How to transfer all data from the old Xiaomi to the new smartphone: 5 proven ways

Buying a new Xiaomi smartphone is always a joyful event, but transferring data from an old device can become a headache if you don’t know the nuances. Even between models of the same brand, the process does not always go smoothly: app settings are lost somewhere, Wi-Fi passwords are not transferred, and sometimes synchronization errors occur altogether. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways of migration – from the official Mi Mover to manual copying via PC – and also tell you how to avoid typical problems.

Many users mistakenly think that it is enough to insert SIM-It's going to work, but in practice, you have to take the version into account to make a full transfer. MIUI, Data volume, Internet speed, even the model of the device. For example, on Xiaomi 13 Pro with the MIUI 14 algorithm may differ from the procedure on the Redmi Note 10 MIUI 12.5 We tested all methods on the current firmware of 2026 and highlighted their pros and cons.

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

Mi Mover

Xiaomi

MIUI 9

copying

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

Charge of both smartphones ≥ 50% | Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network | Remove unnecessary files from your old phone for acceleration | Turn off VPNs and firewalls

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1. On the new smartphone, when you first turn on, select Data Transfer (or find Mi Mover in the Settings menu → About Phone → Data Transfer).
2. On the old phone, open Mi Mover and select I sender.
3. Scan it. QR-code from a new device or connect via Bluetooth search.
4. Select data types to transfer (we recommend that you leave all check boxes except System applications – they often cause conflicts).
5. Wait for the process to be completed (it can take anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour depending on the amount of data).

Important nuances:

• 🔋 The battery must be at least 50% charged on both devices, and at a discharge below 30%, the process may be interrupted.
• 📶 Wi-Fi speed is critical: if the signal is weak, the transfer is delayed or interrupted.
• 🚫 Not all apps are portable, for example, data from banking applications (SberBank Online, Tinkoff) or messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram) will have to be restored separately.

⚠️ Note: If the new smartphone is installed MIUI older than the older one (e.g., transfer from Mi 11 to Redmi 12), some settings may not apply due to firmware differences).

OTG Cable Transfer: Reliable but Requires an Adapter

If you don't have stable Wi-Fi or data volumes that exceed 10 GB, direct cable connectivity is the best solution, faster than Mi Mover and independent of the quality of the Internet connection, but you'll need a USB-OTG adapter (or USB-C to USB-C cable if the models support USB 3.1).

Algorithm of action:

1. Connect your old smartphone to your new one OTG-Adapter. On the new device, select File Transfer Mode (MTP).
2. On the old phone, select Data Transfer (not Charging) in the connection notification.
3. Open Explorer on a new smartphone, find the folder of the old device (usually Xiaomi [model]).
4. Copy the required files manually: 📁 Photo/video: folder DCIM and Pictures 🎵 Music: folder Music or Media 📄 Documents: Documents folder or Download folder

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Speed up to 480 Mbps (5-10 times faster than Wi-Fi).
• 🔒 Security – data is not transmitted via the Internet.
• 📂 Selective copying – only the necessary files can be transferred.

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If the cable is not recognized, try using the original cord from Xiaomi or check if yours supports the same. OTG-adapter MTP. Cheap adapters often only work for charging.

3. Cloud Backup: Mi Cloud vs Google Drive - Which to Choose?

Cloud services are convenient because they allow you to recover data on a new device at any time, even if the old smartphone has already been sold or broken. Xiaomi has its own service, Mi Cloud, but it has a volume limit (5 GB for free) and does not always work consistently. The alternative is Google Drive, which offers 15 GB for free and is better integrated with Android.

Comparison of services:

How to make a backup in Mi Cloud:

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Turn on synchronization for the desired categories (required: Contacts, Messages, Gallery).
3. Press Sync and wait until it is completed.
4. On the new smartphone, log in to the same Xiaomi account and recover data from the cloud.

⚠️ Note: If you use Mi Cloud to transfer photos in their original quality, note that they take up a lot of space. If you exceed the limit of 5 GB, the service automatically compresses new files. To avoid loss of quality, clear the cloud in advance or buy additional space (from 100 GB per user). ~300 ₽/year).

4. Application and data portability: why isn’t everything copied?

One of the most painful things about migration is migrating installed apps and settings, and even Mi Mover doesn't always do that, and the problem is that many apps (especially banking, instant messengers, and games) block copying their data for security reasons.

What can and cannot be transferred:

• ✅ Transferred: 📱 System application settings (Camera, Gallery, Phone) 🎮 Save some games (if linked to Google Play Games or Mi Account) 📝 Notes from Mi Notes or Google Keep
• ❌ Untolerated: 💳 Data of banking applications (SberBank, Tinkoff, VTB) 🔐 Passwords from Google Smart Lock or Mi Password Manager 💬 History of chats on WhatsApp, Telegram (requires a separate backup)

How to transfer application data that is not automatically copied:

1. For messengers (WhatsApp, Viber): Create a local backup in the app settings (e.g. WhatsApp: Settings → Chat → Backup). Copy the backup file (usually in the /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases folder) to a new smartphone. Install the app on a new device and recover data from the backup.

For games:

• Use the Google Play Games or Mi Account link.
• If the game does not support cloud-based saves, try copying the data folder (/Android/obb/[game name]) via cable.

5. Manual transfer via PC: for advanced users

If you want complete control of the process or if the previous methods didn't work, you can use a computer, which takes longer, but ensures that no file is lost.

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux
• 🔌 USB Type C cables (or Micro USB if the old phone has a different connector)
• 📂 ~20–50 GB of free hard disk space (depending on the amount of data)

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your old smartphone to your PC in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy all important folders to your computer: DCIM (Photo/video) Download (download) Documents (documents) Android/obb (game data) WhatsApp (if you need to move chats)
3. Turn off the old phone and connect the new one.
4. Transfer the copied files to the corresponding folders on the new device.
5. For contact recovery and SMS, use export/import via.vcf and.xml files (instruction below).

How to export contacts and SMS:

• 📇 Contacts: Open the Contacts app on your old phone. ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Export to.vcf. Copy the file to a new smartphone and import it.

SMS:

1. Install the SMS Backup & Restore app from Google Play.
2. Create a backup and save the file to your PC.
3. Transfer the file to a new phone and restore the messages (Restore).

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Manual transfer over a PC is the only way to guarantee that all data is saved without loss, including application files that are not copied through Mi Mover or the cloud.

6. Transfer Wi-Fi passwords and other network settings

One of the most frustrating things about buying a new smartphone is having to re-enter Wi-Fi passwords, which can be moved, but it requires root access or special apps.

Method 1: Mi Mover (partially)

If both devices are on MIUI 12 and later, Mi Mover can migrate some network settings, including saved Wi-Fi networks. However, this does not always work, depending on the model and firmware version.

Method 2: WiFi Password Viewer (requires root)

1. Install the WiFi Password Viewer app on your old smartphone (available on Google Play).

Method 3: Backup through ADB (without root)

If you don’t have root rights, you can try copying a file with your Wi-Fi settings via ADB:

adb pull /data/misc/wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml C:\Backup\

However, this method does not work on all versions of MIUI and may require additional manipulation of access rights.

⚠️ Note: Transfer network settings through third-party applications or ADB It can disrupt some functions, such as automatic network connection. If Wi-Fi starts to turn off or slow down after transfer, reset the network settings on the new smartphone: → Wi-Fi → ⋮ → Additionally. → Resetting settings.

Verification after transfer: what to do if the data is not copied?

Even if you followed the instructions, some data might not be transferred.

Contacts (open the Contacts app) | Messages (check your SMS history in the messenger) | Photos and videos (open the Gallery) | Applications (make sure all programs are installed) | Wi-Fi settings (connect to your home network) | Accounts (Google, Xiaomi, social networks)

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Typical problems and their solutions:

• 📱 Apps not moved: Check if sync is enabled in Google Play (Settings) → Account. → If applications are installed but not working, clear their cache (Settings) → Annexes → [name] → Clear the cache).

If banking applications or instant messengers have stopped working on the new smartphone after transfer, be sure to remove them and install them again from the official store (Google Play or AppGallery), this is due to a change in the device ID (IMEI) and application security requirements.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions