How to Transfer All Data from Android to Xiaomi Redmi: The Complete 2026 Guide

The switch to a new Xiaomi Redmi smartphone is always exciting, but transferring data from an old Android device can become a headache if you don’t know the nuances. Especially when it comes to tens of gigabytes of photos, hundreds of contacts, messaging in messengers and app settings. Many users lose hours manually copying files or encounter sync errors, although the process can be speeded up significantly.

In this article, we will look at 5 proven ways to transfer data, from the official Mi Mover tool to universal solutions through Google Account and physical connection, you will learn what method is suitable for your case (for example, if there is no Internet or if an old phone is broken), how to avoid data loss and what to do if synchronization is suspended, and also hidden Redmi chips that are not written in the standard instructions.

If you have an outdated Redmi model (such as the Redmi 4X or Redmi Note 5), some methods may not work due to the limitations of MIUI.

Finally, we’ll answer the most common question, “Can I transfer data from an iPhone to Redmi?” – although this is a topic for a separate article, here’s a quick guide to the basic steps.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a proprietary application from Xiaomi, which is preinstalled on all Redmi and POCO smartphones. It allows you to transfer almost all data from an old Android device (including Samsung, Huawei, Realme, etc.) to the new Xiaomi without loss and without a computer. The main advantage is support for porting applications along with their data (for example, save in games or chat in Telegram), which most alternative solutions do not know.

How it works:

1. On the new Redmi, select Data Portability when you first turn on (or find the Mi Mover app in the menu).
2. On an old phone, download Mi Mover from Google Play (if it is not by default).
3. Create a Wi-Fi hotspot on your old phone or connect both devices to the same network.
4. Scan it. QR-The code from the screen of the new Redmi on the old phone.
5. Select data for transfer (contacts, SMS, photos, apps, etc.) and confirm the beginning of the process.

⚠️ Note: If the old phone is Android 10 or older, and the new Redmi — MIUI 14+, You may need additional permission to access files. → Annexes → Mi Mover → Permissions and enable all available options.

The pluses of Mi Mover:

• 🔹 Portable applications with data (such as game progress or WhatsApp settings).
• 🔹 Works without computer and cables (wi-fi direct).
• 🔹 Supports transfer SMS/MMS and call logs.
• 🔹 Keeps the folder structure (for example, DCIM/Camera remain unchanged).

Cons:

• ⚠️ It doesn’t work with iPhone (Android only)→Android).
• ⚠️ It can “hang” during the transfer stage if there is little free space on the old phone.
• ⚠️ Does not tolerate some system settings (for example, wallpaper or energy saving modes).

2. Transfer through Google Account (the most universal method)

If you’ve used an Android smartphone before Redmi, you probably already have a Google Account with sync enabled, which is suitable for transferring contacts, calendars, notes, some app settings, and even some files (if you’ve used Google Photos or Google Drive), the main advantage is that the data will automatically be pulled to the new Redmi when you first turn on.

What exactly is synchronized:

🔧 How to turn on sync on your old phone:

1. Open Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Select your account and click on “Sync Account”.
3. Include sliders for all the necessary data (contacts, calendar, disk, etc.).
4. Wait until the synchronization is complete (it can take up to 10 minutes).

📱 How to Recover Data from the New Redmi:

1. When you first turn on, select the “Restore from Backup” option and log in to your Google Account.
2. If the phone is already configured, go to Settings → System → Backup and click “Restore”.

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If no contacts have appeared after recovery, check if they are hidden in the Contacts app. Go to Settings → Accounts → Display contacts and select your Google account.

3. Transfer via OTG cable or adapter (for large data volumes)

If you have a lot of photos, videos or heavy files (for example, projects from Adobe Lightroom or offline maps), and the Internet is slow, the best option is a physical connection via an OTG cable or a USB-C → USB-A adapter. This method works even if the old phone is broken glass (the main thing is that it turns on and recognizes the cable).

🛠 What's the matter:

• 🔌 Cable OTG (Adapters, if the ports are different).
• 📱 Old phone with unlocked screen.
• 🔋 Charging both phones (the process may take time).

📌 Step-by-step instruction:

1. Connect the OTG cable to the new Redmi.
2. Connect your old phone to the cable (it will be determined as a cable). USB-accumulator).
3. On your old phone, select File Transfer (or MTP) mode.
4. On the new Redmi, open Explorer (or Google Files) and copy the desired folders (DCIM, Downloads, WhatsApp, etc.).

