Changing your smartphone is always stressful, not so much with getting used to a new gadget as with the risk of losing important data. Xiaomi ecosystem users often face the need to quickly migrate contacts, photos and app settings to a new device. Fortunately, the MIUI shell and HyperOS offer powerful built-in tools for creating and restoring backups, which greatly simplifies migration.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available ways to recover data, from Mi Cloud and Google cloud services to local backups stored in the device’s memory, and learn how to avoid typical errors and ensure that all information is saved when you switch to a new phone.
Before you start, make sure that both devices are charged and connected to a stable Wi-Fi network. Local recovery requires the backup file itself, which you need to move to the new device beforehand. If you rely on the cloud, just log in to your account.
Preparation for data recovery
The first step is to check the compatibility of the operating system versions, and the ideal situation is when the new phone has the same version of MIUI or a newer version than the old device, which minimizes the risk of conflicts when transferring system settings and passwords from Wi-Fi networks.
You need to make room on your new smartphone in advance. Even if you use cloud storage, temporary files can take up a significant amount of time when downloading. Check the free space in the Settings → Memory section. If memory is scarce, some unnecessary files should be deleted or moved to your computer.
- 🔋 Charge both smartphones to at least 60% so that the process is not interrupted due to battery discharge.
- 📶 Connect devices to a single Wi-Fi network to speed up sync or use mobile internet with high traffic.
- 🔐 Remember the password from your Mi Account and Google account, as they will be required for authorization.
An important nuance is to check for system updates. Often manufacturers add new backup features with software updates. Go to Settings → About the phone and click on the shell version to check for new patches.
☑️ Checklist before restoration
Using Mi Cloud for synchronization
The easiest and most reliable way to move contacts, notes, voice recordings and calendars is through the Mi Cloud cloud service, which automatically shows up on the new device when you log in to the new device, in the background without requiring user input.
To get started, open the settings on your new phone and find the Mi Account section. Enter the login and password used on the previous device. The system will suggest combining or replacing local data with data from the cloud - for full recovery, choose a replacement or merger if the phone is new.
⚠️ Warning: Free storage capacity of Mi Cloud is limited to 5GB. If your backup weighs more, recovery may not be complete or a tariff extension may be required.
After logging in, go to the Sync (or Cloud) menu, and here you will see a list of data categories: Gallery, Contacts, Messages, Recorder. Make sure that the sliders in front of the right points are active. The system will download the missing items.
Special attention should be paid to synchronizing the Gallery, photos and videos can be uploaded for a long time depending on the speed of the Internet, the process can be observed in the notification curtain, do not force the Gallery app to close during active download.
What to do if the synchronization is suspended?
Recovery from Local Backup
A local copy is a complete cast of the system or its individual parts, stored as a file on an internal drive or SD-This is ideal if you want to migrate not only the data, but also the location of the icons on the desktop, as well as the settings of specific applications.
To recover data, a backup file (usually in the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder) must be physically present in the memory of a new phone. If you have backups on a computer or external drive, copy the backup folder to the root of the internal memory of the new device, retaining the directory structure.
Next, perform the following actions:
- Open Settings and go to About Phone.
- Click on Reservation and Recovery (may be called Recovery from Backup).
- Select Mobile Device and enter the screen unlock password if it is installed.
- In the list of available copies, find the desired one by date and time of creation.
- Tick the data you want to restore and click the Restore button.
The process can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours, during which time the phone screen will burn, showing the progress bar. Do not restart the device or press other buttons until the process is completed automatically.
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Before restoring your local backup, back up your new phone’s current data if it already has important information on it so you don’t lose it when you merge files.
Transferring data through Google Account
Google’s ecosystem is universal to all Android smartphones, including Xiaomi. When you first set up a new phone, it will offer to restore data from the Google cloud.It’s a great way to migrate contacts, calendar events, Chrome browser passwords and a list of installed apps.
Unlike Mi Cloud, Google doesn’t always save the settings of the MIUI shell itself, such as themes, fonts or specific control gestures. However, basic user data, such as search history and geolocation, will be available immediately.
To manage app backups, go to Settings → Google → Backup. You can see when a copy was last created and which apps are included in the list. If the desired application is not on the list, its developer may have banned backup.
| Parameter | Mi Cloud | Google Drive | Local backup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Yes. | Yes. | Yes. |
| Photos and videos | Yes (compressed or original) | Yes (via Google Photos) | Yeah (original) |
| MIUI settings | Partially. | No. | Yes (fully) |
| Speed. | Depends on the Internet. | Depends on the Internet. | High (locally) |
Application of Mi Mover Application
The Mi Mover app (or “Mi Move”) is designed to quickly migrate data between Xiaomi phones, as well as from other Android and iOS brands, and is perhaps the fastest way to move everything one-to-one without using a computer.
Install the app on both devices (on the new Xiaomi it is built into the Tools section). Run the program, select the device role: "Sender" on the old phone and "Receiver" on the new. Scan. QR-pairing.
The interface allows you to flexibly customize your data selection, so you can only migrate media and contacts, leaving the system clean, or copy everything, including the installed ones. APK-Application files. Wi-Fi Direct transfer speeds up to tens of megabytes per second.
- 📲 The app works without the internet, creating a direct wireless network between phones.
- 🔄 Supported data transfer from the iPhone through a special connection.
- 📂 You can select individual folders in the Gallery or File Manager for transfer.
Solutions and errors in recovery
There may be technical difficulties in the recovery process, such as the message “Not enough space” appears even if there is a formal memory, which is due to the fact that it takes more than the size of the backup itself to unpack the archive (sometimes 2-3 times), in which case you can free up another 5-10 GB.
Another common problem is the "File corrupted" or "False version" error, which happens if you're trying to restore the backup from a newer version of Android to an older one, or if the file was incompletely copied. Check the integrity of the file by comparing its size to the original.
⚠️ Note: When you restore system settings on a device with a different firmware version (e.g., Global to China) ROM) The alarm clock or alarm clock may fail, and only user data is restored.
If the phone has started to work slowly after recovery or if there are “broken” icons, try to clean the cache through the Recovery menu.This will not delete your personal files, but will fix system errors that occurred when transferring configuration files.
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The most reliable method for fully cloning a Xiaomi phone on Xiaomi is using the Mi Mover app or local backup ported over a PC.