Changing your smartphone is always stressful, with the risk of losing important data, especially when it comes to recordings you’ve been keeping for years. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices often face the question of how to properly transfer the contents of the standard Notes app to a new device so as not to lose a single line. Fortunately, the MIUI and HyperOS ecosystem offers several robust mechanisms to solve this task, from cloud synchronization to local redundancy.
The choice of the specific method depends on which operating system your previous phone was running on and whether you are ready to use cloud services. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available methods, including working with Mi Cloud, exporting files in text format and using third-party synchronizers, you will be able to choose the option that is ideal for your situation and Internet connection speed.
Before you start taking action, make sure both devices have the current battery level. The migration process can take time, and a sudden power outage can damage the archive with records. Also check for a stable Wi-Fi connection if you plan to use cloud technology.
Synchronization through Mi Cloud: the main method
The easiest and most efficient way to transfer data within the Xiaomi ecosystem is to use the built-in Mi Cloud storage, which automatically stores copies of your records, calendar and contacts by linking them to your Mi Account.
On an old phone, go to the settings menu and find the section that handles Xiaomi's account. Usually, the path is: Settings → Mi Account. Here you need to make sure that the slider opposite the Notes item is activated. Once turned on, the system will start to load data into the company's servers.
- 📱 Open the Notes app and click on three dots in the corner to check sync status.
- ☁️ Make sure that there is free space available in the Mi Cloud settings to download your files.
- 🔄 Wait for the appearance of the cloud icon with a tick confirming the completion of the process.
Once the data is uploaded, grab a new phone. When you first set up, log in to the same Mi Account. The system automatically prompts you to restore data from the cloud, or you can do it manually through the sync settings menu. All your records will appear in the application within minutes, saving the folder structure and text formatting.
⚠️ Warning: Free storage capacity of Mi Cloud is limited to 5 GB. If you have a huge amount of text files with attached images, there may not be enough space.
Using Google Keep for cross-platform porting
If you’re switching from a different brand’s phone or planning to change ecosystems in the future, the best solution is to use Google Keep. This app lets you create notes that instantly sync with your Google account, regardless of the smartphone model. Xiaomi’s standard Notes app lets you export data or copy its contents.
To implement this method, install the Google Keep app from the Play Market store on your old device. Log in to your Gmail inbox. Now you need to copy text from standard Xiaomi notes and paste it into new Google Keep cards. While this sounds laborious, for text entries without complex formatting, it's the most reliable way to ensure data is available everywhere.
On the new phone, it's easy to install Google Keep and log in. All your records will appear there automatically. This method is especially convenient because Google Keep has a great web version that allows you to access notes from any computer through a browser.
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Use the “Import” function in Google Keep on your computer if you have saved text files (.txt) with exported notes – this will speed up the filling process.
Importantly, Google Keep supports shortcuts and color coding, which will help you quickly organize the transferred array of information. Unlike Xiaomi’s proprietary solutions, Google’s data isn’t going anywhere, even if you decide to sell the phone or reset it to factory settings.
Export notes to text files and PDF
Sometimes cloud services are not available or you want to have a physical copy of important documents on a storage device.The Notes app on MIUI allows you to export individual records or entire folders to popular formats such as.txt or.pdf. This creates static files that can be transferred via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct or saved to a flash drive.
To export a record, open the desired note and find the "More" button (three dots). From the menu, select the "Send" or "Export" option. The system will suggest choosing the presentation format. For text data, choose TXT, and for saving layout and images, PDF. After selecting the format, the standard "Share" menu will open.
You can send files directly to a new phone via Nearby Share (formerly known as Android Beam) or save them to a folder on an internal drive, which you then copy to a PC. On the new device, these files can be opened by any text editor or PDF viewer.
| Format | Best application | Editability | File size |
|---|---|---|---|
| TXT | Clear text, lists, codes | Tall. | Minimum |
| Picture papers, checks. | Low (view only) | Medium. | |
| HTML | Notes with complex formatting | Medium | Small. |
The good thing about this is that it doesn't depend on the speed of the Internet or the servers of the company, you have complete control over your data, but it's worth remembering that when you export to TXT, you lose formatting, such as bold or listings, if they were created inside the application.
Transfer through the Mi Mover app
For those who don’t want to deal with cloud setups or file export, Xiaomi has developed Mi Mover, a specialized application designed to quickly migrate data from an old smartphone to a new one, whether it’s Android or iOS, and it transmits data over a direct Wi-Fi connection, which provides high speed.
Install the app on both devices (on new Xiaomi it is often built into the system). Run the program on your old phone and select the role "Sender". On the new device, select "Receiver". The applications will find each other, and you will need to confirm the connection by scanning. QR-code.
- 📂 In the data list for transmission, be sure to tick the item "Notes».
- ⚡ Don’t interrupt the connection and keep phone screens on.
- ✅ After the process is complete, check the Notes app on the new device.
☑️ Checklist for preparation for transfer via Mi Mover
The main advantage of Mi Mover is that it transfers not only text, but also folder structure and attachments, making it the perfect tool for complete cloning of the work environment, the process takes place locally, without uploading data to the Internet, which increases the security of confidential information.
Solving synchronization and duplicate problems
Users may encounter various technical difficulties in the process of transferring data, most often due to unstable Internet connection or software version conflicts. If you notice that notes do not appear or are displayed incorrectly, first check the version of the Notes application.
Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version and click three dots in the corner to check for updates to system components. Sometimes you need to update Google services or Mi Cloud components. It is also worth trying to force sync by going to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Mi Cloud → Notes and clicking on the Sync button.
⚠️ Note: Duplicate records may occur when synchronized from different devices. Xiaomi’s Notes app doesn’t have a built-in smart take merger feature, so you’ll have to delete copies manually to avoid cluttering the storage.
If the problem is systemic, try clearing the app cache. → Annexes → All applications → Notes → Clean up → Clear the cache. It's important not to confuse this with data cleanup, because in the second case, you can delete local copies of records that have not yet been sent to the cloud.
What if the synchronization is 99% down?
Third-party backup applications
If standard tools don’t work for some reason, you can turn to trusted third-party solutions. Apps like Super Backup or SMS Backup & Restore (which can backup and notes some applications) allow you to create full backups and save them to Google Drive or locally.
These programs work by creating an archive that you then need to deploy to a new device, which requires you to install the same app on a new phone, and the advantage of the method is flexibility: you choose where to save the backup file, and you can store it for years.
However, it is worth considering that third-party applications may not work properly with new versions of Android due to security limitations of the system, in which case the system may request special permissions through ADB or require the inclusion of special features.
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The most reliable way to store long-term is to combine Mi Cloud for operational work and periodically export important notes to PDF to your computer.