Replacing an old smartphone with a new one from another manufacturer is always accompanied by stress associated with the risk of losing important contacts, photos and correspondence. Samsung owners who decided to move to the Xiaomi ecosystem often wonder how to correctly and quickly transfer the data set to the new phone becomes a full copy of the old. The process of migrating from Android to Android, even between different brands, has become much easier thanks to the development of cloud technologies and specialized applications.
Modern methods allow you to download from Samsung to Xiomi almost everything from calendar notes to Wi-Fi network settings. However, there are many nuances that depend on the version of the operating system, the amount of internal memory and Internet connection speed. In this article, we will discuss all the available methods in detail, assess their reliability and speed, and point out the hidden problems that can be encountered when changing the brand.
Before starting the active phase of the transfer, you need to make sure that both devices have a sufficient battery charge, preferably at least 60-70%. Interrupting the migration process during the copying phase of the system partitions can lead to incorrect operation of the new Xiaomi smartphone or loss of user data. It is also recommended to free up space on the new device that exceeds the amount of data occupied on the old phone to avoid recording errors.
Preparing devices for data migration
The first step in the transition process is to carefully prepare both gadgets. On a Samsung device, you need to check for system updates, as older versions of the One UI shell may have compatibility conflicts with new data protocols used by MIUI or HyperOS. Go to Settings → Software Update and make sure that the current version is installed.
On the Xiaomi side, the situation is similar: the new firmware contains bug fixes that can interfere with the stable reception of large amounts of information.In addition, both devices should enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, even if you plan to use a cable connection, as these modules are often used for initial handshakes and device detection.
An important step is to clean up the junk on your old phone, and before you download the content, it makes sense to remove the cache of heavy apps and duplicate photos, which will not only speed up the process, but also save precious space on a new device that is better spent on new files than on old digital junk.
☑️ Ready for transfer
Make sure that Samsung syncs your contacts and calendar with your Google account, which will back up your most important data in the cloud, which will be your insurance in case the direct copy fails or fails for some reason.
Using the Mi Mover application for wireless transfer
The most effective and official way recommended by the manufacturer is to use the Mi Mover utility.This application is designed specifically for migrating data from any Android smartphones, iOS and even button phones to Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices. It allows you to transfer contacts, messages, call history, photos, music, videos, documents and even some system settings.
The process starts with installing the app on both devices, and on the new Xiaomi, it is often already built into the system and is in the Tools folder or available through settings when you first run it. APK-file or find an app on Google Play, although in the latter case the version may not be the latest, so it is better to use the official support site.
Once the program is running, the old phone is assigned the role of "Sender" and the new phone is assigned the role of "Receiver" and the devices are connected either through scanning. QR-The transmission speed when using this method is quite high and does not depend on the speed of the Internet connection, since a local network is created.
- 📲 Contacts and messages: transferable in almost 100% of cases without loss of formatting.
- 📷 Media Files: Photos and Videos Keep Original Quality and Metadata (EXIF).
- 📱 Annexes: installation files are transmitted APK, but data within applications (logins, game progress) may not be saved.
- ⚙️ Settings: Wi-Fi passwords, alarm clocks and some interface settings are transferred.
⚠️ Note: When transferring large amounts of data (over 50 GB) over Wi-Fi Direct, the process can take considerable time and phone screens must be active.
Sync through Google Account and Cloud Services
If wireless transmission is difficult or seems too slow for some reason, you can use the proven method of synchronization through the Google cloud, which is ideal for those who want to set up a new Xiaomi phone as clean as possible, without unnecessary “junk” from the old device, leaving only the essentials.
To implement this method on Samsung, you need to go to Settings → Accounts and Archiving → Account Management and select your Google account. Here you need to make sure that switches are turned on to synchronize contacts, calendar, Google Keep notes and Chrome data. Once forced synchronization is enabled, the data will go to the cloud.
On the new Xiaomi, you need to enter the same Google account when you first turn on or through the settings menu. The system will automatically prompt you to restore data from the backup. However, it is worth remembering that free Google storage is limited to 15 GB, so you can not do a full backup of all the contents of the phone in this way – only critical data and settings.
What to do if the synchronization is suspended?
Photos are worth a special attention. If you use Google Photos, all your photos can already be in the cloud. Just install an app on Xiaomi and log in to your account. Samsung Cloud is also relevant for Samsung owners, but it does not have direct integration with MIUI, so you should use Google Photos as a universal intermediary.
Wired connection and use of adapters
For users who prefer reliability and top speed, there is a wired connection method. Since modern smartphones Samsung and Xiaomi are equipped with USB Type-C ports, in theory, they can be connected directly with a Type-C cable - Type-C. However, the standard Android system does not always allow you to see the file system of another phone as an external drive without the use of special software.
In this case, Mi Mover can also use a cable connection to speed up the process if both devices support data transmission over the port.The application interface will prompt you to connect the cable when the wireless connection shows low speed or instability.
An alternative, older, but more reliable way is to use the computer as an intermediary, so you can download files from Samsung to your PC and then transfer them to Xiaomi, which is convenient for sorting large archives of documents and videos.
| Method | Speed. | Reliability | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Mover (Wi-Fi) | Tall. | Tall. | Low. |
| Google Account | Medium | Very high. | Low. |
| Wire (PC) | Very high. | Tall. | Medium |
| Bluetooth | Low. | Medium | Low. |
When using a PC, it is important to properly extract devices so as not to damage the file system, and it is also worth considering that some Android system folders can be hidden from direct access without superuser rights, so only user content will be copied.
Transfer of messengers and social networks
A separate and most painful topic for many users is the transfer of the history of correspondence to WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber and other messengers. Standard methods of copying files often do not work here, since the databases of messages are encrypted and tied to a particular device or account.
There's a built-in backup feature for WhatsApp. On Samsung, go to Settings → Chats → Backup Chats and create a copy in Google Drive. When you install WhatsApp on Xiaomi and log in to the same phone number, the app will prompt you to recover your story from the cloud. This is the only regular and secure way.
With Telegram, everything is simpler: the entire story is stored on the messenger servers. Just download the app on Xiaomi, enter the phone number and confirmation code. All chats, channels and groups will be downloaded automatically. Secret chats are not portable for security reasons.
Viber also uses backup, but it is often done on Viber Drive or locally, and when you upgrade to a new phone, it is important to start the recovery process in the first minutes of installing the app, otherwise new correspondence may overwrite the old backup.
⚠️ Note: Two-factor authentication (2FA) Make sure you have access to your phone number or recovery codes, because SIM-The card will have to be moved to the new Xiaomi to receive SMS.
Common mistakes and ways to solve them
Users often face technical problems when migrating, and one of the most common mistakes is to say “Not enough memory” on the receiving device, when the difference in free memory between Samsung and Xiaomi is too small, and the solution is one: remove everything from the new phone or transfer data in parts before starting the process.
Another common problem is disconnection during transmission, which can be caused by energy-saving modes that aggressively disable the Wi-Fi module to save charge. On Xiaomi, in developer mode or in battery settings, it is worth temporarily disabling optimization for the Mi Mover application.
Users also complain that contacts are displayed twice after the transfer: one of them is a very different one. SIM-To fix this, you need to go to the Contacts app, select a display filter and leave only one source, or use the duplicates' combination feature.
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If apps don't open after you've moved them, don't rush to delete them. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find the problem app, and click "Clear Data." This will reset the conflict settings you received from the old system.
And the differences in Android versions are also important, because if Samsung had Android 10 and Xiaomi had Android 14, some old apps might not work properly, and in such cases, only reinstalling the app from Google Play again, without transferring old data, helps.
Completion of the setup and integrity check
Once the copying process is complete, don't use your phone immediately, give the system a few minutes to index files and set up heavy applications in the background, check the gallery: are all the albums still in place, are the geotags in the photos preserved.
Be sure to check the NFC module for payment if you used this feature on Samsung. On Xiaomi, NFC settings may differ, and you may need to re-add your bank cards to Google Pay or Mi Pay. Also check the alarm clock and calendar, as these are critical features.
The final touch is to remove the Mi Mover app and clear temporary files if they are left.Now your new Xiaomi is fully ready to go, retaining all the important data and habits, but offering new features and performance.
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Successful data transfer is not just about copying files, it's about checking the functionality of all the new devices. Don't be lazy to spend an extra 15 minutes testing.