How to quickly and safely transfer data from your Samsung phone to Xiaomi: a complete guide

Why Transferring Data Between Android Devices Can Be Harder Than It Seems

The transition from Samsung to Xiaomi is not just a brand change, but a transition between two ecosystems with unique branded services. Even though both manufacturers use Android, the data migration process is often accompanied by unexpected complications. For example, Samsung Smart Switch refuses to work with Xiaomi devices, and Mi Mover does not always correctly recognize files from Korean smartphones. In this article, we will analyze 7 proven ways to transfer data from official tools to workarounds for power users.

The problem is that Xiaomi and Samsung use different approaches to storing system data, such as Notes and Reminders in Samsung are tied to a Samsung Account, while Xiaomi has similar features integrated into the Mi Cloud, which means that simply copying files via cable will not be enough – you will need to sync through the cloud or manually adjust export. Next, you will find step-by-step instructions for each type of data: contacts, messages, media, applications and even system settings.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a Xiaomi-branded app designed to migrate data from other Android devices, and it supports transferring contacts, messages, photos, videos, music, and even some settings. However, there are nuances: the app does not always work correctly with the latest models of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or Galaxy Z Fold 5 due to differences in data protocols.

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

• 📱 Install Mi Mover on both devices: download it from Google Play to Samsung and find it in Settings → The phone. → Transferring data to Xiaomi.
• 🔗 Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network or create an access point on Xiaomi.
• 📤 On Samsung, select the role of “Sender”, on Xiaomi – “Recipient".
• 📋 Mark the data types for transfer (contacts, messages, multimedia) and confirm the transfer.

Charge both phones to at least 50%|Turn it off. VPN firewalls|Make sure that there is enough space on Xiaomi.|Check the stability of the Wi-Fi connection-->

Important: Mi Mover does not carry installed applications – only their data (for example, save in games or setup messengers), and there may be problems with transferring encrypted backups or files protected by DRM (for example, purchases on Google Play Music).

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If the Mi Mover is stuck in the connection phase, try restarting both devices and repeating the procedure, sometimes changing the network type from 5 GHz to 2.4 GHz helps.

2. Alternative from Samsung: Smart Switch with a workaround

Samsung Smart Switch doesn’t officially support data porting to other brands’ devices, but there’s a workaround: backup your Samsung first and then manually extract the data.This method is suitable for users who want to keep a full copy of their phone, including screen settings, wallpaper and app data.

Instructions:

1. Install Smart Switch on Samsung (usually preinstalled).
2. Connect your phone to your computer via USB and select Backup → On your computer.
3. Once you have finished copying, find the backup file (usually in.spb format) in the Samsung\SmartSwitch\backup folder.
4. Use third-party tools like Samsung Backup Extractor (requires root rights to Xiaomi) to extract data.

Warning: extracting data from.spb files can compromise their integrity. It is not recommended to use this method to transfer encrypted messages or bank data - it is better to synchronize them through the original applications (for example, Samsung Messages → export to.xml).

3. Cloud services: Google Drive vs Mi Cloud vs Samsung Cloud

The most universal way to migrate is to use cloud storage, but there are limitations to every service.

Recommended algorithm:

1. Sync your contacts and calendars with Google Account on Samsung (Settings → Accounts → Google).
2. Upload photos and videos to Google Photos (set up automatic download in Settings → Backup).
3. Export SMS and call logs through applications like SMS Backup & Restore (saves to.xml).
4. On Xiaomi, log in to the same Google Account and wait for sync.

Google Drive|Mi Cloud|Samsung Cloud|iCloud|Other |Not using cloud-->

⚠️ Note: If you used Samsung Pass to store passwords, export them manually through Settings → Biometrics and safety → Samsung Pass → Data Export. Mi Cloud does not support import from this service.

4. Direct transmission via cable: OTG and file manager

For users who do not want to depend on cloud or Wi-Fi, direct file sharing through the Internet is a good option. USB-This method requires a cable. OTG-Adapter (if Xiaomi does not have a Type-C port) and file manager like Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Samsung to Xiaomi via OTG-cable (or directly if the ports are compatible).
2. On Xiaomi, open Mi File Manager and select a partition. USB-device.
3. Copy the right folders: 📸 Photos and videos: DCIM, Pictures 🎵 Music: Music, Ringtones 📄 Documents: Documents, Download

applications

APK Extractor

Samsung

.apk

Xiaomi

⚠️ Note: When copying an Android folder (where app data is stored), errors may occur due to differences in the directory structure of Samsung and Xiaomi. For example, the Instagram or WhatsApp cache may not open on a new device. In such cases, it is better to use the built-in export in the applications themselves.

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Direct transmission over cable is the fastest way to handle large amounts of data (e.g, 4K-video RAW-Photos, but not suitable for system settings or protected files.

5. Applications and their data portability: what works and what doesn’t

One of the most challenging tasks is to migrate installed applications and their data. Android doesn’t provide built-in tools for this, so you’ll have to use workarounds:

• 📲 App List Backup (saves the list in.txt) to remember what was installed on Samsung.
• 🔄 Application data: for games and instant messengers (for example, WhatsApp, Viber) use the built-in export: WhatsApp: Settings → chat → Backup (saves to Google Drive). Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Chat exports.
• 🛠️ APK-Files: Use the application to transfer the application itself APK Extractor (requires permission to access the storage facility).

Important: Some apps (such as Samsung Health or Samsung Pay) are tied to the Samsung ecosystem and won’t work on Xiaomi.

• Look for analogues in the Mi App Store (e.g. Mi Fitness instead of Samsung Health).
• Export data to universal formats (e.g..gpx for activity tracks).

Critical information: applications that use DRM-protection (e.g. Netflix, Disney)+ Banking programs may require re-authorization on a new device, even if you migrate them. APK-file.

6. Transfer system settings and accounts

System settings (wallpaper, notification sounds, display settings) are the most difficult to move, since Samsung and Xiaomi use different shells: One UI and MIUI, respectively.

• 🔊 Sounds and melodies: copy files from the /system/media/audio (requires root) or use standard Ringtones, Notifications folders.
• 🎨 Wallpaper: Export through Settings → Wallpaper. → Save or copy from the /data/system/users/0/wallpaper.
• ⚙️ Screen settings (brightness, color profile): in MIUI You will have to reconfigure, but you can take pictures of the current settings on Samsung for reference.

To transfer accounts (such as Samsung Account or Mi Account):

• Sync your data with the cloud (Samsung Cloud → export to.zip).
• For Mi Account on Xiaomi, log in to the same account as on your old device (if you had one).
• Use Google Authenticator to port two-factor codes: export backup to Samsung and import to Xiaomi.

7 Problems and Solutions: What to Do When Data Is Not Portable

Even if you follow the instructions, you can get errors, and let's look at the typical problems and the ways you can solve them.

If none of the methods worked, try manual transfer:

1. Create a data archive on Samsung via Titanium Backup (requires root).
2. Move the archive to Xiaomi and recover the data through the same Titanium Backup.
3. For rootless apps, use Swift Backup (works on some Xiaomi models with unlocked bootloader).

⚠️ Note: Using Titanium Backup or Swift Backup can lead to data loss if the Android versions on devices are very different (e.g. Samsung on Android 13 and Xiaomi on Android 14.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions