Buying a new smartphone is always a pleasant thrill, but the process of migrating data from an old device often turns into stress. Users moving from the Android ecosystem to Android, but changing the brand, face non-obvious nuances. In particular, the question of how to transfer data from a Samsung phone to Xiomi requires understanding the differences between the shells of One UI and MIUI (HyperOS).
With technology, you can clon information almost completely automatically, so you don't have to manually interrupt hundreds of contacts or search for each photo in the cloud, but you have to prepare both devices correctly to complete the procedure, not only for battery power, but also for choosing the right software tool to migrate.
In this guide, weβll look at all the current ways, from the proprietary utility MI Mover to time-tested methods through a Google account, weβll learn how to save folder structure, migrate call history and even set alarm clocks, and the right approach will allow you to start using a new gadget immediately without being distracted by routine settings.
Preparing devices for data migration
Before any technical procedure, make sure that both smartphones are ready to work. First of all, check the battery level on both devices. It is desirable that the battery is charged at least 60%, and ideally connect the devices to the power source.
The second critical point is a stable Wi-Fi connection. While some methods use direct Wi-Fi connection between phones, having the Internet is essential for logging in to accounts and checking for app updates. Make sure the network is reliable and doesn't require constant password rechecking through the browser.
β οΈ Warning: Before starting the transfer, it is strongly recommended to free up space on the new Xiaomi device.Remove unnecessary files or applications that you do not plan to use so that the amount of internal memory allows you to accommodate all the data from the old Samsung.
You should also update the software on both devices to the latest available versions. On Samsung, go to Settings β Software Update, and on Xiaomi, to Settings β About Phone. This minimizes the risk of file format incompatibility or sync services errors. After the update, it is recommended to restart both smartphones.
βοΈ Checklist of preparations
Use of the Mi Mover app
The most effective and specialized tool for owners of Xiaomi equipment is the MI Mover application. This utility is designed specifically for fast data transfer between smartphones running the MIUI shell or HyperOS. It allows you to transfer contacts, messages, call history, photos, videos, music, documents and even some system settings.
The process starts with installing an app. On the new Xiaomi, it's usually pre-installed in the Tools folder. If it's not available, download it from GetApps or Google Play. On the old Samsung, you also need to install MI Mover from the app store. Run the program on both devices. On Xiaomi, select the role "I'm the recipient" and on Samsung, "I'm the sender."
Once you've chosen the roles, the devices will start looking for each other. QR-When the connection is established, a list of data categories will appear to be transferred. Select the desired items, such as Images, Contacts, ApplicationsΒ».
- π± Supports the transfer of contacts, SMS, Challenge history and multimedia.
- π It works via direct Wi-Fi connection without consuming mobile traffic.
- π Allows you to resume transmission in case of communication interruption.
- π‘οΈ Data is transferred locally and is not stored on the developerβs servers.
The speed of the transfer depends on the amount of data and the distance between the devices. Try to keep the phones close to each other and not lock the screens during the process. Once completed, the new device will be reported on the number of transferred files.
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The MI Mover app is Xiaomiβs native tool for ensuring the best data format compatibility when switching to MIUI/HyperOS.
Synchronization through Google account
The universal method, which does not require additional software, is synchronization through Google cloud services, which is ideal for transferring contacts, calendar, notes and passwords. Since both systems are based on Android, the integration is seamlessly, the main thing is to use the same Google account.
On an old Samsung, make sure sync is enabled. Go to Settings β Accounts and Archiving β Account Management. Select your Google account and click on Sync Account. Make sure the ticks are against contacts, calendar and other important sections. If there are no ticks, the data may not load onto the new phone.
On the new Xiaomi, when you first turn on or in the Settings menu β Accounts and sync, add the same Google account. The system automatically prompts you to restore data from the cloud copy. You can choose what exactly to restore: applications, Wi-Fi settings, passwords and contacts.
| Type of data | Google's method | The MI Mover Method | Manual method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Automatically. | Yes. | VCF file |
| Photo/Video | Google Photo | Yes. | USB/Bluthus |
| Annexes | List (download) | APK files | Play Market |
| Wi-Fi settings | Yeah (on reset) | No. | Manually. |
It is important to understand that this method will not transfer the application files themselves (APK), but only create a list of them in the Play Store, download and install will occur automatically if you have Wi-Fi. You can also sync the media library through Google Photos if you have enabled the autoboot and sync function.
Hand-over of multimedia and files
Sometimes automatic systems may not work properly or miss large amounts of data, such as heavy 4K video files. In such cases, manual transfer through a computer or the use of a USB-OTG adapter is the optimal solution, giving full control over the folder structure and ensuring that no bytes are lost.
To work over a PC, connect Samsung to your computer first with a cable. Select the MTP file transfer mode in notifications. Copy the DCIM (camera photos and videos), Pictures, Download and Music folders to your computer's hard drive. Then turn off Samsung and connect Xiaomi.
Copy saved folders into the root directory or the corresponding directories of the internal drive of the new smartphone. The folder structure on Xiaomi is similar to standard Android, so the photos will immediately appear in the gallery. This method is especially useful for transferring large files that take a long time to transfer through the air.
β οΈ Note: When manually copying via PC, avoid interrupting the connection.Do not remove the cable until the write operation is complete, otherwise the file may be corrupted and will not open.
An alternative to a computer can be a flash drive with OTG-If your Xiaomi has support, USB OTG (On-The-Go, you can copy the data to a flash drive via Samsung, then paste it into Xiaomi and move the files to internal memory through the built-in Explorer.
Nuances of WhatsApp and messengers transfer
So, you need to take a little bit of attention to migrating your email history to WhatsApp, because it stores data locally and in the cloud, it's a simple reshuffle. SIM-Samsung needs to back up chats on Google Drive. Go to WhatsApp β Settings β chat β Backup of chats and click βBackupΒ».
When you first launch WhatsApp on the new Xiaomi, the app will automatically detect a backup in your Google account and prompt you to restore it. It is important to use the same phone number and the same Google account. If you use a local copy (without the cloud), you will have to manually transfer the Android/media/com.whatsapp or WhatsApp folder through the file manager.
For other instant messengers like Telegram or Viber, the process is simpler. Telegram stores the entire history on the server, so simply enter a phone number. Viber also allows you to back up to Google Drive through the app's settings, which you need to activate before transferring.
What if WhatsApp doesnβt see a backup?
Common mistakes and ways to solve them
The migration process is rarely smooth and users may encounter a variety of errors, and one of the most common problems is interrupting Wi-Fi Direct while MI Mover is running, which often happens when one of the phones is power-saving, which aggressively shuts down the wireless module.
Another common mistake is the lack of space: users may not consider that space and space are different things, or forget about system files, and there may be conflicts of Android versions, when the old contact database formats are not correctly displayed on the new shell.
- β Not enough space error: Clear the app cache or delete unnecessary files before starting.
- β Connection interrupted error: Turn off flight mode and power saving on both devices.
- β Contacts are not synced: check if Google is chosen as the default default for saving contacts.
If you're experiencing a process that's "hanging" at a certain percentage, try restarting both phones and starting the procedure anew, selecting only those categories of data that haven't been moved. Partial synchronization is often more successful than full synchronization.
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Tip: If MI Mover is permanently interrupted, try to switch one of the phones to flight mode, leaving only Wi-Fi on. This will eliminate interference from cellular networks and calls.