How to Copy All Your Phone Data to Xiaomi Phone: The Complete 2026 Guide

Moving to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but data transfer often turns into a headache. Contacts, photos, messages, apps — how not to lose anything important? The migration methods depend on the model of your old phone (Android, iPhone or another Xiaomi), the amount of data and even the version of the MIUI firmware.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods, including the official solution from Xiaomi – the Mi Mover application, cloud services, direct cable transmission and even manual transfer via the computer.

If you're in a hurry, use the quick cloud method. If you want to migrate everything without exception (including Wi-Fi passwords and app settings), read about Mi Mover and the method via PC. And remember to check the compatibility of your devices, it will save hours of time!

Preparing for data transfer: what to do before copying

The first rule of successful migration is to prepare both phones. Start by checking the free space on the new Xiaomi: to transfer 64 GB of data, you will need at least 70-80 GB of free space (the system reserves space for temporary files). → The phone. → Warehouse.

Next, update the firmware on both devices. Mi Mover and other Xiaomi tools often refuse to work if the MIUI version is older than 12.5. Older smartphones (e.g., 2019 Redmi Note 8) may require manual installation of the latest available firmware through Settings → System Update.

• 📱 On an old phone: delete unnecessary files (cache, photo take) and disable screen lock (if you use Mi Mover).
• 🔋 Battery charge: both devices must be charged at least 50%, and Wi-Fi Direct transfers up to 15-20% per hour.
• 🌐 Internet: for cloud methods, connect to Wi-Fi. Mobile traffic is not suitable - a 10 GB transmission will "eat" the entire package in minutes.
• 🔒 Security: Turn it off VPN Antiviruses (they can block data transmission as suspicious activity").

⚠️ Note: If you are transferring data from iPhone to Xiaomi, pre-disable iCloud Drive and iCloud Photos in Apple Settings ID. Otherwise, photos can be duplicated or transmitted in low resolution.

Method 1: Mi Mover – official solution from Xiaomi (with limitations)

Mi Mover is a proprietary migration tool pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 9 and later.

• 📞 Contacts, call log, SMS/MMS
• 📷 Photos and videos (including Google Photos albums)
• 🎵 Music, documents, downloads
• 📱 System settings (Wi-Fi, wallpaper, sound profiles)
• 📦 Some application data (e.g. Mi Notes notes)

However, there are some critical limitations that Xiaomi has not warned about:

1. On Xiaomi 13/14 series and Redmi Note 12 models, Mi Mover does not carry apps (only their data, if the application is already installed on the new phone).
2. When transferring from the iPhone, voice notes and Apple notes are lost.
3. The maximum volume of one transmission is 100 GB. For a larger volume, you will have to divide the data into parts.

Step-by-step:

1. Open Mi Mover on both phones (the old one might be called "Transfer Data").
2. On the new Xiaomi, select I am a new user, on the old one, Send data.
3. Scanner. QR-code on an old phone scan the code from the screen of the new.
4. Select data types to transfer and confirm the start of the transfer.

⚠️ If the Mi Mover is 99% frozen, don’t interrupt! MIUI 14 is normal -- the system indexes media files longer. Wait 10 to 15 minutes.

Turn off the screen lock on both phones |

Connect to a single Wi-Fi network (if there is no direct connection)|

Close all background applications |

Check the space available on the new Xiaomi (minimum) +20% of the data volume)-->

Method 2: Quick Cloud Transfer (Google Drive, Mi Cloud)

Cloud services are the most universal way, but with two important nuances:

1. Google Drive only provides 15GB for free. 50GB for port+ GB will have to buy a place (from 139 GB) ₽/month).
2. Mi Cloud (Xiaomi cloud) limits download speeds to 2 Mbps at a free rate. 30 GB transfer will take ~4 hours.

Instructions for Google Drive:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Google → Backup.
2. Activate the Download in Google Drive and select the data (contacts, photos, SMS).
3. On the new Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select Restore from backup and log in to the same Google account.

Instructions for Mi Cloud:

1. On the old Xiaomi go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Backup.
2. Create a new copy by selecting the data you need.
3. On the new phone, enter the same Xiaomi account and recover data from the cloud.

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If you use Google Photos to transfer media files, turn on the “Original Quality” option in the backup settings, otherwise photos will shrink to 16 MP and videos to 1080p.

Method 3: Direct transmission by cable (OTG or USB-TypeC)

For owners of phones without a memory card slot (such as the Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi K60), direct cable transfer is the only way to do without the cloud.

• 🔌 OTG-Adapter (if on the old microUSB phone, and on the new Type-C).
• 📱 File Manager (e.g. Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).
• ⚡ Data-enabled cable (not all charging cables are suitable!).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your old phone to your new one OTG-adapter.
2. On the new Xiaomi, open Files and select USB-device.
3. Copy DCIM (photo/video), Downloads, Pictures folders into internal memory.
4. To transfer contacts, export them to.vcf via Contacts → Settings → Export.

⚠️ Note: When copying through OTG Do not remove the cable until you see the notification "Safe extraction". MIUI 14 interrupted transmission may cause file system damage F2FS, which will require resetting.

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Direct cable transfer is the only way to store the metadata of photos (date of shooting, geotagged, albums), and cloud services often reset this information.

Method 4: Computer Transfer (for large amounts of data)

If you want to copy 100+GB or transfer data from your iPhone without loss, the PC method is the most reliable.

• 💻 Computer with Windows/macOS and free disk space.
• 🔌 Two. USB-cables (original, not Chinese "no-name" cables").
• 🛠 Programs: Mi PC Suite (for Xiaomi), iTunes (for iPhone) or Android File Transfer (for Mac).

Instructions for Android → Xiaomi:

1. Connect your old phone to your PC in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy DCIM, WhatsApp, Telegram folders to your hard drive.
3. Connect the new Xiaomi and transfer the data to the appropriate folders.
4. For applications, use Mi PC Suite (download from [official site](https://pcsuite.mi.com)).

Instructions for iPhone → Xiaomi:

1. Install iTunes and back up your iPhone.
2. Use iMazing or AnyTrans to export photos, contacts, and messages to Android-compatible formats.
3. Transfer files to the new Xiaomi USB-cable.

Method 5: Alternative applications (SHAREit, Xender, LocalSend)

If standard methods don't work, try third-party apps. They're suitable for:

• 📲 Transfers between Xiaomi and other brands (Samsung, Huawei).
• 🚀 Quickly send individual files (e.g., one 2GB video).
• 🌍 Bypassing regional restrictions (e.g. Mi Mover is not available in some countries).

Comparison of popular applications:

⚠️ Note: Apps like SHAREit and Xender often collect user data (file lists, device models.

Typical errors and their solutions

Problem 1: Mi Mover says "failed to connect." Solution:

• Check that both phones have Wi-Fi Direct enabled (Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi Direct).
• Turn off Power Saving Mode – it blocks background data transfer.
• If you are using Redmi Note 11 or later, upgrade your MIUI to the latest version (the plug-in bug is fixed in firmware V14.0.4.0).

Problem 2: Post-transfer photos open in low resolution.

• In Google Photos settings, check that original quality is selected, not high quality (compression).
• When using Mi Mover, turn off the Optimize option to save space in the transmission settings.

Problem 3: WhatsApp messages are not portable.

1. Create a local copy of chats on WhatsApp: Settings → Chat → Backup.
2. Copy /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases folder to your new phone.
3. Install WhatsApp on the new Xiaomi and restore chats from local copy.

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If the new Xiaomi has lost wallpaper or audio settings after porting, check the /MIUI/theme folder. Sometimes Mi Mover doesn't restore the themes. Solution: download the theme from Theme → My themes.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data portability to Xiaomi