How to transfer photos from Samsung to Xiaomi: all ways with pros and cons

Transferring photos between smartphones of different brands is a task that every second user faces when changing devices, POCO Or Mi, the question “how to transfer photos without loss of quality?” becomes especially relevant. In this article, we will analyze 7 working methods – from classical (cable, Bluetooth) to modern (cloud services, specialized applications), and also reveal the hidden nuances of each method, which are not written in the standard instructions.

It is important to consider that the choice of method depends on three key factors: the amount of data transmitted (10 photos or 10,000?), the availability of the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network), and the technical limitations of devices (for example, damaged data). USB-We have analyzed each method for speed, safety and convenience so that you can choose the best option for your situation.

Whether you want to keep your images original or just copy your albums quickly, this article will show you step-by-step guides to highlight key points, and if you're afraid of losing data, there's a checklist at the end of the article to back up before transferring.

1. Transfer of the photo through USB-cable: classics with pitfalls

Cable use USB Type-C or Micro-USB (depending on the model) is the most reliable way if you have a computer or laptop on hand, and it is 100% safe and works even when you don't have the Internet:

• 🔌 Type of connection: modern Xiaomi (starting with the MIUI 12) require a choice of file transfer mode (MTP) In the notification curtain when you connect to a PC, this mode can be called Media Device on Samsung (MTP).
• 🖥️ Operating system: on Windows 10/11 Drivers for Samsung and Xiaomi are installed automatically, but MacOS may require additional software like Android File Transfer.
• ⚡ Speed: when used USB 3.0 (blue connector) transfer 10 GB photo will take ~15 minutes, whereas USB 2.0 will take this process an hour or more.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Samsung to your computer and select File Transfer mode.
2. Open the folder. DCIM → Camera (or Pictures if the photo is saved in the gallery).
3. Copy files to the desktop or in a separate folder.
4. Disable Samsung, connect Xiaomi and transfer files to the DCIM or Pictures folder.

⚠️ Note: If photos are not displayed in the Xiaomi Gallery after copying, reboot your device or use a file manager (such as Mi File Manager) to manually update your media library through Settings. → Memory. → Update media files.

Connect both devices to a charged PC/laptop

Check the connection mode (MTP)

Create a backup folder on the desktop

Use original cables (not cheap Chinese analogues)

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2. Wireless transmission over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct: when the cable is not at hand

If you don't have a cable or a computer, you can do with built-in smartphone tools. Bluetooth is good for 5-10 photos, whereas Wi-Fi Direct can handle hundreds of shots.

Instructions for Wi-Fi Direct (recommended method):

1. On Samsung: Open Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi → Wi-Fi Direct.
2. On Xiaomi: go to Settings → Wi-Fi → Additional → Wi-Fi Direct.
3. Select a Samsung device from the list on Xiaomi and confirm the connection.
4. In the Samsung Gallery, select a photo, click Share and select Wi-Fi Direct.

For Bluetooth, the algorithm is simpler, but longer:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on both devices and pair them.
2. In the Samsung gallery highlight the photo → «Share» → «Bluetooth».
3. Accept files on Xiaomi (they will be saved in the Bluetooth folder).

⚠️ Note: When transmitting via Bluetooth, photos are compressed to resolution 1920×1080, even though the original 4K. Use Wi-Fi Direct or Cloud Services to maintain quality.

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If Wi-Fi Direct doesn’t find a device, try temporarily turning off mobile internet on both smartphones – sometimes this solves the problem of network conflict.

3. Cloud services: Google Photos vs Mi Cloud vs Yandex.Disk

Cloud storage is ideal if you have a stable Internet connection and need to transfer a large amount of photos (for example, the entire gallery in a few years), we tested three popular services and identified their key features:

• 📷 Google Photos: Free up to 15 GB (total limit with Gmail and Drive). Automatic compression of photos up to 16 MP in "High quality" (originals are saved only in a paid tariff). Synchronization works in the background.
• ☁️ Mi Cloud (Xiaomi): Free 5GB, but only for Xiaomi devices (Samsung needs to install a separate app). Supports original quality without compression. Download speed is limited by Xiaomi servers (can be slower than Google).
• 💾 Yandex.Disk: Free 10 GB (bonus) +1GB for app installation. No automatic photo compression. Can block IP with frequent loadings of large volume.

Step-by-step instructions for Google Photos (the most versatile option):

1. Install Google Photos on Samsung (if not installed).
2. Log in to your Google account and enable autosynchronization in Settings → Backup and synchronization.
3. Wait for the download to be completed (you can monitor the progress in the notifications).
4. On Xiaomi, install Google Photos, log in to the same account and download the photo via Photos → Library → Devices.

For Mi Cloud:

1. On Samsung, install the Mi Cloud app from Google Play.
2. Upload the photo manually through the Gallery → Select → Download to Mi Cloud.
3. On Xiaomi, photos will automatically appear in the gallery after synchronization.

4. Special Applications: ShareMe, Xender and LocalSend

If standard methods don't work, fast file transfer applications come to the rescue, and we tested three of the most popular solutions and identified their strengths and weaknesses:

Instructions for ShareMe (recommended for Xiaomi):

1. Install ShareMe on Samsung from Google Play.
2. On Xiaomi, open the built-in ShareMe app (or Mi Drop in older versions) MIUI).
3. Select Send to Samsung and Receive on Xiaomi.
4. Scan it. QR-code or select the device manually.
5. Select a photo in the Samsung Gallery and click "Send".

For LocalSend (the best choice for privacy):

1. Install the app on both devices from Google Play or F-Droid.
2. On Xiaomi, click Receive, on Samsung, Send.

⚠️ Note: Apps like Xender and ShareIt often collect user data. If privacy is important, use LocalSend, which does not require registration or transfer data to servers.

5. Transmission via computer without cable: AirDroid and Snapdrop

If you have a computer but no cable, you can use web services to wirelessly transmit.

• 🌐 AirDroid: Operates via a browser or application. requires registration to transfer files >100 MB Supports remote control of the smartphone.
• 🔗 Snapdrop: No installation – works through the browser. File restriction: 500 MB. Devices must be on the same Wi-Fi network.

Instructions for Snapdrop (the easiest way):

1. Open the website snapdrop.net on your computer.
2. On Samsung, open the same site in your browser (e.g. Chrome).
3. The devices will automatically detect each other.
4. Drag a photo from your computer to the Samsung icon (or vice versa).
5. Confirm the receipt of files on the smartphone.

For AirDroid:

1. Install the app on Samsung and register.
2. On your computer, open web.airdroid.com and log in to your account.
3. In the Files section, select a folder with a photo and download them to the PC.
4. Connect Xiaomi and transfer files through Explorer.

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Web services like Snapdrop are ideal for sending a small number of photos at a time, but are not suitable for regular use due to file size limitations.

6.Using a memory card: the good old method

If your Samsung supports MicroSD and Xiaomi has a memory card slot (or adapter) USB-C → MicroSD, this could be the fastest way:

• 💾 Speed: up to 90 MB/s when using the card UHS-I.
• 🔄 Universality: You can transfer files between any devices.
• 🛡️ Security: No risk of data loss during transmission.

Step-by-step:

1. Insert the memory card in Samsung.
2. Open My Files (or another file manager) and go to DCIM → Camera.
3. Copy the photo to a memory card (for example, in the Transfer folder).
4. Remove the card and paste it into Xiaomi (or plug it in via an adapter).
5. Copy files into the internal memory of the smartphone.

⚠️ Note: If Xiaomi doesn’t see files on the memory card, check the format: Xiaomi devices may not support exFAT on older versions MIUI. In this case, format the map in FAT32 (But keep in mind that FAT32 does not support files >4GB).

7. Backup and Recovery: for full data migration

If you’re not only moving photos, but also switching from Samsung to Xiaomi completely, it makes sense to make a full backup.

• 🔄 Samsung Smart Switch: Backs up your PC or external drive, saves photos, contacts, messages, and even app settings. Not compatible with Xiaomi directly, you need an intermediate computer.
• ☁️ Mi Mover: Embedded application in Xiaomi for data migration, supports photo, video, contacts and applications. Requires connection to the same Wi-Fi network.

Instructions for Mi Mover:

1. On Xiaomi, open the Mi Mover app (if not, download from the Mi App Store).
2. Select I am a new user.
3. On Samsung, scan it. QR-code that will appear on the screen of Xiaomi.
4. Select data for transfer (include Photos and Videos).
5. Wait for the process to be completed (it can take up to 30 minutes for a large volume).

For Samsung Smart Switch:

1. Install Smart Switch on PC from the official Samsung website.
2. Connect Samsung and create a backup.
3. Connect Xiaomi and manually transfer files from the backup folder (usually) C:\Users\User name\Documents\Samsung\SmartSwitch\backup).

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Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s only official data migration solution, but it doesn’t carry Wi-Fi passwords and some app settings.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions