How to transfer all data from your Samsung phone to Xiaomi

Switching to a new smartphone is always an exciting process, with expectations of better performance and a fresher design, but the owner has a difficult task: to save all the accumulated files, contacts and settings over the years. When you change a device from Samsung to a gadget from Xiaomi, you are actually changing one ecosystem for another, although both are running the Android operating system. It would seem that the logic of the work should be identical, but each manufacturer has its own unique shells and features of the organization of the file system that need to be considered.

Modern data migration tools allow you to perform this process as quickly as possible and without losing important information, whether it is correspondence in messengers or an archive of photos over the past five years. You do not need to be a technical specialist to successfully complete the migration, you just need to follow the algorithm of actions and have a stable connection to the Wi-Fi network. In this article, we will discuss all the available methods in detail, including the use of a proprietary Mi Mover utility, cloud storage and manual copying through a computer.

The focus is on preparing both devices, because 90 percent of the success of the entire operation depends on this stage. Lack of battery power or overcrowded memory can interrupt the process at the most interesting place, which in the worst case will lead to file corruption. We will look at the nuances of working with Mi Account and Google Account, which are key elements for synchronizing data in new conditions.

Preparing devices for data migration

Before you run any transfer programs, you need to carefully prepare both smartphones. This is not just a formality, but a critical step, ignoring which can lead to connection errors or loss of files. First of all, make sure that both devices are on Wi-Fi, as transferring large amounts of data over the mobile network can be unstable and costly.

Both smartphones should be charged at least 60-70%, and ideally connected to the power source throughout the process. Data transfer is a resource-intensive task that puts a heavy burden on the processor and wireless communication modules, which can lead to unexpected shutdown of the device when the charge is low.

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Use the original chargers of both phones during the transfer process to avoid voltage spikes and ensure a stable charging speed.

It’s also worth freeing up space on Xiaomi’s new phone if it’s already in use or has apps pre-installed that take up a lot of space.Make sure the old Samsung doesn’t have corrupted files that could cause the converter program to freeze when trying to process them.

⚠️ Note: Do not try to use Bluetooth to transfer a lot of data (photos and videos), as the speed of this protocol is too low for modern standards and the process can take several hours.

It is important to update the operating system on both devices to the latest available version in advance, and developers are constantly making improvements to data protocols, and older versions of the software may not be compatible with new encryption methods or file formats.

Using the Mi Mover app for quick migration

The most effective and recommended way to transition is to use a specialized application Mi Mover, developed by Xiaomi engineers specifically for such cases. This utility is able to read data not only from other Xiaomi phones, but also from third-party devices, including Samsung, Huawei and OnePlus.

To get started, you need to install the app on both smartphones. On the new Xiaomi, it is often preinstalled in the Tools folder, and on Samsung, you need to download it from the Google Play Market. Once installed, run the program on both devices and accept the user agreement.

At the stage of choosing the role of the device, Xiaomi needs to select the option “I am the recipient” (or “New phone”), and Samsung – “I am the sender” (or “Old phone”). QR-The code that you need to scan with the camera of the old device, and that will create a direct, secure connection between the gadgets.

The interface will tell you to choose data categories to migrate, and you can choose to migrate selectively, marking only contacts and messages, or make a complete copy of the system, and the process will go automatically, and you can watch the progress in real time on the screen.

It’s worth noting that some Samsung system settings may not be portable due to differences in One UI and MIUI (or HyperOS) shells, but basic settings such as alarm clocks, calendars and notes usually migrate without problems.

Transferring data through Google Account and Cloud Services

If cables or direct wireless connections are difficult to use, the “gold standard” of the Android ecosystem, Google Account, comes to the rescue, ideal for those who want to save their contacts, calendar events, notes and installed app list without bothering with complex file transfer settings.

On an old Samsung phone, go to Settings → Accounts and Archiving → Account Management. Make sure your Google account is active and synced for all the items you need. Click on the Sync button to make sure all the data has gone to the cloud.

• 📱 Contacts: automatically saved to Google’s phone book and available on any device.
• 📅 Calendar: All events and reminders will be updated immediately after logging in to your account.
• 📷 Photos: Use Google Photos to back up your media files.
• 📝 Notes: If you’ve used Google Keep, they’re also synced.

After enabling the new Xiaomi, in the initial setup process, the system will prompt you to log in to a Google account. By entering the same login and password, you will have access to your entire digital life.

⚠️ Warning: Free space in Google account is limited to 15 GB. If you have a lot of photos in original quality, space may not be enough, and sync will be interrupted.

For users who are actively using cloud storage like Yandex.Disk or Dropbox, there is also the possibility of transferring, just installing the corresponding application on a new phone and logging in, but it is worth remembering that this method will not transfer system settings or call history.

Manual copying of files through a computer

For users who are used to controlling every byte of information or have a very large amount of data (for example, hundreds of gigabytes of video), the most reliable method is manual copying via a PC. USB-cable.

Connect your Samsung phone to your computer and select the USB File Transfer (MTP) mode from the notification menu. The computer will open a Explorer window where you will see the phone's internal memory. Copy the required folders (DCIM, Pictures, Download, Music) to your computer's hard drive.

Then disable Samsung and plug in Xiaomi.The Android folder structure is versatile, so you can just drag the copied data into the corresponding directories of the new device.The computer automatically recognizes the new device as an external drive.

Structure of folders for manual copying:


/DCIM/Camera - Photos and video from the camera




/Pictures - Images from social networks and screenshots




/Download - Downloaded files from the browser




/Music - Audio files




/Documents - Documents and PDF

The advantage of this method is that you can do a file review without carrying the garbage that has been accumulating in the memory of an old phone for years, and the transfer speed over USB 3.0 is much faster than over a wireless network.

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Manual copying via PC is the only way to guarantee transferring files larger than 4GB that may not work properly with some file systems when wirelessly transferring.

Transfer of messages and call history

One of the most delicate tasks is to keep the history of SMS correspondence and call logs, and standard Android tools make this difficult, because the system does not provide direct access to the database of messages for simple copying, and here again specialized applications come to the rescue.

The most popular and proven solution is the application. SMS Backup & Restore: It allows you to create a full backup of correspondence and calls in the form of a full backup of calls. XML-It's a file that you can then transfer to a new phone and restore, and it's completely automated and takes a few minutes.

Alternatively, use the backup function in Google Drive. In Google's settings on Samsung, look for the "Backup" section and make sure the "SMS" switch is activated. When you set up Xiaomi initially, the system will prompt you to restore the SMS from the cloud.

• 📲 Install a backup app on both phones.
• 💾 Create a backup on your old device.
• 📤 Transfer the backup file to your new phone (via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct).
• 📥 Launch Recovery on Xiaomi.

It is important to understand that the history of correspondence in messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) is stored separately from system SMS. To transfer them, you need to use built-in backup functions inside the applications themselves, linking them to a Google account or cloud storage.

Problem Solving and Format Compatibility

During the migration process, users may face a number of technical difficulties due to differences in software, such as ringtones and themes created for the shell One UI from Samsung will not work on MIUI. They will have to be replaced with counterparts from the Xiaomi theme store.

Another common problem is that fonts or icons are not displayed correctly in some apps immediately after porting, whether it is a reboot of a new device or an update to a problematic app via the Play Market, and the Android system on the new phone needs to re-index files and optimize the application.

⚠️ Note: If contacts are displayed with duplicates after the transfer, use the “Combine Duplicates” feature in the Contacts app from Google to clear the phone book.

Also, some Samsung system applications (such as S Health or S Voice) are unmatched or work differently on Xiaomi, and may not be automatically transferred and will have to be exported manually if the developer has the option.

In case none of the software methods helped, and the phone behaves unstable, you can consider the option of completely resetting the new Settings device → About Phone → Resetting and repeat the initial setup procedure from scratch, carefully following the instructions of the setup wizard.