How to transfer files from Samsung phone to Xiaomi: Full Guide 2026

The transition from Samsung to Xiaomi is always exciting, especially when it comes to protecting personal data. Vacation photos, important documents, music playlists and contacts all need to be carefully transferred to a new smartphone without losing a single byte of information. Fortunately, modern technology offers dozens of ways to transfer files between Android devices, but not all of them are equally effective for the pair Samsung-Xiaomi.

The main problem is that manufacturers use different ecosystems: Samsung is actively promoting Samsung Cloud and Smart Switch services, while Xiaomi is betting on Mi Cloud and ShareMe. This creates additional difficulties in direct data transfer. In this article, we will analyze 7 proven methods - from classic cable to cloud services - so you can choose the best option depending on the size of files, Internet speed and availability of additional devices.

We will focus on the hidden limitations of MIUI when accepting files via Bluetooth and the nuances of working with proprietary Samsung formats (for example, notes in Samsung Notes or data from Health). If you are planning a full transition, don’t miss the section on account synchronization, where we will tell you how to avoid duplication of contacts between Google Contacts and Mi Account.

1. File transfer via USB cable (OTG or PC)

The most reliable and fastest way is to use a physical connection. USB-cable OTG (If you're transferring directly between phones, or a computer as an intermediary, it's ideal for carrying large amounts of data (10GB or more), because it doesn't depend on Internet speed and has no file size restrictions.

If you have a MacBook or Windows PC, the algorithm is as follows:

• 🔌 Connect Samsung to your computer via USB-cable (select File Transfer Mode in the Notification Curtain).
• 📁 Copy the required folders (for example, DCIM for photos or downloads on the hard disk.
• 📱 Disable Samsung, connect Xiaomi and transfer files back.
• ⚡ Use it to accelerate. USB 3.0 (blue connector) – this will increase the transfer speed to 5 Gbps.

For direct transmission between phones without PC:

1. Buy it. USB OTG-Adapter (C-to-C or MicroUSB-to-C depending on the device connectors).
2. Connect Samsung to Xiaomi via an adapter.
3. On Samsung, in the curtain, select File Transfer (not Charge!).
4. On Xiaomi, a file manager will open – copy the data to the desired folder.

Make sure the cable supports data transmission (not all charging cables are suitable)

On both phones, unlock the screen (otherwise, the connection may not be recognized)

Check the free space on Xiaomi (at least 10% more file transfer volume)

Disable Battery Optimization for File Manager on Xiaomi (Settings) → Annexes → Application management → Files. → Battery → No restrictions)-->

⚠️ Note: When connecting Xiaomi to the PC in mode MTP (Media Transfer Protocol: Some files with the.nomedia extension may not be displayed. To see them, turn on hidden files in Windows Explorer settings or use Total Commander.

2. Wireless transmission via Wi-Fi Direct or Local Share

If you don't have a cable on hand and you don't have more than 1-2GB of data, you can use Wi-Fi Direct technology or branded solutions from manufacturers, which works 3-5 times faster than Bluetooth and doesn't require an Internet connection.

Samsung has Quick Share (formerly Samsung Share) pre-installed for this, and Xiaomi has ShareMe (formerly Mi Drop) pre-installed for this.

• 📲 Install ShareMe on both phones (if it is not available by default).
• 🔄 On Samsung, select files → Share. → ShareMe.
• 📡 On Xiaomi, launch ShareMe, click Get and scan QR-Samsung screencode.
• ✅ Confirm the transmission on both devices.

The alternative is standard Wi-Fi Direct:

1. On Samsung: Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi Direct
2. On Xiaomi: Settings → Wi-Fi → Wi-Fi Direct.
3. Select the device to connect and confirm the password.
4. Use any file manager to transfer (e.g. Solid Explorer).

Wi-Fi Direct

Bluetooth

ShareMe / Mi Drop

Quick Share (Samsung)

Cloud services

Another option-->

⚠️ Note: When you transfer files via ShareMe,.apk files can be blocked by Xiaomi’s security system. To get around this, rename the file before transfer, adding.zip at the end, and after transfer, return the original extension.

3.Using cloud storage: Google Drive, Mi Cloud, Samsung Cloud

Cloud services are convenient because they allow you to transfer files without physical contact of devices and with the ability to access data from any gadget, but each solution has its own nuances:

• 🌐 Google Drive: Universal, but only 15GB is available for free:

Mi Cloud

Xiaomi

Samsung Cloud

Not all types of files can be downloaded on Xiaomi.

.sbk

For maximum speed, use Google Photos for media files:

1. On Samsung, enable autosynchronization in Google Photos (Settings → Backup and Sync).
2. On Xiaomi, install the same app and wait for the photo to be uploaded in its original quality.
3. Select the files → Save it to the device.

Cloud services have the advantage of automatic synchronization, for example, if you add contacts to Google Contacts on Samsung, they will instantly appear on Xiaomi after you sign in to the same account. However, be careful with duplication: if Xiaomi already has contacts in Mi Account, conflicts can arise when synchronizing with Google.

4.Bluetooth transmission: when justified

Bluetooth is the slowest method (speeds of ~1-2 MB/s), but it helps when there is nothing else at hand. It should only be used to transfer small files (up to 50 MB): contacts, short videos or documents.

Step-by-step:

1. On both phones, turn on Bluetooth and make the devices Visible.
2. On Samsung, select a file → Share → Bluetooth → Choose Xiaomi.
3. On Xiaomi, confirm the file acceptance.

Features of Xiaomi:

• 🚫 By default. MIUI Blocks the reception of.apk and.exe files via Bluetooth.
• 🔧 To remove the restriction, go to Settings → Annexes → Special permits → Install unknown applications and allow installation for Bluetooth.
• ⏳ Transfer of a file size of 100 MB will take ~50–80 seconds.

💡

If Bluetooth is permanently disabled during transmission, check your battery saving settings on Xiaomi. go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Mode Selection and set No Limits on Bluetooth.

⚠️ Note: On some Samsung models (e.g. Galaxy) S22 When transferring via Bluetooth, files with Cyrillic names can be displayed on Xiaomi as?????.jpg. To avoid this, rename the files in Latin before sending them.

5. File transfer applications: Snapdrop, Send Anywhere, Xender

The side of the application is often superior to the built-in solutions in speed and convenience.-3 variant:

Instructions for Send Anywhere:

1. Install the app on both phones.
2. On Samsung, select files → Send → generate 6-digit code.
3. On Xiaomi, enter this code in the Get field.
4. Confirm transmission.

Snapdrop is convenient because it does not require installation:

1. Open snapdrop.net on both phones in your browser.
2. Make sure that both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
3. Drag files from Samsung to the Xiaomi icon in the browser.

💡

Apps like Xender and Send Anywhere create a direct Wi-Fi hotspot between phones that is 10 times faster than Bluetooth, but some Xiaomi models (like the Redmi Note 12) may need to temporarily disable the Smart Wi-Fi Switch feature in network settings.

6. Transfer of contacts, messages and applications

Files are just a part of the data, and it's also important to migrate contacts, SMS, call history, and apps that are installed, and this is where a combination of standard and third-party tools can help.

Contact:

• 📇 If your contacts are saved in your Google Account, just sign in to Xiaomi.
• 📱 If your contacts are local: export them to.vcf via Contacts → Settings → Import/Export on Samsung, then import on Xiaomi.

Messages and calls:

• 💬 Use it. SMS Backup & Restore: Create a backup on Samsung, save the file to Google Drive, then restore it to Xiaomi.
• ☎ The call history is suitable for Super Backup & Restore.

Annexes:

• 📦 The list of installed applications can be exported through the App List Backup (saves to.txt).
• 🔄 To transfer application data (such as saved in games) use Swift Backup (requires root).

⚠️ Attention: When transferring SMS through SMS Backup & Restore messages from banks or services with two-factor authentication (e.g. SberBank or Telegram) may not recover due to security restrictions MIUI. In this case, you will need to request new confirmation codes.

7. Alternative methods: SD-map, NFC, email

If none of the above methods are suitable, consider the less popular, but sometimes useful options:

• 📱 SD-map:
• 📧 Email:
• 🔄 NFC:

Limitations of methods:

• 🚫 SD-Map: The maximum file size is limited by the file system (usually FAT32 does not support files >4GB).
• ⚠️ Email: Most email services limit the size of the attachment of 25 MB.
• ⏳ NFC: Transmission speed ~400 KB/s (20 times slower than Bluetooth).