How to sync two Xiaomi phones: the full guide 2026

Why sync two Xiaomi smartphones and what data can be transferred

Synchronizing two Xiaomi phones with each other solves several tasks at once: from backing up important data to convenient management of several devices. For example, you can automatically duplicate photos from your work smartphone to your personal, sync your contact list, or even manage notifications from one device to another. SIM-One phone is used for work and the other for personal use.

Synchronization can transfer almost any type of data: contacts, messages (SMS and messengers), photos / videos, notes, calendars, browser bookmarks, as well as system settings (wallpaper, sound profiles, network settings), while not all methods are equally effective: for example, Mi Cloud is better for backup, and Wi-Fi Direct is for fast transfer of large files without the Internet.

It’s important to keep in mind that some data (such as Wi-Fi passwords or smart home settings) are only synced through official Xiaomi services, while third-party apps like ShareMe or Google Drive offer more flexibility but may require additional permissions.

Method 1: Sync with Mi Account and Mi Cloud is the most reliable method

The official Mi Cloud storage is the basic tool for synchronizing data between Xiaomi devices, with the main advantage of automatically updating information (such as contacts or notes) in real time, with both phones tied to the same Mi Account.

To enable synchronization:

1. Open the Settings. → Mi Account on both phones.
2. Make sure you are logged in with one account (if not, sign in or create a new one).
3. Go to Mi Cloud → Synchronization.
4. Activate the switches opposite the data you want to sync (e.g. Contacts, Notes, Calendar).
5. Press Sync now.

Note: Mi Cloud provides 5GB of free space. If you need more, you will have to buy a subscription (from 10GB for ~100 rubles / month), and some data (for example, SMS) are synced only on devices with MIUI 12 and later.

Both phones connected to Wi-Fi | Enough cloud space |Mi accounts match |Auto-synchronization enabled-->

⚠️ Note: If you delete data on one phone (such as a contact), it will automatically disappear on the second device after the next sync. To avoid loss, back up via Settings. → The phone. → Backup.

Method 2: Fast file transfer via Wi-Fi Direct or ShareMe

If you need to transfer photos, videos or documents without using the Internet, the best option is Wi-Fi Direct (a built-in feature of Xiaomi) or ShareMe app (formerly Mi Drop), which works 5-10 times faster than Bluetooth and does not require a connection to a router.

Instructions for Wi-Fi Direct:

1. On the first phone, open Settings → Connection and Sharing → Wi-Fi Direct.
2. Activate the feature and wait until the phone is visible to other devices.
3. On the second phone, do the same thing and select the first phone from the list.
4. Confirm the connection on both devices.
5. You can now transfer files through any file manager (e.g. Explorer or Google Files).

For ShareMe:

• 📱 Install ShareMe from Google Play (if it’s not in firmware).
• 🔄 On one phone, click Send, on the second, Receive.
• 📶 Connect to the created Wi-Fi access point (password will appear on the screen).
• 📁 Select files and confirm the transfer.

⚠️ Note: When transferring via Wi-Fi Direct, turn off mobile Internet on both phones, this will speed up the process and avoid network conflicts. Also, it is not recommended to transfer files larger than 4 GB - they can "hang".

Method 3: Synchronize your contacts and calendar with your Google Account

If you don’t want to use Mi Cloud, you can sync contacts, calendar and email through Google Account, a method that works even between Xiaomi and other brands’ smartphones.

Step-by-step:

1. On both phones, open Settings → Accounts and Sync.
2. Add the same Google account (if not).
3. Enable synchronization for the desired data: 📇 Contacts (will be available in Google Contacts). 📅 Calendar (synchronized with Google Calendar). 📧 Gmail and other data.

Synchronize

The advantage of this method is cross-platform, for example, if you change Xiaomi to an iPhone, all contacts will automatically fit, but there are also disadvantages: Google does not sync SMS, Xiaomi settings or files.

Method 4: Synchronize messages and calls through Xiaomi Messages and Call Logs Backup

The official Xiaomi Messages app (included in MIUI firmware) allows you to synchronize SMS and MMS between two phones.

1. Open Messages on both phones.
2. Press on. ⋮ (menu) → Settings → Cloud synchronization.
3. Turn on the switch and select Mi Account to sync.
4. Wait until the process is complete (it can take up to 10 minutes depending on the number of messages).

⚠️ Attention: Synchronization SMS Mi Cloud only works on phones with MIUI 11 and later. On older versions of firmware, this functionality may not be available.

Method 5: Automatic synchronization of photos and videos via Google Photos or Xiaomi Gallery

For automatic syncing of photos and videos between two Xiaomi phones, there are two reliable options: Google Photos (free up to 15 GB) and the built-in Xiaomi Gallery with cloud storage.

Through Google Photos:

1. Install Google Photos on both phones.
2. Log in to one Google account.
3. Enable Backup and Synchronization in the application settings.
4. Choose the quality of the download (Original or High).

Through Xiaomi Gallery:

1. Open the gallery. → ⋮ (menu) → Settings → Cloud synchronization.
2. Enable synchronization with Mi Cloud.
3. Select folders for automatic download (such as Camera or Screenshots).

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If you are taking pictures in RAW format, use Google Photos in Original Quality mode – only so the files will not be compressed.

Solution: Why data is not synchronized between Xiaomi phones

If the synchronization is not working, check the following points:

• 🔌 Internet connection: both phones must be online (Wi-Fi or mobile network).
• 🔄 Firmware updates: on older versions MIUI (below 12) may not work synchronization SMS.
• 🔒 Permissions: Check that apps (Mi Cloud, Google Photos) are allowed to access storage and contacts.
• 🕒 Time and Date: If they are downed, synchronization may not start.
• 📶 Regional restrictions: in some countries (e.g. China) Google Services are blocked.

If the problem persists, try:

1. Reboot both phones.
2. Log out and re-enter your Mi Account or Google Account.
3. Clear the app cache (Settings → Applications → Mi Cloud → Storage → Clear the cache).
4. Reset network settings (Settings → Connection and Sharing → Network Reset).

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If syncing through Mi Cloud is unstable, try using Google Account – it crashes less often, but does not support backup of Xiaomi system settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about syncing two Xiaomi phones