How to transfer applications from one Xiaomi to another: all the ways of 2026

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but the transfer of applications can become a headache if you do not know the nuances. Even within the same MIUI ecosystem, users face problems: somewhere lost application data, somewhere do not transfer settings, and sometimes you have to re-download APK from Google Play. This article will examine all the current methods of transfer, from official tools to manual methods for experienced users.

It’s important to understand that Xiaomi offers several built-in migration mechanisms, but their effectiveness depends on MIUI versions, phone models, and even the firmware region. For example, MIUI Transfer works perfectly between the Redmi Note 12 and Xiaomi 13T, but can fail when migrating to POCO F5 with global firmware. We tested each method on real devices and highlighted critical points that the manufacturer does not mention in the official instructions.

1.Official method: MIUI Transfer (Mi Mover)

The easiest and most recommended method for Xiaomi is to use the built-in MIUI Transfer tool (formerly known as Mi Mover), which is available on all devices with MIUI 10 and later, but there are some nuances:

• 📱 It only works between smartphones. Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO (Does not support other brands).
• 🔄 Requires simultaneous connection of both devices to the same Wi-Fi network (or the creation of a direct access point).
• 📦 It not only transfers applications, but also SMS, Contacts, photos, notes and even system settings.
• ⚠️ Not all apps support data portability (for example, WhatsApp or banking apps will require re-authorization).

How to start the transfer:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Data Transfer (MIUI Transfer).
2. On the new phone, select This is a new phone from the same menu.
3. Scan it. QR-code from an old device or connect via Wi-Fi Direct.
4. Select the Application category and confirm the transfer.

⚠️ Note: If the new phone already has some apps on the transfer list, MIUI Transfer can skip them or suggest reinstall them. manually remove duplicates before you start!

Turn off VPN on both devices

Battery charge >50% on both phones

Connect both devices to charging

Make sure that the new phone has enough memory (transfer takes temporary place)

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2. backup through Mi Account

If MIUI Transfer doesn’t work for some reason (e.g., because of different versions of MIUI), you can use cloud backup via your Mi Account, a method that is slower but more reliable when migrating between devices with a large age difference (e.g., Redmi 4X → Xiaomi 14).

Algorithm of action:

1. On an old phone: Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Select Applications and start backup creation (the file will be saved in the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder).
3. Transfer the backup file to your new phone (via USB, Bluetooth, or cloud).
4. On the new phone: Settings → Additional → Data recovery and specify the path to the file.

Cloud backup has a 5GB limit for free accounts, and if you have a lot of apps, you’ll either have to pay for storage expansion (~100 rubles/month for 50GB) or use a local backup.

MIUI Transfer (Mi Mover)

Backup through Mi Account

Manual transfer APK-file

Cloud services (Google Drive, Dropbox)

Another way.-->

3. Transfer through APK-Files (for experienced users)

If you only need to migrate installed applications (without data), you can extract APK-Files from an old phone and set them to a new one:

• 🔧 The app is removed from Google Play (e.g., the old version of Mi Fit).
• 📥 You need to save traffic (do not download applications again).
• 🛡️ You want to avoid automatic updates (for example, for Mod versions).

Instructions:

1. Install an old phone with an APK Extractor (such as an APK Extractor).
2. Select the desired applications and export them to the folder (for example, Download/APK_Backup).
3. Move the folder to your new phone (via USB, Bluetooth, or cloud).
4. On your new phone, allow installation from unknown sources: Settings → Applications → Special Rights → Installation of unknown applications.
5. Install. APK-Manual files (for example, through File Manager).

⚠️ Note: Some apps (such as Netflix or Google Pay) verify your signature APK They can fail to work if the file has been modified or retrieved incorrectly, and then you have to download them from Google Play.

4.Using Google Drive and other cloud services

If you prefer not to depend on the Xiaomi ecosystem, you can use universal cloud services, for example, Google Drive allows you to back up applications and some of their data (if the developer supports Android Backup Service).

How it works:

1. On your old phone: Settings → Google → Backup → Data Backup (turn on the option).
2. Wait until the system creates a backup (may take a few hours).
3. On the new phone, when you first turn on, select Restore from Google backup and log in under the same account.

Advantages of the method:

• ☁️ It works between all Android devices (not just Xiaomi).
• 🔄 Automatically updates the backup (if enabled).
• 📱 Restores not only applications, but also Wi-Fi passwords, display settings, data of some games.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Not all applications support backup data (depending on the developer).
• ⏳ Slower than MIUI Transfer (especially with a large amount of data).
• 📶 Requires a stable connection to the Internet.

💡

If you use Google Drive for backup, check before perenosom what data is stored. For example, Telegram does not reserve chats through Android Backup Service, and WhatsApp requires a separate backup in Local Files.

5. Transfer over ADB (for advanced users)

If you're familiar with ADB (Android Debug Bridge), you can manually migrate applications and their data, which is the most flexible method, but requires an unlocked bootloader and super-user rights on both devices.

Step-by-step:

1. Install ADB and Fastboot on PC.
2. Connect the old phone to your computer and execute the command to create a backup: adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab (where backup.ab is the name of the backup file).
3. Connect your new phone and recover data: adb restore backup.ab

What's transferable:

• 📦 Installed applications (.apk).
• 🗃️ Application data (if there is root).
• 📁 Shared files (photos, music, etc.).

⚠️ Note: Adb backup and adb restore may not work on some firmware MIUI If the command comes up with an adb error: unable to open backup file, try using alternative tools like TWRP Swift Backup (requires root).

6. Transfer through third-party apps (e.g. Clone Phone)

If Xiaomi's built-in tools don't work, you can use third-party migration tools, and one of the most popular is SHAREit's Clone Phone (available on Google Play), which works on the MIUI Transfer principle, but supports more devices and often copes where regular funds fail.

How to use:

1. Install Clone Phone on both phones.
2. On the old phone, select Send, on the new phone, Receive.
3. Connect via Wi-Fi Direct or QR-code.
4. Select the Application category and confirm the transfer.

The pluses of Clone Phone:

• 🌐 It works between different brands (e.g. Xiaomi) → Samsung).
• 📡 Often faster than MIUI Transfer.
• 📊 Shows a detailed report on the transferred data.

Cons:

• 🛡️ Requires access to Contacts, Warehouse and SMS (confidentiality).
• 📦 Not all applications are portable with data (similar to the same). MIUI Transfer).

💡

The portability side of apps (like Clone Phone or Send Anywhere) is convenient when you need to migrate between devices of different brands or when the regular MIUI tools don’t work. However, they often request excessive permissions – read carefully what you’re accessing!

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even when using official tools, users are faced with errors, and here are the most common ways to correct them:

If none of these methods worked, try resetting the new phone to factory settings and repeating the transfer, and sometimes conflicts arise because of previously installed apps or settings.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions