How to Transfer Data from Old Phone to New Xiaomi: A Complete 2026 Guide

Buying a new Xiaomi smartphone is always a joyful event, but before enjoying the speed of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or the Leica camera on the Mi 14 Ultra, you have to solve a routine task: data transfer. Contacts, photos from the past 5 years, saved passwords, notes and even progress in games – all this must be carefully moved to the new device without losing a byte.

Fortunately, Xiaomi offers a few built-in migration tools, and it also supports universal solutions like Google Account or direct Wi-Fi transmission. But which way to choose? It all depends on the amount of data, phone models and even the version. MIUI. For example, owners of Redmi Note 12 will suit a quick transfer through Mi Mover, and to switch from iPhone to Xiaomi 13T You need to get a workaround through the cloud.

In this article, we will discuss all relevant methods. 2026 year, including hidden chips MIUI 14/15, Avoid common errors (e.g. why a cable transfer is required) USB-C may break off 87%) And we'll give you a checklist to prepare your phones, and if you're afraid of losing your data, at the end of the day, you'll have a list of backup software that will save your data even if it crashes.

1. Preparation of telephones before data transfer

Before you start migrating, make sure both devices are ready for the procedure, and neglecting this stage is the main reason why users encounter errors such as “failed to connect” or freeze during the transfer stage.

On your old phone (whether it’s Xiaomi or another brand) do the following:

• 🔋 Charge the battery to at least 50% – transfer data can take up to an hour, and discharging in the process will lead to a break.
• 📶 Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network (if you plan to use the cloud or Mi Mover) Mobile Internet is not suitable due to traffic restrictions.
• 🗑️ Delete unnecessary files: go to Settings → Warehouse → Clean up and clear the place, which will speed up the process.
• 🔐 Unlock the screen and turn off the power saving mode – it can interrupt the transmission.

On the new Xiaomi:

• 📱 Complete the initial setup until the system prompts you to move the data (usually the “Copy Data” step). If you have already completed the setup, reset your phone to the factory via Settings. → The phone. → Resetting settings.
• 🔄 Update. MIUI Up to the latest version: Settings → System Update: Older versions may not support new transmission protocols.

⚠️ Note: If you are porting data from your iPhone, the new Xiaomi should have Move to iOS installed (available on Google Play.

Also check the compatibility of models. for example, Xiaomi 12S Ultra and Redmi 10A Mi Mover support, but if one of the phones is released before 2018, you may need to manually copy via PC.

2. Method 1: Mi Mover is the official tool of Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a built-in app from Xiaomi that allows you to transfer almost all data from your old phone to your new phone without a computer. MIUI 9 and newer, including the latest models like Xiaomi 14 or POCO F6.

Advantages of the method:

• 🚀 High speed – up to 10 GB of data is transmitted in 15-20 minutes.
• 📁 Transferring contacts, SMS, Photos, videos, apps and even Wi-Fi settings.
• 🔗 Works between Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO and some other brands (e.g. Oppo or Vivo).

Step instructions:

1. On the new Xiaomi, select Data Transfer when you start. → Mi Mover.
2. On your old phone, open Mi Mover (if you don’t have one, download from Google Play).
3. Select a role: new phone - "Recipient", old - "Sender".
4. Scan it. QR-code from the new phone on the old one (or enter it) PIN-manually).
5. Select the data to transfer and wait for completion.

If the process is stuck in the Connection or 87% Transfer stage:

• 🔄 Reboot the Mi Mover on both phones.
• 📶 Reconnect to Wi-Fi or turn on a mobile hotspot on your old phone.
• 🔋 Check if the energy saving mode is activated.

⚠️ Note: Mi Mover does not transfer data from some applications (such as WhatsApp or Viber) and will require separate backups.

Method 3: Transfer through Google Account (for Android)

If you have a Google Account synced to an old phone, this is the easiest method to use, and it's suitable for transferring contacts, calendars, notes, photos (Google Photos) and some settings. SMS That way, you won't move.

How it works:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings. → Accounts. → Google and make sure that sync is enabled for the data you need (contacts, calendar, etc.).
2. On the new Xiaomi, select Data Copy when setting up → From the cloud and log in to the same Google account.
3. Select the data to recover and wait for completion.

To transfer photos and videos:

• 📸 Install Google Photos on your old phone.
• 🖥️ Enable autoboot in the app settings.
• 🔄 On the new Xiaomi, log in to the same account – photos will be automatically uploaded.

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ Not tolerated. SMS, Calls, apps and their data.
• ⏳ High-resolution photos take up space in the cloud (only 15GB is free).
• 🔒 Some data (such as Chrome passwords) may not sync due to security settings.

💡

If you don't have enough space on Google Drive, turn on the "High Quality" option in Google Photos instead of "Original" before transferring photos, saving up to 70% of the space without noticeable loss of quality.

Method 3: Direct transmission over cable (USB OTG)

If you don’t have Wi-Fi access or want to transfer a lot of data (50)+ GB) without cloud restrictions, cable connectivity is the best solution, and works between any Android device, including Xiaomi and other brands.

What you need:

• 🔌 Cable USB OTG (Adapter if you have an old microUSB phone and a new one. USB-C).
• 📱 On the new Xiaomi should be enabled the developer mode and debugging USB.

Step-by-step:

1. On the new Xiaomi, enable Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Press 7 times to activate the developer mode).
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Connect your phones with a cable. On your old phone, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
4. On the new Xiaomi, open Explorer and copy files manually or use Mi Mover in cable mode.

Typical problems and solutions:

• 🔌 Cable not recognized: try another cable (cheap) OTG-Adapters often don’t work).
• 🚫 No access to files: on an old phone, allow access in the notification "USB-connection".
• ⏳ Slow transmission: use the cable USB 3.0 (blue connector) and connect to the charger – this will speed up the process.

⚠️ Note: When transferring via cable, do not remove the plug until the copy is completed. Interrupting may result in loss of some files or damage. SD-cards (if used).

5. Method 4: Transfer from iPhone to Xiaomi (via Move to iOS)

Moving from iPhone to Xiaomi is a bigger challenge than migrating between Android devices. Apple restricts data exports, but Xiaomi offers an official solution: the Move to iOS app (yes, it works the other way around!).

What can be transferred:

• 📞 Contacts
• 📅 Calendars
• 📸 Photos and videos (without Live Photos)
• 🎵 Safari bookmarks (turned into Chrome bookmarks)

What's not going to happen:

• 💬 iMessages (only) SMS)
• 🎮 Application data (e.g., game progress)
• 🍎 Apps from the App Store (you will have to install analogues from Google Play)

Instructions:

1. On the new Xiaomi, select Data Transfer when setting up → Isa iPhone/iPad.
2. On iPhone, download Move to iOS from the App Store and follow the instructions.
3. Enter the connection code from Xiaomi on the iPhone.
4. Select the data to transfer and wait for completion.

If Move to iOS doesn't work:

• 🔄 Reboot both phones and try again.
• 📶 Turn off the iPhone power saving mode and VPN.
• 🔌 Connect your iPhone to charging – the process can take a long time.

💡

To transfer music from iPhone to Xiaomi, use iTunes + Google Play Music (if tracks are purchased) or manually copy via computer.

Method 5: Manual transfer via computer

If none of the previous methods work (e.g., you have an outdated phone or a damaged screen), you can always copy data via a PC, which is universal and works even with Android 5.0 phones.

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with Windows/macOS.
• 🔌 Cables. USB for both phones.
• 📁 Folder on PC with sufficient space (recommended 50)+ GB).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your old phone to your PC and select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the necessary data (photos from the DCIM, Music from Music, etc.) to the folder on the computer.
3. Turn off your old phone and connect a new Xiaomi.
4. Transfer files from your PC to your new phone.

For the transfer of contacts and SMS:

• 📇 Export contacts to.vcf file via Contacts → Settings → Exports.
• 💬 For SMS Use applications like SMS Backup & Restore (Saves Messages in the Reservations) XML).

Advantages of the method:

• 🔒 100% control over the data transferred.
• 🛠️ Works with any phone, even with a damaged screen (if debugging is enabled). USB).
• 🗄️ You can make a backup on the PC before transferring.

⚠️ Note: When copying photos through a PC, do not change the folder structure (for example, DCIM/Camera). Some apps (such as the Xiaomi Gallery) may not recognize files if they are in the wrong directories.

7. data transfer of specific applications (WhatsApp, Viber, games)

Even if you successfully migrated the basic data, some apps require special attention, such as WhatsApp is not transmitted through Mi Mover or Google Account, but it needs to be backed up to the cloud.

WhatsApp:

• 🔄 On your old phone, back up: Settings → chat → Backup copy.
• 📱 Install WhatsApp on the new Xiaomi and sign in to the same account.
• 🔙 When you request, restore chats from Google Drive.

Viber:

• ☁️ Enable synchronization in settings: Settings → Account. → Backup copy.
• 📲 On the new phone, log in to your account – the data will be downloaded automatically.

Games (e.g. Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile)

• 🎮 Most games are linked to a Google, Facebook or miHoYo account. Just log in to the same account on your new phone.
• 💾 For offline games (like Stardew Valley), copy the save folder (Android/data) PC.

If the game is not synchronized:

• 🔍 Check if it supports cross-platform portability (e.g. Clash of Clans portable via Supercell) ID).
• 📧 Write in support of the game with a request to link the account to the new device.

8. Frequent errors and their solutions

Even when following instructions, users encounter problems, and here are the most common errors and ways to correct them:

If no solution has worked:

• 🔄 Try an alternative method (e.g., use a cable instead of Mi Mover).
• 📞 Contact Xiaomi Support via Settings → Revocation.
• 🛠️ Reset the new phone to factory settings and repeat the transfer.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions