

For those who don't trust wireless technology or want top speed, cable transfer is the right option. OTG-adapter or use of the computer as an intermediate. 40-50 MB/s USB 3.0), The other one is more versatile, but it depends on your PC's read/write speed.

For direct connection you will need:

• 🔌 OTG-adapter (Type-C) → Type-C or MicroUSB → Type-C, depending on the port of the phone).
• 📱 Both phones with support OTG (Check in the settings settings → Connections → USB).
• 🔋 Charge at least 30% (transfer of large volumes drains the battery).

Newer models (Xiaomi 13, Redmi Note 12) may need to allow debugging over USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version → 7 times press to activate the developer mode).

Algorithm of action:

1. Connect. OTG-Adapter to the receiving phone (the one to which you transfer the data).
2. Connect the second cable to the source (the phone you are copying from).
3. On the receiving phone, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
4. Open Explorer on the receiving device - there will appear a folder with the data of the second phone.
5. Copy the files you need manually (we recommend starting with DCIM, Downloads, Pictures folders).

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If the telephones are not identified OTG-Connect, try changing roles: connect OTG And the second phone is like an external drive, and sometimes that solves the compatibility problem.

4. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct: When there is no cable and cloud

If you don't. OTG-You can use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct, which is a very slow system for the Mi Cloud, but it's not a very hardware-intensive system, but it's only suitable for small amounts of data. 1-2 Transmission speeds over Bluetooth rarely exceed 1-2 MB/s and Wi-Fi Direct can give you up to 5-8 MB/s, but with frequent breaks.

For transmission via Wi-Fi Direct:

1. Activate Wi-Fi Direct on both phones (Settings → Wi-Fi → Wi-Fi Direct).
2. On the receiving phone, select "Detectable" mode.
3. At the source, find the second phone in the list and connect (it may require input). PIN-code).
4. Use any file manager (such as Files by Google or standard Explorer) to send files.

An important nuance: not all Xiaomi models support Wi-Fi Direct. For example, on the POCO X3 Pro, this feature may not be on the menu, and on the Redmi 9A it works unstable.

• 📶 On one phone, turn on the Access Point (Settings) → Access Point and modem → Mobile access point).
• 🔗 Connect the second phone to this network.
• 📁 Use apps like Send Anywhere or Xender to transfer files over a local network.

5. Computer Transfer: Reliable but Longer

Using a PC or laptop as an intermediary is one of the most reliable ways, especially if you need to transfer a large amount of data (tens of gigabytes) or backup applications.

• 🔄 You can check files for viruses before perenosom.
• 🗃️ Convenient to sort data (for example, to divide photos by albums).
• 🔧 You can use programs like Mi. PC Suite for automation.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the source (old phone) to the PC via USB-cable and select File Transfer Mode (MTP).
2. Copy the folders you need (DCIM, Music, Documents, etc.) to your computer’s hard drive.
3. Turn off the first phone, connect the receiving (new) phone, and transfer the data back.
4. For applications: If you want to save their data (such as saving in games), use Titanium Backup (root rights required) or the built-in backup function in Settings → System → Backup.

If you’re working on a Mac, you may need additional software like Android File Transfer, as macOS doesn’t support MTP out of the box. Also note that some files (like screenshots) may not be copied due to MIUI limitations, in which case it will help to enable developer mode and debugging permissions over USB.

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Transferring over a PC is the only way to save folder structure and file metadata (such as photo creation dates) without loss. Cloud services and Mi Mover often reset this information.

6. Transfer of applications and their data: what can and can not

One of the most difficult aspects of migration is the transfer of installed applications and their data. Standard tools like Mi Mover or Mi Cloud only copy the data. APK-Application files, but not their internal data (for example, save in games, cache or settings.

Here's what we can do:

• 📱 Backup copy through MIUI: Settings → System system → Backup → Create a backup and restore it to a new phone. Limitation: Not all apps support this method.
• 🔧 Titanium Backup (requires root): allows you to save data of any application, including system.
• ☁️ Account Sync: Many apps (e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram) sync data via the cloud.
• 🖥️ ADB-commands (for advanced): you can manually copy folders /data/data Adb pull and adb push.

Important: banking applications (Sberbank, Tinkoff, etc.) cannot be transferred through backups, it violates their security policy, you have to install them again and log in. DRM-protection (e.g. Netflix or Disney)+).

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even when using official tools, users are faced with problems, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to solve them:

If none of the methods worked, try alternative applications:

• 📲 Send Anywhere – Transfer over a local network without volume restrictions.
• 📲 Xender – supports cross-platform transmission (including with iOS).
• 📲 LocalSend – Open analogue of AirDrop for Android.

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If you lose contacts when you move through Mi Mover, check if your Google account is linked to your phone. Sometimes MIUI resets sync with Google Contacts, just go to Settings → Accounts → Google and enable manual sync.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions