How to transfer all data from your old phone to the new Xiaomi: the complete guide

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always an exciting moment, but the joy of updating the gadget is often overshadowed by the need to transfer data: contacts, photos, messages, notes and applications. Even if you carefully saved backups, the recovery process can seem confusing - especially when it comes to switching from Android to MIUI or between devices of different brands.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can recover data to the new Xiaomi, from official tools like Mi Mover to universal solutions through Google Account and cloud services. You’ll learn how to migrate not only media files, but also SMS/MMS, call log, Wi-Fi settings and even data from some applications. And we’ll compare the methods for speed, security and compatibility with different models, from Redmi Note 12 to flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Importantly, if you're switching from an iPhone, the process will be different, we have a separate nuanced section, and we'll look at what to do if the data isn't restored or some files are lost when you're transferred.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a Xiaomi-branded app that automatically transfers data between devices wirelessly, preinstalled on all new smartphones of the brand and supports the transition from both Android and iOS (with restrictions), the main advantage is that you do not need to connect to a PC or the cloud, and the process takes 10–30 minutes depending on the amount of data.

How it works:

• 📱 On the new Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select Data Transfer from the settings menu. If the phone is already configured, find Mi Mover in Settings → About Phone → Data Transfer.
• 🔄 On an older phone, install Mi Mover from Google Play (for Android) or the App Store (for iPhone).
• 📶 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network or create an access point on the new Xiaomi.
• 🔗 Scan the QR- code on your old phone from the new screen to establish a connection.
• 📁 Select data types to transfer: contacts, messages, photos, videos, applications (not all supported), etc.

⚠️ Warning: Mi Mover does not port data from some apps (such as WhatsApp or banking services) due to security restrictions, and iPhones cannot transfer music, notes, or some system settings.

Charging the battery of both phones >50%|Both devices are connected to stable Wi-Fi|There is enough free space on the old phone (minimum) 1 GB)|Disabled. VPN firewalls|Synchronization with Google/iCloud temporarily disabled-->

Mi Mover works best between Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco devices. If you are switching from Samsung, Huawei or another brand, you may have problems with porting SMS or call logs, in which case we recommend combining this method with others (for example, sync through Google).

2. Restoration through Google Account (universal method)

If you've used an Android smartphone before, you probably already have a backup in your Google Account, which is a way to transfer contacts, calendars, notes, some settings and a list of apps, and the main advantage is that the data is automatically synced when you first turn on a new phone.

What exactly is being restored:

• 📇 Contacts (from Google Contacts)
• 📅 Calendars and Reminders (Google Calendar)
• 📝 Notes (if you use Google Keep)
• 📱 List of installed applications (but not their data!)
• 🔧 Some system settings (Wi-Fi passwords, wallpaper, language preferences)

How to restore:

1. When you first enable a new Xiaomi, select Copy Data → From the Cloud → Google.
2. Enter your Google Account login and password (the same as the one on your old phone).
3. Select a backup (usually the most recent one is marked automatically).
4. Check the data types for recovery and confirm.

⚠️ Warning: Google does not save SMS, call log, photos, and application files (e.g. save in games) and requires additional tools like Google Photos or SMS Backup & Restore.

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Before transferring, check if the backup on your old phone is enabled: Settings → Google → Backup. If not, run it manually and wait until it is completed.

3.Moving from iPhone to Xiaomi: features and limitations

The transition from iPhone to Xiaomi is more difficult because of the closed Apple ecosystem, and officially, Mi Mover only supports the transfer of contacts, photos and videos, and for the rest of the data you will have to use workarounds.

Step-by-step:

1. Contacts: Export them via iCloud in vCard format, then import them to Google Contacts or directly to Xiaomi.
2. Photo/Video: Use Google Photos (upload media to the cloud from your iPhone, then download to Xiaomi) or Mi Mover (but it only carries thumbnails in high resolution).
3. Messages: Install SMS Backup & Restore on your iPhone, export backup to Google Drive, then restore to Xiaomi.
4. Music: Transfer the tracks via iTunes to your PC, then copy to Xiaomi via USB or Mi Drop.

⚠️ Warning: Data from iMessage, Apple Notes, and Health can’t be migrated to Android without losing formatting, and you can’t restore your App Store purchases — you’ll have to buy them again on Google Play.

iPhone|Samsung|Another Android|Huawei|No old phone-->

4. PC Recovery: Full Data Control

If wireless methods are not suitable (for example, due to a large amount of data or Wi-Fi problems), you can use a direct connection to the computer.This method gives maximum control over which files to transfer, and is suitable for restoring APK- application files, custom settings and rare formats.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux
• 🔌 Cable USB-C/USB-A (preferably original from Xiaomi)
• 📁 Access to both phones' file systems

Instructions:

1. Connect your old phone to your PC in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the folders you need: DCIM – Photos and Video Downloads – Downloads Android/data – Application Data (not all applications support such a transfer!)

Xiaomi

Insert the copied files into the corresponding folders on the new device.

APK

Settings → Applications → Special access → Installation of unknown applications

Do not copy system folders like system or vendor – this can cause MIUI to crash!

5. Cloud Services: Mi Cloud, Google Drive and Alternatives

If you regularly back up to the cloud, it will only take a few minutes to restore data to the new Xiaomi.

1.Mi Cloud (Official Xiaomi Cloud)

• 📱 Supports: Contacts, SMS, call log, notes, photos, tape recorders.
• 🔗 How to restore: Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Restore with Mi Cloud.
• ⚠️ Limit: Only 5GB is free (for photos and videos, that's not enough).

2. Google Drive

• 📁 Supports: System backups, documents, tables, some application data.
• 🔗 How to Restore: When you first turn on, select Copy Data → From the Cloud → Google Drive.
• ⚠️ Limit: Free only 15 GB (common to all Google services).

Alternatives:

• 📷 Google Photos – for media files (unlimited storage in compressed quality).
• 📎 Dropbox or OneDrive – for manual file transfer.
• 🔐 Proton Drive – if privacy is important (encrypted cloud).

⚠️ Warning: When recovering from the cloud, don't interrupt the process, even if it takes more than an hour. For example, Mi Cloud can freeze by 99% when you download a lot of photos — that's okay, just wait.

6. Recovery of specific data types

Some of the data require a special approach, and let's look at the most difficult cases.

📱 Communications (SMS/MMS)

To transfer SMS, use the SMS Backup & Restore app:

1. Install it on your old phone and back it up (save it to Google Drive or PC).
2. Install the same app on the new Xiaomi and restore the backup.

WhatsApp

Settings → Chat → Backup copy

WhatsApp

🎵 Music and playlists

• If you’ve used Spotify or Apple Music, just sign in to your account on your new phone.
• For local files, copy the Music folder via PC or Mi Drop.
• Playlists from Google Play Music can be exported via YouTube Music.

📅 Calendar and reminders

If you've used Google Calendar, the data is synced automatically when you add an account. For Apple Calendar, export.ics events via iCloud, then import to Google Calendar.

🔑 Passwords and Autocomplete

• 🔐 Google Password Manager: syncs with your account.
• 🔐 1Password/Bitwarden: Install the app on your new phone and log in to your account.
• 🔐 Built-in password manager MIUI: Restores via Mi Cloud.

7 What to do if the data is not restored?

Sometimes, after the transfer, some files may be missing or not open, and here are the typical problems and solutions:

🔍 Problem: Photos and videos are not displayed in the gallery

• 🔄 Restart your phone - sometimes MIUI Not immediately index new files.
• 📁 Check the DCIM/.thumbnails folder — if it's empty, the gallery won't show thumbnails.
• 🛠️ Use a file manager (such as Solid Explorer) to manually scan folders.

🔍 Problem: Applications installed but data lost

• 🎮 For games, check if the game supports cloud-based saves (e.g., through Google Play Games).
• 📱 For social networks (Vkontakte, Instagram), just log in to your account – the data will be downloaded automatically.
• 🔧 Banking applications (SberBank Online, Tinkoff) may require re-authorization.

🔍 Problem: Not recovered SMS or call log

• 📱 Make sure that your old phone has synced with Mi Cloud or Google.
• 🔄 Try to repeat the recovery via Mi Mover by selecting only Messages and Call Log.
• 📎 Use third-party apps like Super Backup & Restore.

⚠️ Warning: If you reset the new Xiaomi to factory settings before data recovery, a reset may result in a loss of the ability to return information.In this case, try to recover data through Mi Cloud or Google Drive manually, without a complete reset.

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If data is critical (such as work chats or unique photos), always back up in multiple places: on your PC, in the cloud, and on an external drive.

8.How to avoid data loss in the future?

To make the next transition to a new phone smooth, follow these rules:

• ☁️ Automatic Backup: Set up weekly backup creation in Mi Cloud (Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset) and Google Drive.
• 📱 Account Sync: Enable sync for Google Contacts, Calendar, and Keep.
• 📷 Photos and videos: Use Google Photos with the setting High Quality (unlimited storage) or Original Quality (paid).
• 🔐 Passwords: Store them in Google Password Manager or a third-party manager (Bitwarden, KeePass).
• 📡 Local Copies: Once a month, connect your phone to your PC and copy important files manually.

It is also useful to install applications for disaster recovery:

• 🔧 Titanium Backup (requires root) – for full backup of applications and their data.
• 📱 Swift Backup (without root but with limitations) – for backup of user applications.
• 📁 FolderSync – to automatically sync selected folders to the cloud.

With these measures, even if the phone crashes or gets lost, you can recover data on any new device – whether it’s Xiaomi, Samsung or even iPhone.

FAQ: Frequent Data Recovery Questions on Xiaomi