How to transfer WhatsApp from iPhone to Xiaomi: the full guide

Changing the ecosystem is always stressful for users, especially when it comes to protecting personal data. The transition from iPhone to Xiaomi smartphone often raises fears about losing the history of correspondence in instant messengers. Fortunately, modern technology allows you to make this process as painless and fast as possible.

Xiaomi has built-in migration tools that are more stable than third-party ones. In this article, we’ll explore a proven method of transferring WhatsApp chats without losing a single message or attachment. You don’t need to be a technician to complete all the steps.

The main difficulty when changing iOS to Android is the difference in file systems and backup methods. However, using the official Mi Mover app solves 99% of compatibility problems. Let's look at how to prepare for the procedure and avoid common errors.

Preparing devices for data migration

Before starting the procedure, make sure that both smartphones are in good condition and ready to transfer a lot of information. First of all, check the battery level: both devices must have at least 50% free energy. This is critical, since the process can take from 15 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the database.

Also make sure that the new Xiaomi phone has WhatsApp app installed from the Google Play store. The old iPhone should have the latest available version of the messenger from the App Store.

It is recommended to free up space on the receiving device. If you plan to transfer photos and videos from the gallery along with chats, make sure that there is several times more free memory than data on iOS. Check the Wi-Fi settings: although Mi Mover creates a direct access point, the stability of wireless communication modules is important.

⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to start a transfer if the iPhone is on "Energy Saving" mode, which can cause the connection to break at the most inopportune time and damage the archive of correspondence.

• 📱 Charge both smartphones to a minimum of 60-70%
• 📲 Install up-to-date versions of WhatsApp on both devices
• 💾 Make room for Xiaomi (preferably) 10-15 GB)
• 🔌 Turn off the power saving mode on both phones

Installation and configuration of Mi Mover

The key tool for migration is the Mi Mover utility, which is often already built into Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI or HyperOS shells, and can be found through a search on settings or in the Tools folder. If the app is not available, it can be downloaded for free from GetApps or Google Play.

The iPhone will also require the Mi Mover app from the App Store. After launching on both devices, you must give all the permissions you request. Android and iOS can request multiple times to confirm access to contacts, storage and local network – this is a mandatory requirement for correct operation.

The interface is as simple as possible. On the new Xiaomi phone, select Recipient, and on the old iPhone, Sender. QR-code or connect via a temporary Wi-Fi network, the second option is usually faster and stackier for transferring heavy files.

The process of transferring WhatsApp via Mi Mover

Once you've successfully connected devices, you'll see categories in the data transfer list. Find the WhatsApp section and make sure it's ticked next to it. If you want to save only text history, you can deselect media files, but you'd better choose everything for full cloning.

Starting the process initiates the creation of a temporary encrypted archive on the iPhone. The transfer speed depends on the amount of data and the quality of the wireless module. On average, transferring 5 GB of data takes about 10-15 minutes, during which time the screens of the devices may go out, but you can not interrupt the process.

When the progress bar on both devices reaches 100%, a notification of successful completion will appear on the Xiaomi screen. However, this is not the end of the procedure. The data is physically copied to the phone’s memory, but it is not yet integrated into the messenger app.

It's important to understand that Mi Mover is transferring database files, not just copying the application, so the next step is to activate that data inside WhatsApp itself on the new system.

Activation of correspondence history on Xiaomi

Open WhatsApp on your new Xiaomi smartphone. When you first start, the system will ask you to accept the terms of use and check the phone number. Enter the same number that was used on the iPhone. This is a prerequisite, since the binding goes to the SIM card.

After entering the number and receiving SMS-When you have the confirmation code, the messenger will automatically detect the data that was transferred, the screen will prompt you to restore the backup, don't ignore this window and click on the Restore button. If you miss this step, the chats will remain in a hidden archive and will not appear in the dialog list.

The recovery process can take some time, especially if the chats were a lot of “heavy” videos or documents, during which the application may seem to be hanging – this is normal behavior, there is indexing and decompressing files into a new file structure of Android.

⚠️ Note: If the application does not offer to restore a copy, then the database file was not correctly recognized by the system.

• 🔢 Enter a phone number identical to the one on the iPhone
• 💬 Wait for the offer to restore the backup copy
• ⏳ Do not close the application during data unpacking
• ✅ Check if all dialogues are available after completion

Comparison of backup methods

There are several ways to save data, but not all of them are suitable for cross-platform migration. Users often confuse local copying and cloud services, and understanding the difference will help avoid losing information in the future.

Below is a table comparing the basic methods of saving data when switching between different operating systems.

As you can see from the table, using Mi Mover is the most reliable and free way. iCloud cloud backups are not directly compatible with Android due to differences in encryption and file system structure. Trying to restore the iCloud backup on Android through standard means is impossible.

Possible problems and solutions

Even if all instructions are followed, there may be technical difficulties, most often users encounter an error called “Can not restore backup”, which may be caused by mismatching versions of the application or damage to a temporary file during transfer.

If the process is stalled during the “Install Connection” phase, try restarting both smartphones and disabling VPNs or antiviruses that can block local traffic, and forgetting the Wi-Fi network on both devices before starting the procedure helps so that the phones do not try to switch to the Internet, but work through a direct access point.

In rare cases, you may need to manually clear the cache of the WhatsApp app on Xiaomi before you try again to activate. To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → WhatsApp → Storage → Clean.

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If the transfer is interrupted by 90%, do not delete the application immediately. Try just restart WhatsApp on Xiaomi - often the system completes the indexing of the remaining files.

⚠️ Attention: If you repeatedly fail to restore, do not create a new account.This may result in a number being blocked for suspicious activity.

Two-factor authentication is a special focus. If it was enabled on an iPhone, you'll need to be able to do it. PIN-The code you installed before, without it, it's impossible to restore access to your correspondence history, even if the database files are intact.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The main key to success is a stable connection between devices and using the same phone number to activate on a new smartphone.