Changing a smartphone is always an exciting process, especially when it comes to preserving your personal correspondence history. For many users, SMS messages are not just official notifications from banks, but an archive of important dialogues, confirmation codes and memorable dates. When switching to a new brand phone Xiaomi (Redmi or POCO), a logical question arises: how to save this database without loss or distortion of the encoding. Fortunately, the Android ecosystem offers a variety of tools to handle this task, from built-in utilities to third-party applications.
Unlike iOS, where backup is tightly tied to iCloud, in the Android world you have the freedom to choose methods. You can use Google cloud services, a proprietary utility Mi Mover or specialized software to create XML backups. Each of these methods has its own nuances that must be taken into account in order for the transfer to go smoothly. Below we will analyze in detail the most effective methods and answer common questions that arise during data migration.
Preparing devices for the migration procedure
Before taking active steps, you need to make sure that both devices are ready to transfer a large amount of data. Even if you plan to transfer only text messages, the system often requires checking the integrity of the user's profile. Charge both smartphones to at least 60%, since the encryption and transmission process can be energy-consuming. Also check that you have enough free space on your new device, although SMS takes up negligible space compared to photos or videos. Make sure both phones have USB debugging enabled or the necessary permissions to access contacts and messages. In modern versions of the shell Xiaomi, although SMS takes up negligible space compared to photos or videos.
Make sure both phones have USB debugging enabled or the necessary permissions to access contacts and messages. In modern versions of the shell MIUI or HyperOS permissions may be hidden in the security menu. If you are using a wireless transmission method, connect both gadgets to the same network Wi-Fi with a good signal speed. A wired connection via an OTG cable will be more reliable, but requires an appropriate adapter.
⚠️ Attention: Before starting any manipulations with system data, it is recommended to make a full backup of the current state of the new phone if it already has important data that you do not want to lose if the synchronization process fails.
Check the version of the operating system. Although transfer protocols are usually backwards compatible, working between devices with radically different versions of Android (for example, Android 8 and Android 14) can sometimes cause Russian character encoding errors. Update the firmware on both devices to the latest available version through the menu Settings → About phone → MIUI version.
☑️ Ready for transfer
Using the proprietary Mi Mover utility
The easiest and most optimized way for owners of equipment of this brand is to use applications Mi Mover. This utility is preinstalled on all Xiaomi smartphones and allows you to transfer data over a direct Wi-Fi connection, creating an access point on one of the devices. The app interface is intuitive: you only need to select the device role (sender or recipient) and scan the QR code.
The process begins by launching the application on both phones. On the old device, select the status “I am the sender”, and on the new one Xiaomi - “I am the recipient”. After connecting, select the “Messages” category in the list of transferred data. The operating algorithm Mi Mover automatically converts the SMS database into a format understandable by the new shell, which minimizes the risk of “crazy words” appearing instead of letters.
However, it is worth considering that when transferring very large archives (tens of thousands of messages), the process can take considerable time. In some cases, the utility may skip messages attached to deleted contacts or incorrectly transfer MMS with media attachments. For text SMS, this method is one of the most reliable, since it works at the system level and not through user APIs.
If Mi Mover freezes at the “Connect” stage, try temporarily disabling the mobile data on both devices, leaving only the Wi-Fi module active to create a direct connection.
After the transfer is completed, be sure to go to the “Messages” application on the new phone and check selected dialogs. Pay special attention to messages from banks and two-factor authentication services - they must be displayed correctly, since access to your accounts depends on them.
Synchronization via Google account
The Google ecosystem offers a native way to save data that does not require installing additional software. If SMS synchronization was enabled on your old phone (this feature appeared in relatively new versions of Android), then your messages are already in the cloud. When setting up a new one for the first time Xiaomi just enter the same Google account, and the system will offer to restore data from a backup.
To check the availability of a backup on the old device, go to Settings → Google → Backup. Here you will see the date of the last saved copy and a list of data including “SMS and MMS”. If the checkbox is checked and the date is fresh, you can safely begin restoring on a new device during the initial setup (Master Setup).
- 📱 The method is ideal when completely changing the device “out of the box” when the new phone has not yet been configured.
- ☁️ The data is stored encrypted on Google servers and does not take up space in your Google Drive.
- 🔄 Recovery occurs automatically in the background after logging into your account.
A significant disadvantage of this method is the lack of flexibility: you cannot select specific dialogs to restore, the system will offer to return everything or nothing. Additionally, if you've already set up a new phone and skipped the restore step, it will be more difficult to get messages back through this method and will require a factory reset.
⚠️ Note: Google's SMS backup feature does not work on all older smartphone models. If you don’t see the “SMS and MMS” item in the Google settings menu, it means that your manufacturer has disabled this feature at the firmware level.
Use of specialized applications SMS Backup & Restore
When the built-in tools fail or you need to transfer messages selectively, the gold standard in the Android world comes to the rescue - the application SMS Backup & Restore from SyncTech. This app allows you to create a local XML file with all your correspondence, save it to a memory card or to the cloud, and then deploy it on a new device.
Install the application on both smartphones. On your old phone, click the "Backup" button. In the backup settings, make sure that the “SMS” option is selected and, if necessary, “MMS”. Select a save location: local storage, Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive. Creating the file may take several minutes depending on the size of the history.
On the new Xiaomi Install the same application, grant access rights to messages and storage. Click "Restore" and specify the path to the file you created earlier. The app will automatically detect the format and offer to replace current (empty) messages with data from the archive. This is one of the most reliable methods, since it works regardless of the Android version and the manufacturer's shell.
Default backup file path:
/Android/data/com.riteshsahu.SMSBackupRestore/files/sms-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.xml
It is important to note that after restoration through third-party applications, messages may not appear immediately in the standard interface. Sometimes it is necessary to restart the device or clear the cache of the Messages application so that new content is correctly indexed by the system.
Manual export and import via SIM card
This method is considered "old-fashioned", but in emergency situations when there is no access to Wi-Fi or a computer, it may be the only way out. The SIM card has limited memory and usually allows you to store from 20 to 250 messages (depending on the capacity of the chip), and also does not support the transfer of MMS and long text chains.
On your old phone, go to the messages application, open the desired conversation or select multiple messages with a long press. In the action menu (three dots) find the item “Copy to SIM card”. Repeat the procedure for all important messages. Then move the SIM card to the new one Xiaomi.
On the new device, open the messages application, go to settings and select “Manage messages on SIM card” or a similar item. Click “Import” to transfer texts from the SIM card memory to the internal memory of the phone. This method is only suitable for critical short notifications, such as verification codes.
| Method | Speed | MMS support | Complexity | Reliability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Mover | High | Partial | Low | High |
| Google Backup | Average | Yes | Low | High |
| SMS Backup & Restore | Medium | Yes | Average | Very high |
| SIM card | Low | No | High | Low |
Why may messages from the SIM card not be displayed?
Sometimes new smartphones hide messages stored on the SIM card by default so as not to duplicate them with cloud copies. Go to the Messages application settings → SIM card and turn on display.
Solving common problems and errors
During the transfer process, users often encounter a situation where messages are duplicated. This happens if you used several methods at the same time (for example, you restored from Google and then imported the XML file). To avoid mess in the database, before importing from third-party sources, it is better to clear the messages application on the new phone.
Another common problem is encoding violation, when strange characters are displayed instead of Russian text. This is typical when transferring between devices with different regional settings. Before starting the procedure, make sure that the same system language is selected in the section Settings → Advanced settings → Language and input on both devices.
If messages do not arrive on the new phone after the transfer, check the SMS center (SMSC) settings. Sometimes when changing a device or rearranging a SIM card, this number is reset. You can find out the correct number for your operator on the official website or by calling support, and you can enter it through the hidden dialing menu ##4636## (does not work on all firmware).
⚠️ Attention: Settings interfaces in MIUI and HyperOS shells may differ depending on the firmware version and region (Global, China, EEA). If you do not find the specified option, use the settings search by entering the keyword “SMS” or “Messages.”
The cleanest transfer result is achieved when using one method on a new device that is completely reset to factory settings.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Will messages from instant messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) be transferred along with SMS?
No, standard SMS transfer methods do not affect the messenger database. WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber use their own servers or local databases in secure folders. To transfer WhatsApp history, use the built-in “Transfer Chats” function in the settings of the application itself or make a backup copy in Google Drive before changing your phone.
What to do if after the transfer the pictures in the MMS are missing?
Often during the transfer, only the MMS text is saved, and attachments are lost if they were stored in specific system folders of the old phone. Try using the method with the application SMS Backup & Restore with the “Include MMS” checkbox. Also check the “Downloads” or “Download” folder on the old phone - perhaps the media files were saved there separately.
Is it possible to transfer messages if the old phone is broken and does not turn on?
If the screen does not work, but the phone turns on and is detected by the computer, you can try to pull out the database via ADB commands, but this requires programming skills. If the phone is completely dead and there is no backup in the Google cloud, unfortunately, it is impossible to restore messages, since they are stored only in the internal memory of the device.
Is it safe to transfer SMS codes from banks via the cloud?
Google backups and data in the application SMS Backup & Restore (when using encryption) are protected quite reliably. However, if you are concerned about security, after transferring data, it is recommended to delete old messages with verification codes or use the automatic deletion feature for OTP messages, available in the settings of many modern messaging applications.