How to copy Xiaomi phone to new phone without losing data

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always an exciting moment: how to transfer all the important data so that nothing is lost? Contacts, photos, messages, apps and even screen settings can be saved if you act correctly. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to copy data from the old Xiaomi to the new, from the official Mi Mover to manual backup via the computer.

Xiaomi phones are built-in migration tools that often work better than third-party apps, but even if you have devices of different brands (like the Redmi Note 12 and POCO X5), most methods will remain relevant.

Spoiler: the fastest way is Mi Mover (works without a computer), and the most reliable way is to back up Google Drive (suitable for any Android device), but each method has nuances, which we will discuss below.

1.Official method: Mi Mover - transfer without a computer

Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s proprietary solution that allows you to transfer data directly over Wi-Fi between two phones, pre-installed on all modern devices of the brand (starting with MIUI 9), the main advantage is that even the system settings, wallpaper and data of some applications are saved, which cloud services do not.

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

• 📱 On a new phone: when you first turn on, select Transfer data from the settings menu. If the phone is already configured, find the Mi Mover app in the list of programs.
• 🔄 On an old phone: Open Mi Mover, select I sender and scan QR-code from the new device.
• 📶 Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network (or use an access point).
• ✅ Select data for transfer: contacts, messages, photos, videos, applications, etc.

Charge both phones at least to the 50%|Release. 1-2 GB of memory on a new device|Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network|Close the background apps on both phones-->

Important: Mi Mover does not transfer data from some applications (such as WhatsApp or banking programs) due to security restrictions, and the process can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, depending on the amount of data. If the transfer is interrupted, start again: partially copied files will not be saved.

⚠️ Note: If the old phone has custom firmware installed (not official) MIUI), Mi Mover may not work, in which case use alternative methods from the following sections.

2. Transfer through Google Account – a universal method

Syncing with a Google Account is the most reliable way if you use Google services (Gmail, Drive, Photos), which works not only for Xiaomi, but also for all Android devices, the main advantage is that data is stored in the cloud and available even after a phone is reset.

What can be transferred via Google:

• 📇 Contacts (automatically synced to Gmail)
• 📅 Calendars and reminders
• 📸 Photo and video (via Google Photos if Autoupload is enabled)
• 🎵 Music and documents (if uploaded to Google Drive)
• 📱 System settings (Wi-Fi passwords, wallpaper, some application settings)

How to set up synchronization:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Select your account and enable synchronization for all the data you need.
3. On the new phone, when you set up, select Restore from backup and log in to the same Google Account.
4. Wait until the synchronization is complete (it can take up to several hours for large amounts of data).

If you haven't cleaned Google Drive in years, check the free space before transferring. Only 15GB is available for free, and photos in their original quality take up a lot of space. Alternatively, buy extra space temporarily (from 139). ₽/100GB month or use Mi Cloud (more on in the next section).

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Before transferring, check what data is already synced with Google: open myaccount.google.com → Data Management and Personalization → Sync.

3. Xiaomi Cloud (Mi Cloud) – for ecosystem owners

Mi Cloud is Xiaomi’s cloud storage that automatically backs up data from your phone. Unlike Google, it saves SMS, call log, notes, and even MIUI settings. However, there are two downsides: a 5GB limit on free space and a binding to a Xiaomi account (inconvenient if you use multiple brands).

How to transfer data through Mi Cloud:

1. On the old phone: Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Enable backup for the desired categories (contacts, messages, gallery, etc.).
3. Wait for the download to complete (you can check the progress in the backup management section).
4. On the new phone, log in to the same Xiaomi account and restore the data from the backup.

An important caveat: Mi Cloud does not copy installed applications - only their data (for example, save in games). APK-The files will have to be re-installed via Google Play, and some users complain about slow download/download speeds, especially if Xiaomi servers are overloaded.

⚠️ Warning: If you reset your old phone to factory settings before you back up to Mi Cloud, all unsaved data will be lost irretrievably. Always back up before resetting!

4. Manual transfer via computer - for full control

If you need to migrate all files without exception (including hidden folders or application data), the best way is to connect both phones to your computer and copy the data manually. This method takes longer, but gives you 100% control over the process.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux
• 🔌 USB-cables (preferably original)
• 📁 Enough free space on the PC (or external disk)

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your old phone to your computer in File Transfer (MTP) mode (select the appropriate mode in the notification curtain).
2. Copy all the necessary folders to the computer: DCIM — Download photos and videos – uploaded WhatsApp files – backups of chats (if you use them) Android/data — data

Turn off the old phone and connect the new one.

Transfer the copied files to the new phone to the same folders.

To migrate applications and their data, you'll need additional tools, like ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which is a complex method that requires command line knowledge, but it's the only one that allows you to migrate all application settings, including save games.

adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab

You can restore the backup by the team:

adb restore backup.ab

⚠️ Note: Not all applications support backups through ADB.Banking applications and instant messengers (e.g. Telegram or Viber) often block data exports for security reasons.

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Manual transfer via computer is the only way to save files in their original quality without compression (relevant for photographers and videographers).

5.Move over third-party apps – when nothing helps

If standard methods don’t work (for example, due to different versions of Android or brand incompatibility), third-party apps will come to the rescue.

• 📲 Clone Phone (from Huawei but works with Xiaomi) – transfers contacts, messages, photos and videos.
• 🔄 ShareMe (Mi Drop) – the official application from Xiaomi for transferring files over Wi-Fi Direct.
• ☁️ Send Anywhere – a cross-platform solution for transferring large files without the cloud.
• 📎 Swift Backup – for backup of applications and their data (requires root rights).

Example of transfer via ShareMe:

1. Install the app on both phones from Google Play.
2. On the old phone, select Send, on the new phone, Receive.
3. Scan it. QR-code or connect via the access point.
4. Select the files and confirm the transfer.

Third-party apps often run faster than Mi Mover and support more file formats. However, be careful: some programs (especially little-known ones) may contain ads or collect data. Before using them, check the reviews on Google Play and the permissions the app requests.

6. Data transfer of WhatsApp and other messengers

Messages from WhatsApp, Viber or Telegram are not carried by standard methods (Mi Mover or Google Account).

For WhatsApp:

• 🔄 On your old phone, back up: WhatsApp settings → chat → Backup copy.
• ☁️ Select Create a copy in Google Drive (requires a linked account).
• 📱 On your new phone, install WhatsApp, log in to the same account and restore chats from backup.

For Telegram:

• ☁️ All chats and media files are automatically synced to the Telegram cloud.
• 🔄 For local secret chats, make manual export: Settings → Additionally. → Chat data export.

For Viber:

• 📁 Create a backup manually: Settings → Account. → Backup copy.
• 📎 Save the file to your computer or the cloud, then restore it to your new phone.

⚠️ Note: If you are migrating WhatsApp from Android to iPhone (or vice versa), there is no official way, and the only option is to use third-party programs like Backuptrans, but they are paid and require a connection to a computer.

Checklist before data transfer

To avoid forgetting anything, go through this list before you start the transfer:

Check the battery on both phones (minimum) 50%)|Make room on your new phone (on the phone) 10-20% more data portable)|Backup important files to your computer or cloud|Write down logins / passwords from accounts (Google, Xiaomi, social networks)|Turn off the battery economy mode and background optimization|Check the compatibility of versions MIUI (If you are using Mi Mover)|Turn it off. VPN (It may interfere with the connection to cloud services)-->

If you are transferring data from your phone to MIUI 12 or older to a device with MIUI 14, some settings may not be restored due to changes in the system.

• Screen settings (resolution, refresh rate).
• Application Permissions (Settings → Applications → Permissions)
• Notifications (Settings → Notifications).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi data portability