How to Move Data from Samsung to Xiaomi: A Complete 2026 Guide

The transition from Samsung to Xiaomi is not just about brand change, but also about the migration of all your data, from contacts and messages to photos and apps, which many users fear for fear of losing important information or spending hours manually restarting files. In fact, transferring data between Android devices from different manufacturers has become much easier thanks to built-in tools and third-party services.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to transfer data, from official Xiaomi and Samsung solutions to universal methods over the cloud or cable. You will learn which option is suitable for your case (for example, if you have an old Galaxy S8 or a new Redmi Note 13 Pro+), how to avoid typical synchronization errors, and what to do if some files “do not want” to be copied, and at the end – answers to frequent questions and life hacks to speed up the process.

Important: Before you start transferring, check the free space on the new Xiaomi – some methods require temporary backup. Also prepare chargers: when transferring large amounts of data (for example, 100+ GB of photos and videos), the battery can run out faster than usual.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is an integrated application on all Xiaomi smartphones designed to migrate data from other Android devices, which supports transferring contacts, messages, photos, videos, audio, notes and even certain settings, the main advantage is that you do not need to use a computer or cloud services, everything happens via a direct Wi-Fi connection between phones.

How it works:

• 📱 Install Mi Mover on both phones (on Samsung it can be downloaded from Google Play).
• 🔗 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network or create an access point on Xiaomi.
• 📤 On Samsung, select the role of “Sender” (Sender), on Xiaomi – “Receiver” (Receiver).
• 📋 Mark data types for transfer and confirm the transfer.

The speed of the transfer depends on the amount of data and the stability of the connection. For example, 50 GB of photos can be copied from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

• 🔄 Reboot both phones and reconnect.
• 📶 Use a mobile hotspot instead of home Wi-Fi (sometimes routers block) P2P-linkage).
• 🔌 Connecting phones to charge – Mi Mover can consume a lot of power.

Charge of both phones >50% | Unnecessary files deleted from Samsung | VPN and firewalls disabled |Free ≥10 GB on Xiaomi-->

⚠️ Note: Mi Mover does not port installed applications (.apk files) - only their data (for example, save in games.

2.Samsung Smart Switch: Backward portability

If you're used to the Samsung ecosystem, you can use their proprietary solution, the Samsung Smart Switch. While it's designed to transfer data to Samsung devices, there's a workaround: back up your Galaxy first, and then extract files manually.

Instructions:

1. Open Smart Switch on Samsung and select Backup.
2. Connect your phone to your computer via USB and copy the backup file (usually in the SmartSwitchBackup folder).
3. Unclose the file (e.g., with 7-Zip) and transfer the data to Xiaomi via cable or cloud.

This method is suitable if you need to save messages from Samsung Messages or notes Samsung Notes — their format is not always correctly read by other programs.

• 📁 The folder structure in the backup can be confusing (e.g., photos are stored in the backup). Media/Images, a contacts - in an encrypted file).
• 🔐 Extracting some data (such as messages) will require additional utilities like Samsung Backup Extractor.

Mi Mover (Wi-Fi)|Smart Switch (backup)|Google Account (cloud)|OTG Cable | Another way-->

3. Transfer through Google Account (cloud)

The most versatile way is sync with Google Account, which is suitable if you have already backed up on Samsung, or if you want to transfer only basic data (contacts, calendar, some settings), the advantage of the method is automatic update: after setting up on Xiaomi, all changes will be synchronized in real time.

What exactly is being transferred:

How to set up:

1. On Samsung, go to Settings → Accounts and Archiving → Archiving and Recovery.
2. Turn on Archiving Data and select Google Drive.
3. On Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select Restore from backup and log in to the same Google account.

⚠️ Note: If Samsung used a Samsung Account for backup, this data is not synced with Google. It must first be exported manually (for example, contacts can be uploaded to a.vcf file).

💡

Before the perenosom, check if there's enough space in Google Drive.The free fare offers just 15GB, and a smartphone backup can weigh 5-20GB. Clean up the cloud or buy extra space if necessary.

Direct transmission by cable (OTG)

If you don’t have Wi-Fi access or want to transfer data as quickly as possible, use a cable. OTG (adapter USB-C to USB-C, This method is suitable for large files (video in the video) 4K, RAW-Photos and not dependent on internet speed.

What you need:

• 🔌 Cable USB OTG (adapter USB-C to USB-A for older Samsung models).
• 📁 File Manager (e.g. Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).
• ⚡ Charging for both phones (transferring large files drains the battery).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Samsung to Xiaomi via OTG-cable.
2. On Xiaomi, open a file manager and select USB-device (your Samsung).
3. Copy the right folders (DCIM for photos, downloads, etc.) to internal memory or SD-Xiaomi.

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Transfer speed up to 480 Mbps (USB 2.0) or 5-10 Gbit/s (USB 3.0).
• 🔒 No risk of data loss due to internet connection breakdown.
• 📂 Only the necessary files can be selectively copied.

Third-party transfer applications

If the built-in tools don't work (e.g., WhatsApp messages or game data are not portable), use specialized applications. We tested several solutions and selected the top ones.-3:

1. Clone Phone (from Xiaomi)

• 📌 It is designed to be ported from iPhone, but it works with Samsung.
• 📱 Transfers contacts, messages, photos, videos, music and calendars.
• ⚠️ Does not support applications and their data.

2. SHAREit

• 🚀 Fast Wi-Fi Direct transmission (up to 20 MB/s).
• 🎮 Supports the transfer of game saves (for example, for PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact).
• ❌ Advertising and offers to install additional applications.

3. Send Anywhere

• 🔐 Encryption of data during transmission.
• 📎 You can send files via 6-digit code (no Wi-Fi required).
• 📊 Free transfer limit – up to 10 GB at a time.

How to choose an application:

• 📱 If you need a full port (including system settings) use Mi Mover or Clone Phone.
• 🎮 For game saves, SHAREit or Helium (requires root) is suitable).
• 📁 If you want to move only files (photos, documents) – Send Anywhere or Files by Google.

💡

When using third-party apps, always check reviews and rankings on Google Play. Some programs (such as little-known “transfer managers”) may contain malicious code or collect personal data.

6. Transfer of applications and their data

One of the most difficult aspects of migration is the transfer of installed applications and their data. Android does not allow you to simply copy.apk files from one phone to another due to differences in architecture and signatures.

Method 1: Backup through ADB

For power users, the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) method is suitable, allowing you to create a full copy of applications and their data, and then restore them to a new device.

adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab


adb restore backup.ab

Limitations:

• 🔧 Requires to activate debugging USB both phones.
• 🚫 Not all applications support backup (e.g., banking or with a bank account). DRM-protection).
• ⚠️ Xiaomi may not recover due to differences in Android version.

Method 2: Titanum Backup (requires root)

If your Samsung has root access, use Titanium Backup:

1. Back up all your apps and data on Samsung.
2. Transfer the copy file to Xiaomi (via cloud or cable).
3. Install Titanium Backup on Xiaomi and recover the data.

Method 3: Synchronize through application accounts

Many apps (e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram, Google Chrome) have built-in sync through your account.

1. On Samsung, make sure that backup is enabled in the app settings.
2. On Xiaomi, install the same app and log in to the same account.
3. Recover data from the cloud (for example, WhatsApp does this when you first start).

⚠️ Note: Some apps (such as Samsung Health or Bixby) are tied to the Samsung ecosystem and won’t work on Xiaomi, and they will have to look for alternatives (such as Mi Fitness or Google Fit).

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even when you follow the instructions, you have problems.-5 errors and ways of correcting them:

If none of the methods worked:

• 📡 Check regional settings – some features (such as Mi Mover) may be restricted in selected countries.
• 🔄 Try resetting the network settings on both phones (Settings) → System system → Reset → Resetting network settings).
• 📧 Contact Xiaomi or Samsung with error logs (you can get them through Settings) → The phone. → POS version → Build Number (click 7 times to enable Developer Mode)).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions