The transition to a new smartphone is always an exciting moment, especially when it comes to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T with its 48-megapixel camera and capacious battery. But how not to lose precious photos, chats in messengers or saved passwords? This article will help you understand all the ways of data transfer — from standard MIUI features to little-known life hacks for iPhone users or devices without access to Google.
We tested each method on real devices so you know exactly how long it will take, what programs will be needed, and what errors may occur (such as why notes from Google Keep are sometimes not transferred), and at the end you will find a comparative table with the pros and cons of each option, from the fastest to the most reliable.
If you’re in a hurry, move on to the “Fast Mi Mover” section, which is Xiaomi’s official solution that works even without the internet. For iPhone owners, the Move to iOS chapter is relevant (but on the back!), and those who like to control every byte will love the manual way through ADB.
1. Mi Mover: Official way Xiaomi loses no money
Mi Mover is an integrated application in Redmi Note 8T, It automatically detects the old device and transfers data over Wi-Fi Direct, the main advantage is that you do not need to connect to the Internet or use cables (although you do not need to use the Internet). USB-speed up the process by 2 times).
How it works:
- 📱 On the new Redmi Note 8T: When you first turn on, select Data Portability from the settings menu. If your phone is already configured, find Mi Mover in Settings → The phone. → Data portability.
- 🔄 On an old phone: download Mi Mover from Google Play (for Android) or use the built-in “Send” feature in the app. MIUI.
- 📁 Data selection: tick what to transfer (contacts, SMS, Applications will be migrated without data — for example, saving games will have to be restored separately through a Google or Facebook account.
The speed of transfer depends on the volume: 10 GB of photos and videos takes ~20-30 minutes on Wi-Fi. If the process is hung on 99% - do not panic, this is normal for MIUI (wait 5-10 minutes).
⚠️ Note: If the old phone has unofficial firmware (like LineageOS), Mi Mover may not see some files.
Charge of both phones > 50% | Disable VPN on both devices | Make sure the new phone has enough memory | Sign out of your Mi Account on your old phone (if you had one)
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2. Google Account Transfer: Universal, but not for everything
Syncing with a Google Account is the most reliable way to save contacts, calendars and some settings, but there are nuances: photos and videos are synced only if you have Google Photos enabled with autoload, and applications recover without data (for example, game progress is lost).
Step-by-step:
- On your old phone, go to Settings → Accounts → Google and enable sync for all items (contacts, calendar, Google Fit, Google Keep, etc.).
- On Redmi Note 8T, sign in to the same Google account when you first turn on. If your phone is already configured, add your account to Settings → Accounts.
- Wait for the sync to complete (check in Settings → Accounts → Google → Sync).
Google Photos portes media in original quality if you have space in the cloud (free – 15 GB). To save space, choose High Quality (compression up to 16 MP for photos).
| Type of data | Is it moving through Google? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | ✅ Yes. | Including contact photos |
| SMS/MMS | ❌ No. | Use Mi Mover or SMS Backup & Restore |
| Photo/video | ✅ Yes (via Google Photos) | Takes up space in the cloud |
| Annexes | ✅ Yes, no data) | List is set from Play Market |
| Notes (Google Keep) | ✅ Yes. | Synchronize automatically |
⚠️ Note: If the old phone had a Samsung or Huawei account, some data (such as notes from Samsung Notes) will not be transferred.
Mi Mover|Google Account| OTG/computer | Cloud Services (Dropbox, Yandex Drive) | Another option
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3.Moving from iPhone to Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T: bypassing Apple's restrictions
iPhone owners face a problem: Apple doesn’t allow them to easily export data to Android, but there are workarounds! The most reliable is to use Move to iOS backwards (yes, it works already!).
Algorithm of action:
- 📱 On iPhone, download Google One from the App Store and back up (including contacts, photos, calendars).
- 🔗 On the Redmi Note. 8T Sign in to the same Google account – the data will automatically be logged in.
- 🎵 For music, use Apple Music for Android or transfer tracks via computer (format.mp3 or.m4a).
- 💬 To save your iMessage history, export it to.pdf via iMazing (paid) or take screenshots of important chats.
Critical detail: Apps from the App Store won’t migrate to Android, but if they have versions on Google Play (like WhatsApp or Spotify), you can re-install them and restore data through your account.
How to Transfer Notes from Apple Notes to Xiaomi
4. Manual transfer via computer: for full control
If you need to migrate all the data without exception (including hidden folders or application files), the best way is to connect both phones to a PC. This method takes longer, but guarantees 100% control.
