How to copy all your data from Xiaomi to another phone: the complete guide

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, especially when it comes to protecting personal data. Photos, correspondence, contacts, notes and even desktop settings all require careful transfer so as not to lose important information. Many users mistakenly believe that it is enough to insert SIM-You can log in to a Google account, but it doesn't always work correctly in practice, especially if you're moving between different brands or versions of devices. MIUI.

In this article, we will discuss 5 Proven ways to transfer data from Xiaomi to another phone – from official tools (Mi Mover, Mi Account) to universal solutions (Google Drive, cable) OTG). You will learn how to avoid common errors (for example, loss of call history or application settings), which data can be transferred automatically and which you will have to copy manually. MIUI 14/15 and older models (Redmi Note) 5/6, Mi 8/9), where standard methods may not work.

If you’re planning to sell an old Xiaomi, be sure to clean it up before handing it over – there’s a safe reset checklist at the end of the article.

1. Official method: Mi Mover (for Xiaomi phones)

Mi Mover is a Xiaomi-branded app that is designed to quickly transfer data between devices to MIUI. It supports copying contacts, messages, photos, videos, audio files, notes, call history, and even some system settings. The main advantage is that there is no need for cloud storage or a computer: the transfer goes directly over Wi-Fi Direct.

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

• 📱 On an old phone: open the Mi Mover app (if not available, download from Google Play).
• 📱 On your new phone: Launch Mi Mover and select “I’m a receiver).
• 🔗 The link: The old phone will appear QR-code, scan it with a new device, or connect to an access point created by one of the phones.
• 📁 Data selection: tick categories for transfer (e.g. Contacts, Photos, Applications».

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Note: If the new phone already has data (for example, you are logged in to Google Account), Mi Mover may suggest replacing it. Before confirming, check which files will be overwritten!

The Mi Mover is the fastest, but it has limitations.

• ❌ Does not tolerate Wi-Fi passwords and certain app settings (such as WhatsApp or Viber).
• ❌ On devices with MIUI 12 and older may require an update to the application.
• ❌ Does not support data transfer to phones of other brands (Samsung, iPhone, etc.).

2.Move over Mi Account (Xiaomi Cloud)

If you have a Mi Account, you can sync some of the data to the Xiaomi cloud, which is convenient when a new phone isn't on hand, or if you want to back up "just in case." Xiaomi's cloud provides 5GB of space for free, enough for contacts, notes and some photos.

How to set up synchronization:

1. Open the Settings. → Mi Account on an old phone.
2. In the Sync section, enable switches for the desired categories: 📇 Contacts 📝 Notes (Mi Notes) 📅 Calendar 📸 Photos (only thumbnails, originals are not synchronized!)

Wait for the synchronization to complete (check the indicator in the top notification bar).

Mi Account

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Note: Xiaomi’s cloud does not store message history, application data (such as games) or system settings. This will require other methods (see sections below).

Important: If you delete data on your old phone BEFORE it syncs to the cloud, it will be lost forever. Wait for the sync notification before you clean the device.

3. Universal method: Google Account and Google Drive

Syncing through Google Account is the most reliable way to transfer data, especially if you are switching to a phone of another brand (for example, from Xiaomi to Samsung or iPhone).

• 📇 Contacts
• 📅 Calendar
• 📧 Mail (Gmail)
• 📸 Photos and videos (via Google Photos)
• 🎮 Data from some games (if they support Google Play Games)
• 📍 Location History (Google Maps)

How to set up backup:

1. Open Settings → Google → Backup.
2. Turn on the “Backup to Google Drive” switch.
3. Click on “Back up now” (Click on “Create a copy now”).
4. On the new phone, when you first set up, select “Restore Data from Backup” and log in to the same Google Account.

To transfer photos and videos:

• 📸 Install Google Photos app on your old phone.
• Enable automatic booting in settings (Settings → Backup and Synchronization).
• Wait for the download to complete (check in the web version of photos.google.com).
• On your new phone, install Google Photos and wait for sync.

