How to transfer data from your old phone to the new Xiaomi: all the ways 2026

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but data porting often turns into a headache. Even if you buy the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra or the budget Redmi Note 13, the process of migrating contacts, photos, messages and applications should be simple. Unfortunately, many users experience errors when using standard MIUI tools or lose some data due to incorrect settings.

This article will help avoid typical problems. We will discuss 5 working methods for data portability — from the official Mi Mover to manual backup through Google Account and Xiaomi Cloud. We will focus on the nuances for devices with MIUI 14/15, where the transfer algorithm has changed compared to older versions.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a built-in solution from Xiaomi that is automatically offered when you first turn on a new smartphone (SMS/MMS), Photos, videos, audio files, calendars, even some system settings, but there are limitations: applications are only portable as a form of a mobile app. APK-files (without data) and work is required MIUI 9 and higher on both devices.

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

• 📱 On the new Xiaomi, select Data Transfer when you first start (if you missed it, find the Mi Mover app in the menu).
• 🔄 On your old phone, open Settings. → The phone. → Data transfer (the path may differ depending on the version) MIUI).
• 📶 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network or create an access point on an old phone.
• 🔗 On your new smartphone, select Me sender (if ported from Android) or I receiver, then scan. QR-screencode.
• 📁 Select data types to transfer (we recommend unchecking the Application, as they are often carried with errors).

Charge both phones at least to the minimum. 50%|Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network (not mobile Internet)|Release me. 10-15% memory on the new device|Turn it off. VPN firewalls|Check the compatibility of versions MIUI-->

The process can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour depending on the amount of data, and if the transfer is stuck during the Preparation phase for longer than 20 minutes, restart both phones and try again to clean the cache of the Mi Mover app.

⚠️ Note: Mi Mover does not transfer data from some applications (e.g. WhatsApp, Viber, banking applications.

2. Transfer through Google Account (for contacts, calendars, mail)

If you use Google, most of the underlying data is already synced to the cloud automatically, a method that is suitable for transferring contacts, calendar events, Google Keep notes and Gmail emails. The main advantage is cross-platform: data will be available even if you move from an iPhone or other Android device.

To make sure that the synchronization is enabled:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Select your account and check that switches are enabled for Contact, Calendar, Gmail and other services.
3. Click Sync Now (may be called Update depending on the Android version).
4. On the new Xiaomi, add the same Google account when setting up or through Settings → Accounts.

To transfer photos through Google Photos:

1. Install the app on your old phone and enable Backup and Sync in the settings.
2. Wait for the download to complete (check in Photo → Library → Devices).
3. On the new Xiaomi, install Google Photos and log in to the same account.

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If you have a slow internet connection, choose High Quality over Original before syncing photos in Google Photos – this will save space in the cloud without significant quality loss.

3. Xiaomi Cloud: Backup and Recovery

Xiaomi Cloud is the manufacturer’s own cloud storage, which offers 5 GB for free (for Russia ROM – 10 GB), a method suitable for full backup of the system, including MIUI settings, wallpaper, themes and even data of some applications.

• 🔐 Mi Account is required (register it in advance on the official website).
• 📡 Download/upload speed depends on Xiaomi servers (in Russia it can be slower than Google).
• 🔄 Recovery is only possible on devices with the same version. MIUI (for example, MIUI 14 on MIUI 14).

Backup instructions:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Backup in Xiaomi Cloud.
2. Select data for saving (we recommend to note System settings, Applications, SMS).
3. Click Start Backup and wait until it is completed.
4. On the new Xiaomi, log in to the same Mi Account and restore data via Settings → About Phone → Restore from backup.

⚠️ Note: If you are using Global ROM Russia ROM Simultaneously, Xiaomi Cloud backups may not be compatible. Before restoring, check the firmware region in Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI.

4. Manual transfer via OTG cable or computer

If you have more than 10-15GB of data, or if you want to migrate your files selectively, the best option is to physically connect through a cable.

• 🔌 OTG-cable (for direct connection of telephones) or USB-cable + computer.
• 💾 Enough free space on the new device.
• 📂 File Manager (e.g., embedded Explorer or Solid Explorer).

Step-by-step instructions for transfer via computer:

1. Connect your old phone to your PC via USB, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the folders you want: DCIM for photos and videos. Downloads for downloads. Pictures, Music for media files. WhatsApp/Media for WhatsApp media (if necessary).

Xiaomi

For transfer through OTG-cable:

1. Connect. OTG-Adapter to a new phone and an old phone with cable.
2. On the new Xiaomi, open Explorer and select the connected device.
3. Copy files manually (similar to transfer via PC).

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Before using third-party data porting apps, check their Google Play rankings and reviews — some programs contain ads or collect excess data.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data portability to Xiaomi