How to copy data from the old Xiaomi phone to the new: all the ways

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but data transfer often becomes a headache: Contacts are scattered across accounts, photos are lost in the cloud, and app settings have to be reconfigured. According to statistics from 2026, 68% of Xiaomi users face problems when migrating data precisely because of the wrong copying method.

In this article, we will look at all the current ways to transfer data, from the official Mi Mover tool to manually copying via a computer, and you will learn what method is suitable for your case (for example, when changing the model to the Redmi Note 13 Pro).+ Xiaomi 14 Ultra, how to avoid losing important files and what to do if standard tools don’t work, and how to save some apps, why some apps don’t work. SMS No loss and what to do with the data MIUI Laboratories.

If you've tried to copy data and you've encountered errors like "Device failed" or "Memory insufficient," there's a section in this article that addresses these issues, and for those who are switching from iPhone or Samsung, we've prepared some recommendations for adapting data to the Xiaomi ecosystem.

1.Official method: Mi Mover - fast, but with limitations

Mi Mover is a built-in app from Xiaomi that automatically transfers data between two smartphones over Wi-Fi Direct. MIUI 9 and newer, including the latest models like POCO F6 The main advantage is that you do not need to connect to the Internet or a computer, and the process takes 10–30 minutes depending on the amount of data.

However, the method has critical limitations:

• 📱 It only works between Xiaomi phones (not suitable for migrating from iPhone or Samsung).
• 🔄 Not all data transfers: for example, the settings of some system applications (such as Themes or Security) will have to be reconfigured.
• 📶 Requires both phones to have at least 20% battery power and Wi-Fi enabled.
• 🚫 Does not copy data from some third-party applications (such as WhatsApp or Viber – they must be ported separately).

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

Install Mi Mover on both phones (if it is not on the menu)|Open the app on both devices and select “I am the sender” (old phone) and “I am the receiver” (new)|Connect to a single Wi-Fi network or use an access point|Select data types for transfer (contacts, SMS, photos, etc.)|Confirm the transfer and wait until the process is completed (do not interrupt the process!)-->

If Mi Mover doesn't see the second phone, check:

• 🔌 Turn off Flight Mode and turn on Wi-Fi + Bluetooth on both devices.
• 🔄 Reboot both phones and try again.
• 📱 Make sure that the new phone has enough free space (at least 10% more than the amount of data transferred).

⚠️ Note: If you transfer data from Xiaomi to Xiaomi POCO (or vice versa, some functions MIUI For example, Dual Apps or Child Mode will require reconfiguration.

2. Google Account Transfer – Universal, but not for everything

Syncing through Google Account is the most reliable way to transfer contacts, calendars, notes and certain settings, and works on any Android device, including Xiaomi, and does not require additional applications.

• 📁 Photos, videos, music are not transferred (they must be copied separately).
• 📱 Application settings (e.g, MIUI Lab or Topics) not saved.
• 🔄 Requires a stable Internet connection (better via Wi-Fi).

How to transfer data via Google:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings. → Google accounts → Synchronize and turn on all switches.
2. Wait for the sync to complete (check in Settings → Google Accounts → Account Management → Data and Personalization).
3. On the new phone, when you first turn on, select “Copy data from your old device” and log in to the same Google Account.
4. Select data for recovery (contacts, applications, etc.).

If you have already set up a new phone but forgot to transfer the data:

1. Go to Settings → System → Backup.
2. Click "Recover Data" and select the last backup.

💡

Before transferring, check how much space your data takes up in your Google Account. If the volume exceeds 15 GB (free limit), delete unnecessary backups or buy additional space.

Important: Google is not syncing SMS and call log on devices with MIUI 12 and later. Use third-party apps like this to port them. SMS Backup & Restore.

3. Computer copying – complete control, but longer

If you need to transfer all data without exception (including hidden application files or game settings), manual copying through the computer is the most reliable way.

• 📱 Switching from iPhone to Xiaomi (via iTunes or iMazing).
• 💾 Large data transfers (e.g., 100)+ GB photo and video).
• 🔧 Save specific files (e.g. game or application databases).

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS.
• 🔌 Cable USB (Best Original Xiaomi for a Sustainable Speed).
• 📁 Enough free space on the PC (recommended 1.5 times the volume of data of the phone).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your old phone to your computer and select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy all folders from the phone’s internal memory to your PC (pay special attention: DCIM (Photo/video) Download (downloads) Pictures (images from apps) WhatsApp/Media (WhatsApp media files) Android/data (file)
3. Turn off the old phone and plug in the new one. Copy the files back into the same folders.
4. Use applications and their data to transfer ADB (guideline).

To migrate installed applications and their data (for example, save games or settings) MIUI):

1. Turn on the debugging. USB on both phones (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press to unlock Developer Settings, then enable debugging).
2. Connect your old phone to your PC and execute the command to create a backup: adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab
3. Connect your new phone and recover data: adb restore backup.ab

⚠️ Note: Not all applications support backup through ADB. For example, data MIUI Labs or Topics may not recover, in which case use the built-in export features in these applications.

4. Cloud services: Mi Cloud vs Google Drive vs Yandex Drive

Cloud storage is easy to move data if you don't have access to a computer or cable, but each service has its limitations:

* When using a Premium account.

How to transfer data through Mi Cloud:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Enable synchronization for all types of data (contacts, photos, notes, etc.).
3. Wait for the download to be completed (you can check the progress in the Mi Cloud) → Storage management).
4. On the new phone, log in to the same Xiaomi account and enable sync.

For Google Drive or Yandex Drive:

1. Upload files from your old phone to the cloud (via the app or web version).
2. On the new phone, download the files back.
3. For photos, it is easier to use Google Photos – it automatically syncs the images in their original quality (if the option “High quality” is enabled).

💡

Mi Cloud is the best choice for porting settings MIUI (For example, design themes or gestures, but 5GB of free data is only enough for basic data. For large volumes, use Google Drive or physical copying via your computer.

5. Transfer data from iPhone to Xiaomi (and vice versa)

The transition between the Apple and Xiaomi ecosystems is a separate headache.

• 🍎 iCloud does not sync directly to Android (except for contacts and calendars).
• 📱 Apps from the App Store will have to be re-installed (many of them are not on Google Play).
• 🔒 iMessage and FaceTime data cannot be transferred to Xiaomi.

Step-by-step instructions for switching from iPhone to Xiaomi:

1. Contacts and calendars: On iPhone: Settings → [Your name] → iCloud → On Xiaomi: add iCloud account to Settings → Accounts. → Add an account → iCloud and sync data.
2. Photos and videos: Use Google Photos or iMazing to transfer media files. Alternative: connect your iPhone to your computer, copy the files to a folder, then transfer them to Xiaomi.
3. Apps: Install analogues from Google Play (for example, WhatsApp instead of iMessage). To transfer these applications (for example, WhatsApp) use the official tools: On iPhone: WhatsApp → Settings → chat → Backup. on Xiaomi: Install WhatsApp, log in to the same account and restore backup.

For reverse transfer (from Xiaomi to iPhone):

• 📱 Use Apple's Move to iOS app (available on Google Play).
• 🔌 Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network and follow the instructions in the app.
• ⚠️ Keep in mind that Move to iOS only carries basic data (contacts, photos, email accounts), and that music, videos, and apps will have to be manually ported.

6.Transfer SMS, call logs and application data

Standard tools (Mi Mover or Google Account) are often not copied. SMS, call log and data of some applications (for example, Viber, Telegram or games.

For SMS and call logs:

• 📲 Annex SMS Backup & Restore (free, no ads): Install it on your old phone and back it up (Settings) → Backup. Save the backup file to Google Drive or send it to a new phone by email. On a new phone, install the same app and restore the data.

Super Backup & Restore

For these applications (save games, settings messengers):

• 🎮 Helium (requires root rights on older versions of Android): 1. Install Helium on both phones. 2. On an old phone, create a backup of the desired applications. 3. Transfer the backup file to the new phone and restore the data.
• 📱 For WhatsApp: On an old phone: Settings → chat → Backup (save to Google Drive) on your new phone: install WhatsApp, log in to the same account and restore the backup.

Viber

Telegram

• In Viber: Settings → Account. → Backup (save to Google Drive).
• In Telegram, data is synchronized automatically through the cloud (no need to transfer anything).

⚠️ Attention: If you are using MIUI 14 and later, some system applications (e.g. Camera or Gallery) may reset after the transfer. To avoid this, export the settings manually before migrating (if there is such an option in the application menu).

7. 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 none of these methods work, try an alternative approach:

• 📱 For contacts: export them to.vcf file via Contacts → Settings → Export and import on a new phone.
• 📁 For files: use Total Commander or FX File Explorer for manual copying through FTP cloud.
• 🔧 For settings MIUI: Take screenshots of all important menus (e.g. Settings) → Lock screen) and set up the new phone manually.

8. What to do after the data transfer?

Data portability is only half the battle. After migrating to the new Xiaomi, follow these steps to avoid problems in the future:

Check the synchronization of contacts and calendars|Update all apps on Google Play|Set up backup on your new phone|Check the operation of the main functions (camera, calls, Internet)|Remove unnecessary files from your old phone (if you plan to sell it)-->

1. Check the integrity of the data:

• 📞 Open Contacts and make sure all numbers are in place (especially check out groups and favorites).
• 📷 View the Gallery – sometimes photos are duplicated or lose dates.
• 📱 Run key applications (messaging apps, banking programs) and log in again.

2. Set up a backup on your new phone:

• 🔄 Enable automatic sync with Mi Cloud or Google Account:
• 📁 For photos, set up autoload in Google Photos:

3. Optimize the new phone:

• 🔋 Check the Settings. → Battery → Battery usage – some ported applications may consume charge in the background.
• 📶 Set up mobile internet and Wi-Fi (sometimes settings) APN bearable).
• 🔒 Update. MIUI Up to the latest version (Settings) → The phone. → Updating the system).

4 Prepare your old phone for sale or scrapping:

• 🧹 Make reset to factory settings:
• 🔐 Delete all accounts (Google, Xiaomi, social networks).
• 📱 Extract. SIM-card and memory card (if any).

💡

After transferring the data, be sure to check the biometric authentication (fingerprint, facial recognition), sometimes these settings are reset and need to be reconfigured in Settings. → Lock screen → Biometric data.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions