Buying a new Xiaomi smartphone is always a thrill, but the thought of transferring information from an old device can be a darkening joy. Fortunately, the company's engineers have developed powerful tools that allow you to clone the contents of the gadget in minutes. You no longer have to manually reinstall every software or search for lost contacts in a notebook.
In this article, we will explore the migration process in detail, focusing on maintaining folder structure and authorization in services. Modern versions of the MIUI and HyperOS shell allow you to create almost an exact copy of the old device on a new one, not only for installation files of programs, but also for their internal settings.
The main tool for this task is the built-in Mi Mover utility, which is installed by default on all current models of the brand, it works locally, without consuming mobile operator traffic, and provides high transfer speeds. Understanding the nuances of its work will help avoid common errors and loss of important files.
Preparing devices for data synchronization
Before you start the copying process, you need to properly prepare both smartphones. Make sure that both devices have a battery level of at least 60%. Interrupting the procedure due to battery discharge can lead to file system damage or malfunction of the operating system.
It's also worth checking if there's space on the receiving device, and the amount of memory you have available should be greater than the amount of data you're planning to transfer, and if there's not enough space, the system will simply not allow the process to start or end it with an error.
An important step is to update the Mi Mover app to the latest version on both phones, and older versions may not work properly with new backup formats or may not support porting certain types of data, such as Wi-Fi passwords or alarm settings.
⚠️ Note: Do not connect devices to your computer through USB-This can cause driver conflict and interrupt the connection between smartphones.
For stable operation, it is recommended to turn off the energy saving mode on both devices, which can limit the background activity of the processes necessary to maintain a constant communication channel, it is better to temporarily sacrifice autonomy for the successful completion of the migration.
Use of the Mi Mover application
Mi Mover is a native solution for the Xiaomi ecosystem, and its interface is intuitive, and its data compression algorithms allow you to significantly speed up the process, and you can launch the utility through the settings menu or by finding its shortcut in the Tools folder.
Once it's launched, it'll tell you to choose the role of the device: "I'm the sender" or "I'm the receiver." On the old phone, you'll choose the send, on the new phone, you'll receive. QR-code that must be scanned by the camera of the old device to establish a connection.
The connection is made by creating a local Wi-Fi hotspot, which allows for high data transfer speeds without using Internet traffic, and depending on the amount of information, the process can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours.
☑️ Preparation for transfer
When selecting data for porting, the system will offer several categories, you can select only selected applications or copy all the content. Note that some banking applications may not transfer authorization data for security reasons, and you will have to log in again.
Step-by-step instructions for migration
The transfer process consists of several consecutive steps, the violation of which can lead to failures, first on the new phone starts standby mode, after which the old device is searched and connected.
Once you pair it successfully, you'll see a list of data categories on the sender screen, and you can set up what's going to be copied in detail, and the system will automatically calculate the amount of space you're taking and the time you're going to do it.
Press the "Send" button and wait for the process to be completed, during which time the device screens may go out, but you cannot interrupt the program, and upon completion, you will receive a notification of successful import.
- 📲 Run Mi Mover on both devices and accept the user agreement.
- 🔗 On the new phone, select “I am the recipient” and on the old phone, “I am the sender».
- 📡 Scan it. QR-The code of the camera of the old smartphone to connect to the Wi-Fi network of the new.
- 📂 Select data categories (Applications, Photos, Contacts, System Settings) to copy.
- 🚀 Click "Send" and wait for the progress bar to end on both screens.
If there is a mistake in the process, try restarting both smartphones and repeating the procedure, often caused by temporary conflicts of network modules or background processes.
Transfer via Mi Cloud and Google Account
An alternative is cloud storage, synchronizing with Google Account to restore contacts, calendar, notes and installed app lists, which is convenient if physical access to the old phone is already limited.
Mi Cloud provides deeper integration with the MIUI shell, which not only saves contacts, but also desktop layout, alarm settings, voice recorders, and even call history.
To activate sync, go to your account settings and select backup points. Click Sync to upload data to the server. On the new device, just log in to the same account and select recovery from the cloud.
⚠️ Warning: Free space in the Mi Cloud is limited to 5 GB. For large amounts of data (photos and videos), you will need to expand the tariff or use a local method.
Using the cloud is particularly effective when you lose or break an old device, but the speed of recovery will depend on your Internet connection, and for large photo archives, this method may be too slow.
Features of transferring WhatsApp and messengers
Messengers store their correspondence history and media files in secure directories, which requires special attention. In the usual transfer of applications through Mi Mover, chat data may not be saved unless a special backup procedure is performed inside the messenger itself.
WhatsApp needs to back up chats on Google Drive in advance, open the app's settings, go to the Chats section, and select "Chat Backup." Make sure the process is successful.
When you install WhatsApp on a new phone and log in to the same number, the system will prompt you to restore your message history from the cloud. Without this step, you will get a “clean” application without correspondence.
What if WhatsApp doesn’t see a backup?
For Telegram, the situation is simpler: the history of correspondence is stored on the messenger servers. Just log in with a phone number, and all chats (except secret ones) will be downloaded automatically. Secret chats are tied to the device and cannot be transferred.
Solving problems and errors when copying
Despite the smoothness of the process, users may encounter difficulties, and one of the common problems is that the process hangs at a certain percentage, often when large numbers of small files or corrupted pieces of data are transferred.
If the transmission is interrupted, don't panic, check if one of the devices is in Do Not Disturb mode or traffic saving mode, and make sure that antivirus programs do not block the network connection between the gadgets.
If the apps don’t open or crash after the transfer, try clearing their cache. Sometimes you need to completely reinstall the problematic software, as the paths to the system libraries on the new version of Android may have changed.
| Type of problem | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Low speed. | Wi-Fi interference, distance | Come closer, turn off Bluetooth. |
| Authorization error | Two-factor protection | Enter the code from an SMS or authenticator application |
| Lack of space | Small memory capacity of the new phone | Delete unnecessary files or select selective transfer |
| Applications are not working | Incompatibility of Android versions | Update apps through Google Play Store |
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If you're carrying a very large amount of data (over 100GB), break it down into steps, first move system settings and contacts, then move photos and videos separately, and reduce the risk of failure.
Completion of the setup and integrity check
Once the migration is complete, you need to do a thorough check, go through the main menu and make sure that all application icons are in place, and pay special attention to the folders with financial and work programs.
Check the gallery: sometimes albums can get mixed up or lose folder structure, in which case manual sorting or using the built-in Album tool to create a new structure will help.
Don't forget to check the notification settings. On a new phone, they can be reset to factory values, and important messages from messengers can come without sound, and it's also worth rechecking NFC and contactless payment.
⚠️ Note: After transferring data, it is recommended to perform a full reboot of the new smartphone, which will allow the system to index files and correctly redistribute resources.
The final touch will be to remove old data from the device you sell or give away, and use the factory reset function with pre-encrypted encryption to keep your personal information out of the wrong hands.
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Successful data transfer is not just about copying files, but also checking the health of all services on a new device.