Changing your smartphone brand is always perceived as a bit of stress for the user, because there is a fear of losing the data accumulated over the years. Samsung device owners often wonder how to quickly and painlessly transfer all information to the new Xiaomi or Redmi gadget. Fortunately, modern Android ecosystems offer many tools that make this process simple and intuitive even for beginners.
In this article, we will take a look at all the ways you can migrate data, from built-in utilities to cloud services, how to save not only contacts and photos, but also call history, messages and folder structure, and how to prepare properly before starting the procedure will help you avoid errors and save your time.
Before you start taking action, make sure both devices are ready to go, charge both smartphones to a minimum of 60-70% so that a sudden power outage does not interrupt the process at a critical stage, and check for a stable Wi-Fi connection, as transferring large amounts of data over the mobile Internet can be slow or lead to additional costs.
Preparation of devices and backup
The first step in the migration process is to carefully prepare the original Samsung device. Despite the many tools available, creating a local or cloud backup remains the gold standard for data security, ensuring that even if you fail to transfer, you will still have a restore point.
Samsung account holders should check the sync status in the cloud settings. However, to switch to Xiaomi, it will be more effective to use Google services, since they are native to both systems. Make sure that the Google account settings on the old phone activate synchronization of contacts, calendar and notes.
Special attention is required to clean the storage of temporary files that do not need to be transferred, which will speed up the process and free up space on the new device, use the built-in memory analyzer or third-party utilities to remove the cache of applications.
☑️ Preparation for data portability
Also, be sure to check for important files in the Download folder or hidden directories, where some applications save documents. Manual checking often helps to find forgotten files that did not get into automatic sync.
⚠️ Before starting any data transfer operations, make sure that the new Xiaomi smartphone has enough free memory to receive the entire amount of information from the old device.
Using the Mi Mover app for quick migration
The most effective and recommended way to switch from any Android system to Xiaomi is to use the proprietary Mi Mover application. This tool is designed specifically for such cases and allows you to transfer data over a local Wi-Fi channel without using Internet traffic, which ensures high speed.
The process starts with installing the app on both devices, and on newer Redmi and Poco smartphones, it is often preinstalled in the Tools folder. On Samsung, the app needs to be downloaded from Google Play or scanned. QR-code that will appear on the screen of the new phone when the program is launched.
Once you run the app on both devices, you need to select the role of each phone: on Samsung, select the status of "Sender" (Old phone), and on Xiaomi - "New phone", the system will suggest creating an access point or connecting to an existing network.
When the devices find each other, the Samsung screen will display a list of data categories available for transfer.
- 📞 Contacts and call history
- 📸 Photos, video and audio files
- 📱 Installed annexes (APK file)
- 📅 Calendar events and notes
It is important to understand that Samsung system applications (such as Samsung Notes in the original format or specific Good Lock widgets) will not work on MIUI or HyperOS. The Mi Mover app will automatically filter out incompatible components, leaving only user data.
What if the Mi Mover can’t see the device?
Synchronization through Google account
An alternative and often more reliable method is to use the power of Google’s cloud, which, since both operating systems are Android-based, allows for deep integration of services, and when the new Xiaomi is first set up, the system will suggest restoring data from Google’s backup.
To successfully implement this method, you need to have full sync on Samsung. Go to Settings → Accounts and Archiving → Account Management → Google. Here you need to make sure that the switches opposite Contacts, Calendar, Drive and others are active, and click the sync button.
Google Photos is a special feature, and if you have Autoboot and Sync enabled, your entire library is already in the cloud, and on a new phone, just log in to the same account and the photos will appear in the gallery, eliminating the need to transfer gigabytes of photos over cable or Wi-Fi Direct.
Apps can also be restored automatically. On the Google Play Store on a new device, go to your profile and select “Apps and Device Management.” Under Backups, you’ll see a list of apps installed on your Samsung and you’ll be able to install them all at a single click.
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Use Google One to create a full system backup, including SMS and call history, if 15GB of built-in storage isn’t enough.
Manual transfer of files via computer
For users who prefer full control of the process or have a very large amount of data (over 100 GB), the ideal option is to use a PC as an intermediate, which requires a USB cable and a computer with enough free space.
Connect Samsung to your computer and select the MTP file transfer mode in notifications. Copy the DCIM (camera photos and videos), Pictures, Download and Documents folders to your hard drive. Then connect Xiaomi and copy the data to the appropriate directories.
This approach allows you not only to migrate data, but also to structure it, and you can immediately sort photos by year or delete duplicates using the capabilities of the file manager on your computer.
Below is a table comparing the main methods of data transfer by key parameters:
| Parameter | Mi Mover | Google Account | Through the PC. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed. | High (Wi-Fi Direct) | Depends on the Internet. | Maximum (USB 3.0) |
| Internet required | No need. | Mandatory. | No need. |
| Portability of applications | Yes (APK) | Yes (links) | No. |
| Difficulty | Low. | Low. | Medium |
The Android file system allows you to store data in different folders, so it is important to not lose structure when manually copying, especially if you use specific books or navigation apps that store maps in memory.
SMS Message Transfer and Call History
One of the most delicate tasks is to save correspondence and call history. Standard Android tools to transfer SMS to another device is difficult, because the security system restricts access to this database for third-party applications.
The Mi Mover app can port SMS and call history to a format that MIUI can understand. However, if you use this method, make sure that the new phone has Messages installed as the default app immediately after the transfer is completed.
If the automatic port didn’t work, you can use specialized utilities like SMS Backup & Restore. Create a backup on Samsung, save the file to Google Drive or transfer it to Xiaomi via Bluetooth, and then restore it from a backup on a new device.
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When carrying messages, it is important that the receiving app on the new phone matches the sender app or supports importing from XML format.
It is worth remembering that messages from messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) are not ordinary SMS and require a separate approach through built-in backup functions of the messengers themselves.
Nuances of data transfer from messengers
Modern communication is unthinkable without WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber, each with its own storage architecture. Telegram and Viber (partially) store history in the cloud, so you just need to enter your phone number and confirmation code to activate them on a new device.
WhatsApp is more complicated. When you move between Android devices (from Samsung to Xiaomi), the chat history is tied to your Google Drive account. On your old phone, in WhatsApp settings, select Chats → Chat Backup → Backup. Make sure the copy is created on Google Drive, not locally.
On the new Xiaomi, WhatsApp will offer to restore the history from the backup you found, and it is critical to use the same phone number and Google account, otherwise it will not be possible to restore it, and the process can take time depending on the size of the database.
⚠️ Note: Two-factor authentication in messengers may require input PIN-Don't forget this code, otherwise access to your account may be temporarily blocked.