How to restore backup from Google to Xiaomi Redmi 8: a complete guide with nuances

Why Google Backups Aren’t Automatically Recovered and What to Do About It

You just dropped the Xiaomi Redmi 8 to factory settings or bought a used device, but nothing recovered after you logged in to your Google account? This is a typical situation faced by owners of Xiaomi smartphones — especially on budget models like Redmi 8 (codenamed olive), the reason lies in the features of MIUI firmware and the limitations of Google services on devices with low storage.

The fact is that automatic recovery from Google backup doesn’t always work, and most often, it only offers to restore Wi-Fi settings, contacts and calendar, ignoring apps, SMS and media. And if you used a local copy of MIUI (via Settings → Additional → Backup), Google data can conflict. In this article, we will discuss a unique algorithm for Redmi 8 that takes into account all the nuances of firmware and hardware constraints.

What can be restored from Google backup on Redmi 8?

Before you start restoring, it’s important to understand what data is stored in the Google cloud and what it’s realistic to return to the Xiaomi Redmi 8.

  • 📱 Contacts (synchronized via Google Contacts)
  • 📅 Calendar and Reminders (Google Calendar)
  • 📁 Photos and videos (if sync is enabled in Google Photos)
  • 📱 SMS and call log (only if backup was previously enabled in Google Settings) → Backup)
  • 🎮 Application data (e.g., game progress if the developer supports Google Play Games)
  • 🔧 System settings (Wi-Fi passwords, wallpaper, screen brightness, etc.)

Here is what you can’t restore to Redmi 8 via Google:

  • 🚫 Local files (music, documents, downloads) if they were not manually uploaded to Google Drive
  • 🚫 Settings MIUI (themes, gestures, face unlocking – these are stored only in a local copy of Xiaomi)
  • 🚫 Applications from third-party sources (APK, Not installed through the Play Market)
📊 What data you most often recover from a backup?
Contacts and SMS
Photos and videos
Applications and their settings
Wi-Fi settings and systems
I can't repair anything.

Redmi 8 Preparation for Recovery: 5 Mandatory Steps

Before you start recovery, you need to properly prepare the smartphone, skipping at least one of these steps can lead to partial data loss or a process freeze.

  1. Update MIUI to the latest version. Redmi 8's current firmware is MIUI 12.5 (Android 10). Check it in Settings → About Phone. If the version is older, upgrade through Settings → System Update.
  2. Connect to stable Wi-Fi. Recovery of large copies (more than 1 GB) over the mobile network may be interrupted.
  3. Charge the battery at least 50%. The process can take up to 30 minutes, and the discharge at this point will lead to a failure.
  4. Remove unnecessary files. Redmi 8 only has 32/64GB of storage, and you need at least 1.5-2GB of free space to recover.
  5. Log in to the same Google account that created the copy. If the account is different, the data will not be restored!

☑️ Pre-reconstruction checks

Done: 0 / 5

⚠️ Note: If you previously used two-factor authentication on Google but lost access to the backup number/email, You can't restore your copy. First, restore your account through accounts.google.com.

Step-by-step: How to restore a Google backup to Redmi 8

Now, to the process itself, the Xiaomi Redmi 8 has two ways to recover: through the initial setup (if the phone has just been reset) and through the settings menu (if the system is already set up).

This method works if you just reset or bought a used phone.

  1. Turn on Redmi 8 and select the language.
  2. On the Data Copy screen, click Restore from backup.
  3. Choose Google (not to be confused with Mi Cloud!).
  4. Log in to the Google account where the copy was created.
  5. The system will show you the available backups. Choose the latest (by date).
  6. Check the data for recovery (contacts, SMS, applications, etc.).
  7. Click Restore and wait until it is completed (may take up to 20 minutes).

Method 2: Restore through Settings (if the system is already configured)

If the phone is already in use, but you want to return the data from the old copy:

  1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
  2. Select your account and click on account sync.
  3. Activate sliders for Contacts, Calendar and other data.
  4. To restore applications, open Play Market → Library → Installed and click Restore.
What if a copy is not listed?
If the backup is not visible, check: 1. Are you exactly logged in to the same Google account. 2. Have you manually deleted the copy through Google Drive (Subsection "Backups"). 3. Does the copy exceed the limit of 25 MB (for SMS and settings) - if so, it may not be saved. 4. Was not used on the previous phone custom ROM (for example, LineageOS) - such copies are incompatible with MIUI.

Type of dataWhere it's rebuiltRestrictions on Redmi 8
ContactsSettings → Accounts → Google → SynchronizationRestore completely, but can be duplicated with local MIUI contacts
SMS and call logOnly at the first incorporationNot restored if a copy >25MB or phone is not reset
Photo/videoGoogle Photos appendixIt requires a separate load, takes up a lot of space.
AnnexesPlay Market → LibraryAPKs are not recovered from third-party sources

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Even if the instructions are followed correctly, Redmi 8 users often encounter problems, and here are the most common errors and solutions:

  • 🔄 "Recovery is getting stuck at 0%" → Reboot your phone and try again. If it doesn't work, check your Wi-Fi connection (turn off). VPN!).
  • ❌ "No backup copies available" → Make sure the copy is created under the same account. check Google Drive → Backup copies.
  • 📱 "Apps have not recovered" → Open Play Market → Profile → Manage devices and select Redmi 8 manually.
  • 🔒 "Requires a password from the old device" → If you've had a screen lock before, enter it. If you don't remember, reset your password through Google's security settings.

⚠️ Note: If the error appears when you restore "Can't restore backup due to incompatibility of the Android version", this means that the copy is created on the phone with the newer version of the OS. Solution: update Redmi 8 to the latest available firmware through Settings → Updating the system.

💡

If the recovery is interrupted at half, don't panic!Reboot the phone and repeat the process - Google will resume booting from the stop site, not start over.

How to recover data that is not backed up by Google

Unfortunately, Google backup doesn’t store all the data. If you need to return something that isn’t in the cloud (like Telegram messages, MIUI notes, or game settings), try these methods:

  • 📲 Local copy. MIUI: If you have previously done backup through Settings → Additionally. → Backup, connect your phone to your PC and copy the backup file from the folder MIUI/backup/AllBackup.
  • 🖥️ Third-party programs: Use DiskDigger or EaseUS MobiSaver to recover deleted files (root rights required).
  • ☁️ Other cloud services: Check Mi Cloud (if enabled), Yandex Drive or Dropbox – files may be saved there.

For WhatsApp messages:

  1. Install WhatsApp and log in to the same account.
  2. When you request, click Restore.
  3. If you can’t find a copy, check if the msgstore.db.crypt14 file is in the /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases folder.

How to avoid backup problems in the future

To avoid losing data when resetting Xiaomi Redmi 8, follow these tips:

  • 🔄 Enable automatic backup in Google Settings → Backup (set frequency – daily).
  • ☁️ Use several clouds: Google Drive for documents, Google Photos for media, Mi Cloud for settings MIUI.
  • 📱 Periodically do a local backup through Settings → Additionally. → Backup (save the file to the PC).
  • 🔒 Protect your Google account: Add backup email and phone number to your security settings.

💡

On Xiaomi Redmi 8, it is better to use a combination of Google backup (for contacts and applications) + local MIUI backup (for themes and system settings).

If you frequently reflash your phone or experiment with custom ROMs, consider installing TWRP Recovery, which will allow you to create full system images (nandroid backup) and restore them in one click, but this will require unlocking the bootloader, which will void the warranty.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Redmi 8 backup recovery

Can I restore a Google backup to Redmi 8 if my phone is not reset?
Yes, but not all data. Contacts, calendar and some settings can be synced through Settings → Accounts → Google. However, SMS, call log and apps are only restored when you first turn on after a reset.
Why does it take so long to recover a copy (over an hour)?
On the Redmi 8, this is due to two factors: a slow Snapdragon 439 processor and little RAM (3GB). Restriction of load speed in the background (MIUI reduces the priority of background tasks). Solution: plug the phone into charging and don't use it during recovery.
Can I restore a backup from another phone (such as Samsung) to Redmi 8?
Contacts, calendar and photos will recover without problems, but: SMS and call log will not be transferred if the copy is created on Android 9 and later (due to changes in the API). Some settings (for example, wallpaper or brightness) may not apply due to differences in shells (One UI vs MIUI).
What to do if contacts are lost after recovery?
Check the following points: Open Contacts → Settings → Accounts and make sure that your Google account is ticked. Go to Google Contacts via your browser — if contacts are there but not synced, delete the app cache Contacts in Settings → Apps. If contacts are duplicate, use the option to Combine Contacts in the app menu.
How do I know what data has been stored in a Google backup?
Go to https://drive.google.com/drive/backups and select your copy. It will say: Date of creation, model of the device from which the copy was made. Data types (SMS, contacts, settings, etc.) Copy size. Please note: photos and videos are stored separately in Google Photos, not backup.