Buying a new flagship is always euphoric, but inevitably followed by a tweaking phase that can be tedious. The transition from Samsung’s MIUI to One UI shell is not just about changing the logo on the body, but migrating to another ecosystem with its own rules and features. Fortunately, modern technology allows you to migrate data as quickly as possible without losing important information.
Xiaomi device owners often worry about keeping their messaging history and passwords from Wi-Fi networks safe. The migration process on the Samsung Galaxy S21 has become much easier thanks to built-in tools and cloud services. In this article, we will discuss all the available methods so that you can start using a new smartphone immediately after unpacking.
Don't rely on just one way to back up, because different file types require a customized approach, like cloud storage for photos, whereas local connection is more effective for system settings and applications. Let's look at how to prepare for the procedure to avoid typical errors.
⚠️ Warning: Before starting the process, make sure that both devices have at least 60% battery charge. interruption of migration due to battery discharge can damage the contact database or media files.
Preparing devices for data migration
Successful data transfer depends on pre-preparedness of both smartphones, free up space on the new Samsung S21 and make sure that the old Xiaomi device is stable, and users often forget to update the system software, which can cause conflicts when transferring large amounts of data.
Check for free memory space. If you plan to transfer all photos and videos in their original quality, the amount of free space on the receiving device should exceed the amount of data transmitted by at least 10-15%, this is necessary for temporary files and cache of the system.
- 🔋 Charge both smartphones to levels above 60% or connect them to a power source.
- 📶 Make sure both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network with high data rates.
- 🔄 Update the operating system on Xiaomi to the latest available version in the settings menu.
- 📲 Remove unused apps on your old phone to reduce migration times.
Special attention should be paid to your Google account. Make sure that your Xiaomi device has contact and calendar sync enabled. This is a basic level of protection that will allow you to restore your phone book even if the main transfer method fails. Go to Settings → Accounts and sync and check status.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to transfer data over public Wi-Fi networks in shopping malls or cafes. The speed of such networks is unstable, and the security of personal data transmission is not guaranteed.
Using Samsung Smart Switch for full cloning
The most effective and official way to upgrade to a Samsung device is the Smart Switch app, which is designed specifically for migration from other platforms, including Android, iOS and BlackBerry. On Samsung Galaxy S21 devices, the app may already be preinstalled, but on Xiaomi it will need to be downloaded from Google Play Market.
The process starts with installing the application on both devices. Once you run, you'll be asked to choose the device's role: sender or receiver; on Xiaomi, you'll choose "Send data"; on S21, you'll choose "Receive data"; and the app will then suggest that you choose the method of connection: wireless or cable.
☑️ Check before launching the Smart Switch
Wireless connectivity is convenient because it doesn't require additional accessories, but it can be slow when transferring a large amount of video files. If you have a USB-C to USB-C cable, it's highly recommended to use it to speed up the process and increase the stability of the connection. Insert the cables into the appropriate connectors, and the phones will automatically identify each other.
Once the connection is established, the system will suggest selecting data types to transfer. You can choose all at once or configure selective migration. The Smart Switch is able to transfer contacts, messages, call logs, applications, home screen settings and multimedia files. However, some MIUI system settings may not convert to One UI settings.
What to do if the Smart Switch is frozen?
Transferring contacts and media through Google Account
An alternative and often more reliable way to store personal information is synchronization through the Google ecosystem, a method that is particularly effective for contacts, calendar events, and notes, and because both operating systems are Android-based, this process is almost invisible to the user.
To get started, make sure that Xiaomi has your primary Google account selected in the Settings → Accounts menu and sync sliders for contacts and calendar enabled. Once enabled, click on the Sync button or wait a few minutes until the data is sent to Google servers.
On the new Samsung S21, when you first turn on, simply enter the same email address and password. The system will automatically prompt you to restore data from a Google backup. If the phone is already set up, go to Settings → Accounts and Archiving → Account Management and add your account.
| Type of data | Google's method | Smart Switch | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Automatically. | Yes. | Better through Google. |
| Photo/Video | Google Photo | Yes. | Depends on the speed of Wi-Fi. |
| Annexes | List of Play Market List | Yes (APK + data) | Smart Switch retains the input |
| SMS messages | No (no third-party) | Yes. | Only through Smart Switch |
| Wi-Fi passwords | Yes (via account) | Yes. | Requires the same account |
It is important to note that standard Google sync does not transfer the photos themselves to the phone gallery unless the Autoboot and Sync feature is enabled in the Google Photos app. Otherwise, only thumbnails will appear on the S21, and full versions will be downloaded from the cloud as needed.
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Use the “Free Space” feature in Google Photos on Xiaomi before you switch to remove copies from your device that are already stored in the cloud, which will speed up your phone and free up memory.
Migration of applications and data of messengers
The hardest part of the transition is keeping the messaging history in messengers: Banks, WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber store data in different ways. Smart Switch can port some of them, but to ensure safety, it is better to use the built-in backup functions of the applications themselves.
In the case of WhatsApp on Xiaomi, you need to go to the chat settings, select "Backup" and save it to Google Drive. When you install the application on the Samsung S21 and log in to the same phone number, the system will prompt you to restore the history from the cloud, this method works faultlessly and does not require cable.
Telegram and Viber are simpler: they store their correspondence history on their servers, you just need to install the app and log in, but secret chats on Telegram and some local settings Viber may not be transferred automatically.
Bank applications require special attention. For security reasons, login data to banking applications (Sberbank Online, Tinkoff, etc.) is never stored in backup copies. You will have to re-enter logins, passwords and possibly re-assign the device through the device. SMS-bank-call.
⚠️ Before removing the bank app from your old Xiaomi phone, make sure you’re successfully logged in on the new Samsung. S21. Some banks have a limit on the number of devices tied, and logging in on a new phone can decompress the old one.
Porting photos and videos without loss of quality
Media content typically takes up the most space. If you have tens of gigabytes of photos, wireless transmission can take hours, and you can use a PC as an intermediary or an external drive to speed things up.
Connect Xiaomi to your computer in file transfer mode (MTP). Copy DCIM, Pictures and Download folders to your hard drive. Then connect the Samsung S21 and transfer the files to the appropriate directories. This method guarantees 100% metadata security (shoot date, geolocation).
If you cannot use a computer, consider using a computer. OTG-Modern smartphones Samsung and Xiaomi support the connection of external drives through the port USB-C. You can copy the photo to a flash drive on your old phone, then paste it into a new one and import the data through the My Files app".
- 📸 Check the.thumbnails folder inside DCIM — It doesn't have to be moved, it's just a cache of thumbnails.
- 🎵 Don’t forget about the Music and Recordings folder if you’ve used a recorder.
- 📂 Hidden folders (starting from a dot) may not appear in normal file viewing mode.
When using cloud services like Google Photos or Yandex.Disk, make sure that the quality of the original is chosen, not the "Saving space" compression may not be noticeable on the phone screen, but when printing large photos or editing, the difference will be obvious.
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The fastest way to transfer a large amount of photos and videos (more than 50 GB) is using a cable. USB-C to USB-C external SSD-supportive OTG.
Set up the new Samsung S21 after the transfer
Once the data migration is complete, the One UI interface is significantly different from MIUI, so it will take time to adapt. First of all, check the notifications: Samsung’s shell has a more aggressive energy saving system that can block push notifications from some applications.
Go to the battery settings and find the Auto-Optimize section, add your important messengers and email clients to the exclusion list, or set Do Not Limit mode, which ensures you don't miss an important message.
You should also set up the control panel. At Samsung, the notification curtain and the quick settings panel are separated by swipe down. You can change this from the Settings menu → Screen → Notifications panel, returning the usual behavior if the standard one seems uncomfortable.
Don't forget to check the biometrics. Your fingerprints will have to be rescanned, because the hash sums of your fingerprints are stored in a secure module of a particular device and cannot be moved. The face setting also requires re-entry.