How to Transfer Data from Xiaomi to Samsung: A Complete Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions

The transition from Xiaomi to Samsung is not only a brand change, but also the need to transfer all the important data: photos, contacts, messages, notes and even app settings. Many users face problems when trying to sync between devices from different manufacturers, especially if we are talking about models with different versions of Android or proprietary shells (MIUI vs One UI). In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of transfer – from standard tools to specialized programs – and also tell you how to avoid errors and data loss.

The main difficulty is that Xiaomi and Samsung use different ecosystems: the first one is Mi Account and the second one is the one that is not the same. MIUI, The second one is Samsung Account and One. UI. For example, backups created through Settings → Google → Backups on Xiaomi may not be fully restored on Samsung due to differences in system file structure, so there is no one-size-fits-all solution, either by combining methods or using third-party utilities. Next, you will find detailed instructions for each type of data, as well as tips for optimizing the process.

Before proceeding, make sure that:

• 🔋 Both devices have enough battery power (minimum 50%).
• 📶 Both smartphones are connected to a stable Wi-Fi network (transfer over the mobile Internet can take hours and eat gigabytes of traffic).
• 📁 Samsung has enough free space (data from Xiaomi can take up 10-15% more space due to the difference in file formats).

1. Transfer data through Google Account (the most universal method)

Syncing through Google Account is the only way that works on 100% of devices regardless of brand, and is suitable for transferring contacts, calendars, notes (from Google Keep), mail, Chrome bookmarks, and parts of apps and their data.

• 📸 Photos and videos are synced only if they are uploaded to Google Photos (free up to 15 GB, then paid storage).
• 💬 SMS Call history is not automatically transferred (more action is needed).
• 🎮 Game saves and settings for some applications may not recover.

To move the data:

1. On Xiaomi, go to Settings → Google Accounts → Sync and turn on all the switches.
2. Wait for the synchronization to be completed (it can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour depending on the amount of data).
3. On Samsung, log in to the same Google Account and enable sync in Settings → Accounts and Backups → