Changing your smartphone is always accompanied by a desire to save important data, but what most people care about is the fate of correspondence. The archive of messages with confirmation codes, important agreements and personal photos often contains information that cannot be restored through the provider’s cloud services. When you change a brand, for example, switch from Samsung to Xiaomi, standard synchronization of Google may not work as expected, as manufacturers use different shells and applications to work with messages.
Fortunately, modern Android tools allow you to migrate data with little to no loss. You don't have to manually rewrite texts or take screenshots of every correspondence. There are several reliable methods that allow you to copy the entire data array, including MMS attachments, in minutes. In this article, we will discuss the most effective ways to ensure that your communication history is safe when you move to a new device.
The main difficulty is that the messaging database on Samsung is stored in a specific format that the Messages app on Xiaomi has (MIUI HyperOS or HyperOS may not recognize automatically when inserted SIM-Locally transferring through a special application or backing up and then restoring it is the only way to solve the problem. Ignoring the correct algorithm of actions can lead to the fact that the inbox on the new phone will remain empty.
Preparing devices for data migration
Before you start copying directly, you need to perform a number of preparatory steps on both devices. Make sure that both the old Samsung and the new Xiaomi have a battery charge of at least 50-60%. The process can take time, especially if the accumulated messages number in the thousands, and a sudden power outage will interrupt the operation.
Also check for free space on the target device. Although text text messages take up the minimum space, multimedia messages (MMS) with photos and videos can weigh hundreds of megabytes. Make room if Xiaomi memory is full by deleting unnecessary cached files or old downloads.
⚠️ Warning: Do not install third-party SMS apps on a new phone before the migration is complete.Using third-party clients can block access to a standard database, making it impossible to restore a backup copy.
It is also important to update the system software on both devices to the latest available version. Developers often make improvements to data protocols, and the current One UI firmware on Samsung and MIUI on Xiaomi will ensure maximum compatibility. Check the updates in the Settings menu → System → System Update.
Method 1: Use the Mi Mover application
The simplest and most formal way, designed specifically for users of the Xiaomi ecosystem, is the Mi Mover utility, which is pre-installed on most of the brand's new smartphones, and allows you to transfer not only contacts and photos, but also messages, which is good because it does not require a computer connection and works on a direct Wi-Fi connection between devices.
To start, open the app on a new Xiaomi phone (usually in the Tools folder). Select the “I’m the recipient” role. On an old Samsung, you need to download Mi Mover from the Google Play Store if it’s not installed, launch it and select “I’m the sender” (Old phone). After the scan. QR-code or manual connection to the Wi-Fi network created by the new phone, the transfer process will begin.
- 📱 Run Mi Mover on both devices and select the appropriate roles.
- 📶 Connect your old phone to the Wi-Fi network that Xiaomi has built.
- 📂 In the list of data for transmission, be sure to tick the item "Messages" (Messages).
- 🚀 Click “Send” and wait until the process is complete without switching screens.
The main advantage of this method is that it automatically distributes messages to folders (incoming, sent, drafts), but the speed can vary depending on the quality of the wireless module. If you have thousands of messages with attachments, the process can take up to 30-40 minutes, at which time the screens of the devices should be turned on.
What to do if the Mi Mover is frozen?
If the process is stuck at a certain percentage, try turning off mobile internet on both devices, leaving only Wi-Fi. It also helps to reboot both smartphones before trying again. Make sure Samsung doesn’t have power saving mode on, which can block background data transfers.> Method 2: Backup via Google Drive The second method relies on Google’s cloud infrastructure, making it versatile for any pair of Android smartphones. Google Drive lets you create a full copy of messages and settings that are tied to your account. When you first activate the new Xiaomi or after resetting, the system will prompt you to restore data from the cloud. On a Samsung device, go to Google settings. Find the Backup section. Make sure that the Google One Backup switch is activated. In the backup details, check the box against SMS and MMS. Click Start Copy and wait until sync is complete. When you turn on the new Xiaomi and log in to the same Google account, the App and Data Copy screen will appear during the initial setup. Select From Cloud Backup. The system will find the latest backup from Samsung and suggest restoring messages. This is ideal if you don't have both phones on hand at the same time, as recovery can be done later. The Mi Mover Google Drive setting SMS Backup & Restore Speed High (locally) Medium (depending on the Internet) High Requires PC No No No No Saves MMS Yes Yes (with limitations) Yes Difficulty Low Low Medium Method 3: Third-Party Apps (SMS Backup & Restore If the regular funds failed or you want to have full control over the backup files, the best solution will be specialized software. SMS SyncTech's Backup & Restore, which allows you to create locally-based XML-files that can be stored anywhere: on a memory card, in Dropbox, Google Drive, or just flip over Bluetooth. Install the app on Samsung. In the main menu, select "Create a Backup." In the task settings, make sure that you select "Text Messages" and "Multimedia Messages». Once you have created a file, transfer it to Xiaomi in any convenient way (via file manager, ShareMe or cloud). On the new device, install the same application, select Restore, and specify the path to the file. ⚠️ Note: When recovering through third-party applications, Android may request permission to access the system. SMS. This is a standard security procedure. You'll need to temporarily make this application the default app for messages so that it can embed the data into the database and then return the standard application. The feature of the method is that it creates a universal file that can be opened even on a computer with a text editor (although reading thousands of lines of code is inconvenient), which ensures that your data is not dependent on the vagaries of cloud services or compatibility of Android versions. The backup file has the extension.xml and can weigh from several kilobytes to several gigabytes if there are many photos in the correspondence. 💡After recovering messages with a third-party app, be sure to return the standard Messages app (from Google or Google). MIUI) As a basic setting, or new SMS may come to a third-party client. Solving common problems during transfer Despite the simplicity of procedures, users often face technical nuances. One of the common problems is that messages have recovered but are displayed in the wrong format or without pictures. This often happens if Xiaomi activates an energy saving mode that aggressively kills the background recovery processes. → Battery and turn off energy savings. Another situation: SMS has been moved, but the numbers are displayed as unknown, although the contacts were saved. This is due to the desynchronization of contact and message databases. Solved by forced synchronization of Google Contacts. Go to Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Google and click Sync. Sometimes users complain that they're duplicated after migrating, which is the case if you've used multiple methods in a row (like Mi Mover first, then Google). In this case, you will have to use the SMS doubler app to clear the duplicate recordings, or perform a full reset of Xiaomi settings and start the migration again, choosing one method. 🔋 Turn off the power saving mode on both devices before start. 📡 Use a stable Wi-Fi connection while avoiding public networks. 🔄 Do not interrupt the process even if the screen goes out (check the screen timeout settings). 💡The most common mistake is to interrupt the process during the “System Setup” stage. Wait for the Xiaomi desktop to fully load before checking for messages. Set up a message application on Xiaomi after migrating. After successfully migrating data, it is worth taking time to set up a new environment. In the shell. MIUI or HyperOS messaging app has its own features, different from Samsung Messages. It is recommended to immediately turn on spam protection, which is built into Xiaomi system and works on the basis of local databases and cloud updates. Go to the message settings (three dots in the corner or menu button). Find the Antispam or Spam Protection section, activate the filter to block hidden numbers and ads, which is especially important because if you change your phone, you may be the target of new spam attacks. Also check the notification settings. On the new Xiaomi, they may look different than on Samsung. You can customize different sounds for different contacts or message categories, making smartphone use more comfortable. Remember to turn on Smart Answers if you plan to respond quickly to messages directly from the lock screen. Why don't you text after you migrate to Xiaomi? SIM-The card is not active for voice and SMS in the network settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks, and make sure that the right SIM is enabled with data and voice, and also check if the operator's number is locked, can you transfer SMS without the Internet? Yes, it's possible. Method using Mi Mover application or creating local backup through SMS Backup & Restore does not require a global network connection. Data is transmitted directly between devices or stored in the phone memory. Will WhatsApp history be saved when you transfer SMS? No, regular SMS and WhatsApp messages are different things. To transfer WhatsApp history, you need to use the built-in chat migration function inside the WhatsApp application itself when you first launch on a new phone or through Google Drive. Is it safe to store SMS backups in the cloud? Google Drive and other large services use encryption during transmission and storage. However, if SMS contains bank access codes (2FA), it is recommended that after transferring and confirming the change of the number in banks, delete the old SMS with the codes for security.