Changing your smartphone is always an exciting process, especially when you’re migrating from one ecosystem to another. Users who decide to switch from Xiaomi (MIUI) to Samsung (One UI) often face the question of how to keep all contacts, photos, apps and correspondence history without loss. Fortunately, modern Android operating systems provide powerful tools to automate this process, making it as simple as possible even for inexperienced users.
However, despite the availability of automated solutions, there are important nuances to consider to complete the procedure successfully. For example, differences in the MIUI and One UI shells can affect the location of certain settings or how certain types of data are transferred. In this article, we will take a detailed look at all the available methods, from cloud services to direct device connection, so you can choose the most suitable option.
Before you start, prepare both devices. Make sure that the batteries of both smartphones are charged at least 70-80%, and also check for a stable connection to the Wi-Fi network. This is critical, since transferring a large amount of data can take a considerable time and require a stable connection.
The main tool for migration is Samsung’s proprietary app, which is pre-installed on most new models or available for download. Smart Switch allows you to transfer contacts, messages, photos, videos, music, documents and even home screen settings. The process is optimized to minimize manual intervention, but understanding the principles of operation will help avoid typical errors.
⚠️ Warning: Before starting the process, make sure that both devices are on screen and do not go into sleep mode.Stop connection due to locking the screen can lead to a transmission error.
Preparing devices for data migration
The first step is to carefully prepare both smartphones. On a Xiaomi device, you need to check the version of the operating system and if necessary update it to the latest available, this ensures that the data protocols are compatible. Go to Settings → About the phone and check for updates. Similar steps should be done on Samsung.
The second important aspect is to clean up the storage of temporary files and cache that are not needed when transferring. Using built-in cleaning utilities will help speed up the process and avoid transferring junk files. On Xiaomi, this can be done through the Security → Cleanup app, and on Samsung, through Settings → Device Maintenance.
- 🔋 Charge both smartphones to at least 70% or connect them to a power source.
- 📶 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network with high data rate.
- 🔒 Unlock the screens of both phones and allow all access requests when you set up the connection.
- 📲 Make sure that the new Samsung has installed and updated the Smart Switch app.
⚠️ Note: Do not use guest Wi-Fi or mandatory browser-based authorization networks, as they may block direct connection between devices.
It’s also worth signing in to your Google account on both devices in advance. While Smart Switch works without it, syncing through Google will provide additional backups of contacts and calendar, creating double insurance in case the direct transfer method doesn’t work properly for some reason.
Using Samsung Smart Switch for portability
The Smart Switch app is the gold standard for Samsung device owners, allowing data to be transmitted both wirelessly and via cable. The wireless method is most convenient, as it does not require additional accessories, but can be slower when transferring large amounts of data, such as video to 4K.
To get started, run the app on both phones. On Samsung, select Accept Data, and on Xiaomi (after installing the app from the Play Market or Galaxy Store), click Send Data. The system will prompt you to choose whether to connect wirelessly or cablely. When choosing wireless mode, the phones will find each other automatically.
☑️ Check before launching the Smart Switch
Once you have established the connection, you will be asked to choose the types of data to transfer, you can choose all at once or specify specific categories, such as contacts and photos only. The transfer process over Smart Switch encrypts data, ensuring the security of your personal information during transmission. The latency depends on the amount of data and can range from 10 minutes to several hours.
- 📱 Run Smart Switch on both devices.
- 🔗 Select the connection method (Wireless or Cable).
- ✅ Check the boxes for the data that you need to transfer.
- 🚀 Click the “Transfer” button and wait for the process to be completed.
It is important to keep the devices close to each other, and if you use a wireless connection, make sure there are no obstacles between the phones, and turn off Bluetooth on other nearby devices to avoid interference in rare cases of frequency interference.
Transfer via USB-C cable
For users who value speed and stability, a wired connection is the ideal option. A USB-C to USB-C cable (or USB-C to Micro-USB adapter if an old phone uses a micro-USB connector) provides significantly faster data transfer speeds than Wi-Fi. This is especially true if you carry tens of gigabytes of photos and videos.
Connect the cable to both smartphones. Xiaomi may request USB mode on its screen. Select File Transfer or MTP. Samsung's Smart Switch automatically recognizes the connection and prompts you to start importing. This method is also less prone to external interference and communication interruptions.
What to do if the cable is not detected?
The advantage of cable is that it doesn't load the Wi-Fi network, and it doesn't depend on the quality of the router's signal. In addition, phones can charge each other, or at least not discharge as quickly as when you're using wireless modules. Once you've finished copying, be sure to check the integrity of the files on the new device.
| Parameter | Wireless method | Cable connection |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission speed | Medium (depending on router) | High (direct connection) |
| Convenience | High (no wires) | Requires cable availability |
| Stability | Could be interrupted. | Tall. |
| Battery consumption | High-pitched | Low/Mediocre |
Synchronization through Google Account
An alternative and often more reliable way to transfer contacts, calendar and notes is to sync through the Google cloud. Since both phones run on Android, this method is native. When you first set up Samsung, just log in to the same Google account as you do on Xiaomi.
On your old device, make sure sync is enabled. Go to Settings → Accounts → Google and make sure that the checkmarks are ticked against Contacts, Calendar and other relevant items. Press the sync button to make sure all data is uploaded to the cloud before switching.
Once you log in to your account on the new Samsung, the data will start to load automatically, contacts will appear in the phone book, events will appear in the calendar, a method that is particularly good for text information, but it is not suitable for porting installed applications, their settings and large media files unless you have purchased additional volume on Google One.
Transfer of multimedia and documents
Photos and videos often take up the lion's share of memory. If you don't want to use cable or Wi-Fi Direct, you can use Google Photos. Install the app on Xiaomi, log in and boot up. Once you've downloaded, all photos will be available on Samsung immediately after you install the app and log in.
For documents like PDF, Word, or Excel files, cloud storage like Google Drive, Yandex.Disk, or Dropbox is the most convenient way to download files on an old phone and download them on a new one. It's also a great way to back up important documents before you change your device.
If the media is very large (hundreds of gigabytes), it makes sense to use your computer as an intermediary: copy the DCIM, Pictures and Downloads folders from Xiaomi to your PC, and then transfer them to the appropriate directories on Samsung, which guarantees 100% preservation of the original quality without compression.
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Use the “Clean Device” feature in Google Photos after successfully migrating to a new phone to make room on the old Xiaomi before selling or transferring it.
Possible problems and solutions
There may be technical difficulties in migrating, and one of the common problems is file format incompatibility or the Smart Switch app’s failure to see the device, which can be helped by rebooting both smartphones and trying to reconnect, and checking whether the antivirus or firewall on Xiaomi is blocking the connection is also worth checking.
Sometimes users find that apps are not portable or installed in an incorrect version, which is because some applications optimized for MIUI may not be fully compatible with One UI. In this case, it is recommended to remove the problematic application and download it again from the Google Play Store or Galaxy Store.
⚠️ Note: Messages from messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) may not be transferred automatically with the application. Use built-in backup functions inside the messengers themselves before switching.
If the transmission is stuck at a certain percentage, try turning off Bluetooth on both devices, as it sometimes conflicts with Wi-Fi Direct data protocols. Also make sure both phones have the latest version of the Smart Switch app installed from the official app stores.
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Most problems are solved by simply restarting devices and updating the Smart Switch app to the latest version.