What you need:
- 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
- 🔌 Cables. USB (Best Original for Quick Transmission).
- 📂 Programs: Xiaomi PC Suite (optional) or any file manager (Total Commander, Far Manager).
Instructions:
- Connect your old phone to your computer in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
- Copy all the necessary folders (DCIM for photos, Downloads, WhatsApp, etc.) to the hard drive.
- Disable your old phone, connect the Redmi Note 8T, and transfer files to the same folders.
- For apps: If you want to save game data (like Clash of Clans), find the Android/obb folder and copy it as a whole.
For advanced users: If you need to move system settings (such as APN for mobile internet), use ADB:
adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab
adb restore backup.ab⚠️ Warning: Do not copy the folder Android/data Directly, this can cause errors in the operation of applications. To transfer these games, use built-in backup functions (for example, in Brawl Stars, link your account to Supercell). ID).
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If your computer doesn’t see the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T, turn on Developer Mode in your phone settings (7 times click on “Build Number” in About Phone), then activate Debugging over USB.
5. Cloud services: Dropbox, Yandex Drive, Telegram
If you have slow Internet or no cable, cloud services will be the answer, and the key is to upload data from your old phone in advance.
1. Yandex Drive (50GB free of charge when registering):
- 📤 On your old phone, upload files to the Yandex Disk folder (autoboot for photos is enabled in the application settings).
- 📥 On the Redmi Note. 8T Install Yandex Disk and download files.
2. Telegram (no limit for files up to 2 GB):
- 🤖 Send files to “Save Messages” (limit – 2 GB per file).
- 📲 On your new phone, download them back.
3. Dropbox (2GB free):
- 🌐 Use Camera Upload to automatically upload photos.
- 🔗 Create a link to the folder and open it on a new phone.
Speed depends on your Internet: 10 GB photo loads ~1-2 hours at a speed of 50 Mbps. Use Wi-Fi 5 GHz to speed up.
| Service | Free seat | Max. File size. | Autoloading photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yandex Disc. | 50GB | 50GB | ✅ Yes. |
| Google Drive | 15GB | 5 TB | ✅ Yes (via Google Photos) |
| Dropbox | 2GB | 50GB | ✅ Yes. |
| Telegram | Unlimited | 2GB | ❌ No. |
* - for files up to 2 GB.
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Cloud services are convenient for transferring photos and documents, but not suitable for applications and their data. For games and instant messengers, use built-in backup functions (for example, on WhatsApp: Settings → Chat → Backup).
6.SMS Transfer and Call History: Hidden Android Features
Standard methods often ignore SMS and call logs, although this information can be critical.
Method 1: SMS Backup and Restore
- 📲 Install the app on your old phone and back up (.xml format).
- 🔄 Transfer the file to Redmi Note 8T (via cloud).
- 📱 Install the same app on your new phone and restore the data.
Method 2: Export via Google (Android 8+ only)
- 🔧 Go to Settings. → Google → Backup and enable copying SMS.
- 🔄 When setting up the Redmi Note 8T Select Restore from Google Backup.
Method 3: Manual copying of database (for advanced)
SMS and call files are stored in:
/data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db
/data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/contacts2.dbTo copy them, you need root access or ADB.
⚠️ Note: If you are using Dual SIM on the Redmi Note 8T, Call history can be divided into two slots, and to combine it, install the Truecaller app and sync the data through your account.
7. Password and browser data transfer: do not lose access to accounts
Saved passwords, bookmarks and browser history are the kind of data that can be a headache to lose.
For Google Chrome:
- 🔑 Enable Chrome sync on your old phone (Settings) → Synchronization).
- 🌐 On the Redmi Note. 8T Sign in to the same Google account – everything will be automatically tweaked.
For Mozilla Firefox:
- 🦊 Go to Settings. → Firefox account and backup.
- 📲 On your new phone, install Firefox and log in to your account.
For passwords (if you do not use the browser):
- 🔐 Export passwords from Settings → Google → Account management → Security → Passwords (.csv format).
- 📄 Import them to Bitwarden or KeePassDX on your new phone.
If you used Mi Account to store passwords, just log in to it on Redmi Note 8T – the data is synced automatically.
1.On the old phone in Authenticator click ⋮ → «Export of accounts».
2. Select QR-codes and scan them on your new phone.
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