How to change the phone Xiaomi: step-by-step instructions

The decision to change a smartphone is always accompanied by mixed feelings: the joy of acquiring a new flagship or reliable budget and a slight anxiety about the transfer of all the accumulated data. Owners of the Xiaomi ecosystem are in a winning position, as the shell of MIUI and HyperOS offer sophisticated tools for migration. The process of replacing the device can be divided into two key stages: physical preparation of the new gadget and software transfer information from the old device.

Before we start active, we need to be clear about what exactly is meant by the phrase "change phone." If we are talking about replacing a broken display or battery, it is a matter of maintenance. However, in the context of updating the gadget, we consider a complete transition to the new model. The critical point is to create a full backup before starting any operations with the old device. Without this step, the risk of losing important contacts, photos and correspondence in messengers increases to a maximum.

The Chinese giant’s modern smartphones allow you to migrate even without a computer, using wireless protocols or cloud services. It is important to follow the sequence of actions and not interrupt the file transfer process at the completion stage. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the nuances of the transition, from preparing an account to fine-tuning the new interface.

Preparing the old device for replacement

The first step before changing your phone is to thoroughly review the contents of your current smartphone, and many users forget that junk files, app cache, and unnecessary videos can significantly slow down the transfer process. It is recommended to clear the storage beforehand by removing duplicates and bulky files that are not valuable, which will reduce backup time and free up space in the cloud.

Special attention should be paid to the Mi Account, which is the key to your digital life in the ecosystem. Make sure you remember the password from the account, because after resetting the settings or when you activate a new device, the system may request authorization for security reasons. If the password is forgotten, the recovery procedure is better done in advance, while you have access to the phone number or backup mail.

⚠️ Before starting the migration, be sure to untie your bank cards from Mi Pay and other payment systems on your old device to avoid blocking the bank when changing. ID device.

It’s also worth checking the operating system version. Although new phones usually run on fresh Android, older models may require upgrading to the latest available version of MIUI to properly work sync tools. Check the updates in the settings menu and install all available security patches.

Creation of a backup of data

There are several ways to save information before you change your phone to a new one. The most reliable and traditional method is using the Mi Cloud service, which allows you to synchronize contacts, messages, notes, voice recordings and even the location of icons on your desktop, and you need to go to your account settings to activate and select "Sync".

For those who are afraid to store data in the cloud or have a limited data plan, there is a possibility to create a local copy. This method requires free space in internal memory or on a microSD card. Local backup includes almost everything: system settings, installed applications and their data, you can create such a copy through the built-in Security application or in the menu of advanced settings.

Special attention should be paid to messengers such as WhatsApp and Telegram, which often store the history of correspondence and media files separately from the general system. In the settings of each messenger, you need to find the "Backup" section and force the data to be saved to Google Drive or locally. Without this step, when installing applications on a new phone, the history of dialogues may not recover.

Data portability tools for Mi Mover

The most effective way to solve the problem of “change phone” without losing data is to use the regular Mi Mover application, which is pre-installed on all smartphones of the company and allows you to transfer data directly over the Wi-Fi channel without consuming mobile traffic, while transfer speeds are much faster than through Bluetooth or cloud services.

The startup process is simple: the new device has to select the role of "Receiver" and the old one has to select the role of "Sender". QR-The system itself determines the compatible formats and suggests the optimal migration route, SMS, Multimedia and even a list of installed applications.

It's important to note that when you migrate applications, the installer files themselves (.apk) are copied, but the authorization inside them most often flies away. This is for security reasons. So after you complete the migration, you still have to re-enter your passwords from social networks and banking applications. Mi Mover only eliminates the need to download them again.

Set up a new smartphone Xiaomi

Once you turn on the new device, you will be greeted by a welcome screen with a choice of language, at which point the system will suggest recovering data from the backup. If you used Mi Cloud, just enter your login and password. If you prefer the local method or Mi Mover, follow the instructions on the screen to connect to the previously created access point.

During the initial setup, the system may suggest upgrading the firmware to the current version. Skip this step is not recommended, as new security patches and processor optimization are often included in the first updates after the device is released.

Pay special attention to the biometrics setup. The fingerprint scanner and Face ID face recognition system are customized for each device. The biometrics from the old phone are not transferred for privacy reasons, they are stored in a secure module of a particular processor. You will have to register your fingerprints again.

Decision on migration

Despite the fact that the processes are fine, users may encounter difficulties. A common problem is the incompatibility of Android versions. If you move from a very old model (for example, Android 8) to the latest model (Android 14), some system settings may not be transferred correctly, in which case the system will suggest that you manually configure them after the main process is completed.

Another common scenario is a lack of space on the new device: If the internal memory of the new smartphone is smaller than the data volume on the old one, Mi Mover will warn you about this and suggest selecting only priority files.

⚠️ Note: When transferring data from iPhone to Xiaomi via the “Move to iOS” app (or similar Xiaomi tools), call history and SMS It may not be possible due to the limitations of the iOS operating system.

If the process is stuck at a certain percentage, don't rush to reboot the devices. Often the system just processes a large file or installs a heavy application in the background. Give the phone 10-15 minutes. If the progress is not moving for more than half an hour, only then it makes sense to interrupt the operation and try again, choosing a smaller amount of data.

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Use the app cloning feature in your new phone settings if you need to use two accounts on the same social network (e.g. two WhatsApp accounts).

Final Optimization and Resetting of Old Phone

After successfully migrating data and checking the health of all the applications on the new device, it's time to deal with the old gadget, and if you're planning to sell it, give it away or dispose of it, you need to do a full reset to factory settings (Wipe Data), which ensures that your personal data does not fall into the wrong hands.

To perform the reset, go to the settings menu, select About Phone and click Reset. The system will warn you that all data will be deleted. Before confirming again, make sure you are logged out of all accounts, especially from Google and Mi Account. Otherwise, theft protection will work, and the new owner will not be able to activate the device.

The final touch is to customize the new phone to suit you, change the themes, adjust the controls, and arrange the widgets the way you used to. Xiaomi's ecosystem makes the interface unique, and now that all the data is in place and the old device is cleaned, the replacement process is complete.

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A full phone replacement cycle takes 30 to 60 minutes if you back up and charge both devices in advance.