Changing the Android smartphone ecosystem is always stressful, with the risk of losing important information, settings and interfaces. The transition from Samsung to Xiaomi (including the Redmi and POCO brands) requires understanding the differences in the shells of One UI and MIUI/HyperOS. Although both systems are based on Android, storage methods and system applications can vary significantly, creating the illusion of complexity of the process.
Fortunately, modern technology allows you to migrate almost completely automatically, saving contacts, messages, photos and even the location of icons on the desktop. The key is to choose the right tool for transfer, as standard methods may not cover all hidden folders or specific security settings. In this article, we will break down all the nuances to make your new smartphone work as a native immediately after turning on.
The main challenge is often not the copying process itself, but the authorization of services. You will have to re-sign in to Google, Samsung and possibly Mi Account. It is important to understand that Samsung Cloud and Xiaomi Cloud are different ecosystems, and direct synchronization between them without an intermediate step is impossible, so preparing both devices takes longer than transferring files.
Preparing devices before migration
Before the action begins, you need to carefully prepare both smartphones. Make sure that the device Samsung and Xiaomi charged at least 60-70% of the battery, as the process of intensive data transfer can significantly drain the batteries. It is also highly desirable to connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network, preferably at 5 GHz for maximum speed.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to transfer data over the mobile Internet (4G/5G), If you don't have an unlimited rate, the process can require several gigabytes of traffic, and the speed will be unstable, which will lead to errors when transmitting large amounts of information.
On a Samsung device, it is recommended to remove unnecessary apps that you no longer use so as not to clog the new system. Also check for system updates on both gadgets to eliminate compatibility bugs. On the new Xiaomi, the system will suggest you start setting up when you first turn on, but it is better to walk to the desktop and prepare the environment.
☑️ Checklist for transfer preparations
Pay special attention to accounts. If your old phone uses third-party launchers or specific themes, it is better to remove or export them separately, as they may conflict with MIUI. For users who actively use instant messengers, it is recommended to back up chats inside the applications themselves (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber), although modern migration tools often know how to carry them.
Using the Mi Mover app for migration
The most efficient and native way to migrate data is the official Mi Mover app, designed specifically for the Xiaomi ecosystem, which is pre-installed on most new devices of the brand, but if it is not available, it can be downloaded from GetApps or Google Play. On a Samsung device, the app will also need to be installed manually.
The process starts with running an app on both smartphones. On the new Xiaomi, you choose the Recipient role, and on the old Samsung, the Sender role. The app will create a local Wi-Fi hotspot that you need to connect to. Importantly, at this point, the Internet on the phones may temporarily disappear, as the communication channel is redirected to a direct connection between the devices.
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If Mi Mover can’t see the device, temporarily disable VPNs and antiviruses on both smartphones. Also make sure that Samsung’s Wi-Fi settings allow the use of data in the background for that application.
Once connected, the interfaces are synchronized, and a list of categories to transfer will appear on the Samsung screen, and you can select images, videos, contacts, messages, call logs, and even installed apps. Mi Mover algorithm tries to find app analogs in the GetApps store or Play Market on a new device if you copy directly. APK-File is not possible due to differences in Android versions.
- 📱 Contacts and messages: Transferred almost always without errors, preserving the history of correspondence and attachments.
- 📸 Multimedia: Photos and videos store metadata (date, geolocation), but can lose landscape structure if folders are created by specific applications.
- 🔒 Security: Wi-Fi passwords and some system settings may not be portable due to different levels of access in One UI and MIUI.
It is worth noting that the transfer speed depends on the amount of data. 50-100 GB transfer can take from 30 minutes to an hour. Interruption of the process at this stage is not critical — you can run it again, although the files already transferred may be duplicated or require manual verification.
Alternative method through Samsung Smart Switch
If for some reason Mi Mover is unstable or you are used to Samsung tools, you can use the Smart Switch app. Although it is sharpened to the Samsung ecosystem, it can create full backups in a format that can be partially used or transferred through the cloud. However, direct transfers to Xiaomi via USB-C to USB-C cable in the Samsung-to-Non-Samsung bundle may not happen automatically.
In this context, Smart Switch is better used as a training tool. SD-A map or to the cloud, and then try to restore data to a new device if the corresponding software is installed there, although Xiaomi does not natively support recovery from the Smart Switch backup.
| Characteristics | Mi Mover | Samsung Smart Switch (PC) | Google Account |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed of operation | High (Wi-Fi Direct) | Medium (via USB/PC) | Low (network dependent) |
| Portability of applications | Yes (automatic installation) | No (list only) | Yes (download list) |
| SMS/MMS messages | Yes. | Yeah (in archive) | No (separate backup required) |
| Difficulty | Low. | Tall. | Medium |
Using a PC as an intermediary makes sense if you're afraid of losing data in the wireless process. You can create a full image of the phone on your computer and then manually copy media files to Xiaomi. That's longer, but gives you a sense of control over every byte of information.
Why does the Smart Switch not see Xiaomi directly?
Working with Google and Samsung accounts
The centerpiece of the Android ecosystem is the Google account. When you first set up Xiaomi, be sure to log in to the same Google account that was used on Samsung.This automatically syncs contacts, calendar events, Google Keep notes and purchases in the Play Market.
The situation is different with a Samsung account. It's not a system for Xiaomi. You'll have to re-enter Samsung Notes, Samsung Health or Samsung Gallery apps on a new device if they're available there, or use their web versions. Data from Samsung Notes is better exported in advance to PDF or TXT, or sync with Microsoft OneNote, which works great on any platform.
⚠️ Note: Samsung apps such as Good Lock or One-specific widgets UI, They won't work on Xiaomi. Don't try to install them. APK-manual files – this can lead to unstable system operation or cyclical reboots.
To sync passwords saved in the Samsung Internet or Chrome browser on your old phone, just make sure that sync is enabled in your browser settings. On the new Xiaomi, just log in to the browser under the same account, and all bookmarks and passwords will appear automatically.
Transfer of messengers and social networks
Messengers deserve special attention, as they store their correspondence history locally or in their own clouds. WhatsApp is a standard process: when installed on a new phone, the app itself will prompt you to restore the history from a backup copy of Google Drive, the main thing is to use the same phone number and Google account.
With Viber and Telegram, the situation is similar, but there are nuances. Telegram stores the entire history in the cloud, so it is enough to simply log in. Viber requires you to create a local backup on your old phone, transfer the backup file to the ViberBackup folder on the new device and then restore it when you install it.
- 📞 WhatsApp: Backup on Google Drive → Installation on the new → Recovery.
- 💬 Viber: Creating a backup → Copying a backup file via Mi Mover → Installation and restoration.
- ✈️ Telegram: Just login by phone number, the story will download itself.
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Call history inside instant messengers (Viber Out, WhatsApp Calls) is not portable, since it is tied to a specific device and its logs, not to a cloud account.
Banking apps and government services will have to be reconfigured, for security reasons, they do not tolerate authorization sessions, and Xiaomi may need to adjust notifications further to ensure that messages from banks are not lost due to the aggressive battery saving of the MIUI system.
Configure notifications and energy saving on MIUI
Once the data is successfully transferred, the user may find that notifications from some applications do not arrive on time or come with a delay, a feature of the MIUI/HyperOS shell that aggressively kills background processes to save energy. Unlike One UI, you need to manually configure important applications.
Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management, find the right messenger (such as WhatsApp or Telegram) and go to Energy Saving. Select No Limits mode. Also make sure that autostart and display over other windows are enabled if necessary for functionality.
Another important step is to remove excess “junk” that could have been transferred from the old phone.The Xiaomi system cleaner will help remove the cache, but it’s also worth checking the Download and Bluetooth folder for old files that you don’t need but take up space.