⚠️ Note: Some folders (such as those with application data) may be hidden to be seen:

1. In the Explorer, press three points. → "Settings".
2. Enable the option "Show hidden files".

1. Check the compatibility of connectors (USB-C, Micro-USB).

2. charge both phones at least 50%.

3. Make room on the new Redmi (at least 10% free space).

4. Disable battery optimization for Explorer (Settings → Battery → Optimization).

5. Prepare a backup in case of a failure.-->

4. Cloud services: Google Drive, Yandex Drive, Mi Cloud

If you have a stable Internet and a non-critical amount of data (up to 50 GB), cloud services are a great option, they allow you to transfer files remotely, without physically connecting your phones, the main thing is to upload data to the cloud from your old phone, and then download it to the new Redmi.

🌥 Comparison of popular services:

🔄 How to transfer data through Google Drive:

1. On your old phone, install Google Drive and log in to your account.
2. Click "+" → "Download" and select files/folders.
3. Wait until the download is complete (may take hours with a large volume).
4. On the new Redmi, open Google Drive, find files and click Download.

💡 Lifehack for Mi Cloud: If you migrate data to Redmi, this service is integrated into the system. → Mi Account. → Mi Cloud → Backup and select Restore from the Cloud, which will not only return files, but also system settings (such as wallpaper or notification modes).

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Cloud services are ideal for porting documents, photos and music, but are not suitable for apps or SMS. For full portability, combine this method with Mi Mover or Google Account.

5. Computer Transfer (for advanced users)

If you need complete control of the process or your old phone is stale, porting over a PC (Windows, Mac or Linux) is the most reliable way.

• 📁 Selectively copy files (e.g., only photos from the last year).
• 🔍 View hidden folders (for example, with app cache).
• 🛡 Create backup copies before transfer.

🖥 What's the matter:

• 💻 Computer with USB-port.
• 🔌 Cables for both phones (or OTG-adapter).
• 📂 File management software (e.g. Total Commander or standard Windows Explorer).

🔧 Step-by-step instruction:

1. Connect your old phone to your PC and select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the desired folders (DCIM, Pictures, WhatsApp, etc.) to your computer.
3. Turn off your old phone and connect a new Redmi.
4. Move files from your PC to your new phone (to the same folders to save the structure).

⚠️ Note: Some folders (for example, Android/data) They may not be copied because of Android restrictions:

• Use it. ADB-commands to access system folders (developer rights required).
• Or use the root-access FX File Explorer app (if the phone is rooted).

💻 For Mac users: Install Android File Transfer (official software from Google) as Finder does not support MTP default.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even if you follow the instructions clearly, you can make mistakes.-5 Problems with data transfer to Redmi and how to solve them:

🔴 "Mi Mover can't see old device"

• 📶 Check that both phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (or enable Wi-Fi Direct).
• 🔄 Reboot both devices.
• 🛡 Turn it off. VPN Firewall (they can block the connection).
• 📱 Update the Mi Mover to the latest version on both phones.

🔴 "Google Photos does not upload photos"

• 📶 Make sure mobile data is enabled or Wi-Fi is connected.
• 🔋 Check if there is enough space in your Google Account (15 GB free).
• 🔄 In Google Photos, select "Quality" → Original" (if you need to retain permission).

🔴 "When transposed OTG phone not determined"

• 🔌 Try another cable or port. USB.
• 📱 On the old phone, turn on "Debugging by" USB" (Settings → For developers).
• 🔄 Switch the connection mode from Charging to File Transfer.

🔴 "The new Redmi lacks space to carry"

• 🧹 Remove unnecessary apps or cache (Settings) → Warehouse).
• 📁 Transfer data in parts (for example, first photos, then videos).
• 🔄 Use Mi Cloud to temporarily store files.

🔴 "After the transfer, the application will fly out"

• 🔄 Update apps through Google Play.
• 📱 Check compatibility with the new version Android/MIUI.
• 🛡 Reset the application settings (Settings) → Annexes → [name] → Warehouse → Clear the data).

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If neither method works, try resetting the new Redmi to factory settings and repeating the transfer from the clean system. This often solves compatibility issues.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions