How to transfer data from your old phone to your new Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Switching to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but transferring data from an old device can become a real headache if you don’t know the nuances. Even if you change Android to Android, and even more so if you switch from an iPhone, the risk of losing important files or settings remains high. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways of migration — from the official Mi Mover tool to manual transfer over the cloud or cable — and also explain how to avoid the typical mistakes that cause users to lose chats in messengers or photos.

Xiaomi’s smartphones feature its own MIUI ecosystem, which offers unique data porting tools that are not available on Android naked. For example, only Mi Mover can move system settings, call history and even some application data without loss (for example, Mi Fit or Xiaomi Home).

We tested all the methods on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+, Xiaomi 13 Ultra and POCO X5 Pro to take into account the nuances of different lines. In this article, you will find not only step-by-step instructions, but also a comparative chart of methods for speed, reliability and supported data types. And if you are afraid to miss something, at the end there is a checklist to prepare for the transfer.

1.Official method: Mi Mover - fast transfer without loss

Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s proprietary solution that works on all smartphones with MIUI 9 and later, and it allows you to migrate almost everything from contacts and messages to lock screen settings and app data, the main advantage is that you don’t need Internet (data is transmitted over a direct Wi-Fi connection between phones), and you keep the folder structure.

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

• 📱 On the new Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select Transfer Data to the Settings menu. If the phone is already configured, go to Settings → The phone. → Data Transfer (Mi Mover).
• 🔄 On an old phone, install the Mi Mover app from Google Play (for Android) or the App Store (for iPhone). iOS functionality is limited - you can transfer only photos, videos and contacts.
• 📶 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network or create an access point on the new Xiaomi. On the old phone, select the role of Sender, on the new one - Receiver.
• 🔍 Scan it. QR-code from the screen of the new phone with the old device. After that, select the data types to transfer (you can mark everything or select selectively).
• ⏳ Wait until the process is complete. Time depends on the amount of data: 10 GB photos are transferred ~20-30 Do not interrupt the connection or block the screen!

⚠️ Note: If an old phone has an unofficial firmware or root rights installed, Mi Mover may not recognize some data:

• 🎵 Music and playlists (except for files uploaded to memory).
• 📁 Some application settings (for example, save in games).
• 🔒 Wi-Fi passwords (they will have to be re-entered).

Battery charge on both phones > 50%|Free space on the new Xiaomi (data takes up the same amount of space)|Disabled. VPN firewalls|Both phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi or access point created on the new Xiaomi-->

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

If Mi Mover doesn’t work for some reason (like your iPhone or old Android without support for the utility), you can use Google Sync, which works on any device and stores basic data: contacts, calendars, Google Keep notes, as well as some system settings (such as wallpaper and app shortcuts).

How to transfer data:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Accounts → Google and make sure that sync is enabled for all the right categories (contacts, calendar, Google Photos, etc.).
2. On the new Xiaomi, when setting up, select Restore from a backup and log in to the same Google Account.
3. Select the latest backup (the date of creation can be seen in the list).
4. Wait until the recovery is complete. Contacts and calendars will appear immediately, and photos and apps will be uploaded in the background.

⚠️ Attention: This method does not tolerate:

• 📱 Communications SMS/MMS (They need a separate backup through Google Messages or third-party apps).
• 🎮 Data from games and some apps (such as WhatsApp or Viber) are not synced via Google).
• 📂 Files not uploaded to Google Drive or Google Photos.

💡 Tip: If you need to move messages from instant messengers, use their built-in backup features. For example, on WhatsApp, go to Settings → chat → Backup and save history to Google Drive.On a new phone, after WhatsApp installation, the story will automatically recover.

Mi Mover|Google Account| OTG/computer | Cloud Services (Dropbox, Yandex Drive) | Another way-->

3. Transfer over OTG cable or computer: for large amounts of data

If you have tens of gigabytes of photos, videos or music, and the Internet connection is unstable, the best option is to physically connect via cable.

• 🔌 OTG-Adapter (if you connect your old phone directly to the new Xiaomi).
• 💻 Computer with USB-Ports (if carried over via PC).
• 📁 Memory card (if both phones support microSD).

Instructions for transfer via computer:

1. Connect your old phone to your PC via USB and select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the folders you need (DCIM for photos, Downloads for downloads, etc.) to your computer.
3. Turn off your old phone, plug in a new Xiaomi and transfer the files back.
4. For music and video, use the Music or Movies folder on internal memory.

Instructions for transfer via OTG:

1. Connect. OTG-Adapter to the new Xiaomi and connect it to the old phone USB-cable.
2. On your new phone, open Files by Google or the standard MIUI File Manager.
3. In the section USB-Select folders to copy and transfer them to internal memory.

⚠️ Note: When transferring via computer, do not copy the entire Android folder, which can lead to conflicts in these applications.

4. Cloud services: Dropbox, Yandex Drive, Telegram

If you don't have a cable or you prefer wireless solutions, you can use cloud storage, which is a method that can be used to transfer photos, documents, even some applications.

💡 Tip: To transfer large video files (for example, from the camera) 4K) It is better to use Yandex Drive or Google Drive, as they do not limit the file size (unlike Telegram, where the maximum is 2 GB).

How to move data through the cloud:

1. On your old phone, upload files to your chosen service (e.g. Google Photos or Yandex Drive).
2. On the new Xiaomi, install the same app and log in to your account.
3. Download files to your device or leave them in the cloud to save space.

⚠️ Note: If you transfer photos through Google Photos, note that at a free tariff they are compressed to a resolution of 16 MP. To maintain the original quality, you will have to pay for additional space or use another service.

5.Moving from iPhone to Xiaomi: bypassing Apple's restrictions

The transition from iPhone to Xiaomi is complicated by Apple’s policies that restrict data exports, but there are several working ways to do so:

• 📱 Move to iOS (reverse port): Install the Move to Android app on Xiaomi (unofficial) and follow the instructions.
• ☁️ iCloud: Export your contacts and calendars via iCloud.com (.vcf and.ics format), then import them to your Google Account.
• 🎵 Music and Video: Use iTunes to copy your library to your computer, then transfer your files to Xiaomi.
• 💬 Messages: For transfer SMS/MMS You will need paid utilities like iMazing or AnyTrans.

Important: When you migrate from iPhone to Xiaomi, it is impossible to save the call history and data of some applications (for example, Apple Health or Wallet), which is tied to the Apple ecosystem and is not exported.

💡 Tip: If you need to transfer notes from Apple Notes, export them to the Apple Notes PDF via the "Print" menu (swipe up on the note) → "Seal" → "Save in PDF"), Then upload the files to the cloud.

6.Transfer applications and their data: what works and what doesn’t

Many users are facing a problem: apps have migrated and their data has not. For example, WhatsApp has no chat history, and games have lost progress.

• 🎮 Games: Most games are synced via Google Play Games or Facebook. Go to the game settings and check if your account is linked.
• 💬 Messengers: WhatsApp: Backup in Google Drive (configure in Chats) → Telegram: Chat history syncs automatically when you log in. Viber: Backup is created manually in Settings → Account. → Backup copy.
• 📅 Calendars and Contacts: Synced through Google Account if backup is enabled.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (e.g. banking or Mi Fit) do not support transferring data between devices, and you will have to reconfigure them.

💡

To transfer these applications, always use their built-in backup functions. There are no universal tools that will save progress in all games or chats in all messengers.

7.What to do after the transfer: verification and optimization

After the data transfer is complete, follow the following steps to make sure everything goes well:

1. 📞 Check contacts: open the Contacts app and make sure all numbers are in place. If contacts are duplicated, use the merge function in Settings → Contacts → Combine duplicates.
2. 📸 Make sure photos and videos are opened.If files are corrupted, try restarting your phone or repeating the transfer.
3. 🎵 Check your music and documents: Open a few files to confirm their integrity.
4. 🔧 Set up notifications and rights for applications in Settings → Annexes → Permits.
5. 🔋 Optimize battery consumption: After the transfer, many applications will start syncing in the background. → Battery → Battery optimization and setting exceptions.

💡 Tip: If after transferring the phone began to brake, clear the cache in Settings → Warehouse → Clear the cache. You can also turn off animation in Settings. → Special facilities → Remove animation to speed up work.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions