How to transfer all data from the old Xiaomi to the new phone: 5 proven ways

Buying a new Xiaomi smartphone is always a joyful event, but many users face the same challenge: how to transfer all data from an old device without losing contact, photos, or important messages? This is especially true for owners of Redmi, POCO or Mi, who have been accumulating information on their gadgets for years. In this article, we will examine all possible ways of data migration, from the official Mi Mover tool to manual transfer through the cloud or physical connection.

It's important to understand that the choice of method depends on several factors: the amount of data, the speed of the Internet connection, the availability of additional accessories (for example, an OTG cable), and even the model of your old phone. For example, on devices with MIUI 12 and later, the process may differ from older versions. We will also take into account hidden nuances that are rarely written about in standard instructions - for example, how to transfer data if the new phone is not activated, or what to do if the Mi Mover is suspended by 99%.

If you're afraid of losing important files or not sure about your technical skills, don't worry: we've described each method in as much detail as possible, with step-by-step screenshots (for key points) and warnings about possible errors. FAQ-A block with answers to the most common questions, including problems with authorization in Mi Account or transferring data from iPhone to Xiaomi.

1.Official method: Mi Mover - fast and lossless

Mi Mover is a Xiaomi-branded app designed specifically to transfer data between the brand’s devices. It supports almost everything: contacts, messages (including SMS and WhatsApp chats), photos, videos, music, apps (including their data), and even some system settings. The main advantage is that you don’t need the Internet (data is transmitted over a local Wi-Fi Direct network), and the transfer speed is several times faster than when using cloud services.

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

• 📱 Make sure that both phones have the latest version installed. MIUI (minimum MIUI On older versions, synchronization errors may occur.
• 🔌 Connect both devices to charge – the process can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour (depending on the amount of data).
• 📶 Activate Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both smartphones, and turn off Flight Mode and VPN (if included).
• 📲 Run Mi Mover on both phones: on the old one, select “I am the sender” and on the new one, “I am the recipient".

Follow the instructions on the screen. The system will prompt you to scan. QR-code from a new phone old (or enter) PIN-Once you connect, select which data you want to transfer. There is an important caveat: applications are ported without their cache, so after migrating, some programs (such as games) may require additional downloads of data.

Both phones are charged at least 50 times%|Power saving mode is turned off on new phones|Old phone not unlocked (this could interrupt transmission)|Both devices have enough free space (at least 10% of the data transfer volume)-->

2. Google Account Transfer: Universal, but not for everything

If you use Google, you can transfer some of your data through your Gmail account, which is suitable for contacts, calendars, Google Keep, photos (Google Photos), and even some app settings.

• 🚫 Not tolerated. SMS, call log and data from most third-party applications (such as Viber or Telegram).
• 📁 Photos and videos are synced only if the Autoupload function in Google Photos was previously enabled.
• ⚠️ New Xiaomi phones sometimes require manual syncing to Settings → Accounts. → Google.

Instructions for transfer:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Accounts → Google and make sure that sync is enabled for all the data you need (contacts, calendar, etc.).
2. On the new phone, when you first turn on, select the option “Copy data from your old device” and log in to the same Google account.
3. Wait until the synchronization is complete. The time depends on the speed of the Internet and the amount of data.

If the new phone is already configured, you can sync the data manually:

1. Open Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Select your account and click on "Sync".
3. Make sure that all the necessary items (contacts, calendar, etc.) are marked with a tick.

Xiaomi Cloud: Reliable, but with limitations

Xiaomi Cloud is a proprietary cloud storage that offers 5GB of free space (with the option of expansion for a fee), which allows you to transfer contacts, notes, photos, call recordings and even some system settings.

• 📸 Photos and videos are synced only in reduced quality (unless you have a paid subscription).
• 📱 Applications and their data are not transferred through the cloud.
• 🔒 To use the cloud, you need to have the same Mi Account on both phones.

How to transfer data through Xiaomi Cloud:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Mi Account → Xiaomi Cloud.
2. Turn on sync for all the categories you need (contacts, photos, etc.).
3. Wait until the data is uploaded to the cloud (you can check the progress in the Synchronization Status section).
4. On the new phone, log in to the same Mi Account and enable sync in Settings → Mi Account → Xiaomi Cloud.

If you have a lot of high-resolution photos or videos, we recommend you upload them to the cloud first through the Gallery → Select files → Share → Xiaomi Cloud, and then download them manually to the new phone.

