How to transfer data from Samsung to Xiaomi Redmi Note 9: the complete guide

Changing your smartphone is always accompanied by a slight panic: what to do with thousands of photos, contacts and important notes? the owner of Samsung, who decided to switch to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9, faces the need for a quick and safe migration of all digital assets. Fortunately, modern Android operating systems provide powerful tools to automate this process, minimizing the risk of loss of information.

The process of transitioning from one ecosystem to another has become much easier in recent years: you don’t need to be a technician to perform backup and recovery, but the main thing is to follow the steps consistently and make sure that both devices are charged and ready to go. In this article, we will examine all the available methods, from cloud services to local copying over Wi-Fi.

Preparing devices for data migration

Before any manipulations begin, you need to conduct basic training of both gadgets. Make sure that your Samsung and the new Redmi Note 9 are connected to a stable Wi-Fi network. Data transfer speed is directly dependent on the bandwidth of the channel, so using mobile Internet can take too long or lead to errors.

Charge both devices to a minimum of 60-70%.The process of cloning information, especially if you have a lot of media files, can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours.A sudden power outage at a critical moment can damage the database or interrupt the synchronization, leaving you without some contacts.

It’s also worth checking for free space on your target device. If you’re switching from a 256GB model to a base version of the Redmi Note 9 with 64GB, you’ll have to choose what you want to move in advance.

Method 1: Using a Google Account

The most versatile and reliable method that works on any Android smartphone is sync through a Google account. On an old Samsung, go to Settings → Accounts and Archiving → Account Management. Choose your Google account and make sure that the checkmarks are in front of Contacts, Calendar, Notes (if they are in Google Keep) and Photos (via Google Photos).

Once sync is enabled, click the Sync button right now, which will send all the data you select to Google servers, an ideal method for contacts and calendar records, as they are tied to an account, not a specific hardware of the phone.

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Use Google Photos in Storage Saver mode to download unlimited photos for free if the bulk of Samsung’s memory is filled with media files.

On the new Xiaomi in the initial setup process or through Settings → Accounts and Sync Log in to the same Google account.The system will automatically prompt you to restore data from the backup.Please note that apps can also boot automatically if you agree to this offer at launch.

Method 2: Mi Mover application for fast transfer

Xiaomi has developed its own solution called Mi Mover, which is pre-installed on the Redmi Note 9. This is perhaps the fastest way to migrate data from Samsung, as it creates a direct Wi-Fi connection between devices, bypassing cloud servers. Open the app on a new phone and select the "I'm the recipient" role.

On the old Samsung, you need to download and install the Mi Mover app from the Google Play Store. After launching, select "I am the sender." The camera on the Redmi Note 9 will display QR-code that needs to be scanned by an old phone to establish a connection.

Once you connect, you'll see a list of data categories: images, videos, music, documents, apps and settings. Select the right items and click "Send." Transfer speeds can reach 20-30 MB/s depending on distance and interference.

⚠️ Warning: While Mi Mover is running, phone screens may go out, but the process should not be interrupted.

Using Mi Cloud Cloud Storage

An alternative to Google services is the Mi Cloud, which is especially useful if you plan to use other devices in the Xiaomi ecosystem in the future. On Redmi Note 9, sign in to your Mi Account via Settings → Mi Account.

Turn on data synchronization. You can upload contacts, messages, notes and voice recorders to the cloud. However, to transfer data from Samsung to the Mi Cloud, you will need to first upload it to your computer or use an intermediate step, since direct synchronization of Samsung → Mi Cloud does not exist.

Hand-over of multimedia and files

If automated methods seem too complex or work in an unstable way, there is always a time-tested option: a computer. USB-cable and select file transfer mode (MTP). Copy the folders. DCIM, Pictures, Download and Documents on your computer hard drive.

Then turn off Samsung and plug in the Redmi Note 9. Copy the saved folders into the corresponding directories of internal memory of the new smartphone.This method ensures that no bytes of information are compressed or changed during the transfer.

⚠️ Note: When copying large amounts of data (more than 50 GB) USB 2.0 process can take a considerable time. Use the original cable and port USB 3.0 on a computer to speed up the procedure.

Nuances of Message Transfer and Call Logs

One of the most challenging tasks is to carry the history of SMS and call log, as standard Android tools often ignore this data when changing the brand.The Mi Mover app handles this best, but if it fails, you can use specialized utilities.

Try the Play Market's SMS Backup & Restore app. On your old phone, back up and save the file to Google Drive. On the new Xiaomi, install the same app, log in to the same drive account and recover the data, which will save all the correspondence.

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For a full migration of call history and SMS when changing the brand manufacturer (Samsung to Xiaomi), using third-party backup apps is often the only reliable solution.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)