The transition to a new smartphone always brings with it mixed feelings: the joy of buying a modern device and the slight anxiety about the safety of personal information. This is especially true when you change the ecosystem, for example, moving from Samsung to Xiaomi Redmi. Fortunately, modern technology allows you to migrate data as painlessly as possible, preserving the structure of folders, contacts and even the placement of icons on the desktop. You do not need to be a technician to perform this procedure.
The transfer process takes 15 minutes to an hour depending on the amount of information. The key is to properly prepare both devices before synchronizing. If you miss the preparatory stage, the process can be interrupted halfway, which will require repeating all actions. In this article, we will look at proven methods of copying files that guarantee the integrity of your data.
There are several ways to solve the problem: using the built-in Mi Mover application, Google cloud services or manual copying through a computer. Each method has its advantages. For most users, the best choice will be a proprietary utility from Xiaomi, since it is designed specifically for working with MIUI and HyperOS. However, knowing the alternative ways will be useful if the basic method for some reason does not work.
Preparing devices for data migration
Before you run any portable tool, you need to make sure that both smartphones are in good working order. Charge Samsung and Xiaomi to at least 50-60%. The process of transferring large amounts of data, such as videos in 4K, can take a long time and actively consume energy. If the battery runs down at a critical moment, files can get corrupted.
Check for free space on the new device. The amount of memory available on Redmi should exceed the size of the data you plan to transfer from the old phone. Go to Settings → Memory on both devices and assess the situation. Also make sure that both smartphones are Wi-Fi enabled, as data transfer over the local network is much faster than over the mobile Internet or Bluetooth.
⚠️ Note: Do not start the portability process unless both devices are updated to the latest available version. Older versions of the firmware may contain bugs that interfere with the correct operation of the data protocols.
It is also important to unlock the screens of both phones and keep them close to each other.The screens should not go out during the active transfer phase.If you have a complex lock on Samsung, make sure you remember the pin code or pattern lock, as the system may request security confirmation during the connection creation process.
☑️ Checklist before start
Use of the Mi Mover app
The most efficient and quickest way to transfer data is to use the official Mi Mover app, which is pre-installed on all Xiaomi, Redmi and other smartphones. POCO. On a Samsung device, the app will need to be downloaded from the Google Play Market, a tool that allows you to transfer contacts, messages, call logs, photos, videos, music, documents and even installed apps (APK-file).
Launch the app on the new Xiaomi and select the role "I'm the Receiver." On the old Samsung, launch the app and click "I'm the sender." The connection uses Wi-Fi Direct, so the transfer speed will be high and Internet traffic will not be consumed. QR-the code or name of the device you want to select.
Once the connection is established, the system will suggest selecting data categories to transfer. You can tick only the right items, such as "Gallery" and "Contacts", ignoring the system files. The application interface is intuitive: the slider shows progress, and the timer is the remaining time. Do not turn the application down or lock the screens during the process.
- 📱 The application automatically converts data into a format that is understandable to the shell. MIUI.
- 🚀 The transmission speed can reach 20-40 MB/s depending on the phone model.
- 🔄 Interrupted transmission can often be resumed without losing already copied files.
- 🔒 Data is transmitted over a local secure channel, bypassing third-party servers.
⚠️ Note: Apps that are only available in the Google Play store and are not available in GetApps (Xiaomi store) can be ported as installation files, but will require manual installation and login to your account after the migration is completed.
When you complete the process, you will see a report on the number of items transferred, and the system will prompt you to check the gallery or contact list immediately. If you notice that any folders are missing, check the file system access settings that may have been limited on Android 11 and higher.
Synchronization through Google account
If you don't want to use third-party apps, or you don't have the ability to install Mi Mover on your old phone, the Google ecosystem will come to the rescue: it's the gold standard for Android, which allows you to restore a basic dataset on any device after you enter your username and password, and it's ideal for transferring contacts, calendars, notes, and photos.
On an old Samsung, make sure sync is enabled. Go to Settings → Accounts → Google. Select your inbox and make sure the switches opposite Contacts, Calendar, Drive and others are active. Press Sync or three dots in the corner of the screen to force data updates. This ensures that the latest version of your phone book goes to the cloud.
For photos and videos, the best way to use the Google Photos app is to open it on Samsung, log in to your account and enable Autoboot and Sync. Wait until all images are marked as uploaded. On the new Xiaomi, it’s easy to log into the same account when you first set up your phone or in the Google Photos app, and your entire library will appear in the cloud.
| Type of data | Synchronization method | Speed. | Network dependency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Google Contacts | Instantly. | Internet is required |
| Photo/Video | Google Photo | Slowly (depending on speed) | Wi-Fi required |
| Annexes | Google Play Store | Medium | Internet is required |
| Files. | Google Drive | Slowly. | Internet is required |
Once you have entered your account on the new Redmi, the system will offer to restore the backup of settings and applications. You will see a list of programs that were installed on Samsung. Choose the ones you need and click "Install." Phones will start downloading apps from the Play Market. This will take time, but ensures that you get the latest versions of programs.
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If you have two-factor authentication on Google, make sure you have access to your phone number or backup codes beforehand, as the new phone will be considered a new sign-in device.
Manual transfer via computer
Manual method via PC is the most reliable for transferring heavy files, such as video archives, document folders or cached data messengers, which are sometimes lost in cloud synchronization. This method requires a computer with Windows or macOS operating system and a USB cable.
Connect Samsung to your computer with a cable. On your phone screen, select USB File Transfer (MTP) mode. Open My Computer on your PC, find your Samsung device, and copy the folders you want (DCIM, Pictures, Download, Documents) to a separate folder on your hard drive. Then turn off your old phone and plug in Xiaomi.
On Xiaomi, also select File Transfer Mode. Open the internal memory of the new phone and copy the previously saved folders from your computer to the appropriate directories. The folder structure on Android is standard, so the photos will automatically be determined by the gallery if you put them in the DCIM/Camera or Pictures folder.
Recommended folder structure for manual copying:
/DCIM/Camera (Camera Photos and Videos)
/Pictures (Screenshots and images from social networks)
/Download (Downloaded files)
/Music (Audio files)
/WhatsApp/Media (Messenger Media Files)The good thing about this is that you have full control of the process and you can see which files are being copied, but it won't take the system settings, the Wi-Fi passwords, or the widgets on the desktop, it's just file sharing.
What to do if your computer can’t see your phone?
Transfer of messages and call history
One of the most delicate tasks is to move SMS and call history. Android's standard tools often ignore this data with simple synchronization. Here again comes Mi Mover, who knows how to pull this data from the depths of Samsung's system and embed it into MIUI.
If you use the method with Google, you will need to enable SMS sync in the Google Messages app (if it is installed on Samsung as the main one). Go to the application settings, select Messages → Backup and make sure it is done. On the new phone, when you install Google Messages, you will be asked to restore your correspondence history.
There is no universal cloud solution for call history unless you use specialized backup apps like SMS Backup & Restore. Install the app on both phones, backup on the old one, save the file to Google Drive, then restore it to a new one. It takes a couple of minutes, but it will preserve an important communication history.
- 📞 Call history is automatically restored only through Mi Mover.
- 💬 WhatsApp correspondence is stored separately through Google Drive within the WhatsApp app itself.
- 📝 MMS-Messages may not be displayed correctly after transferring to the new system.
- 📂 Files of attachments in SMS (Images, audio, it is better to transfer manually through the folder MMS.
⚠️ Note: When transferring messages through third-party apps, make sure that the phone numbers in the contacts are stored in an international format (+7, +380, etc.), otherwise the linking of messages to contacts may be confused.
Solution and Optimization Advice
After transferring the data, you may find that the battery of the new phone discharges faster than usual, and it warms up. 24-48 Android on the new device is indexing files, optimizing applications and loading cloud data in the background".
If some Samsung apps don't run on Xiaomi, check their compatibility. Some programs that are sharpened under Samsung's One UI shell may not work properly on MIUI, so you'd better uninstall them and download them from the Play Market to get a universal version.
Remember to check access rights. When you first run portable applications (such as messengers or navigators), Xiaomi’s security system can block access to the microphone, geolocation or contacts. Go through the list of installed programs and issue the necessary permissions in the Settings menu → Apps → Permissions.
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For the first two days, actively use your phone as normal so that the system completes the background optimization and battery calibration, after which the autonomy will return to normal.
Also worth paying attention to is the work of NFC and contactless payment. If you used Samsung Pay, you will have to configure Google Pay or Mi Pay on Xiaomi (depending on the region and the bank).
In conclusion, switching from Samsung to Xiaomi is a simple process if you act consistently: Mi Mover solves 90% of tasks, and manual methods help with heavy files, the main thing is to take your time and check the result at every step.