How to transfer data from old Android to new Xiaomi smartphone: full guide 2026

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always an exciting moment, especially when it comes to the preservation of valuable data. Photos over the past 5 years, correspondence in messengers, saved passwords and application settings – all this must be transferred without loss. But how to do it quickly, safely and without technical errors?

Many users mistakenly believe that it is enough to insert SIM-In practice, this approach leaves behind up to 40% of data, from call history to game progress, and in this article we will look at all the current migration methods, including Mi Mover’s proprietary solution, cloud services, and manual cable transfer. Particular attention will be paid to hidden Xiaomi settings, which block copying of certain types of files by default.

If you’ve never been involved in data transfer between Android devices before, don’t worry: each method is described in as much detail as possible, taking into account the nuances of the firmware. MIUI 14/15. And for power users, we have prepared advanced instructions – for example, how to circumvent restrictions on the transfer of applications through the Internet. ADB Or transfer data from a phone based on ColorOS (Oppo/Realme) lossless.

Before you start, check out two key points:

Both smartphones should have at least 30% battery life (at least 50% when using cable).
The amount of free memory on the new Xiaomi should exceed the amount of data transferred by at least 10%.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a proprietary application from Xiaomi designed to wirelessly transfer data between devices.It is pre-installed on all of the brand’s smartphones (starting with the Redmi Note 5), but may require an update via Google Play on an old phone.

The main advantage of the method is the automatic synchronization of most types of data:

📞 Contacts, call history and SMS
📷 Photos and videos (including Google Photos albums)
🎵 Music and audio files
📁 Documents (PDF, DOCX, XLSX etc.)
📱 System settings (wallpaper, sound profiles, screen brightness)

However, there are limitations:

⚠️ Note: Mi Mover does not tolerate: Installed applications (only their list for subsequent download from the Play Market) Data of some messengers (for example, correspondence in Telegram or WhatsApp) Files from folders that are protected Android/Data (cache of games, saves)

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

Install Mi Mover on your old phone (if it isn’t)

Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network (2.4 GHz)

Turn off VPNs and firewalls

Charging both phones >50%

Free space on the new Xiaomi ≥ data transferability

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1. On the new Xiaomi, run Settings → The phone. → Data portability (or find Mi Mover in the app menu).

2. Select the option "I am a new user" and follow the wizard's prompts.

3.On an old phone, open Mi Mover, press "Send" and scan. QR-screencode.

4. Select data types for transfer and confirm the beginning of the process.

The speed of transmission depends on the amount of data and the stability of Wi-Fi.

Data volume	Transfer time (approximately)
1-5 GB	5-15 minutes
5-20 GB	20-40 minutes
20–50 GB	40-90 minutes
50+GB	It is recommended to use an OTG cable

Up to 5GB

5-20 GB

20–50 GB

More than 50GB

I don't know how much my data is.

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2.Move over Google Account: Pros and pitfalls

Syncing through Google Account is the most versatile method, but it doesn’t work with all types of data, like photos and contacts that can be transferred without problems, but messages or app settings that can’t.

What exactly is synchronized automatically:

📇 Contacts (if saved in Google Contacts)
📅 Calendars and reminders
📎 Notes from Google Keep
📍 Location history (if included)
🔑 Passwords from Google Password Manager
📱 Some system settings (Wi-Fi network, language)

How to set up synchronization:

On your old phone, go to Settings → Accounts → Google.
Select your account and activate sync for all the categories you want.
On the new Xiaomi, log in to the same Google account when you first turn on.
Wait until the synchronization is complete (it can take up to 24 hours for large volumes).

The main drawback of the method is the limited amount of free cloud storage (15 GB per account), if you have thousands of photos, you will either have to pay for an extension (Google One) or use alternative methods.

How to transfer data if there is not enough space on Google Drive?

If there is not enough free space on Google Drive, use one of the workarounds: 1. Temporary free up of space: delete old backups, clear the cart, delete unnecessary files from Google Photos (they take up space even after you delete from your phone). 2. Use another account: Create a second Google Account, transfer some of the data there, and then log in to the new phone. 3 Data compression: archive photos and videos to Google Drive before uploading them to the new phone. ZIP (for example, through RAR Alternative clouds: upload data to Yandex Drive (10GB free) or Mail.ru Cloud (up to 25GB when activating bonuses), and then download it to the new Xiaomi.

Another nuance: some apps (like WhatsApp) require a separate backup in Google Drive.

1. Open WhatsApp on your old phone.

2. Go to the ⋮ → Settings → chat → Backup copy.

3. click “Create a copy” and wait until completed (make sure your Google Account is selected).

4.On the new phone, install WhatsApp, log in and restore chats from the backup.

