Changing a smartphone, even to a different model, always raises legitimate concerns about the safety of the accumulated information. Samsung device owners who decide to move to the Xiaomi ecosystem often face the myth that it is difficult to migrate data between different shells of Android. In fact, the Android operating system is unified, and transferring information takes from 10 minutes to an hour depending on the volume of files.
There are several proven methods to migrate contacts, photos, apps and settings, and the choice of the specific method depends on your preferences: whether you want to use Wi-Fi for speed, cloud services for automation or cable for reliability. In this article, we will discuss all the current options so that you can choose the most convenient one.
Before you start, it's important to understand that backup is a must-have that will keep you safe from accidental data loss. Modern tools make the process virtually invisible to the user by automatically determining file types and structure. Let's look at what tools are available to accomplish this task.
Using the Mi Mover application for wireless transfer
The most efficient and quickest way is to use the proprietary utility Mi Mover, developed specifically for Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices. This application is available on Google Play and pre-installed on most of the brand’s new smartphones. It allows you to transfer data over a direct Wi-Fi connection, which provides high speed without consuming mobile traffic.
The process starts with installing the app on both devices. On the old Samsung, you need to download the Mi Mover from the store, and on the new Xiaomi, it can already be in the Tools folder. After launching on both devices, you choose the role of the device: "Old Phone" on Samsung and "New Phone" on Xiaomi.
- 📱 On the new Xiaomi device, an access point is created, which you need to connect from an old phone through the Wi-Fi menu.
- 🔄 After the connection QR-The code displayed on the screen of the new smartphone is scanned by the camera of the application on Samsung.
- 📂 The user is invited to select data categories: contacts, messages, images, video, audio, applications and system settings.
Importantly, when migrating apps, some may require re-authorization, as only installation files are transferred, not session data.
⚠️ Warning: Make sure that the screens of both smartphones do not go out during the transfer. interruption of the process during the copying phase of system files can lead to malfunction of some applications.
The transfer speed depends on the amount of data, but is usually about 20-40 MB / s. This allows you to pump 10 GB of information in about 5-10 minutes.
What if devices can’t see each other?
Synchronization through Google Account
The most universal method that does not require additional software is synchronization through Google Account. Since both smartphones are based on Android, your contacts, calendar, notes and even passwords are automatically stored in the search cloud.
To activate this method on Samsung, you need to go to settings and make sure that sync is enabled. The path usually looks like: Settings → Accounts and Archiving → Account Management → Google. Here you need to make sure that all the necessary switches are active.
Then on the new device at the first setting or through the Settings menu → Accounts and syncs need to add the same Google account. The system will prompt you to restore data from a backup created earlier.
☑️ Checking Google Syncs
The main advantage of this method is transparency, because you don't depend on third-party applications, and the backup is stored securely on Google servers, but full-resolution photos can take up space in the cloud if you don't have compression enabled.
Transferring multimedia via Bluetooth and ShareMe
If you only need to transfer a few files or photos, you can use the built-in transfer tools. Bluetooth is in every smartphone, but its speed is slow. A more modern analogue is the Quick Share feature (formerly Nearby Share) from Google or the proprietary ShareMe app (formerly Mi Drop) from Xiaomi.
ShareMe allows you to create a local network for transferring files of any size, it works faster than Bluetooth and does not require an Internet connection, Samsung needs to install an application from the Play Market, and Xiaomi often has it built into the system.
- 📤 The sender selects files in the gallery and clicks the "Share" button".
- 📡 The list of available devices selects the recipient name (Xiaomi).
- ✅ The recipient confirms the reception of the file on the screen of his smartphone.
This method is ideal for fast transfer of video or heavy documents, which is pathetic to compress in messengers, the quality of the source is maintained completely, without losing details.
Why is ShareMe better than Bluetooth?
The manual method through the computer and USB-cable
For users who prefer complete control of the process or don't trust wireless methods, there is a "old-fashioned" way through the PC, USB-cables for both phones and a little more time, but it guarantees stability.
First, connect Samsung to your computer and copy the DCIM (photo and video), Download, Documents, and Music folders to your hard drive. Then plug in Xiaomi and transfer those folders to the appropriate internal memory directories of the new device.
This method also allows you to clean up debris that may have accumulated on an old phone before transferring data to a new one.You can manually sort files by removing duplicates or unnecessary screenshots.
| Method | Speed. | Difficulty | We need the Internet. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Mover | Tall. | Low. | No (locally) |
| Google Account | Medium | Very low. | Yes. |
| USB + PC | Depends on the cable. | Medium | No. |
| Bluetooth | Low. | Low. | No. |
Transfer of messages and call history
One of the most delicate tasks is the transfer of SMS-And standard Android tools often ignore this data with simple synchronization, and Mi Mover comes back to the rescue, which is able to pull this data out of system partitions.
If you use Google Messages on Samsung, when you install it on Xiaomi and log in to your account, your correspondence history can be pulled up from the Google One cloud. To do this, the backup function must be enabled in the application settings on your old phone.
Otherwise, third-party applications like SMS Backup & Restore will be created XML-A file that needs to be transferred to a new phone and restored, which takes a couple of minutes, but requires software installation on both devices.
⚠️ Note: Banks and instant messenger apps (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) have their own backup mechanisms.
For WhatsApp, make sure to back up Google Drive on your old phone before you switch. On the new device, when you first start, the messenger will prompt you to restore your correspondence history from the cloud.
The transition from One UI to MIUI
Switching from Samsung’s One UI shell to Xiaomi’s MIUI (or HyperOS) isn’t just about changing data, it’s about changing the logic of interaction. The interface, settings and controls are different here, for example, the app menu can be turned on or off depending on the topic.
MIUI has a more aggressive power saving system that can unload applications from memory. After transferring data, it is recommended to go to the battery settings and set the background activity restriction in the "No Limits" mode for important messengers.
Also worth paying attention to the design theme: Samsung is famous for its minimalist themes, while the Xiaomi theme store offers a huge selection of customization, changing even the icons of system applications.
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After transferring the data, be sure to check the notification settings. In MIUI, they work differently than in One UI, and may require additional permissions to display on a locked screen.
Adapting to a new interface usually takes 2-3 days of active use. The main thing is not to panic if the usual button or swipe work differently. Xiaomi’s flexibility of setting allows you to recreate the familiar environment.