How to copy data from the old Xiaomi to the new: the full guide 2026

Why Google Copying Doesn’t Always Work

You bought a new Xiaomi smartphone and you want to transfer all the data from your old device to it? It would seem that it could be easier to back up your Google Account, and in a couple of minutes all the photos, contacts and applications are already in place. From no backups to sync errors, the fact is that Xiaomi uses its own shell. MIUI, It doesn’t always work well with standard Google services.

Another trap is data capacity, and if you have 64GB of storage on your old phone and you have a 15GB backup on Google Drive (or 100GB if you pay for a subscription), you can't transfer all your files, and some MIUI settings -- like the themes of the design or the gestures of the controls -- just don't save to the Google cloud, so you'll have to use alternative methods to fully port the data.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to copy data between Xiaomi smartphones, including the official solution from the manufacturer (Mi Mover), manual transfer over cable, cloud services and even a method for devices with a damaged screen.

1.The official way: Mi Mover - pros and cons

Mi Mover is a proprietary application from Xiaomi, designed to transfer data between devices based on MIUI. It is pre-installed on all modern smartphones of the brand and supports the transfer of contacts, messages, photos, videos, applications (including their data) and even some system settings. The main advantage is that Mi Mover copies data directly over Wi-Fi without intermediaries, which speeds up the process and eliminates leaks.

However, this method has limitations:

• 📱 It only works between Xiaomi devices (not suitable for porting from Samsung, iPhone, etc.).
• 🔌 Requires both phones to be connected to charging (at a charge below 20%, the process will be interrupted).
• 📁 Do not transfer files from the memory card (only internal memory).
• 🔄 On older models, before MIUI 10) may not support new versions of the application.

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

Install Mi Mover on both phones (if remote)|Connect both devices to Wi-Fi|Select “I am the sender” on the old phone and “I am the receiver” on the new one.|Scan it. QR-link-code|Select data for transfer and confirm the beginning of the process-->

Transfer speeds depend on the volume of data and the model of the phone. For example, transferring 30 GB of information from the Redmi Note 10 Pro to the Xiaomi 13 takes about 40-60 minutes. If the process is stalled during the Preparation stage, try restarting the application or using another method.

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If Mi Mover doesn’t see the second phone, check if both devices have File Transfer enabled in the Wi-Fi settings (path: Settings → Connections → Lab → File Transfer).

2.Transfer over OTG cable: faster than Wi-Fi

If you don’t have time to wait for data to move through the air, or Wi-Fi is unstable, use a cable. OTG (adapter USB-C to USB-C, If both phones have a Type-C port, this method is 2-3 faster than wireless and suitable for transferring large amounts of data (for example, video to video) 4K or RAW-photo).

You'll need:

• 🔌 Cable OTG Adapter (sold in any electronics store for the 200-500 ₽).
• 📱 Two Xiaomi smartphones (or one Xiaomi) + Android-device).
• 🔋 Charging at least 50% on both phones.

Instructions for transfer:

1. Connect the OTG cable to the new phone and the old phone to the other end of the cable.
2. On the new device, select File Transfer Mode (may be called File Manager or "USB-accumulator").
3. Open Explorer on a new phone and a folder with the old device will appear.
4. Copy the files you need (DCIM folders for photos, Download for downloads, WhatsApp for correspondence, etc.) to your new phone.

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Transmission speed to 40 MB/s (against) 5-10 MB/s on Wi-Fi).
• 📁 You can selectively copy only the right folders.
• 🔒 Data doesn’t go to the cloud (an important plus for privacy).

3. Cloud services: Google Drive vs Mi Cloud

If you don't have a cable on hand or want to back up "just in case," cloud services are a good solution. Xiaomi offers two main options: Google Drive (universal) and Mi Cloud (branded).

For backup in Google Drive:

1. Open Settings → Google → Backup.
2. Enable the option “Backup in Google Drive”.
3. Select an account and confirm synchronization.
4. On the new phone, log in to the same account and restore the data when you first set up.

For Mi Cloud:

1. Sign up or sign in to your Xiaomi account on your old phone.
2. Go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
3. Turn on sync for the desired categories (contacts, messages, gallery, etc.).
4. On the new phone, log in to the same account and wait for the sync to complete.

Google Drive|Mi Cloud|Yandex Disc.|iCloud|Other|Not using.-->

4. Applications and their data portability: what works and what doesn’t

One of the hardest things to do when migrating is to save the apps, for example, if you want to migrate not only WhatsApp itself, but also your email history, or keep up with your game progress, and unfortunately, not all apps support backup, and some (e.g. banking) don't allow data transfers at all for security reasons.

Here's what you can and can't move:

• ✅ Social media (VK, Telegram, Instagram: Message history synced through the cloud when logged in.
• ✅ Messengers (WhatsApp, Viber): backups are created in Google Drive or locally (you need to manually copy the folder). /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases).
• ❌ Banking applications (SberBank, Tinkoff): data is not transferred due to security (you will have to re-link the cards).
• ⚠️ Games: progress is only saved if the game supports the cloud (for example, through Google Play Games or Facebook).
• ✅ Application settings (e.g. Spotify, Netflix): Restore when logged in to your account.

To transfer data to WhatsApp:

1. On your old phone, open WhatsApp. → ⋮ → Settings → chat → Backup copy.
2. Create a backup in Google Drive.
3. Install WhatsApp on your new phone and sign in to the same account.
4. When a request appears, restore the chats from the backup.

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To transfer these games, use Google Play Games (if the game supports it), enable sync in the game settings and log in to the same account on the new phone.

5. Transfer data from damaged phone

If the screen of the old Xiaomi crashed or the phone doesn’t turn on, but you are sure that the data is intact, there are several ways to extract it, the main thing is not to panic and not try to disassemble the device yourself (the risk of damaging the memory).

Options for action:

• 🔌 Connecting to the PC through ADB: If the phone is turned on, but the screen is not working, you can control it through the computer using the ADB (Android Debug Bridge for this: Connect your phone to your PC via USB. Open the command line and type in: adb devices (if the device is not displayed, install Xiaomi drivers). Copy files with the command: adb pull /sdcard/ C:\Xiaomi_Backup\

Removal of memory card

microSD

Contacting the service center

1 500 ₽

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If the phone doesn’t turn on but vibrates when charging, try clamping the power button + volume increase for 10-15 seconds – sometimes this helps start the device in emergency mode.

⚠️ Warning: If the "Data Encryption" function was enabled on the phone (path: Settings) → Lockdown and protection → Encryption, without a password, file extraction will be impossible, in which case only the official Xiaomi service center will help (but there is no guarantee of data recovery).

6.What to do after data transfer

When all files and settings are in place, don’t be too excited – there are a few more important steps to keep the new phone running smoothly:

• 🔄 Update. MIUI: Go to Settings. → The phone. → Update the system and install the latest security patches.
• 🧹 Clear the cache: after transferring applications, garbage may remain. Use the built-in Cleanup utility (Settings) → Annexes → Cleanup).
• 🔒 Set up a lock: if you used a pattern lock or PIN On your old phone, reconfigure them on your new device.
• 📡 Check network settings: sometimes after transfer, Wi-Fi or mobile Internet settings are lost.

We also recommend:

• Delete duplicate photos (use the Google Photos or Gallery app from Xiaomi).
• Reconfigure notifications for apps (to avoid spam from old accounts).
• Check permissions for applications in Settings → Privacy → Permissions.

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After transferring the data, restart the new phone – this will help the system correctly apply all the settings and avoid lags.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data portability to Xiaomi