3. Cable transfer OTG: fast and without internet

If you do not have access to stable Wi-Fi or data volume exceeds 50 GB, the cable will be available. OTG (adapter USB-C → USB-C) This is a way to transfer all types of files, including:

🎮 Save games (folder) Android/Obb)
📂 System settings (through backup copy) TWRP)
🔐 Files with restricted access (e.g. from the /data/data)

What you'll need:

🔌 Cable USB-C → USB-C (adapter + standard cable)
📱 File Manager (e.g. Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer)
🔋 Charging both phones ≥70%

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your old phone to your new Xiaomi via cable. On the screen of the old device, select File Transfer Mode (or MTP).

2.On the new Xiaomi, open Mi File Manager and go to the section "USB-storage".

3. Copy the required folders:

DCIM → Photos and Videos


Downloads → Downloaded files




Pictures → Images from messengers




Android → Application Data (including OBB for gaming)

4. Use the application portability APK Extractor (extract) APK from an old phone or ADB (power-user).

1. Reboot both devices.

2. use another cable (poor cables often do not support the mode) MTP).

3. Enable Debugging by USB on an old phone (Settings) → The phone. → Assembly number (7 taps) → For developers → Debugging by USB).

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Important warning:

⚠️ Warning: Do not copy the folder Android/Data Directly, this can cause app failures on your new phone. Use specialized tools like Helium or Swift Backup to port these games (root rights required).

4. Cloud services: Yandex Disk, Mail.ru Cloud, Dropbox

If you have a slow internet connection or no cable OTG, Cloud storage is a good alternative, and the main advantage is that you can access files from any device and can selectively transfer files.

Comparison of popular services:

Service	Free volume	Max. File size.	Loading speed
Yandex Disc.	10GB	50GB	Limited by traffic
Mail.ru Cloud	8 GB (up to 25 GB with bonuses)	2GB	Fast (servers in Russia)
Dropbox	2GB	50GB	Slow (Overseas servers)
Mega	20GB	5GB	Encryption of data

How to move data through the cloud:

1. Install the application of the selected service on the old phone.

2. upload files to the cloud (e.g. folder) DCIM photographic).

3. On the new Xiaomi, log in to the same account and download files.

To speed up the process:

📶 Connect to 5GHz Wi-Fi (if available).
🔌 Put your phone on charge – downloading large files consumes battery.
🕒 Download data at night when internet traffic is minimal.

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Cloud services are ideal for transferring media files and documents, but not for applications and system settings. For full migration, combine this method with Mi Mover or cable. OTG.

5. Portability of Applications and Their Data: A Complete Guide

One of the most difficult aspects of migration is the transfer of installed applications and their data, and standard methods (such as Mi Mover) only copy the list of programs, not their settings or progress.

Here’s how to move the apps completely:

Method 1: Backup through ADB (rootless)

This method works for most applications, but requires a computer to:

Install Android SDK Platform-Tools on your PC.
Connect your old phone to your computer and turn on Debugging USB.
Run the command to create a backup: adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab
Transfer backup.ab to the new Xiaomi and restore: adb restore backup.ab

Method 2: Backup applications (with or without root)

📱 Swift Backup (requires root) – saves applications, data, and even widgets.
📱 Helium (works without root on some firmware) – backup of application data.
📱 Titanium Backup (root only) is the most powerful tool, but it’s hard for beginners.

Method 3: Transferring game saves

For cloud-based games (such as Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile) log in to the same account (Google Play Games, Mi Account, Facebook).

For offline games (such as The Room):

1. Copy the folder. Android/Obb/[Title games on the new phone.

2. Install the game from the Play Market.

3.Reboot the game - it should download the saves automatically.

How to transfer WhatsApp with history to the new Xiaomi?

1. On an old phone, back up to Google Drive (WhatsApp) → ⋮ → Settings → chat → Backup! 2. Install WhatsApp on the new Xiaomi and log in with the same number. 3. When offered to restore chats, confirm (make sure you use the same Google Account). 4. If the copy is not located, check: - Free space in Google Drive. - Coincidence of phone number and Google account. - Internet connection stability (WhatsApp does not restore copies via mobile Internet).

6. data transfer from phones of other brands (Samsung, Oppo, Huawei)

If you are switching to Xiaomi from a phone from another manufacturer (such as a Samsung Galaxy or Huawei P-series), standard methods may not work due to differences in firmware.

From Samsung to Xiaomi:

🔄 Use Samsung Smart Switch to backup your PC and then transfer files to Xiaomi via cable.
📁 To transfer Samsung Notes, export notes to PDF And upload them to Google Drive.
🎵 Music from Samsung Music copy manually (Music folder).

From Huawei to Xiaomi:

📲 Use Huawei Backup to create an archive on the SD-Then connect it to a new phone.
🔐 To transfer Huawei AppGallery applications will have to install them manually (APK-Files can be removed through APK Extractor).
📧 Email from Huawei Email reset via Gmail or Mi Mail.

S Oppo/Realme/OnePlus Xiaomi:

🔄 Oppo's Clone Phone app may conflict with Mi Mover. In this case, use a cable OTG.
🎮 To transfer data from ColorOS games, copy the folder Android/Data manually.
📞 Call history and SMS Transferred only through a backup to a PC (e.g., MobileTrans).

General advice for all brands:

⚠️ Note: If the old phone used third-party firmware (for example, LineageOS), before transferring data, reset to factory settings. Otherwise, conflicts with the data may arise. MIUI, Especially when copying system files.

7. Checking the integrity of data after the transfer

After the migration is completed, be sure to check:

📞 All contacts are displayed in the phone book (including those linked to Google and the phone book) SIM-map).
📷 Do you open photos and videos (especially in formats)? HEIC or RAW).
🎵 Music files are played (check the Music folder).
📱 Are the transferred applications (especially instant messengers and games) working).
🔑 Passwords are saved in the browser and managers (for example, Google Password Manager).

If something is missing:

Check hidden folders (for example,.nomedia files can hide media from the gallery).
Use file search in Mi File Manager (enter part of the file name).
For applications, check if they require re-authorization (e.g. banking applications).

If the data is damaged:

🔄 Repeat the transfer by another method (for example, if Mi Mover didn’t work, try the cable). OTG).
📂 Restore files from backup (if you did backup on PC).
🛠️ For damaged media, use programs like Recuva or PhotoRec.

8.Optimize the new Xiaomi after data transfer

After a successful migration, it is recommended to follow several steps to optimize the operation of the new smartphone:

1. Clearing cache and unnecessary files

The transferred data may contain junk files (cache, temporary data) to delete:

— Go to Settings. → Warehouse → Clean up and run the scan.

- Manually check the folders:

Android/Data → App cache


Download → Older downloads




DCIM/.thumbnails → Miniatures Photos

2. Set up the autoload of applications

Nana MIUI Many applications are automatically triggered by default, which consumes battery to disable unnecessary applications:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.

2. Select the application → "Auto-start" → Turn it off.

3. Transfer applications to a memory card (if supported)

If your Xiaomi supports MicroSD, you can free up internal memory:

1. Insert a memory card (format as internal storage for maximum compatibility).

2. Go to Settings → Warehouse → Internal memory. → Transfer data to SD-map.

4. Update of firmware and applications

After data transfer:

📲 Update. MIUI Up to the latest version (Settings) → The phone. → Updating the system).
🔄 Update all apps in the Play Market (especially instant messengers and banking services).
🔒 Check the security settings (Settings) → Passwords and security).

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After the data transfer, it is recommended to perform a soft reset of the new Xiaomi (reboot), which will help the system to index files correctly and avoid lags.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data portability to Xiaomi

❓ Can I transfer data from iPhone to Xiaomi?

Yes, but the process is more complicated than Android. You'll need: Move to iOS app (but it only works one way - from Android to iPhone: 📞 Contacts: Export through iCloud → Export vCard and import to Google Contacts. 📷 Photo: Use Google Photos or iCloud for Windows (download to PC, then to Xiaomi). 💬 WhatsApp correspondence: back up your iPhone via iTunes, then use services like Backuptrans (paid). Important: Apps from the App Store will have to be reinstalled from the Play Market (if there is an Android version).

❓ Why Mi Mover can't see my old phone?

The problem may be in one of the following points: 📶 Phones connected to different Wi-Fi networks (should be one 2.4 GHz network). 🔌 The old phone doesn’t have the Mi Mover app installed (download from Play Market). 🛡️ firewall VPN Blocks the connection (disable them on both devices). 📱 Older phone runs on older Android (below 5.0). 🔋 Battery charge below 30% (connect phones to charge).If nothing helps, try alternative methods (cable) OTG cloud).

❓ How to transfer data from a phone that does not turn on?

If the old phone doesn’t respond to charging or is stuck on the logo, try: Hard reset (if the phone vibrates when connecting to charging): Press the Power button + Volume up on 10–15 In the Recovery menu, select Wipe. Data/Factory Reset (data will be deleted, but the phone will work) Retrieval of data via a PC (if the phone is defined as storage): Connect the phone to a computer. Use programs like Dr.Fone or EaseUS MobiSaver to recover files. Contacting the service center (if the phone is physically damaged): wizards can extract data using the help of the data. JTAG Chip-off (expensive but effective). ⚠️ Note: If the phone has enabled data encryption, it is almost impossible to recover files without a password.

❓ Can you transfer data from Xiaomi to Xiaomi without losing quality?

Yes, when using cable. OTG or Mi Mover, the quality of the photos and videos does not deteriorate, because the files are copied in the original resolution: 📸 Photo format HEIC (iPhones may not open on Xiaomi. Convert them to JPG Google Photos. 🎥 Video in the video 4K/60fps Take up a lot of space – make sure the new phone has enough memory. 🔍Miniatures (.thumbnails) may not be updated immediately.Reboot your phone or use Gallery Doctor from the Mi App Store. If transferring through the cloud, check the compression settings: Google Photos: select "Original Quality"