In today’s digital world, it’s often necessary to transfer all the important data from one device to another, and when a user switches from Xiaomi to Samsung or vice versa, it requires a smart approach to synchronizing contacts, photos and applications, a process that is not as complex as it may seem at first glance, but has its own technical nuances that must be taken into account to preserve the integrity of information.
The main difficulty lies in the difference between the software shells MIUI and One UI. Although both smartphones are running the Android operating system, manufacturers use different tools for backup. Synchronization can be done in several ways: through Google cloud services, specialized applications from manufacturers or a local wireless connection.
The choice of method depends on the amount of data being transmitted and the speed of the Internet connection. For small amounts of information, such as contacts and calendar, the cloud is ideal. If you plan to transfer gigabytes of photos and videos, you better use local methods of transmission, which do not depend on the bandwidth of the channel, in any case, the preliminary preparation of both devices is the key to successful completion of the operation.
Preparing devices for synchronization
Before you start direct data transfer, you need to make sure that both smartphones are in good condition and ready to work. Charge Xiaomi and Samsung to at least 60-70%, as the process can require significant power resources.
Make sure that both devices are Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled, which are necessary protocols to detect each other’s devices and create a secure communication channel, and in some cases, geolocation may be required, as Android uses it to scan nearby devices.
- 🔋 Charge both smartphones to at least 60% to avoid shutdown during the process.
- 📶 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network for stable transfer speeds.
- 🆔 Make sure you remember passwords from your Google accounts for authorization.
- 📂 Make room on your new phone by removing unnecessary files or apps.
It is important to check operating system versions. While Android is looking for unification, older versions may not support the latest data protocols used in Smart Switch or Mi Mover. Software updates often solve hidden compatibility issues.
⚠️ Warning: Do not force the synchronization process. If the battery sits down at a critical time of writing system files, the phone may go into a cyclical restart.
☑️ Readiness for synchronization
Using Google Account for Basic Synchronization
The most reliable and versatile way to migrate contacts, notes, calendar events and app settings is to use the Google ecosystem, which works regardless of the smartphone brand, whether it’s Xiaomi, Samsung or any other manufacturer, and the data is stored in the cloud and automatically pulled up when you sign in on a new device.
On an old Xiaomi phone, you have to go into the settings and make sure that sync with Google is enabled for all the right items, usually contacts, calendar, Google Keep notes and app data, and after forced sync, the data is instantly updated on the corporation's servers.
On the new Samsung, when you first start up or in the account settings menu, you need to enter the same email address, the system will offer to restore data from the backup, which is especially convenient because it does not require additional software installation and works out of the box.
| Type of data | Where it's stored | Synchronization speed | Network dependency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Google Contacts | Instantly. | Required. |
| Photo/Video | Google Photo | Depends on the volume. | Required (Wi-Fi) |
| Passwords. | Google Password Manager | Instantly. | Required. |
| Annexes | Google Play | Medium | Required. |
Google’s free storage is limited to 15GB. If you have a lot of photos in original quality, the space may run out, in which case you will either have to buy additional space or compress the photo before uploading, choosing the “Saving space” mode.
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Use the Save Space mode in Google Photos if you run out of free space in the cloud. The quality will remain high, but the files will take up less space.
Samsung Smart Switch: Official migration tool
Samsung has developed a powerful Smart Switch app, which is the de facto standard for switching to Korean brand devices, which allows you to transfer not only contacts and media files, but also home screen layout, alarm clocks and even some system settings.
The process starts with installing the app on both smartphones. On Xiaomi, you choose the role of "Sender" and on Samsung, you choose the role of "Receiver." The app will offer several ways to connect: wireless (via Wi-Fi Direct), via a USB-C cable or using a backup on your computer. The wireless method is most popular because of its simplicity.
With wireless connections, phones create a direct access point, which means that Internet traffic is not consumed, and the transfer speed is limited only by the capabilities of Wi-Fi modules. Smart Switch is able to ignore system files that are incompatible with the One UI shell, which prevents errors from occurring.
- 📲 Install Samsung Smart Switch on both devices.
- 🔗 Select the type of connection: Wireless communication, USB-cable.
- ✅ Allow all requested permissions to access data.
- 🚀 Click "Send data" on the old and "Receive data" on the new phone.
It’s important to understand that some apps may not migrate if they’re not available in the new device’s region or are not compatible with Samsung’s Android version.
⚠️ Note: When transmitting via cable, use original or certified wire. Cheap charging cables may not support data transmission, leading to a connection error.
What to do if the Smart Switch is frozen?
Synchronize multimedia with Mi Cloud and Google Photos
Photos and videos often take up the largest amount of memory. Cloud services are convenient for moving them between Xiaomi and Samsung. Mi Cloud has its own Android app, but it makes more sense to use cross-platform solutions to move to Samsung so that in the future it does not depend on the ecosystem of one manufacturer.
Xiaomi can enable gallery sync with Mi Cloud, and then Samsung can install Mi Cloud or access the browser, but a more rational step would be to upload all photos to Google Photos or OneDrive, which will provide access to the archive from any device in the future.
If the Internet is slow, you can use physical transmission. DCIM You can use the Wi-Fi feature on file managers, such as the Wi-Fi sharing feature, to transfer it to a new computer. MIUI File Manager or My Files on Samsung FTP-server.
Don't forget hidden folders and albums. MIUI often has a hidden album that doesn't sync by default. It needs to be unlocked and explicitly included in the synced objects list or copied manually through the file manager.
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Using neutral cloud services (Google, OneDrive) to move between brands will give you more flexibility in the future than linking to Mi Cloud.
Transfer of messages and call history
The most delicate part of migration is SMS, MMS and call history. It's hard to do this with standard Android tools without Google's cloud, but the Smart Switch app does this brilliantly. It can convert message formats if they differ from Android.
For users of WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber messengers, the situation is a little different. Telegram and Viber store history in the cloud, so just log in to an account on the new Samsung. WhatsApp requires special attention: when setting up a new phone, it will offer to restore a history from Google Drive.
It is critical to back up WhatsApp on the old Xiaomi just before you switch. Go to Settings → Chats → Chat Backup and click Create. Make sure the copy is uploaded to Google Drive, linked to your account.
The way to manually check WhatsApp backup is:
/Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Databases/If automatic recovery doesn’t work, you can try local porting. When you first start WhatsApp on a new device, select recovery from local copy if files have been transferred through Smart Switch to the corresponding folder.
- 💬 Make a full WhatsApp backup on Google Drive before resetting your old phone.
- 📞 History of challenges and SMS It is best carried through the cable. USB-C In the Smart Switch app.
- 🔐 Two-factor authentication: make sure that SIM-The card is active to receive the confirmation code.
Solving and Compatibility Problems
Although processes are fine, there are sometimes failures, such as the contacts being synchronized twice: once in a row. SIM-To avoid duplicates, before syncing to Xiaomi, it is better to export all contacts to Google, and with the help of the Google account. SIM-maps to remove or hide.
Another common problem is incorrect font display in messages or "broken" application icons, which is due to the fact that MIUI fonts and themes are not compatible with One UI. When transferring data, it is better to uncheck the "System settings" or "Themes" box so as not to carry garbage.
If Samsung doesn’t see Xiaomi over Wi-Fi, try temporarily shutting down mobile internet on both devices. Sometimes, the priority of the mobile network prevents you from properly establishing a Wi-Fi Direct connection, and rebooting your router or creating an access point on one of your phones also helps.
⚠️ Note: After transferring data, banking applications may require re-binding the device or checking via SMS for security reasons.
In rare cases, you may need to manually reset your network settings. If sync is permanently interrupted, reset your network settings on both devices. This will not delete your personal data, but will return your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings to factory values.