How to transfer data from Samsung to Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro: a step-by-step guide

Moving from one Android smartphone to another is always an exciting but sometimes stressful process, especially when you change the ecosystem or just brand of the device. Samsung flagship models, who decide to move to the more productive and affordable Poco X3 Pro, often face the question: how quickly and without loss to throw your entire digital life? Fortunately, modern migration tools allow you to do it in minutes, preserving the folder structure and the location of the icons.

Unlike the old days, when you had to manually re-write contacts or search for lost photos, today there are several reliable ways to sync. The main method we will discuss is based on using a specialized application from Xiaomi, but we will also touch on cloud solutions and manual media transfer, which ensures that no important file remains on the old device.

Before you start, make sure that both your old Galaxy and the new Poco are at least 60 percent charged. The data cloning process can be energy intensive, and a sudden power outage will interrupt the transmission, requiring you to start all over again. Also check for free space on the target device, as the amount of memory on the new phone must be equal to or greater than the amount of data being transferred.

Preparing devices for data migration

The first step is to properly prepare both smartphones. On the Poco X3 Pro running the MIUI shell (or HyperOS in the newer versions), the transfer app is already built into the system. You don't have to look it up in the Play Market store, just look in the Tools folder or search by settings. On the Samsung device, you will need to download the corresponding client, since the native Xiaomi tool is not there.

It is important to ensure a stable connection between gadgets. Although data transfer is possible through the creation of a local Wi-Fi hotspot, for large amounts of information (more than 50 GB), it is better to use a direct cable connection if you have a Type-C to Type-C adapter. However, the wireless method via Wi-Fi Direct is the most versatile and does not require additional accessories.

⚠️ Warning: Before starting the process, turn off power saving mode on both devices.Aggressive battery optimization on Samsung can break the connection at the most inopportune moment, leading to an error in the transfer of data packets.

It is also recommended to close all background apps on the old phone to free up RAM for the migration service, especially for Samsung models with a One UI shell, which can limit the background activity of third-party applications for the sake of saving resources.

Using the Mi Mover app for cloning

The most effective tool for data transfer is the Mi Mover utility, which allows you to transfer contacts, messages, call history, applications, photos, music and even system settings. On the new Poco X3 Pro, launch the application from the menu or through Settings → About Phone → Mi Mover.

Once you start, select the device role. On Poco, click "I'm a recipient," and on Samsung, after you install and launch the app, select "I'm a sender." The receiver smartphone will create a Wi-Fi network that you need to connect to from the old device. The password is usually displayed on the screen or the connection is automatically via QR-code.

The interface will suggest selecting data categories to migrate, so you can choose all at once, or you can migrate selectively, leaving, for example, system debris or game cache on the old device, and once you confirm the selection, you will start a copying process, the progress of which will be displayed as a percentage.

• 📱 Contacts and messages: Moved along with attachments MMS and the history of correspondence in standard applications.
• 📸 Multimedia: Photos and videos save their metadata (EXIF) and initial quality.
• 📲 Annexes: Installed APK-files, but logging into accounts inside applications (banks, social networks) will have to be done again for security reasons.

Alternative ways: Google Account and Samsung Smart Switch

If Mi Mover is not possible for some reason, the gold standard of Android is always sync via Google account, which is ideal for contacts, calendar and notes. On Samsung, make sure that Settings → Accounts → Google has all the necessary items synchronized. Once you type the same email on Poco X3 Pro, the data will be automatically pulled up.

For a deeper migration, you can use Samsung Smart Switch, but with a caveat. It works great when switching to Samsung, but when switching.

Another option is to use cloud storage. Upload photos and videos to Google Photos or Yandex.Disk on your old phone, and on a new phone, just install the app and log in. It's not the fastest way to run hundreds of gigabytes, but it's the most reliable way to save your archive.

Hand-over of multimedia and files

Sometimes automatic systems fail or miss certain folders, such as downloads from messengers or documents, in which case the manual method helps: connect Samsung to your computer, copy the contents of the DCIM, Pictures, Download and Documents folders to your hard drive.

Then connect the Poco X3 Pro to your PC in file transfer mode (MTP) and copy the data to the appropriate directories. Android folder structure is universal, so the photos will be in the gallery immediately after copying. For large amounts of data (over 100 GB), this can be faster than wireless transfer.

Remember to check the Bluetooth folder on your old device if you previously accepted files this way – they are often lost when automatically transferred. It is also worth manually checking the contents of folders of specific applications that store data locally, rather than in the cloud.

Solving problems in transfer

As users migrate, they may encounter a variety of errors, and one of the common problems is, "Disconnection is interrupted," which usually means that one device has gone into sleep or the Wi-Fi signal has weakened, and keep the screens on and the devices next to each other.

Another problem is that fonts or icons are not displayed correctly after porting, which is because Samsung’s One UI shell has its own themes that are not compatible with MIUI, so you just need to reset the theme to the standard one in the new phone’s settings.

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If the Mi Mover app is stuck at 99%, don't panic. Often the process is already complete and the indicator just hasn't updated. Check for files in the gallery and files. If the data is in place, just close the application.

There may also be a situation where some apps don’t install, which is if the Android version on the Poco X3 Pro is newer than the old version of the app, or vice versa, the app is too old, in which case it’s easier to download the new version from Google Play.

⚠️ Note: When transferring data from banking applications and Google Pay (Wallet), security requires re-associating cards and setting up biometrics.

Set up the new Poco X3 Pro after the migration

After successfully migrating data, the new Poco X3 Pro owner should do a little optimization. The MIUI shell has many settings that you should adapt to yourself. First of all, check the notification settings, as the system can aggressively kill background processes of messengers.

Go through the list of installed applications and update them through the Play Market. Removed versions may be outdated, and it is also recommended to set up the fingerprint scanner, which in the Poco X3 Pro is built into the on button, and adjust the control gestures.

Take time to calibrate the screen and adjust the refresh rate. Poco X3 Pro supports 120Hz, and after Samsung with its 60 or 90Hz, the difference can be palpable but nice. Make sure in Settings → Screen → Update frequency is selected "Prefer High."

Concluding recommendations and conclusion

Switching from Samsung to Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro is a great way to get more powerful hardware for the same or less money, the data transfer process is as automated as possible, and with simple preparation rules, it is painless for the user.

The key is to take your time and check for all the important files before you reset your old phone to factory settings, and keep your old phone on for a couple of more days in case you need to get a forgotten file or password.

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Ideal migration scheme: Mi Mover for system and applications + Google Photos for image archive + manual check of banking applications.

Now your Poco is fully ready to go, packed with data and customized to suit your needs. Enjoy the high performance of the Snapdragon 860 processor and the fast charging that this popular smartphone offers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)