How to migrate apps from iPhone to Xiaomi: a complete guide with solutions to typical bugs

Moving from iPhone to Xiaomi smartphone is not only about changing the ecosystem, but also the need to migrate dozens of apps, each of which stores important data, from instant messengers with a history of correspondence to banking applications with tied cards. Unlike moving between Apple devices, where everything is synchronized through iCloud, migrating to Android requires manual actions and knowledge of nuances. This article will help avoid data loss, explain why some applications are not automatically portable, and offer alternative solutions for each case.

The main problem with this transfer is the difference in the architecture of operating systems: iOS and MIUI (Xiaomi’s Android shell uses different storage formats, and many apps (especially banking) are tied to a device ID. We’ll look at 5 workable portability techniques, including official Xiaomi tools and workarounds for “stubborn” apps that refuse to work after a move. You’ll also learn how to keep your game progress, call history, and even your smart home settings — all of the things that are usually lost when you change platforms.

Why you can’t just copy apps from iPhone to Xiaomi

Many users mistakenly think that it is enough to copy a folder with applications (for example, through iTunes or Finder) and transfer it to Xiaomi.

• 🔒 iOS closed file system. iPhone applications are stored in an encrypted.ipa container that can't be easily extracted or installed on Android. Even if you get a file, Xiaomi won't be able to recognize it.
• 📱 Different installer formats. iOS uses.ipa and Android uses.apk (or.xapk for large applications.
• 🔑 Apple peg ID Google ID. Many apps (like WhatsApp or Telegram) are tied to a developer account, and when migrating to Xiaomi, you will need to re-authorize, and some data (like iCloud backups) will remain unavailable.

Another trap — DRM-Apps purchased with money cannot be legally transferred to Android, as they are tied to the Apple ecosystem, and the same applies to subscriptions: for example, Apple Music will not work for Xiaomi without a separate subscription to YouTube Music or Spotify.

⚠️ Note: Do not use third-party programs like iMazing or Syncios to retrieve.ipa files for the purpose of converting them to.apk. This violates Apple’s license agreement and may result in account locking.

The official way: the Mi Mover tool from Xiaomi

Xiaomi has developed its own data migration solution, the Mi Mover app, which is installed on both devices (iPhone and Xiaomi), which allows you to transfer not only apps, but also contacts, photos, videos and even call history.

1. Download Mi Mover from the App Store on your iPhone and from Google Play on Xiaomi.
2. Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network (required! Bluetooth is not suitable).
3. On Xiaomi, select the “I’m a New User” mode. → About phone → Mi Mover).
4. On your iPhone, scan it. QR-code that will appear on the screen of Xiaomi.
5. Select data for transfer (including the Applications section) and confirm the transfer.

It’s important to understand that Mi Mover doesn’t migrate apps, it only migrates lists of apps, so Xiaomi will have similar programs installed from Google Play, but without saving data inside them, such as WhatsApp will install, but the chat history will remain on the iPhone (it will have to be transferred separately through a backup).

⚠️ Note: If the iPhone enabled two-factor authentication for Apple ID, Mi Mover can request confirmation via trusted device.Prepare a second one in advance iPhone/iPad Mac or Mac to avoid interrupting the process.

Manual transfer of applications via computer (for advanced users)

If Mi Mover failed to do the job (for example, it didn’t find some apps in Google Play), you can use the manual method using iTunes (or Finder on Mac) and ADB This method is suitable for transferring.apk files, but requires technical skills.

Download and install iTunes (or Finder for macOS Catalina and later)

Install. ADB Tools on your computer (download from the official Android website)

Enable the developer mode on Xiaomi (Settings) → About phone → MIUI version → tap 7 times)

Activate debugging on USB (Settings → Additional settings → Developer options → USB debugging)

Connect both devices to your computer (use the original cables!)

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Follow the instructions:

1. On the iPhone, open up. iTunes/Finder Create a backup copy (file) → Devices → Back Up).
2. Use iMazing (free version) or iExplorer to extract the list of installed applications from the backup. Save it in.csv format.
3. On Xiaomi, through ADB Get a list of already installed applications: adb shell pm list packages -f Compare it to the list from your iPhone to avoid duplicates.
4. Download missing.apk files from APKPure or APKMirror (check the versions for compatibility with your Xiaomi model).
5. Install applications through ADB: adb install to file.apk For batch installations use adb install-multiple.

This method allows you to migrate even those applications that are not available in Google Play (for example, regionally blocked). However, be careful: installing.apk from unverified sources can harm the system (SHA-1) on websites like VirusTotal.

1. Download another version of.apk (for example, for arm64 instead of armeabi).

2. temporarily disable Play Protect in Google Play settings.

3. Set through SAI (Split APK Installer for applications with multiple files (.xapk).-->

Data Transfer within Applications: What Works and What Doesn’t

Even if you successfully migrated apps to Xiaomi, their internal data (chats, settings, game progress) will remain on the iPhone, which can help cloud sync or manual export.

📱 Messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber)

• 💬 WhatsApp: Use built-in chat export (Settings) → chat → Backup! On Xiaomi, install WhatsApp, log in and restore data from Google Drive (pre-link your Google account).
• ☁️ Telegram: All data is synced through the cloud automatically.
• 📞 Viber: Backup is created manually (Settings) → Account. → Backup) and saved to iCloud.To transfer to Android, you will need to first export the data to your computer and then import via Viber to Xiaomi.

🎮 Games (Clash of Clans, PUBG Mobile, Genshin Impact)

Most mobile games are linked to a Google Play Games account, Facebook or their own gaming profile (e.g. MiHoYo for Genshin Impact).

1. Go to the game settings and link your account to one of the platforms (e.g. Google or Facebook).
2. On Xiaomi, install the game from Google Play and log in through the same account.
3. For locally saved games (such as Minecraft), use Solid Explorer file managers to manually copy the folder with the worlds (/games/com.mojang/).

💳 Banking applications (SberBank Online, Tinkoff, VTB)

Banking applications are the most problematic when migrating, and they're tied to:

• 🔐 Device ID (when changing your smartphone, you may need to reactivate via a call to the bank).
• 📱 SIM-Card (some banks block access when changing) IMEI).
• 🔄 Push notifications (Xiaomi may need to allow autoruns in Settings) → Permissions → Auto-start).

Recommendation: Do not remove the banking app from your iPhone until you activate it on Xiaomi.Some banks (e.g. Alfa-Bank) require proof of transition SMS or.

Sync through cloud services: iCloud vs Google Drive

Cloud storage is the most versatile way to migrate data, but it doesn’t work with all file types. Compare the capabilities of iCloud and Google Drive for migrating to Xiaomi:

To transfer photos from iCloud to Xiaomi:

1. Go to iCloud.com from your computer.
2. Select photos and click "Download" (they will be saved in the.zip archive).
3. Unpack the archive and upload the files to Google Photos or directly to Xiaomi via cable.

Important: If you have Storage Optimization enabled in iCloud, photos can be uploaded in low resolution. Before exporting, turn it off in your iPhone settings (Settings). → Photos → Download and Keep Originals).

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Cloud services don’t carry the apps themselves, only their data, and to restore full functionality, you will need to install programs from Google Play and log in to them.

Transferring apps to keep progress: games and social media

For gamers and active users of social networks, it is critical to save progress, friends and settings.

🎮 Gambling accounts

• 🎮 Google Play Games: If the game supports this system, just log in to Xiaomi through the same Google account.
• 👤 Facebook: Many games (like Candy Crush) are linked to a Facebook profile. Check in the game settings to see if your account is linked to your Facebook profile before you click on it.
• 🔄 Cross-Sync: Some games (such as Genshin Impact or Honkai: Star Rail) allow you to link your account to your email and restore progress on any platform.

For non-cloud-saving games (such as Minecraft or Stardew Valley):

1. On the iPhone, find a folder with saves (usually in the /Documents or /Library inside the application folder).
2. Copy it to your computer via iTunes or iMazing.
3. On Xiaomi, use Root Explorer (superuser rights required) or SAF (Storage Access Framework) to insert files into the appropriate folder (e.g, /Android/data/com.mojang.minecraftpe/files/games/com.mojang/).

👥 Social networks (Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X)

Social media doesn't usually require data transfer, just log in to a new device.

• 📸 Instagram: Drafts and unpublished stories are not saved.Use third-party apps like InSaver to export them.
• 🎵 TikTok: Draft videos can be saved to the gallery manually (Profile) → Drafts → Save).
• 🐦 Twitter/X: Notification settings and lists are not portable.Export them through Settings → Your account. → Download the data archive.

⚠️ Attention: When logging in to social media on a new device, protection against unusual login may work. Add Xiaomi to trusted devices in advance in your account security settings (e.g., Facebook: Settings) → Security → Device recognition).

Solving typical transfer problems

Even with the correct following of the instructions, users encounter errors, and consider the most common ways to solve them:

If Mi Mover is stuck in the Preparation stage, try:

• 🔄 Reboot both devices.
• 📶 Connect to another Wi-Fi network (e.g., a mobile access point).
• 🗃️ Free up space on Xiaomi (requires at least 20% free space).
• 🔧 Update Mi Mover to the latest version.

What to do if the app is not on Google Play

Some apps from the App Store are unparalleled in Google Play, which may be due to:

• 🌍 Regional restrictions (e.g. Apple Pay is not available in all countries).
• 📱 iOS exclusive (some games or utilities are developed only for Apple).
• 🔒 Google policy (e.g. jailbreak apps blocked).

Decisions:

1. Finding alternatives: Most popular apps have analogues, such as Spotify or YouTube Music instead of Apple Music.
2. Installation through APK: Download.apk from trusted sources (such as APKPure or APKMirror). Check reviews and ratings before installing.
3. Use of the Web Version: Many Services (e.g. Apple) TV+) have a web interface accessible through the browser.
4. Emulation of iOS: You can use iEMU emulators to run.ipa files on Android, but this requires high device performance and does not guarantee stability.

For applications tied to Apple ID (For example, Apple Books or Apple Fitness+), The only legal way is to use them through a browser or buy analogues on Android.

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Before installing.apk from unverified sources, turn off Play Protect in the Google Play settings and check the file on VirusTotal.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions