Changing your smartphone, especially the transition between Android ecosystems, often raises concerns about privacy, and users worry that contacts, photos and app settings will be lost during the move, but modern developer tools allow you to complete this procedure as quickly and safely as possible.
The process of migrating from Samsung devices to Xiaomi gadgets (Redmi, POCO) has become much easier thanks to built-in system utilities. You do not need to be an IT expert to cope with this task in 20-30 minutes. The main thing is to prepare both devices and choose the right transfer method that suits your data volume.
In this article, we will take a look at all the portable options available, from cloud services to direct Wi-Fi connections, and look at the nuances of working with instant messengers, banking applications and system settings. Careful follow-up will help avoid typical errors and save all important files.
Preparation of devices before the migration
Before you start the active transfer process, you need to perform a number of preparatory actions on both smartphones. Ignoring this stage can lead to interruption of transmission or malfunction of applications on the new device. 60-70%.
The process of synchronizing and copying large amounts of data can be a significant drain on battery life, and if one of the smartphones turns off at a critical moment, the process will have to start again, which will take additional time.
It is also recommended to free up space on the new Xiaomi device if it is not new. Although the system itself will offer to clear the space, pre-check free memory in the Settings → About phone → Memory will not be superfluous. Make sure that both devices are Wi-Fi module and Bluetooth, as they are used to create a communication channel.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to port data if one of the devices is power saving mode.The system may restrict background Wi-Fi activity, which will cause a connection to break during copying gigabytes of information.
Using the Mi Mover application for direct transmission
The most efficient and quickest way to migrate is to use the Mi Mover app, which is pre-installed on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, and for older Samsung devices, it can be easily downloaded from the Google Play Store, with the main advantage of the method being to transfer data over a local Wi-Fi channel without using Internet traffic.
Launch the app on a new Xiaomi phone and select the “I’m the recipient” role.
On the old Samsung, run the Mi Mover, accept the terms of use, and click "I'm the sender." QR-code that will appear on the screen of the new device, or connect to the Wi-Fi point created manually. Once you establish the connection, you will see a list of data categories available for copying.
What if the Mi Mover can’t see the device?
Make sure both phones have geolocation enabled. on Android 10 And above, geo-location access is required to scan Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth devices. Also check if antivirus on Samsung is blocking the application.> You can selectively point out what you need to move: 📱 Contacts and Call History – Keep Your entire phone book and call logs. 📸 Photos and videos are the most time-consuming block. 📲 Annexes - establish APK-Program files, but the data inside them (logins, cache) may not be transferred due to Android security restrictions. 🎵 Audio files and documents - music, PDF, When you select categories, click send. The speed of transfer depends on the number of files and the distance between devices. 32 GB of data is about 15-20 minute. If a direct connection is impossible or causes errors, you can use the classic method of synchronization through a Google account, which is ideal for transferring contacts, calendar, notes and system settings. On Samsung go to Settings → Accounts and archiving → Account management → Google. Make sure sync is enabled for all the necessary items, and click on Sync Now.This ensures that all data is uploaded to Google's cloud. On the new Xiaomi when you first set up or in the Settings menu → Accounts and sync log into the same Google account.The system will automatically prompt you to restore data from the backup. However, for photos and videos, Google Photos cloud storage can be limited to 15GB for free, so for media files, this method is only suitable if you have a paid subscription. Samsung owners can also use the Samsung Cloud service or Smart Switch app to create a full backup on a PC and then try to restore it to Xiaomi, but compatibility is not guaranteed here: ☁️ Google Drive for documents and settings. 🖼️ Google Photos – for the media library (with compression or in the original). 🗓️ Yandex.Disk or Cloud Mail.ru – popular alternatives in the CIS with a convenient autoback photo. 💡Google Account is the foundation of the Android ecosystem. Without it, a smartphone cannot function properly, so logging in to an account is the first must-have step when setting up the new Xiaomi. Transfer of contacts with SIM-maps and through VCF The simplest, “old-fashioned”, but still relevant method is the use of SIM-a card or export file if you have few contacts (up to the 250-500, Depending on the capacity of the SIM, you can copy them directly to the chip. On Samsung, open the Contacts app, go to Contact Management, and select Import/Export Contacts. → Exports to SIM-After the export is complete, remodel the map. SIM-card to new Xiaomi phone. From the contacts menu on Xiaomi, select Import/Export contacts → Import with SIM-All the records will be stored in the phone's memory, but this method has limitations: long names are often cut off, additional numbers, email addresses and photos of subscribers are lost. VCF file. 1. On Samsung, select “All Contacts” → menu (three points) → Contact Management → Import/Export of Contacts → Export. 2. Contacts.vcf file will be saved in memory. 3. Pass this file to Xiaomi via Bluetooth, Telegram or save to Google Drive. 4. Open the file on Xiaomi and the system will suggest importing all entries into the phone book. Data transfer comparison table For ease of choosing the optimal migration method, compare the basic methods on key parameters. Mi Mover Google Smart Switch account setting (PC) High speed (Wi-Fi Direct) Depends on the Internet (via the Internet) USB) Contacts Yes Yes Yes Yes Photo/Video Yes (original) Limited to quota Yes Applications Partially (APK) List to install No WhatsApp Data Supported Only through Backup No 📊 What is the most common way you change phones?Mi Mover / Google Transfer Applications Manual synchronization (contacts and photos)Until you change the smartphone Nuances WhatsApp port and messengers Special attention deserves the transfer of correspondence to WhatsApp, as this is critical data for the transfer of messages to WhatsApp. You have to back up your chats on Google Drive on Samsung. Go to WhatsApp. → Settings → chat → Backup of chats → Backup. Make sure the copy is successful and you see the date and time of the last save. When you first start WhatsApp on the new Xiaomi, after you type in the phone number, the system will prompt you to restore the chat history from Google Drive. The process may take time depending on the size of the database. ⚠️ Note: To restore WhatsApp on a new phone, you need to use the same phone number and the same Google account that the backup was made to. Without this, you can not restore. These messengers store their correspondence history on their servers, and you just install an app, enter a phone number, and get a confirmation code, and all chats (except secret ones) will be automatically downloaded. Frequent problems and their solution During the migration process, users may face various technical difficulties. One common problem is that Xiaomi has a “Not enough space” error, even if the memory seems to be free, which may be because the system reserves space for cache or temporary files, in which case it is worth clearing the cache of the Mi Mover app in the phone settings. Another common problem is the “hang” of the process on the 99%. This is usually when you transfer large numbers of small files or heavy high-resolution video files, so don't panic and interrupt the process right away. 10-15 If progress hasn't moved, try restarting both devices and re-transferring with only Photos and Videos, leaving contacts for later, and users notice that some banking applications (Sberbank, Tinkoff, etc.) require re-authorization or configuration. FaceID/This is the normal response of Android security systems to changing devices. You will have to log in to every financial application using your login, password and SMS code.Final setup and verification After successfully completing the transfer, don't rush to delete data from the old Samsung. For a couple of days, actively use the new Xiaomi, checking if all contacts are in place, if photos are opened and if applications are working. Pay special attention to setting up biometrics and payment services (Google Pay / Mir Pay), which require a separate card binding. Only when you make sure that the new smartphone is stable and all data is available can you start completely resetting the old Samsung device, which ensures that in the event of any unforeseen error, you will have a working copy of all data on the old phone. FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions Will Banks Password Apps Move? The apps themselves will be migrated if you select this option in Mi Mover or restore it from Google Play. However, you will have to re-enter them. Passwords and biometrics are not transferred for security reasons. You will need to remember your password or log in via SMS. Do you need the Internet to work with Mi Mover? No, the Internet is not required. Mi Mover creates a local Wi-Fi network between two phones. Traffic is not consumed, and the transfer speed is limited only by the Wi-Fi capabilities of smartphone modules. What if contacts are mixed or duplicated? If you transfer the data after transferring to Mi Mover, you can use the contact screen for the connection, you can use the tool for the connection? If the sensor is not working, but the image is, you can connect it. USB-mouse-over OTG. If the screen is completely black, but the phone is turning on and responding, try connecting it to your PC and using the Samsung Smart Switch on your computer to create a backup that you can then partially transfer to Xiaomi.