4. Transfer via OTG cable or computer: for large volumes

If you have a lot of data (tens of gigabytes of photos, videos or music) and the Internet connection is slow or limited, the best option is to physically transfer it over an OTG cable or computer, which is suitable for any file, including documents, archives and even application backups.

You'll need:

• 🔌 Cable OTG (If you are moving directly between phones, or USB-computer-wire.
• 💻 Computer with free disk space (if you use a PC as an intermediate storage).
• 📁 File Manager (e.g., standard Explorer on Xiaomi or Total Commander).

Method 1: Direct transfer via OTG

1. Connect the cable. OTG Connect to your new phone and connect your old phone to it through a standard phone. USB-cable.
2. On your old phone, select File Transfer (or MTP) mode.
3. On a new phone, open the file manager – the old phone will show up as an external drive.
4. Copy the files you want (usually they are in DCIM, Downloads, Pictures, etc.).

Method 2: Transfer through a computer

1. Connect your old phone to your computer and copy all the files you need to your hard drive.
2. Turn off the old phone and connect the new one.
3. Transfer files from your computer to your new phone.

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If you are connected through OTG The new phone doesn’t see the old one, try changing the cables or using another one. OTG-Adapter. Also check if developer mode and debugging are on. USB (In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI Press 7 times, then return to Settings → Additionally. → For developers and include "Debugging by" USB").

5. Manual transfer of applications and their data

Many applications (such as instant messengers, games or banking programs) store data locally and cannot be transferred in standard ways, in which case you will have to use backup or special utilities.

For most applications, the algorithm is as follows:

1. On your old phone, find the option “Backup” or “Data Export” in the application settings (for example, on WhatsApp it is Settings → Chat → Backup).
2. Create a backup and save it to the cloud or memory card.
3. On the new phone, install the same app, log in and restore data from the backup.

For some applications (such as Telegram or Viber), data is synced automatically through the cloud, so simply log in to a new phone.

If the application does not support backup, you can try using third-party utilities, for example:

• 📲 Titanium Backup (requires root access).
• 📲 Helium (works without root, but not with all apps).
• 📲 Swift Backup (alternative to Titanium Backup for new Android versions).

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Not all apps allow data to be transferred between devices, for example, some banking programs (Sberbank, Tinkoff) require re-authorization on a new phone for security reasons.

6. Data transfer from iPhone to Xiaomi: features and pitfalls

If you’re switching from iPhone to Xiaomi, the data transfer process is complicated by ecosystem differences (iOS vs Android).

Method 1: Google’s “Switching to Android” app

• 📱 Install the application “Switch to Android” from the App Store on iPhone.
• 🔌 Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network.
• 📲 On the new Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select the option “Copy data from iPhone” and follow the instructions.

Method 2: Transfer over iCloud

• 🌐 On iPhone, enable sync with iCloud (contacts, photos, notes).
• 💻 On your computer, go to iCloud.com and export the data you need (e.g., contacts in.vcf format).
• 📲 Transfer Exported Files to Xiaomi via Cable or Cloud.

Method 3: Transfer photos via Google Photos

• 📸 On iPhone, install the Google Photos app and enable autoload.
• 📲 Log in to the same Google account on Xiaomi – photos will automatically be uploaded to the gallery.

Xiaomi will not be running Apple Music or Apple Pay, but will have to look for alternatives.

Comparison of data transfer methods

As you can see from the table, Mi Mover is the most versatile and fast way, but it only works between Xiaomi devices, and if you want to move data from a different brand of phone or prefer cloud solutions, you have to combine several methods.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When you move data, you often have typical problems, and here are the most common ones and the ways you can solve them:

⚠️ Note: If the Mi Mover is stuck in the Connection phase, check if one of the phones is power saving or battery optimization for the Mi Mover app.

• 🔄 Mi Mover doesn't see the second phone: Make sure both devices have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on. Reboot both phones and try again. Check if the Firewall or Antivirus is blocking the connection.
• 📵 Not tolerated. SMS or call log: In MIUI 12 and later, this data is only transferred via Mi Mover or backup to Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset: If you use a Google Account, this data is not synced, you will have to use third-party applications (for example, SMS Backup & Restore).
• 🔒 Mi Account: Check if your account is linked to another region (e.g. if you bought your phone in China) and if you forgot your password, restore it via account.xiaomi.com. Make sure the phone has a correct date and time (incorrect settings can block authorization).

⚠️ Note: If you transfer data from the phone on which Device Encryption was enabled (in Settings) → Lock and protect, some files may not be copied, in which case you will have to temporarily disable encryption or use another method of transferring.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions