How to transfer data from Samsung to Xiaomi Redmi: a step-by-step guide

Changing a smartphone is always an exciting process, especially when it comes to transitioning between ecosystems, albeit within the same Android operating system. Samsung owners who decide to switch to Xiaomi Redmi devices often face fears of losing important contacts, photos or customizations of familiar applications.

The challenge is not the fact of file transfer, but the right method to ensure the integrity of the folder structure and the performance of installed programs. Data transfer can be done in several ways, from using proprietary developer utilities to cloud services and manual copying. The choice of a particular tool depends on the amount of information and the speed of the Internet connection.

In this article, we will take a closer look at all the migration methods available, focusing on the Mi Mover app, which is the most effective solution for Samsung-Xiaomi bundle, how to avoid common errors, why some applications may not be copied, and how to properly prepare both devices for the cloning procedure.

Preparing devices for data migration

Before running any software tools for transfer, you need to conduct basic training of both smartphones. Ignoring this stage can lead to interruption of the process or errors when reading memory sectors. First of all, make sure that the battery on both devices is charged at least 60%, as active operation of the communication modules and the processor consumes significant energy.

The second critical step is to check the space available on the new Xiaomi Redmi. The amount of memory available should exceed the amount of data planned for transfer, with a margin of about 10-15% for normal system operation, and it is also recommended to update the operating system on both devices to the latest available version to eliminate conflicts of compatibility of transmission protocols.

To keep wireless transmission methods running smoothly, you should reset your network settings or simply restart both devices before starting the procedure, which will clear the cache of network services and provide a more reliable connection between gadgets. If you use a wired method, make sure that the cable and adapters are in good working order.

Using the Mi Mover application for wireless transfer

The most convenient and recommended method by the manufacturer is to use the Mi Mover utility. This application is preinstalled on all Xiaomi smartphones and is available for installation on Samsung devices through the Google Play store or GetApps. The main advantage of the method is the ability to transfer not only media files, but also system settings, calendars, notes and even the location of icons on the desktop.

The process starts with running the app on both devices. The new Xiaomi Redmi requires you to select the role of “I’m a recipient”, after which the smartphone will create a local Wi-Fi hotspot. Samsung selects the role of “I’m a sender”, and the device connects to the created network. Wi-Fi Direct transfer speeds can reach 40 MB / s, which is much faster than standard Bluetooth.

Once the connection is established, the system will suggest selecting data categories to copy. You can customize the list in detail, for example, by eliminating heavy video files or unnecessary cached data from messengers. It is important to understand that some Samsung system applications will not be ported, as they are incompatible with the MIUI or HyperOS shell.

During transmission, you should not unlock device screens or switch between applications, as this can break the connection. If the process is interrupted, modern versions of Mi Mover allow you to resume downloading from the stop rather than starting all over again, this is especially true when transferring large data sets of tens of gigabytes.

Alternative methods: Google Account and Cloud Storage

If wireless transmission is for some reason impossible or unstable, you can always use the time-tested sync method through your Google account, which is ideal for saving contacts, calendar events, notes and a list of installed applications. When you first set up Xiaomi Redmi, you just need to enter the same username and password as you do on Samsung to restore the basic data structure.

For photos and videos, Google Photos is the best service. Once you install the app on Samsung and enable autoload, you are guaranteed to save all media archives in the cloud. On the new device, it is easy to log in, and all images will appear in the gallery. This also creates an additional backup in case of loss or breakage of the physical media.

⚠️ Attention: Free space in Google Photos is limited to 15 GB. If your archive is larger, some files may not sync without buying an additional Google One tariff.

Also worth considering is the use of cloud storage by third-party developers such as Yandex Disk, Dropbox or OneDrive, which often provide convenient tools for automatic backup of folders with documents and downloads, but it is worth considering that the speed of data recovery in this case will directly depend on the speed of your Internet connection.

Manual transfer via computer and USB-cable

For users who are used to controlling every byte of information, or transferring very large files if necessary (e.g. movies to the Internet). 4K), The best way to do this is to use a PC as an intermediate, and this requires a computer, two different computers. USB-cables and possibly adapters, if the connectors on the cables do not match.

Connect Samsung to your computer, select the USB File Transfer (MTP) mode in notifications, copy the required folders (DCIM, Download, Documents, Music) to your hard drive, then connect Xiaomi Redmi and move the files to the appropriate directories, which also allows you to audit the data and remove debris before installing it on a new phone.

When manually copying, it is important to keep the folder structure, especially for media files, so that the Xiaomi gallery indexes them correctly. DCIM/Camera, If you don't follow this logic, you can see files in the file manager, but they don't show up in the respective player apps.

Message transfer, call history and applications

One of the most delicate tasks is to transfer the history of SMS and call logs. Standard Android tools don't always allow you to simply copy these databases between different manufacturers. Here again comes Mi Mover, who is smart at extracting and packaging these databases into a format that is understandable to the MIUI shell.

The situation is more complicated with instant messengers: WhatsApp, Viber or Telegram history is stored either in the service cloud or locally in a secure folder. WhatsApp on Samsung needs to back up to Google Drive (Settings → Chats → Backup). When you install the application on Xiaomi and log in to the same account, the system will offer to restore the history from the cloud.

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When restoring WhatsApp to a new phone, make sure you use the same phone number and Google account, otherwise a backup will not be found.

Banking apps and programs with two-factor authorization will have to be reconfigured for security purposes. It's not a bug, it's a feature of Android security. Make sure you have access to your phone number in advance to get it. SMS-codes or installed code generator if you use third-party authenticators.

Possible problems and solutions

Users may experience a number of common problems when migrating, and devices often simply “can’t see” each other, so you need to check if GPS and location permission are enabled, as in modern Android versions, this is a requirement for Wi-Fi Direct to work.

Another common problem is the “Not enough space” error, even when there is free space, which may be due to file system fragmentation or the new device’s file system features, and in such cases, it is recommended to clear the Mi Mover app cache through the settings menu (Settings → Applications → Mi Mover → Memory → Clear) and try again.

⚠️ Note: If the names are displayed in hieroglyphics or cracosyabra when transferring contacts, change the encoding when exporting the contact file on the source device to vCard format (UTF-8).

Sometimes, after the application transfer, they may not open or fly out, because the paths to the system libraries on Samsung (One UI) and Xiaomi (MIUI/HyperOS) may be different, in which case the only right solution is to remove the problematic application and install it cleanly from the Google Play store.

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The most reliable way to avoid application compatibility errors is to transfer only media files and contacts through Mi Mover, and install the applications again from the store.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)