How to save all data on Xiaomi before resetting to factory settings: 7 proven ways

Resetting the Xiaomi smartphone to factory settings is a radical solution to eliminate system failures, prepare the device for sale or transfer to another user. However, without prior backup, you risk losing contacts, photos, messages, app settings, and even game data. Unlike the iPhone, where redundancy is integrated into iCloud, Xiaomi owners have to combine several methods – from built-in tools. MIUI off-site.

Complicating the problem is that not all data can be recovered after a reset, such as saved Wi-Fi passwords, Mi Home smart home settings, or local notes, are often lost irrevocably unless you take action early. This article will help avoid the typical mistakes from missing folders to choosing the wrong backup formats. We will look at 7 ways to save data, from standard to little-known, and explain which files can’t be recovered even after backup and why.

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1.What exactly should be saved before Xiaomi is reset?

Before you get to the instructions, determine which data is personally critical to you, and you can roughly divide it into three categories:

1. Personal data

This is information that is not automatically synchronized with the clouds: gallery photos, videos, uploaded documents (.pdf,.docx), audio recordings. DCIM/Camera — Here you can find all the pictures taken on the main camera, as well as screenshots (Pictures/Screenshots).

2. System settings and applications

This includes:

• 📱 Contacts (even if they are synced to Google, check for duplicates in local memory)
• 🔑 Wi-Fi passwords (cannot be exported by standard means) MIUI)
• 🎮 Game savers (such as Genshin Impact or Honor of Kings)
• ⚙️ Mi Home Settings (smart home devices will be untied after resetting)
• 📝 Notes and notebooks (Notes from Xiaomi app doesn’t always sync with cloud)

3. Hidden and service files

Many users forget about:

• 📁 pup Android/data — Here you can store your app cache and settings (for example, downloaded maps in Google Maps or offline music in Spotify)
• 🔄 Local backups (MIUI/Backup) — If you have previously made backups through Settings → The phone. → Backup
• 📡 Failah OTA — Firmware updates that may be useful for manual recovery

⚠️ Note: If you use Mi Account for sync, make sure the feature is active in Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Without it, contacts, notes and calendar may not recover after resetting.

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2. Method 1: Backup through Mi Cloud

The easiest way is to use the built-in Mi Cloud storage, which automatically stores contacts, messages, notes, and even some system settings.

• 📉 Free available only 5 GB (for photos and videos, this is not enough)
• 🔄 Not all apps support reservations (such as WhatsApp or Telegram)
• 🌍 Requires a stable Internet connection

How to enable backup in Mi Cloud:

1. Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Sign in or create an account if you don’t have one.
3. Go to the Device Backup section.
4. Click Backup and select the data to save (we recommend that you note all points).
5. Wait for the process to be completed (it can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours depending on the amount of data).

What to do if the Mi Cloud is not working?

• 🔄 Restart your phone and check your internet connection.
• 🔧 Update the Mi Cloud app on Google Play.
• 📱 Make sure that the device has enough free space (at least 10% of the total memory capacity).

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3. Method 2: Local backup through MIUI

If you don’t trust the clouds or have a slow internet connection, use a built-in tool. MIUI This method is suitable for saving applications, system settings and some user data, but it does not replace full backup of photos and videos.

Step-by-step:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Click Create a backup copy.
3. Select data to save (we recommend that you note System Data, Applications and Multimedia).
4. The location of the storage: internal memory or SD-card (if supported).
5. Confirm the action and wait until the completion (the file will be saved in the folder) MIUI/Backup/AllBackup).

Advantages of the method:

• 📱 Doesn't require the Internet.
• 🔄 You can recover data even without connecting to your Mi Account.
• 📁 Keeps the settings. MIUI, wallpaper and sound circuits.

Disadvantages:

• 🚫 Does not copy data from certain applications (such as WhatsApp or banking programs).
• 📉 It takes up a lot of space on the device (up to 5-10 GB).
• ⚠️ Backup file can be damaged when process interruption.

Make sure you have enough space on your phone (at least 20% free space)

Connect the charger (the process may take 30 hours)+ minute)

Close all applications to avoid crashes

Check integrity SD-cards (if you save them)

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Method 3: Save photos and videos on a PC or external disk

Photos and videos are the most voluminous data on a smartphone, and losing them is the most painful. Don't rely on the cloud alone: even Google Photos may not save all files due to size or format constraints. The best option is to copy media files to a computer or an external hard drive.

How to transfer photos and videos to PC:

1. Connect Xiaomi to your computer via USB-cable (use the original cable for a stable connection).
2. On your phone, select the file transfer mode (Charge via USB → File transfer).
3. On PC, open your phone folder and go to Internal Storage. → DCIM (Photos are stored here and Pictures (screenshots).
4. Copy all the folders to the computer hard drive.

Alternative methods:

• 🖥️ Use the Mi. PC Suite (Official Software from Xiaomi for File Management).
• ☁️ Upload the archive to Google Drive or Mega (if the data is more than 5 GB, break it down into pieces).
• 📡 Pass the files on FTP via FX File Explorer (for advanced users).

⚠️ Attention: If you are using SD-The card is the main storage for the photo, retrieve it before reset! Formatting internal memory does not affect removable media, but it is better to be safe and copy the data to a safe place.

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5. Method 4: Export of contacts, messages and calls

Contact and SMS — This is data that is often lost when resets unless you take action. Even if you're synced with Google, check for duplicates: sometimes contacts are only stored locally.

How to export contacts:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Press three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Contact Management → Imports/Exports → Export to file.
3. Select the.vcf format (universal for all devices) and specify the location of the save (for example, SD-card).
4. Copy the resulting file to your PC or the cloud.

How to save SMS call-book:

This will require a third-party application, for example. SMS Backup & Restore:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Run it and press Backup.
3. Choose what to save: SMS, Call log or both.
4. Please specify the location of your save (we recommend you choose Google Drive or local memory).
5. Once completed, copy the backup file (.xml) to a secure location.

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Method 5: Store application data (including games)

Many apps store critical data locally: game progress, messaging settings, offline maps, and without backup, that data will be lost after reset.

How to save application data:

• 🎮 Games: Use the built-in link to the account (for example, in Genshin Impact, link to miHoYo Account, in the PUBG Mobile – Facebook or Google Play Games).
• 🗺️ Offline maps: Go to Settings in Google Maps → Offline maps → Export (if the function is available).
• 💬 Messengers: WhatsApp: Settings → chat → Telegram: Cloud chats will be saved automatically, but secret chats and local media files will not.
• 📱 Application settings: For some programs (for example, Nova Launcher) there is an option to export settings to the file.

What to do if the app does not support backup?

• 📁 Copy the folder. Android/data/[the name of the application package on a PC (for example, for Spotify it is Android/data/com.spotify.music).
• 🔧 Use Titanium Backup (requires root rights).
• ☁️ Try cloud services like Helium (not working on all devices).

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7. Method 6: Backup through ADB (for advanced users)

If you are not afraid of the command line, ADB (Android Debug Bridge will allow you to create a full backup system, including application data and settings, this method requires a computer and basic knowledge of how to work with the terminal, but gives you maximum control.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB-Drivers (you can download from the official Android website).
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on Xiaomi (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 Original. USB-cable (cheap cables may not support data transmission).

Teams to create a backup:

adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f C:\backup.ab

Where:

• -apk — retain APK-file.
• -obb — includes additional application data (e.g. game cache).
• -shared — copy SD-map.
• -all — reserve all applications.
• -f C:\backup.ab — indicates the path and name of the backup file.

How to recover data after resetting:

adb restore C:\backup.ab

⚠️ Attention: Backup through ADB It may not recover data from some applications (e.g. banking) due to Android security restrictions, and the.ab file is not open to viewing, it is a black box that can only be restored in its entirety.

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8. Method 7: Using third-party backup applications

If standard methods don’t work, look for third-party utilities that offer more flexibility but require caution when choosing (some applications may contain malicious code).

Top.-3 backup:

How to choose the right application?

• If you don't have root rights → Swift Backup or Super Backup.
• If you need to keep system settings → Titanium Backup (but you will need to unlock the bootloader).
• If automation is important → Set up a backup schedule in Mi Cloud or Google Drive.

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Before using third-party applications, check reviews on 4PDA or XDA Developers – some utilities may not work properly with MIUI because of the firmware.

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9.What to do after reset: data recovery

When the reset is complete, start recovering. The order of action is important: first return the system settings, then the applications, and then the media files.

Step-by-step:

1. Log in to your accounts (Google and Mi Account) to automatically sync your contacts, email and calendar.
2. Restore the local backup (if done through Settings) → Backup).
3. Install apps from Google Play or restore from a.ab file (for the first time). ADB).
4. Move your media files back to your phone (from the cloud or PC).
5. Set up applications (attach games to accounts, restore chats in instant messengers).

Typical errors in recovery:

• 🚫 Passing authorization in Mi Account → Notes and settings are not restored MIUI.
• 📱 Install applications before restoring the backup → data can be overwritten.
• ☁️ Ignoring Two-Factor Authentication → Loss of access to cloud copies.

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If after recovery some applications are unstable, clear their cache in Settings → Annexes → Warehouse → Clear the cache.

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10 Data that cannot be saved (and what to do about it)

Unfortunately, some data is lost irrevocably even with the most thorough backup, and here's what you can't recover after a reset and how to minimize the loss:

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FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi reset