How to sync all applications on Android Xiaomi: 5 working ways

Synchronizing apps on Xiaomi is not just a convenience, but a necessity for those who actively use multiple devices or regularly reinstall firmware. Without the right setup, you risk losing game, messenger, notebook, and even work documents. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways of synchronization, including official MIUI tools and workarounds for applications that do not support cloud redundancy.

Xiaomi’s smartphone is a dual ecosystem, where Google services and its own solutions (such as Mi Account) are intertwined, which gives flexibility, but also requires understanding what data is stored where, for example, contacts and calendar can be duplicated in both clouds, and the settings of some applications (such as Xiaomi Home or Mi Fit) are synchronized only through the Mi Account. We will detail how to avoid chaos and configure everything correctly.

1. Synchronization through Mi Account: basic settings

Mi Account is the central node of Xiaomi’s ecosystem, which is responsible for backing up system settings, some app data, and even call history to enable synchronization:

1. Open the Settings. → Mi Account.
2. Sign in or create an account if you don’t have one.
3. Go to Mi Cloud → Synchronization.
4. Activate sliders in front of the desired categories (contacts, notes, calendar, etc.).

Important: Some apps (such as Mi Browser or Mi Video) only sync data through Mi Account, ignoring Google, and this applies to branded services like Xiaomi Cloud Photos or Mi Pay.

Activate system data backup |Enable contact synchronization |Check note synchronization (if using Mi Notes) |Add call history and SMS backup (optional)

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Mi Account does not reserve data from third-party applications (Telegram, WhatsApp, games, etc.) – they need separate settings or third-party tools.

Synchronization through Google: a universal method

Even on Xiaomi with the MIUI shell, Google is doing the basic app synchronization.

• 📱 Contacts, calendar and mail (Gmail)
• 📁 Photo and video (Google Photo)
• 🎮 Games (Google Play Games)
• 📝 Some app settings (if they support Google Drive)

To set up synchronization:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Select your account (or add a new one).
3. Activate sliders in front of the desired services (for example, "Contacts", "Calendar", "Disk").
4. To back up applications, turn on Settings → System → Backup → Backup to Google Drive.

⚠️ Note: If you use Mi Browser instead of Chrome, its bookmarks and history are not synced through Google.

3. Backup of application data

Many apps (messaging apps, games, banking services) have their own sync mechanisms that are independent of Mi Account or Google.

For WhatsApp, for example, the path would be like this: ⋮ (menu) → Settings → chat → Backup: Here you can select the frequency of the reservation (daily, weekly) and the Google Drive account, where the data will be stored.

4. Synchronization through third-party services

If the built-in tools of MIUI and Google are not enough, you can use universal cloud services:

• 📁 Dropbox or OneDrive – for backing up files and some settings.
• 🔄 Syncthing – for synchronizing files between devices without a cloud (works over a local network).
• 📱 Pushbullet – to transfer notifications, files and links between devices.

For example, Syncthing is convenient because it does not require registration and only stores data on your devices: Install the application on both smartphones, add folders for synchronization and choose the type of synchronization (one-way or two-way), this solution is suitable for backing up photos, documents or even saving games (if they are stored as files).

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If you use Syncthing, turn off the synchronization of mobile data in the application settings to avoid unexpected traffic.

5. Synchronization problems and their solutions

Even with the right settings, synchronization can fail, and here are the typical problems and ways to solve them:

⚠️ Note: If the application data did not recover after changing the Xiaomi smartphone, check that you are logged in to the same account Mi/Google, Some applications (e.g. Mi Fit) are attached to the device and their data may not be automatically transferred.

If the problem persists, try:

1. Reset the device.
2. Update the app responsible for syncing (e.g. Google Play Services).
3. Clear the app cache in Settings → Apps.
4. Delete and re-add the account.

6. Automatic synchronization when changing the device

When you switch to a new Xiaomi smartphone, you can transfer all data and settings automatically.

1. On an old device, back up to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Copy the backup file to your new phone (via cable, cloud, or other means) OTG-accumulator).
3. On the new device, when you first turn on, select "Restore from backup" and specify the file.

An alternative way is to use Mi Mover (a pre-installed app on most Xiaomi devices), which allows you to transfer data over Wi-Fi directly between two smartphones without the cloud.

1. Open Mi Mover on both devices.
2. On the old phone, select “I am the sender” and on the new one, “I am the receiver.”
3. Scan it. QR-code and select data for transfer (applications, contacts, SMS etc.).

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Mi Mover not only transfers data, but also the applications themselves (APK-files), which saves time on re-installation, but the settings inside the applications may not be saved, they will have to be restored separately.

7.Sync Xiaomi Smart Devices

If you use Xiaomi’s smart home ecosystem (Mi Home, Mi Home Security, etc.), their settings are synchronized only through Mi Account.

1. Make sure the new smartphone is linked to the same Mi Account.
2. Open the Mi Home app – all devices and scripts should be displayed automatically.
3. If the devices do not appear, click on the + icon and select Add the device manually.

⚠️ Note: Some smart devices (such as Xiaomi Robot Vacuum) are linked to an account once, and if you sell or transfer such a device, remove it from your Mi Home account first, otherwise the new owner will not be able to connect it.

8.Alternative methods: ADB and root access

For advanced users who are ready to work with ADB or get root rights, additional synchronization methods are available:

• 🔧 Titanium Backup (requires root) – allows you to create full backups of applications along with data and settings.
• 📱 ADB Backup is an Android built-in tool for backing up data without root (but not all apps).
• 🔄 Tasker + AutoSync – Automation of synchronization on a schedule.

Example of the team for ADB Backup:

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

This command will create a backup.ab file with backups of all applications and their data, and you can restore them by the command:

adb restore backup.ab

Warning: Using ADB or root may disrupt MIUI and result in loss of warranty.Before experimenting, make a full backup through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.

FAQ: Frequent synchronization questions on Xiaomi