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Warning: Google Drive's free storage is limited to 15GB per account. If you have a lot of high-resolution photos, they can quickly take up that space. In this case, either compress the photo in the settings of Google Photos (“High quality” instead of “Original”), or use alternative methods (see the section on the photo). OTG-cable).

Enable backup in Google Drive

Check the free space in the account (15 GB)

Upload photos to Google Photos

Make sure your contacts are saved to Google, not to Google SIM-map

Sync notes through Google Keep (if you use them)-->

4. Local backup (without cloud and internet)

If you don’t trust cloud services or have a slow internet connection, you can create a local backup directly on your phone and then transfer it to a new device via a new device. USB-cable or microSD. This is a method that's suitable for transfer:

• 📱 All applications and their data (including settings)
• 📞 Call history and SMS
• 🎵 Music and other files
• 📱 System settings (wallpaper, shortcuts, network parameters)

Instructions for MIUI:

1. Open Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Click on “Create backup” (Create backup).
3. Select data categories (it is recommended to mark everything except System Applications if you do not want to carry unnecessary garbage).
4. Wait until the process is complete. The copy file will be saved in the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder.
5. Connect your phone to your computer or insert a microSD, copy the AllBackup folder.
6. On the new phone, move the AllBackup folder to the root directory of internal memory and restore data through Settings → Restore from backup.

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Attention: Local MIUI backup is not compatible with other brands' phones! it only works on Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO devices. Also note that the copy can weigh several gigabytes - make sure there is enough space on the memory card.

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If the backup is not restored on a new phone, check the MIUI version. Sometimes copies created on MIUI 13 won't read on MIUI 14.

5. Transfer via OTG cable or computer

The most “manual”, but universal method is to copy files directly through the USB-cable OTG. It's the only way to transfer it:

• 🎬 High-resolution video (4K, 8K)
• 🎵 Local music (not from streaming services)
• 📄 Documents (PDF, DOCX, XLSX)
• 📁 Folders with downloads and other files

How to transfer files through your computer:

1. Connect the old Xiaomi to the PC via USB-cable (select File Transfer mode in the notification curtain).
2. Open the phone folder in Windows/macOS Explorer.
3. Copy the necessary data from folders: DCIM — Downloads photos and videos - Music downloads - music WhatsApp/Media — WhatsApp media files

Connect a new phone and paste the copied files into the corresponding folders.

For transfer through OTG-adapter (without computer):

1. Buy a USB-C/OTG adapter (or Micro-USB/OTG if you have an older model).
2. Connect to the new phone flash drive or memory card through the adapter.
3. Copy files from your old phone to your drive, then transfer them to your new device.

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Note: If you migrate WhatsApp from Android to iPhone (or vice versa), the standard method won’t work! it will require special programs like Dr.Fone or Backuptrans, but they are paid and not always reliable.

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To successfully transfer WhatsApp messages, be sure to use the same phone number and Google Account as on the old device. Otherwise, the restoration of chats will not be possible.

How to Clean Up an Old Xiaomi Before Selling

Before transferring or selling an old phone, you must completely delete personal data so that it does not fall into the wrong hands. Even after resetting to factory settings, some files may remain in the device's memory.

Sign out of Mi Account (Settings → Mi Account → Sign out)

Delete Google Account (Settings → Accounts → Google → Delete)

Disable sync in Google Photos and Google Drive

Delete the memory cards and SIM-map

Perform reset to factory settings (Settings → Reset)

Check that the phone is not tied to Mi Account (ask the customer to activate the device again)-->

How to make a complete reset:

1. Open Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select “Erase all data” (Erase all data).
3. Enter the password (if installed) and confirm the action.
4. Wait until the process is completed (the phone will restart).

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Note: If the device has been activated with the device protection function via Mi Account, after reset, you will need to enter the username and password from the Xiaomi account when you first set up. Make sure you remember this information, otherwise the phone will become a brick!

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi data portability