How to transfer WhatsApp from Android to Xiaomi Redmi: 5 proven ways

Moving WhatsApp from an old Android smartphone to a new Xiaomi Redmi is a challenge that every second user faces when changing devices. It would seem that it is difficult? But in practice, many people face lost chats, lack of media files or recovery errors. In this article, we will analyze all current methods of transfer (including official and alternative), taking into account the features of firmware. MIUI The limitations of the platform.

The main problem is that WhatsApp doesn't provide a built-in tool for direct data transfer between devices, all of which rely on backing up one phone and restoring it to another, but even here, there are pitfalls: From differences in Android versions to file storage features MIUI. We tested each method on the Redmi Note 12, Redmi 10 and the Redmi model. POCO X5 — The results are summarized in a comparative table below.

1.Preparation for the penos: what to do before the beginning

Before you start the transfer, make sure that the mandatory conditions are met, and ignoring them can lead to data loss or malfunction of the messenger on the new device.

• 📱 Update WhatsApp on both devices to the latest version (check Google Play or the official website).Older versions may not support current backup formats.
• 🔋 Charge both smartphones to at least 50%. the transfer process can take up to 1-2 hours with a large amount of data.
• 📡 Connect to Wi-Fi. Mobile Internet is not suitable for transferring backups of more than 1 GB (Google Drive restriction).
• 🔐 Make sure there is room available. The new Redmi must have at least 1.5.× the size of your backup (for example, 5 GB of chats need 7.5 GB of free space).

Pay special attention to the phone number. It should remain the same - when changing the number, you can not transfer chats without additional manipulation (see section 5). Also check if the old device is activated with the function of two-step check in the WhatsApp settings. If so, remember PIN-code, it will be required during the restoration.

⚠️ Note: If the new Xiaomi Redmi already has WhatsApp installed and activated, delete it only after creating a backup on the old device. Deleting the application before transfer will lead to the loss of all unsaved data.

2.Official method: transfer via Google Drive

This is the most recommended method from Meta itself, which works on all Android devices, including Xiaomi Redmi, but has limitations in terms of volume and speed. Let's take a Step-by-step.

Step 1: Create a backup on an old device

1. Open WhatsApp. → press ⋮ (three-point) → Settings → chat → Backup.
2. Select Create a copy in Google Drive and specify the Google account to which the new Redmi is linked.
3. Click Create a copy. The process can take anywhere from minutes to an hour (depending on the amount of chats).

Step 2: Recovery on the new Xiaomi Redmi

1. Install WhatsApp on your new smartphone (download from Google Play or Mi App Store).
2. Open the app and confirm the phone number (should match the old device!).
3. When a request for recovery from Google Drive appears, click Restore.
4. Wait until the process is complete. Don't interrupt it, it could damage the backup.

Important: The backup in Google Drive does not include media files (photos, videos, voice messages) unless they have been uploaded to chat. These files are stored locally and transferred separately (see Section 4).

⚠️ Note: If the new Redmi is installed firmware MIUI In China (without Google services), you can't recover a backup from Google Drive. In this case, use the local backup method (Section 3).

Check the WhatsApp version on both devices|Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network|Make sure there is enough space on Google Drive (minimum 2).× backup)|Remember the password from the Google account linked to the backup-->

3. Local backup: transfer through SD-card

This method is suitable if you don’t have access to Google Drive or want to transfer all data without exception, including media files.It takes a little more effort, but guarantees a full port.

Step 1: Create a local copy on your old phone

Go to WhatsApp Settings → chat → Backup → Local copy. The system will create a file. msgstore.db.crypt14 file /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases. If you don't. SD-The file will be stored in the internal memory.

Step 2: Transfer files to the new Xiaomi Redmi

• 📁 Method 1 (via PC): Connect both phones to your computer, copy the WhatsApp folder (including Databases and Media) from your old device to your new internal memory root directory.
• 🔄 Method 2 (through OTG-cable: Connect SD-card or flash drive to your old phone, copy the WhatsApp folder, then connect the drive to the new Redmi and transfer the data.
• 📶 Method 3 (wi-fi): Use apps like Send Anywhere or Xender to wirelessly transfer your WhatsApp folder.

Step 3: Restore on a new device

1. Install WhatsApp on the new Redmi (but don’t run it!).
2. Copy the WhatsApp folder into the root directory of internal memory.
3. Launch the application, confirm the phone number and wait for the offer to restore data from the local copy.

Critical detail: if the WhatsApp folder is not placed in the root of the memory (for example, in Download or Documents), the application will not see the backup! MIUI The path should look like this: /storage/emulated/0/WhatsApp/.

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If WhatsApp doesn’t see a local backup, try renaming the file. msgstore.db.crypt14 into msgstore.db.crypt12 (Sometimes it helps with version conflicts).

4. Media file transfer: photos, videos and voice messages

Even if you successfully migrated chats, media files (photos, videos, audio) may not be displayed, because they are stored separately from the message database. Here's how to migrate them completely.

Where WhatsApp Media Files Are Stored

All media is distributed in folders inside /WhatsApp/Media/:

• WhatsApp Images – photos from chat rooms
• WhatsApp Video - video;
• WhatsApp Voice Notes – Voice messages
• WhatsApp Animated Gifs (GIFs)
• WhatsApp Stickers are stickers.

How to Transfer Media Without Loss

1. Copy the entire Media folder from the old device to the new one (similar to transferring the backup, see Section 3).
2. Once you have your chats restored, close WhatsApp and restart Redmi.
3. Open any chat with media files – the application will automatically scan folders and display files.

If the media doesn’t appear, check out:

• 🔍 Correct paths to folders (they must be identical to the old device).
• 📂 Access to files (only for the MIUI Go to Settings. → Annexes → Permits → Storage and give WhatsApp access).
• 🔄 Try to manually update the gallery: open the gallery → Settings → Update media files.

5. WhatsApp portability when changing phone number

If you change numbers when you upgrade to the new Xiaomi Redmi, standard port methods won’t work — WhatsApp is tied to the number and the backup won’t recover.

Method 1: Temporary return of the old number

1. Put the old one in. SIM-map.
2. Restore chats from backup (by any method from sections 2–3).
3. After a successful recovery, go to WhatsApp Settings. → Account. → Change the number and follow the instructions.

Method 2: Use of third-party tools (for advanced ones)

If you can't go back to the old number, you'll have to use programs like Dr.Fone, WhatsApp Transfer, Backuptrans, and they allow you to:

• 🔄 Transfer chats between different numbers (but require PCs).
• 📤 Export your history to.html or.csv.
• 🔐 WhatsApp Restrictions on Recovery.

Disadvantages: such programs are paid (from 300-500) ₽) and may violate Meta's privacy policy.

⚠️ Note: If you change numbers, all of the groups you were in will be lost, you will be automatically removed from chat rooms, and some media files may be missing if they were linked to an old account.

6.Alternative methods: direct transmission and cloud services

If standard methods don't work, consider these options. They're less reliable, but they can work in non-standard situations.

Method 1: Direct transmission by cable (USB OTG)

Suitable for Xiaomi Redmi with support OTG (Check the model's specifications:

• 🔌 OTG-cable).
• 📁 File Manager (e.g. Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).

Connect the old device as USB-Drive to the new Redmi, copy the WhatsApp folder and restore the data as in Section 3.

Method 2: Cloud services (Yandex.Disk, Dropbox)

The algorithm is similar to Google Drive, but with nuances:

1. Download the backup (msgstore.db.crypt14) cloud from an old phone.
2. Download the file to the new Redmi and put it in /WhatsApp/Databases/.
3. Rename the file to msgstore.db.crypt14.current (It will make WhatsApp see it as a relevant backup).

Method 3: Through mail (for small chats)

If you only need to transfer individual chats (not the entire story), use the export function:

1. Open the right chat room. → ⋮ → Chat exports.
2. Select No Media (to make the file smaller) and send it to your mail.
3. On the new device, save the file and import it through the file manager.

Limitation: Text only is exported (without media and stickers).

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Direct transmission via cable is the fastest way, but requires OTG-Adapter: Cloud services are convenient, but can limit download/download speeds for large files (from 1 GB).

7. Frequent errors and their solutions

Even if you follow the instructions accurately, you can get into trouble.-5 Errors and ways to fix them based on user reviews Xiaomi Redmi.

If none of the methods worked, try resetting WhatsApp to factory settings:

1. Go to your phone settings → Annexes → WhatsApp → Warehouse → Clear the data.
2. Remove and install the application again.
3. Repeat recovery.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions