How to Transfer Notes from Xiaomi to Another Phone: All Ways to Go in 2026

Losing important records when changing your smartphone is a common problem, especially when it comes to the built-in Notes app on Xiaomi devices. Unlike third-party services like Google Keep or Evernote, the standard com.miui.notes app syncs through Mi Cloud rather than Google Account, which creates confusion: users often think that notes will automatically be transferred along with contacts and photos, but in practice, a separate setup is required.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to restore notes from Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO to a new phone - whether it is another device of the same brand or an Android smartphone from another manufacturer. We will pay special attention to the hidden nuances of synchronization through the Mi Cloud, which Xiaomi does not advertise in the official documentation.

Method: Synchronization through Mi Cloud (official method)

Xiaomi’s most reliable and recommended way is to use the Mi Cloud cloud service, which works on all devices with MIUI firmware (including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 13 and older models), the main condition is that the old phone must be synchronized before switching to a new device.

How to check if synchronization is enabled:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Mi Account (or Xiaomi Account on new versions) MIUI).
• 🔄 Go to the Mi Cloud section → Synchronization.
• 📝 Make sure the slider opposite the Note is active (lit blue).
• ⏳ If the sync is turned off, turn it on and wait until the process is complete (it can take up to 10 minutes).

To recover notes on the new phone:

1. Sign in to the same Mi Account as the old device.
2. Launch the Notes app (if not, install it from Google Play or App Gallery).
3. Wait for automatic synchronization (usually takes 1-2 minutes).
4. If notes do not appear, manually update the data: pull the screen down in the Notes app.

⚠️ Note: If you delete notes on your old phone after you turn off sync, they will disappear from the Mi Cloud after 30 days.

2. Method: Export notes to file and import to new phone

If sync through Mi Cloud doesn’t work (for example, due to resets or lack of internet), you can export notes manually, a method that is suitable for porting to devices of any brand, including Samsung, Huawei or Realme.

Instructions for the old phone:

• 📄 Open the app Notes.
• 🔧 Click on three dots in the upper right corner → Settings.
• 📤 Select Note Export (or Backup on some versions) MIUI).
• 📁 Save the file in.zip or.xml format (usually offered a choice).

For the new phone:

• 📥 Copy the exported file to a new device (via Bluetooth, Google Drive, or cable) USB).
• 📝 Install Notes from Xiaomi (if it is not by default).
• 🔧 In the application settings, select Note Import and specify the path to the file.

Enable the display of hidden files in the Explorer

Check the free space on the phone (minimum 50 MB)

Write down the password from the Mi Account (in case of an error)

Take screenshots of important notes as a backup-->

3. Method: Transfer through Google Account (for new versions of MIUI)

Starting with MIUI 12 and later, Xiaomi has added support for synchronizing notes through Google Account, a method that is handy if you use other Google services (such as Gmail or Google Drive) and want to unify data.

How to turn on synchronization:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Make sure your Google Account is active and uploaded.
3. Enable the slider opposite Notes (if there is no such option, update the Notes app via Google Play).
4. Wait until the synchronization is complete (it can take up to 15 minutes).

On the new phone:

• 📱 Sign in to the same Google Account.
• 📝 Install Xiaomi’s Notes app (or Google Keep if you want to use an alternative).
• 🔄 In the application settings, enable synchronization with Google.

⚠️ Note: Google sync may not support fixed notes and color tags. If it is critical, use Mi Cloud.

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If notes are not synced through Google, try manually updating the data: open Settings → Accounts → Google → Sync and click Sync Now.

4. Method: Restore from MIUI backup

If you did a full backup through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset, notes could have been saved in the archive.This method is suitable if you transfer data to another Xiaomi smartphone with the same version of MIUI.

How to restore:

1. Copy the backup file (usually with the.mbk extension) to a new phone.
2. Go to Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
3. Select the file and click Restore.
4. In the data list, tick Notes and confirm the recovery.

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ It does not work on devices with different versions. MIUI (for example, MIUI 13 on MIUI 14).
• ❌ Can overwrite current notes on a new phone.
• ❌ Does not restore notes deleted before backup.

5. Method: Use of third-party applications (for advanced users)

If standard methods don't work, you can use third-party tools, which are suitable for tech-savvy users, as they require access to root rights or ADBs.

Options:

• 🔧 Titanium Backup (requires root): allows you to extract com.miui.notes application data and transfer it to a new device.
• 🖥️ ADB Pull: via adb pull command /data/data/com.miui.notes You can copy the note database (but you need superuser rights).
• 📱 App Cloner: Creates a copy of Notes with data storage (not working on all versions) MIUI).

Warnings:

• 🚨 Risk of data loss in case of incorrect actions.
• 🔒 On the new versions MIUI (13+) root blocks some functions (e.g. Google Pay).
• ⚠️ Xiaomi may cancel warranty if root is detected.

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You should only use side methods if all other methods fail, and 90% of the time, synchronization via Mi Cloud or export to the file solves the problem.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even with the right actions, users face problems, and let's look at typical situations and how to fix them.

Problem 1: Notes are not synced through the Mi Cloud.

• 🔌 Check your internet connection (synchronization only works via Wi-Fi or mobile data).
• 🔄 Reboot your phone and re-enable sync in Mi Cloud.
• 📧 Make sure that both phones use the same Mi Account.
• 🔄 Update the Notes app to the latest version.

Problem 2: When importing notes, the error "File is corrupted" appears.

• 📁 Try exporting notes to another format (e.g..xml instead of.zip).
• 💾 Check the integrity of the file (open with an archiver like this). 7-Zip).
• 📱 Restart your phone and repeat the import.

Problem 3: The new phone doesn't have a Notes app.

• 📥 Install it from Google Play (search for Mi Notes).
• 🔧 If the application is not installed, download APK From the official website of Xiaomi (Support section).
• 📝 Alternative: Use Google Keep or Evernote to import exported notes.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions