How to Copy Messages from Phone to Phone by Xiaomi: The Complete 2026 Guide

Transferring messages between Xiaomi smartphones may seem like a trivial task, but in practice, users face a lot of nuances, from losing chat history to problems with synchronizing multimedia attachments. Unlike backing up contacts or photos, sending SMS and instant messenger messages requires taking into account the features of the MIUI firmware, Android versions and even the device model. For example, on the Redmi Note 12 with MIUI 14, the algorithm differs from POCO F5 to MIUI 15 due to changes in data access policy.

This article covers all the current ways of transferring messages, from built-in tools Xiaomi to third-party solutions that work even on devices with root access. We will discuss how to save not only text SMS, but also the history of WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber, and explain why some methods may not work on custom firmware like Xiaomi.EU. Importantly, if you plan to sell an old device, deleting messages after a factory reset does not guarantee complete data erasure – this will require encryption or memory overwriting.

1. Transfer through the built-in MIUI "Transfer Data" function

The most obvious way is to use Xiaomi’s proprietary tool to migrate data, which is available on all devices with a mobile device. MIUI 12 It is newer, but has limitations: it works only between smartphones. Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO It requires the same firmware version (or no more than one different from the other). 1 Major release. For example, with Mi. 11 Xiaomi 13T The transfer will go smoothly, but with Redmi 9A on POCO X6 Pro may cause errors due to variations in versions MIUI.

To take advantage of the function:

• 📱 On your old phone, open Settings. → The phone. → Transmit data (or Settings) → Additionally. → Transfer of data on new versions).
• 🔄 Select the role of “Sender” and wait for the generation QR-code.
• 📱 On the new phone, run the same section and select Receiver, then scan. QR.
• 📋 In the list of available data, tick “Messages” (and “Multimedia” if you need to move attachments).

It takes 5 to 30 minutes depending on the amount of data. Importantly, if a new phone already has a Mi Account, the system can request confirmation via SMS, which is normal, but do not interrupt the transfer at this stage. Also note that messages from third-party messengers (for example, Signal or Skype) are not transferred through this method.

2. sync through Google Account (SMS only)

If both phones are linked to the same Google account, you can only transfer SMS (not messaging chats!) through the cloud, a method that works even between Xiaomi and other brands (such as Samsung or Pixel), but it has critical limitations:

• ⏳ Messages are synchronized with a delay of up to 24 hours.
• 📸 Investments (photos, videos, voice) are not transferred.
• 🔒 The sender phone should have the backup function enabled. SMS In Google settings → Backup.

Step-by-step:

1. On an old phone: Settings → Google → Backup → Backup SMS (turn on the slider).
2. Wait until the reservation is completed (check the date of the last backup on the same menu).
3. On the new phone, log in to the same Google account and enable SMS sync in the same settings.
4. Restart the device – messages will appear in the Messages app (it may take up to a day).

⚠️ Note: If you already have a new phone SMS, They can be duplicated or mixed with the transferred ones. Before synchronization, it is recommended to clear the history in the Messages application through Settings. → Clear the data.

3. Transfer of chat messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber)

Messages from popular messengers are transferred separately from SMS. Each service has its own nuances:

For WhatsApp, the instructions are as follows:

1. On your old phone, open WhatsApp. → ⋮ → Settings → chat → Backup and create a local copy (save in the folder) /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases).
2. Copy the msgstore.db.crypt14 file to a new phone (e.g., via Mi Share or USB-OTG cable).
3. Install WhatsApp on your new phone, confirm the number and wait for the offer to restore chats.

For Telegram, cloud sync is the easiest way to use: just log in to your account on a new device – the story will load automatically (except for secret chats). If you need to move Viber, use backup to Google Drive (Settings → Account → Backup).

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If WhatsApp doesn't see a backup on a new phone, make sure the file name matches the msgstore.db.crypt14 format (not crypt12 or crypt15).

4. Use of third-party applications (SMS Backup & Restore, Super Backup)

If the built-in methods are not suitable (for example, when transferring between Xiaomi and a device of another brand), you can use specialized utilities.

• 📲 SMS Backup & Restore – Retains SMS/MMS into XML-file, supports encryption.
• 🔄 Super Backup - Copying SMS, call log and applications (including messenger data).
• 📎 Mi Mover (official app from Xiaomi) – an alternative to the built-in function “Transfer data».

Example of transfer via SMS Backup & Restore:

1. Install the app on both phones from Google Play.
2. On your old phone: Backup → Select SMS/MMS → Create a backup (the file will be saved to memory or Google Drive).
3. Transfer the backup file to a new phone (e.g., via Mi Share or the cloud).
4. On the new phone: Restore → Select a file → Restore.

⚠️ Note: When recovering through third-party applications, there may be problems with encoding Cyrillic characters in the SMS. Before transfer, check the encoding settings in the application (usually this is the case). UTF-8).

5. Transfer via Bluetooth or Mi Share (for small volumes)

If you only need to send a few important messages, you can use Mi Share (similar to AirDrop) or classic Bluetooth.

• 📩 Sending individual shipments SMS (For example, with a confirmation code).
• 🖼️ Transmission of multimedia investments (photo, video from the MMS).
• 📄 Exporting chat history in text format (for example, via Long Click on a message) → Exports to Telegram).

Instructions for Mi Share:

1. Turn on Mi Share on both phones (Settings → Connection and Sharing → Mi Share).
2. On your old phone, select the messages you want to move (for example, in the Messages app, click Select → Mark the right ones → Share → Mi Share).
3. Accept the file on the new device.

The algorithm is similar for Bluetooth, but the transfer speed will be lower (especially for attachments).Please note: some Xiaomi models (such as the POCO X3 Pro) have bugs with file sharing over Bluetooth - in this case, use Mi Share or USB-OTG cable.

6. portable via PC (for advanced users)

If none of the above methods are suitable (for example, if the screen of an old phone is damaged), you can retrieve messages through the computer.

• 🖥️ PC with installed Xiaomi drivers (download from the official website).
• 📱 USB-Type C Cable (original to avoid connection issues).
• 🛠️ Software for working with backup copies (for example, Mi) PC Suite or Android Backup Extractor).

Step-by-step process:

1. Connect your old phone to your PC in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases (root rights required!) or use Mi PC Suite to create a backup.
3. To extract SMS from the backup, use the Android Backup Extractor (team: java -jar abe.jar unpack backup.ab backup.tar).
4. Transfer the files to your new phone and restore them via SMS Backup & Restore.

⚠️ Attention: Working with system folders /data requires root access and may result in loss of warranty. MIUI 14+ and enabled Mi Anti-Rollback such manipulations can block the bootloader.

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To transfer messages from phone to phone Xiaomi optimally use a combination of methods: built-in MIUI function for SMS + cloud synchronization of messengers. Third-party applications are convenient for selective transfer, and PCs - for recovering data from damaged devices.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even when following the instructions, users face typical problems:

If no solution has worked, check:

• 🔋 Battery level (both phones must have at least 50%).
• 📶 Quality of Internet connection (for cloud-based methods).
• 🔒 Permit settings: on MIUI 13+ Data portability may require permission Special access → File transfer.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions