Changing a smartphone is always an exciting moment, associated with the expectation of novelty, but also with the fear of losing important contacts, correspondence or photos. When you buy a device from Xiaomi, you are faced with a logical question: how to transfer the entire accumulated array of information from the old device to the new one as quickly and painlessly as possible. Fortunately, the Android ecosystem offers several proven tools that make this process simple even for inexperienced users.
Modern migration methods allow you to clone not only basic data, but also system settings, the location of desktop icons, and passwords from Wi-Fi networks. In this article, we will analyze in detail standard utilities, cloud services and manual copying methods so that you can choose the most suitable option for your situation. Proper preparation before starting the procedure will save you hours of time and nerves.
It is worth noting that the process of data transfer has changed dramatically in recent years. If previously you had to manually create backups on your computer, now a couple of taps on the screen are enough. However, there are nuances depending on the version of Android and the model of your old device. We will look at universal solutions that work in most cases.
Preparing devices for data migration
Before launching any copying software tool, you need to make sure that both smartphones are ready for active work. First of all, check the battery level: both devices should have at least 50-60% energy. The process can take from 15 minutes to an hour depending on the amount of information, and the phone running out of power at a critical moment can lead to file corruption.
The second important step is to connect to a stable Wi-Fi network. While some methods use a direct connection between phones, internet access is required to sync accounts and check for app updates. Make sure you remember the password for your Google account, as this is key element security and access to cloud storage.
⚠️ Attention: Before starting the transfer, it is strongly recommended to free up space on your new Xiaomi. Make sure that there is more free memory on the receiving device than the weight of data on the old phone.
It is also worth checking the old smartphone. Remove unnecessary screenshots, duplicate photos, and apps you haven't used for a long time. This will speed up the process and avoid clogging up the memory of your new gadget with digital junk. Cleaning the system before migration is a good habit that prolongs the life of the device.
☑️ Preparing for migration
Using the Mi Mover application for quick migration
The most effective and native way for owners of Xiaomi equipment is to use utilities Mi Mover. This tool is pre-installed on all smartphones of the brand and allows you to transfer data over a local Wi-Fi connection at high speed without using up mobile traffic. The application can copy contacts, messages, calls, multimedia, installed applications and even desktop settings.
To get started, find the application in the "Tools" folder or by searching for settings. On the new Xiaomi phone, select the “I’m a recipient” mode, and on the old device (if it is also Xiaomi or Android with Mi Mover installed) - “I am a sender”. If your old phone does not have an application, you can download it from Google Play or by scanning the QR code that appears on the screen of the new smartphone.
After connecting the devices via a QR code or manually entering a password, the system will prompt you to select categories of data to transfer. You can select everything at once or select only specific items, for example, only contacts and gallery. The process occurs automatically, and it is not recommended to interrupt it to avoid database desynchronization.
What to do if Mi Mover does not see the old phone?
Make sure that Bluetooth and geolocation are turned on on both devices. Also check that none of the devices are in power-saving mode, which could block neighbor searches. Try restarting the application on both smartphones.
A unique feature Mi Mover is the ability to transfer system settings such as alarms, wallpapers and widget locations. This makes it feel like you've been using the new phone for a long time. However, it is worth remembering that banking applications and some protected security systems may require re-authorization in order to protect your finances.
Synchronization via Google account
An alternative and classic method is to use the capabilities of the Android operating system itself. When you activate your new Xiaomi smartphone for the first time, the system will prompt you to log in to your Google account. If you agree and choose to restore from backup, your phone will automatically download your contacts, calendar events, notes, and a list of previously installed applications.
For this method to work, you need to make sure that synchronization was enabled on your old phone. You can check this in the menu Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Google. Here the switches opposite the items “Contacts”, “Calendar”, “Disk” and other important services should be activated. Without this preliminary preparation, the data will remain in the cloud of the old device.
The main advantage of the method is independence from the brand of the old phone. Whether it's Samsung, Honor or Huawei, (if you have) a Google account, your data will be safe. After logging into your account on Xiaomi, the phone itself will offer to download the applications that were on the previous device, although the application files themselves (cache, logins) may not be saved.
It is important to understand that Google Photos stores photos in compressed quality ("Saving Space") by default, unless you have purchased additional space. Therefore, before abandoning your old phone, check that all photos have been uploaded to the cloud in full resolution, or use local transfer for media files.
Manually transferring files via a computer
For users who prefer full control over the process or do not trust wireless methods, connecting via PC. This method is especially relevant when transferring heavy video files, document archives or music, the volume of which exceeds tens of gigabytes. The transfer speed in this case is limited only by the capabilities of the USB cable and computer ports.
Connect the old smartphone to the computer with a cable and select the “File Transfer” (MTP) mode in the notification menu. Copy the necessary folders (usually DCIM, Pictures, Download, Documents) to your hard drive. Then disconnect the old device, connect the new Xiaomi and transfer the files to the appropriate directories of the internal memory.
This method is good because it allows you to structure the data in a new way. While the files are on the computer, you can sort them into folders, delete unnecessary things and rename the archives. In addition, this creates an additional physical copy of your data in case both phones are lost or broken.
| Method | Speed | What it carries | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Mover | High | Everything (including settings) | Low |
| Google Account | Medium | Contacts, applications, calendar | Low |
| Via PC (USB) | Depends on the cable | Photos, videos, documents | Average |
| Bluetooth | Very low | Small files only | Low |
When using a computer, pay attention to the file system. If you are working with very large files (more than 4 GB), make sure that your computer's drive is formatted in NTFS or exFAT, as the old FAT32 system does not support files of this size. This is a common error due to which copying is interrupted by 99%.
Transfer of multimedia and messages (SMS, MMS)
The transfer of correspondence deserves special attention. Standard Android tools often do not save SMS and MMS text when synchronizing via Google, unless a special backup is used. For this task, it is best to turn again to Mi Mover or specialized applications like SMS Backup & Restore.
The application SMS Backup & Restore allows you to create an XML file with all your messages and correspondence from instant messengers (if they support standard protocols). This file can be transferred via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct, and then restored on the new Xiaomi, returning the communication history to the standard Messages application.
As for multimedia, the folder DCIM/Camera is the main one for photos and videos. However, do not forget to check the folders WhatsApp/Media or Telegram/Telegram Imagesif you use these messengers. Users often forget that media files from chats are stored separately from the system gallery.
To transfer WhatsApp chat history, use the built-in Backup feature inside the WhatsApp app itself before changing phones, saving a copy to Google Drive.
Restoring media on a new device may take time, as the system needs to index the files so that they were displayed correctly in the gallery. Don’t be alarmed if, after transferring, the photos do not appear immediately - give the phone 10-15 minutes for background processing.
Frequent problems and their solutions
Despite the smooth running of the processes, sometimes glitches occur. The most common problem is a connection loss when using Mi Mover. This often happens if one of the devices goes into sleep mode. Set the screen in advance to "Never turn off" or constantly touch the display during the transfer.
Another common case is the "Insufficient space" error, even if there is free memory. This may be due to features of the file system or hidden system files. In this case, try transferring data in smaller portions, selecting not all categories at once, but, for example, only photos, then only applications.
⚠️ Attention: MIUI and HyperOS interfaces may differ slightly on different models. If you do not find a menu item, use the settings search by entering a keyword.
If during the transfer of contacts they were duplicated (some from SIM, others from Google), do not rush to delete them manually. Go to contacts, select the filtering and display menu, and set up to show only from your Google account. Duplicates can be merged automatically through Google Contacts services on your computer.
In case of critical errors during data transfer, the most reliable way is to manually copy important files to your computer, reset the new phone to factory settings and try a clean migration again.
Completing setup and checking integrity
After the transfer process is completed, do not rush to delete data from the old phone. Conduct a thorough inspection of the new device. Walk through the gallery and check that all albums are available. Open the phone book and make sure that the numbers are linked to the account and not to the SIM card.
Check the operation of applications, especially those that require authorization: banking clients, social networks, email clients. You may need to re-login or confirm via SMS. Also check the notification settings, as they may work differently on the new system.
Only after making sure that all the data is in place and working correctly, you can start cleaning the old smartphone. Perform a full reset (Wipe Data) on your old device to prevent your personal information from falling into the wrong hands when sold or disposed of.
Do you need to delete your Google account from your old phone before selling it?
Yes, definitely. Before resetting the settings, delete your Google account in the menu Settings → Accounts. This will remove the FRP (Factory Reset Protection) protection. If you simply reset without deleting the account, the new owner will not be able to activate the phone without your password.
Will call history be transferred to Xiaomi?
When using Mi Mover, call history is transferred completely. When synchronizing through Google, the history may not be saved in the standard calling application, since Google stores it in its cloud, accessible through the website, but does not always integrate it into the local database of the new phone.
What to do if applications do not open after the transfer?
Try clearing the cache of the problematic application via Settings → Applications → All applications. If it doesn't help, delete the application and download it again from the Google Play Store. Transferred configuration files sometimes conflict with the new version of Android.