The transition from Samsung to Xiaomi is not only about changing the ecosystem, but also the need to transfer all the important data: contacts, photos, messages and even app settings. Many users face problems when trying to transfer information between devices of different brands, especially if they used to use only firmware solutions from one manufacturer. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways of data migration, from official tools to workarounds, and also warn against typical errors that can lead to loss of information.
The main difficulty is that Samsung and Xiaomi use different synchronization protocols: the first is focused on Samsung Account and Smart Switch, and the second is on Mi Account and Mi Mover. Fortunately, most modern smartphones support universal standards like Google Drive or direct cable transmission. We tested all methods on devices from 2022-2026 (including the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Xiaomi 14 Pro) and identified the most reliable options for both power users and beginners.
Before you start, make sure both phones have enough battery power (at least 50%) and Xiaomi has the latest version of MIUI installed. This will help avoid crashes during transfer. Also prepare a USB-C cable - USB-C (or adapter if the ports are different) and check the free space on the target device.
1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi
Mi Mover is a Xiaomi-branded app designed to migrate data from Android or iOS devices. It is pre-installed on all smartphones of the brand and supports the transfer of contacts, messages, photos, videos, audio, calendars and even some application settings. The main advantage is that it does not require a computer and works directly between phones.
To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:
- 📱 On Xiaomi go to Settings → The phone. → Data migration (or find the Mi Mover app in the menu).
- 🔄 Select the option “I am a new user” and follow the prompts.
- 📶 On Samsung, download Mi Mover from Google Play (if it’s not there) and launch it.
- 🔗 Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network or create an access point on Xiaomi.
- 📤 On Samsung, select the data to transfer and confirm the beginning of the process.
The speed of the transfer depends on the amount of data: for example, 10 GB of photos can be copied up to 30-40 minutes. It is important not to interrupt the process and not to block the screen on both devices. If the transfer freezes, try restarting the application or changing the connection type (from Wi-Fi to a hot spot).
Charge both phones to 50% or more |
Make sure there is enough space available on Xiaomi |
Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network (or create an access point)|
Disable VPNs and firewalls on both phones |
Close background applications that may interfere with transmission
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⚠️ Note: If data encryption is enabled on Samsung (Settings) → Security, Mi Mover may not see some files, in which case, temporarily disable encryption or use alternative methods.
2. Transmission via Samsung Smart Switch (alternative)
Samsung Smart Switch is commonly used to migrate data to new Galaxy devices, but it can be adapted for Xiaomi as well.This method is suitable if the Mi Mover failed or you want to save folder structure and file metadata. However, there is a caveat: Smart Switch does not support direct transfer to non-Samsung devices, so you will need an intermediate step – a computer.
Instructions:
- Install Samsung Smart Switch on the official website (Windows or Mac version).
- Connect Samsung to your computer via cable and back up (select all the data you need).
- Once complete, disable Samsung and connect Xiaomi in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
- Copy the backup from the SmartSwitchBackup folder on your computer to Xiaomi memory (for example, to the Downloads folder).
This is longer than Mi Mover, but gives you more control over the process, so you can choose which folders to move and which to skip, for example, and Smart Switch saves your call history and SMS, which is not always available in other methods.
| Method | Speed. | Data types | PC required | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Mover | ⚡ Quickly (10-50 min) | Contacts, photos, videos, messages, applications | ❌ No. | ⭐⭐☆ |
| Smart Switch + PC | 🐢 Slowly (1-2 hours) | All data + call history | ✅ Yes. | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Google Drive | ⚡⚡ Average (20-60 min) | Contacts, photos, videos, documents | ❌ No. | ⭐☆☆ |
| OTG cable | ⚡⚡⚡ Instantly. | Any files. | ❌ No. | ⭐⭐☆ |
3. Cloud services: Google Drive and Mi Cloud
If you prefer not to depend on cables and specialized applications, cloud storage is a great solution. Google Drive and Mi Cloud allow you to back up on Samsung and restore it to Xiaomi, the main advantage is the availability of data from any device and the ability to selectively restore it.
For Google Drive:
- 📁 On Samsung, open Settings → Google → Backup and enable sync for contacts, calendars and application data.
- 🖼️ Upload photos and videos to Google Photos (select “Backup and Sync” in the settings»).
- 📱 On Xiaomi, log in to the same Google account and wait until sync is complete.
For Mi Cloud:
- 🌥️ On Xiaomi go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud and enable backup.
- 🔄 On Samsung, upload files to Mi Cloud via browser (https://i.mi.com) or Mi Cloud app (if available).
- 📲 On Xiaomi, recover data from the cloud in the Mi Cloud menu → Recovery.
Note: Mi Cloud only provides 5GB for free, whereas Google Drive gives 15GB. If you have a lot of data, you may have to buy space or use both services in parallel.
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Before uploading to the cloud, check if you are above the mobile internet traffic limit. For example, backing up 20GB of photos over 4G can waste a whole month packet in minutes.
Direct transmission via cable (without PC)
If you have a USB-C cable, a USB-C (or adapter), you can transfer files directly from a flash drive, which is suitable for photos, videos, music and documents, but not for contacts or messages, but it is the fastest, speed is limited only by the capabilities of the USB port (up to 10 Gbps to USB 3.2).
Step-by-step:
- Connect Samsung to Xiaomi with a cable. On Xiaomi, select File Transfer (USB) mode.
- On Samsung, in the connection notification, select File Transfer or USB-modem (if the first option is not available).
- On Xiaomi, open a file manager (e.g. Files by Google or Mi File Manager).
- Go to section. USB-drive (this is Samsung memory) and copy the desired folders (DCIM For photos, Downloads for downloads, etc.) in Xiaomi’s internal memory.
To speed up the process, you can use Total Commander or FX File Explorer, which supports batch copying and shows the transmission speed in real time. If the cable does not recognize, try another port or check the integrity of the wire (especially if it is cheap or damaged).
⚠️ Note: When copying photos and videos via cable, metadata (date of shooting, geotagged) can be reset. To avoid this, use specialized applications like PhotoSync or Send Anywhere.
5. Transfer of applications and their data
The hardest part of migrating is migrating installed apps and settings. Unfortunately, neither the Mi Mover nor the Smart Switch copy. APK-files or game data (e.g., progress in Genshin Impact or Honor of Kings) can be used here by combining several methods:
- 📦 For a list of apps: export it through App Backup & Restore (available on Google Play).The app will create a file that can be imported to Xiaomi.
- 🎮 For game data: Use built-in sync via Google Play Games or developer accounts (e.g. miHoYo for Genshin Impact).
- 🔧 For app settings: Some programs (like WhatsApp or Telegram) allow you to back up to the cloud.
If the game or program does not support cloud sync, try to manually copy the folder with data (usually it is in /Android/data/[name packet]) through a cable or ADB. However, this method does not always work - some applications link data to the IMEI of the device.
How to save games without the cloud?
6. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them
Even when following instructions, users often face problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:
- 🚫 Mi Mover doesn’t see Samsung: check that both phones have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on, and turn off VPN. If it doesn’t work, restart both devices.
- 🔌 The cable is not recognized: try another cable (preferably original) or clean the port of dust. Also check if Samsung has Charging mode instead of File Transfer.
- ⏳ The transmission is 99 percent dead, which is a typical problem with a lot of data. Wait 10 to 15 minutes if it's not moving, restart the application.
- 📱 Contacts are not portable: make sure they are saved in Google Account, not in your phone’s memory. → Settings → Imports/Exports.
If neither method worked, try resetting the network settings on both phones (Settings → System → Reset → Network Reset).This often solves connectivity problems. In extreme cases, you can use ADB or Fastboot, but it requires technical skills.
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Before you start migrating, always check if there is enough space on Xiaomi, for example, if you are carrying 30 GB of data and only 20 GB is free, the process will stop in the middle.