Mi and Redmi smartphone owners often face the limitations of an embedded cloud service that offers only 5GB of free space, which is a hugely short supply of modern media, especially if you’re actively shooting high-resolution video, and finding an alternative is not just a desire, but a must for personal archives.
The process of abandoning the native MIUI Cloud ecosystem can seem difficult for fear of losing important contacts or notes. However, modern synchronization tools allow you to transfer data with little or no loss and time.
In this article, we will look at proven ways to replace cloud storage, look at the nuances of data portability and compare popular platforms. You will learn how to set up automatic uploading of photos and where to store backups of system settings. A critical step is to pre-upload data from Xiaomi Cloud before turning off sync to avoid their irrevocable deletion.
Why users are looking for an alternative to the cloud
The main reason for migration is a tight cap on free fare: Five gigabytes fill up in just a couple of months of active camera footage on a flagship model. Expanding the fare in Xiaomi’s ecosystem often costs more than competitors offering more flexible subscription terms.
In addition, server speed and integration with third-party applications leave much to be desired. Users note difficulties with accessing files from PCs or other mobile devices that do not belong to the brand.
There's a psychological aspect to it: the desire to not be tied to one manufacturer, and if you decide to switch from a smartphone to a device from another brand, it can take a long time to migrate data from a proprietary cloud, and using neutral platforms makes it easier to switch between devices.
⚠️ Note: When you turn off synchronization in the settings MIUI The system may suggest that you delete local copies of files. Read the warnings carefully so that you don't erase photos from your phone's memory.
Also worth mentioning is privacy issues, where many users prefer to store data on the servers of large multinational corporations or local providers whose security policies are subject to more careful audit, which reduces the risk of personal information leakage.
Top alternatives: Google, Yandex and other services
The cloud market offers a variety of options, each with its own strengths. Google Drive is certainly the leader in Android integration. It's built into the default system, making it as user-friendly and unobtrusive as possible.
For CIS residents, Yandex.Disk is a great choice. It provides generous starting volume and often conducts campaigns to expand it, and the high speed of downloading data within the region makes it one of the fastest solutions.
Compare the main characteristics of popular services in the table below:
| Service | Free of charge. | Paid tariffs | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google One | 15GB | 100GB. | Deep integration with Android |
| Yandex.Disk. | 10GB | 100GB. | Unlimited photo from the phone |
| pCloud | 10GB | Buying for good | Virtual disk, encryption |
| Mega | 20GB | Flexible packages | Privacy, encryption |
One of the things that we're looking at is pCloud, which allows you to buy space for good, and it can be more profitable in the long run if you need storage for years to come, but the down payment can seem like a high one.
Hidden features of Google Photos
Preparation of data for migration
Before you move to a new platform, you need to prepare your existing archives properly. The first step is to check what is currently synced with the Xiaomi cloud, go to your account settings and view the Gallery, Contacts and Notes sections.
Make sure all important files are physically on the device, and sometimes the original photos are deleted from the phone to save space, and they only exist in the cloud, so you need to download them.
Use built-in tools for bulk uploading. On a computer, you can do this through the i.mi.com web interface by selecting all the files and pressing the download button. The process can take time depending on the speed of the Internet connection.
☑️ Checklist before migration
Remember to take notes and recorders. These are often forgotten, and the hardest data to recover is export them in text format or manually copy them to analog apps like Google Keep or Notion.
Setting up Google Photos as the main gallery
The easiest way to replace the cloud for photos is to use a bundle of Google Photos app and Google account, a method that requires minimal effort since the app is already installed on your smartphone.
To activate, you need to open the application, click on the profile avatar and select "Settings for boot." Here you should select your main Google account and enable synchronization. The system will offer to compress the photo to save space or upload in original quality.
⚠️ Note: The download in "Original" quality takes place in your Google Drive. 4K, 15GB could end up very quickly.
Once sync is enabled, start uploading old photos from the Xiaomi Gallery. In the Gallery app, go to the cloud settings and select Clear Local Copies only after making sure everything new is uploaded to Google.
Google's smart sorting will make it easy to find the right images, and the algorithms recognize faces, locations and objects, making navigating the archive much easier than standard solutions.
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Use the "Free Space" feature in Google Photos only after fully checking the cloud, which removes photos from your phone that have already been successfully uploaded to the Internet.
Synchronization of contacts and calendar
Contact transfer is a critical step that can't be ignored. Unlike photos, losing your phone book can paralyze your communication. Fortunately, Android has a built-in mechanism for working with contacts.
Go to your phone settings, look for Accounts and Sync. Select your Google account and make sure the switch opposite Contacts is activated. All new numbers will be saved there.
To move old contacts from MIUI Cloud, do the following:
- 📲 Open the "Contacts" app on your phone.
- 📂 Click on the menu (three dots or strips) and select "Import/Export".
- 💾 Select “Import from Storage” (if contacts are saved as a file) or “Copy Contacts".
- ☁️ As the target device, specify your Google account, not “Phone” or "SIM".
A similar procedure is performed for the calendar._events_ From the Xiaomi system calendar, you can export it in.ics format and import it into Google Calendar, which will provide access to the schedule from any device, including your computer.
Once the transfer is complete, it is recommended that you delete your Xiaomi account from the sync section, leaving only Google.This will prevent duplicate records and confusion in the future.
Backup of settings and applications
Beyond media, it's important to save your system settings and installed app list, and the standard Android mechanism lets you do that through Google Drive, and when you reset your phone or buy a new one, you can restore your environment in minutes.
To activate the function, go to Settings → Google → Backup. Here you will see the date of the last copy and a list of data that will be saved. Make sure the switch is activated.
What is copied in the first place:
- 📱 List of installed apps from the Play Market.
- 🔑 Wi-Fi Passwords and Saved Passwords in Chrome.
- ⚙️ Display, sounds and alarm settings.
- 💬 History SMS-Messages (on some devices).
Please note that some banking and instant messenger data (such as WhatsApp) may require separate backup settings within the apps themselves. On WhatsApp, go to Settings → Chats → Backup and select Google Drive.
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Regularly checking the date of the last backup is the best way to make sure your data is safe.