How to sync Xiaomi phones with each other

Owning the Xiaomi ecosystem offers users a wide range of automation and convenience, especially when a second device appears in the arsenal. Often there is a situation when you need to transfer all data from an old smartphone to a new one or provide instant access to notes, photos and contacts from any gadget in the family. Synchronizing Xiaomi phones is not just copying files, it is creating a single information space.

The setup process can seem confusing due to the abundance of features in the shell of MIUI and HyperOS. However, if you understand the principles of cloud services and on-premises utilities, you can set up data exchange in minutes. In this article, we will look at all the current methods, from using a proprietary cloud to local transfer of large amounts of data.

It's worth noting that for most of the features to work, you'll need a stable Internet connection and a Mi Account. Without this basic toolkit, device integration will be limited. Let's look at what tools the manufacturer offers to solve the problem.

Using Mi Cloud for Automatic Synchronization

The most effective way to keep data up-to-date across multiple devices is to use Mi Cloud, a proprietary cloud storage service that is deeply integrated into the Android system on Xiaomi smartphones and allows key information to be transmitted in the background. Automatic synchronization works with almost all standard applications: contacts, gallery, voice recorder, notes and even desktop settings.

To activate this feature, you need to log into the same Mi Account on both devices. Once authorized, the system will prompt you to select data categories for backup. It is important to understand that free space is limited to 5 GB, so large volumes of photos and videos may require storage expansion or selective synchronization.

The Gallery section is a special focus, and when photos are synced, the originals can be uploaded to the cloud and the device can have smaller copies of them to save space, which is critical for users who change devices frequently, as it allows instant access to the entire photo archive after login and password are entered.

• 📱 Access to contacts and notes from any device that logs in to Mi Account.
• ☁️ Automatic backups when connecting to Wi-Fi.
• 🔄 Instant Data Update: Change of number on one phone will immediately appear on another.
• 🛡️ Secure storage of data even in the event of loss or breakdown of a physical device.

⚠️ Warning: Make sure both devices have the latest firmware version installed. MIUI This may cause some system settings to be incorrectly displayed during synchronization.

Data transfer using the Mi Mover application

When it comes to initially setting up a new smartphone or completely replacing a device, cloud technology may not be enough, especially if you have slow internet. In such cases, the built-in Mi Mover app comes to the rescue, which is designed to transmit data locally over a direct Wi-Fi channel, which provides high speeds and does not consume mobile traffic.

The process starts with the application running on both phones, one device being selected as "Sender" and the other as "Receiver". QR-The code displayed on the receiving device is scanned by the sender's camera, and then a secure connection is created. Transfer speeds can reach tens of megabytes per second, allowing hundreds of gigabytes of data to be transferred in a short time.

The Mi Mover is unique in its ability to port not only user files, but also system settings, including the location of icons on the desktop, passwords from Wi-Fi networks and call history, which allows you to make a new phone an exact copy of the old one, minimizing time to get used to the interface.

Note that the app does not carry data from banking applications and some secure security systems for privacy reasons, they will have to be reconfigured, and the process can be interrupted when an incoming call is made, so it is recommended to turn on Do Not Disturb mode on both devices.

Synchronization through Google account

Despite having its own services, Xiaomi remains an Android device where Google’s account plays a fundamental role. For many users, it is the “good corporation” ecosystem that is the main one. Synchronization through Google provides cross-platform: your data will be available not only on Xiaomi phones, but also on tablets, devices of other brands and even through the web interface.

This is especially true for contacts, calendar and email. When you add a Google account to Settings → Accounts and Sync, the system will suggest you choose elements for sync. Google Contacts and Google Calendar are updated in almost real time, making them the perfect tool for collaboration or maintaining a family schedule.

Google Photos is a special feature, which offers more flexible compression quality settings and often provides unlimited storage (in "Saving Space" mode). Photos taken on one phone instantly appear in the app gallery on the second device.

💡

Use Google Takeout to create a complete backup of all your data from Google services before changing your primary account.

Set up a family group and shared albums

If your goal is not to clone your phone, but to share content with family members who own Xiaomi devices, sharing albums and family groups will be the best solution, creating a shared space where multiple users can upload photos and videos.

To create a common group, you need to go to the Gallery app and select the Album tab. Once you create a new album, you can add members to it by Mi ID or through an invitation link, all added members have access to viewing and editing content, which is convenient for planning joint events or sharing photos from the holiday.

In addition, the Family Group feature in Mi Account settings allows you to share purchased content, such as themes and fonts, and track the location of family members (with their consent), which improves security and allows you to quickly find the lost device of the child.

⚠️ Attention: Members of the group see each other on the contact list if the option is enabled.

Solving problems with desynchronization

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where data stops updating or is displayed incorrectly, most often the problem is a conflict of versions of applications or cache overflow, the first step in diagnosis should always be to check the status of services Google Play and Mi Cloud.

If sync is stuck, try clearing the cache of the corresponding system application. For contact issues, go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Contacts and select Clear Cache. Don’t confuse this with data cleanup, as in the latter case you can delete a local copy of contacts before they are uploaded from the cloud.

Also common cause of failures is an unstable Internet connection or power saving mode that blocks background activity, make sure that system services are allowed to work in the background and data transfer restrictions are removed.

Security and Two-Factor Authorization

Because synchronization involves storing personal data in the cloud and accessing it from different devices, security becomes paramount. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a must-have element of protecting your Mi Account. Even if an attacker learns your password, without access to your phone or backup code, they will not be able to log in to the acca.

You can activate this feature in the Mi Account security settings, and it is recommended to regularly check the list of devices that have access to your account, if you see an unfamiliar gadget there, immediately log out from all devices and change your password.

Remember that synchronizing passwords through a browser or password manager also requires master password protection. Keep your recovery backup codes in a safe place, preferably not digitally, to have access to your account even if all devices are lost.

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Regularly checking active sessions in your Mi Account is the best way to prevent unauthorized access to your synchronized data.