How to quickly and safely transfer data from Samsung to Xiaomi: all the ways 2026

The transition from Samsung to Xiaomi is not only about changing the ecosystem, but also the need to migrate all personal data, from contacts and messages to photos and app settings. Many users face problems with this migration: files are lost, contacts are duplicated, and some data is not transferred at all. In this article, we will examine all the current methods of transfer, from standard MIUI tools and One UI to universal solutions that work even on older models.

The difference between Samsung and Xiaomi is the different operating shells: One UI (based on Android) and MIUI (with Xiaomi’s own services), which means that some features, such as backup through Samsung Cloud, will not be compatible with Xiaomi.

Important: If you are switching from Samsung to Xiaomi for the first time, look at file formats. For example, notes from Samsung Notes won’t open in the standard Xiaomi Notes app — they will have to be exported to PDF or TXT in advance.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is an integrated application in Xiaomi, specifically designed to migrate data from other Android devices, and it supports transferring contacts, messages, photos, videos, audio, calendars, and even some of the system's settings.

• 📱 It only works when Xiaomi is first turned on (or after resetting to factory settings).
• 🔄 Requires Android 5.0+ on both devices.
• ⚡ Does not transmit installed applications (only their data if the application is already installed on Xiaomi).
• 🚫 Does not support transferring passwords from Wi-Fi and some system files.

How to use Mi Mover:

1. Turn on the new Xiaomi and get to the “Data Transfer” stage in the master setup.
2. Select "Move from Android" → "I prepared in advance."
3. Download Mi Mover from Google Play on Samsung.
4. Open the app on Samsung, select “I am the sender” and scan the QR- code from the Xiaomi screen.
5. Select data types to transfer and confirm the transfer.

⚠️ Warning: If Samsung has enabled data encryption (Settings → Biometrics & Security → Encryption), Mi Mover may not see some files. In this case, use the method with Google Account (Section 3).

Charging the battery of both phones > 50%|Shut down. VPN firewalls|Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network|Free up space on Xiaomi (at least 20% of the data transfer volume)-->

2 Wire Transfer via OTG- Cable or Adapter

If wireless methods seem unreliable, the most reliable way is to connect directly through a cable.

• 🔌 USB-C is a USB-C cable (or USB-A is a USB-C adapter if Samsung has a microUSB connector.
• 📂 File Manager (e.g. Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Samsung to Xiaomi via cable. On Samsung, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. On Xiaomi, open the file manager and go to the section "USB-device".
3. Copy the folders you want: 📞 Contacts: /storage/emulated/0/Phone (export to.vcf via the Contacts app). 📷 Photo/video: DCIM, Pictures, Movies. 🎵 Music: Music or Media/Audio. 📄 Documents: Documents or Download.

Xiaomi

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Maximum speed (up to 40 MB/s when used) USB 3.0).
• 🔒 No loss of quality (photos and videos are copied in original resolution).
• 🛠️ Works even on devices with damaged Wi-Fi modules.

⚠️ Warning: Some system files (such as messages from Samsung Messages) are stored in secure folders, and you'll need root rights or special applications like SMS Backup & Restore to copy them.

3. Transfer through Google Account (universal method)

If you use Google, this is the easiest way to do this.

• 📇 Contacts (synchronization through Google Contacts).
• 📅 Calendar (Google Calendar).
• 📎 Notes (if you use Google Keep)
• 📷 Photos and videos (via Google Photos with original quality).
• 🎮 Data of certain games (if linked to Google Play Games).

Instructions:

1. On Samsung, open Settings → Accounts and Archiving → Account Management.
2. Select your Google Account and enable sync for all the data you need.
3. Wait for the sync to complete (check in Google Contacts or Google Photos).
4. On Xiaomi, add the same Google Account to Settings → Accounts.
5. Turn on synchronization – the data will automatically be downloaded to the new device.

Important: If you use two-factor authentication (2FA) on Google, make sure you have backup codes or access to a trusted device before perenosom data.

Through Google Account |Wired (Cable/OTG) |SHAREit, Send Anywhere)| Backup on PC |Other way-->

4 Third Party Applications: SHAREit, Send Anywhere, Xender

If the built-in tools don't work, the universal file sharing apps come to the rescue. P2P (device-to-device) and do not require an Internet connection.-3 decisions:

🔹 SHAREit

A popular cross-platform app (including iOS and PC) that can run up to 20MB/s when connected via Wi-Fi Direct.

• ✅ Transfers files of any type (including APK).
• ❌ Advertising in the free version.
• ⚠️ Requires permission to access storage and contacts.

🔹 Send Anywhere

A more secure option with data encryption, allows you to send files via 6-digit key or QR- code.

• ✅ There is no limit to file size.
• ✅ Works over the Internet (you can send the file to another continent).
• ❌ Slower than SHAREit in local transmission.

🔹 Xender

An alternative with a minimalist interface: Supports the transfer of applications along with data (unless it is protected by DRM).

General instructions for all annexes:

1. Install the selected application on both devices.
2. On Samsung, select “Send” and on Xiaomi, “Get”.
3. Connect to a single Wi-Fi network or use Hotspot.
4. Select files on Samsung and confirm the transfer.

⚠️ Warning: When transmitting via Wi-Fi Direct, turn off mobile internet on both devices, otherwise there may be a conflict of IP- addresses and the transmission will be interrupted.

💡

If the transfer is 99 percent dead, restart the app on both phones and try again, and it usually helps without losing progress.

5. Computer Transfer (the most reliable method)

If the data is more than 50 GB or you want to make a full backup, the best option is to use a PC (or Mac) as an intermediary.

• 🔐 100% data security (no risk of loss during transmission)
• 📂 The ability to selectively copy (e.g., only last year's photos).
• 🔄 Support for any format (including system files)

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with USB-port.
• 🔌 Two cables: USB-C (or microUSB) for Samsung and USB-C for Xiaomi.
• 📁 Backup software (optional): Samsung Smart Switch (for Samsung backup) and Mi PC Suite (for Xiaomi recovery).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Samsung to your computer and copy all the files you need to a separate folder (e.g., Samsung_Backup).
2. Disable Samsung, connect Xiaomi and transfer files to the appropriate folders: Contacts → /storage/emulated/0/ (import via the Contacts app) Photo/video → /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/ Music → /storage/emulated/0/Music/
3. To transfer SMS and call logs, use SMS Backup & Restore (Section 2).
4. If you need to migrate apps, export them via APK Extractor (without data) or use Titanium Backup (requires root).

Warning: Do not copy the entire Android folder – this can lead to application conflicts on Xiaomi.DCIM, Download, etc.).

💡

Use a computer if you need to transfer more than 100GB of data or make an archived copy before selling Samsung.

6. Transfer of specific data: notes, passwords, settings

Not all data is transmitted in standard ways. Let's look at how to transfer:

📝 Notes from Samsung Notes

Samsung Notes is not compatible with Mi Notes, but there are workarounds:

1. Export each note to PDF or TXT via the Share menu.
2. Use Google Keep as a middleman: copy the text of notes in Keep, then sync with Xiaomi.
3. For mass export, install NoteShelf or Evernote and move the data there.

🔑 Wi-Fi passwords

Standard methods don't transmit passwords from networks.

• 📋 Manually rewrite passwords (you can view them in Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi → [network] → Share on Samsung).
• 📱 Use the WiFi Password Viewer app (requires root on Samsung).
• 🔄 Move the file wpa_supplicant.conf (location: /data/misc/wifi/), but this only works on Xiaomi with root.

⚙️ Application settings (e.g. WhatsApp)

To move WhatsApp chats:

1. Make a backup on Samsung (Settings → Chat → Backup).
2. Copy /storage/emulated/0/WhatsApp/Databases on Xiaomi (in the same directory).
3. Install WhatsApp on Xiaomi, confirm the number and restore the chats.

For other instant messengers (Telegram, Viber) use the built-in export/import functions.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When you move data, you often have a problem with the typical problems, and here's how to solve them:

If none of these methods worked, try:

• 🔄 Reboot both devices before trying again.
• 📡 Use another Wi-Fi network (sometimes the router blocks P2P- connections).
• 📥 First, transfer the data to the PC and then to Xiaomi (the most reliable option).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions