How to transfer all apps from your old phone to your new Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, but with the joy of updating the gadget comes a headache: how to transfer all the apps, settings and data from the old device? Especially if it is not only about contacts and photos, but also about dozens of installed programs with their logins, saves and personal settings.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to transfer applications to the new Xiaomi – from official tools (Mi Mover, Google Account) to manual methods through the new Xiaomi. ADB You will learn which method is the fastest, which saves 100% of data and which is suitable for devices without root rights, and we will also reveal the hidden nuances of migrating applications from Huawei, Samsung and iPhone to Xiaomi, which even the official instructions are silent about.

Important: the transfer procedure can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours, depending on the method chosen and the amount of data you have, and if you have more than 100 applications, it is better to free up the evening in advance or use a method with pre-archiving.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s proprietary solution for data migration between devices, and it’s pre-installed on all new smartphones from the brand (starting with the new ones). MIUI (9) and supports portability not only of applications but also SMS, Photos, notes and even some system settings.

How it works:

• 🔄 Direct Wi-Fi communication between phones (does not require internet connection)
• 📦 Transferred APK-file + data (for supported programs)
• ⚡ Transfer speeds up to 20 Mb/s (depending on model)
• 🔒 Encryption of data during transmission

Step-by-step:

1. On the new Xiaomi, select Data Transfer when you first turn on (if your phone is already configured, start Mi Mover manually)
2. On your old phone, install Mi Mover from Google Play (for Android) or App Store (for iPhone)
3. On the new device, select “I am the sender” and on the old one, “I am the receiver.”
4. Scan it. QR-code from a new phone with an old one
5. Select data for transfer (required to mark "Applications")
6. Wait for the process to be completed (may take up to 1 hour with a large volume)

Charging both phones > 50%|Turn it off. VPN both-device|Make sure that the new Xiaomi has enough memory|Close all background applications

-->

⚠️ Note: Mi Mover does not transfer data from certain banking applications (Sberbank, Tinkoff) and games with protection (eg Genshin Impact.

2. Transfer through Google Account (the most universal method)

If you had a Google account attached to your old phone, most apps will recover automatically when you first turn on the new Xiaomi, which works even if the old device is no longer available (lost or broken).

What is carried over Google:

• 📱 List of installed apps from the Play Market
• 🔑 Data from some applications (if they support Google Backup)
• 📝 Contacts, calendars, notes
• 📁 Photo and video (if sync with Google Photos was enabled)

How to turn on backup on your old phone (if you still have access):

1. Go to Settings. → Google → Backup
2. Enable "Backup in Google Drive"
3. Click on "Create a backup now"
4. Make sure there are "Applications" on the list.

On the new Xiaomi:

1. When you first turn on, select "Recover Data"
2. Log in to the same Google account
3. Select the latest backup copy
4. Check "Applications"

Mi Mover|Google Account|Cable OTG|SD-map|Another way.-->

⚠️ Note: Some apps (especially Chinese ones) may not be restored via Google, in which case they will have to be installed manually from APKMirror or alternative stacks.

3. Cable transfer OTG (power-user)

If you have OTG-cable, you can transfer applications in the form of APK-It takes a little bit more effort, but it works even if you don't have Wi-Fi or mobile Internet.

What you need:

• 🔌 OTG-Type-C to Type-C or MicroUSB to Type-C)
• 📁 File Manager (e.g. Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer)
• 🔧 Extraction annex APK (for example, APK Extractor)

Step-by-step:

1. On the old phone, install it. APK Extractor and extract APK all the necessary applications in the folder
2. Connect the new Xiaomi to the old one OTG-cable
3. In the file manager, select the mode "USB-"storage" on a new phone
4. Copy the folder with APK new phone
5. Install. APK-files on a new device (permission to install from unknown sources may be required)

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Faster than Wi-Fi (speed is limited only) USB-port)
• 🔒 No dependence on internet connection
• 📦 You can even transfer system-wide APK (root-access)

💡

If you have a lot of applications, before extracting APK So sort them by installation date, and you'll find the most important programs that you installed last.

4. Transfer through SD-card (for devices with support)

If your new Xiaomi supports memory cards (like the Redmi Note 12 Pro)+ or POCO X5 Pro, you can use it SD-map as an intermediate drive for transferring applications.

Limitations of the method:

• 🚫 Not all applications can be transferred to SD (depends on the developer)
• 🐢 Slower than OTG (read-write SD usually 10-50 Mbps)
• 🔧 Requires a file manager with the rights to work with APK

Instructions:

1. Put it in. SD-card
2. Copy it on her. APK-Application files (can be used) APK Extractor)
3. Remove the map and paste it into the new Xiaomi
4. Find the file manager through the APK and set them up
5. For data applications, copy folders from /Android/data/ and /Android/obb/

An important nuance: some applications (such as WhatsApp or Telegram) store data in secure folders.

1. Make a backup copy in the application itself
2. Copy the backup file to SD-map
3. Recover data from this file on the new phone

5.Moving from iPhone to Xiaomi (features)

If you move from iPhone to Xiaomi, the process of migrating apps is complicated by different ecosystems. There is no direct way to migrate iOS apps to Android, but you can use workarounds.

What can be transferred:

• 📱 List of apps (only those available in the Play Market)
• 📝 Contacts, calendars, notes (via iCloud or Google)
• 📁 Photos and videos (via iCloud or computer)
• 💬 Messages (only through third-party utilities)

Step-by-step:

1. On iPhone, install the Move to Android app from Google
2. On the new Xiaomi, when setting up, select “Data Transfer from iPhone”
3. Follow the instructions on the screen (you will need to enter the connection code)
4. Select data to transfer (apps will be downloaded automatically from the Play Market)

💡

When you migrate from your iPhone to Xiaomi, apps will NOT be ported along with data; you will have to log in again and configure programs.

To port specific applications (such as WhatsApp or games) use their built-in backup features:

• WhatsApp: Backup in iCloud → Recovery on Android via Google Drive
• Telegram: Export of chats to JSON → Import on a new device
• Games: Link to a Google Play Games or Facebook account

Manual transfer through ADB (advanced)

If you need to migrate all applications along with their data and settings, you can use the app. ADB (Android Debug Bridge: This method requires a computer and basic command line knowledge, but gives you maximum control over the process.

What you need:

• 💻 Computer installed ADB and Fastboot
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original)
• 📱 Included debugging by USB both phones
• 🔧 Developer rights (activated through 7 clicks on the build number in the settings)

Transfer commands (executed in the terminal):

#Plug in the old phone


adb -s [device_id] pull /data/app ~/android_backup/app




adb -s [device_id] pull /data/data ~/android_backup/data




Connecting the new Xiaomi



adb -s [new_device_id] push ~/android_backup/app /data/app




adb -s [new_device_id] push ~/android_backup/data /data/data




Reboot the device.



adb -s [new_device_id] reboot

⚠️ Attention: Transfer through ADB It can cause application conflicts if the versions of Android on the old and new phone are very different. For example, migrating from Android 8 to Android 14 often leads to crashes of programs.

An alternative way is to create a full backup through ADB:

adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab

And then restore it to a new device:

adb restore backup.ab

7.Transfer problems and their solutions

Even if you follow the instructions correctly, you can get errors, and here are the most common problems and ways to solve them:

If some applications are unstable after the transfer:

• 🔄 Reboot the phone.
• 🧹 Clear the app's cache in Settings → Annexes
• 🔄 Update the application to the latest version
• 📥 Reinstall the application from scratch

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions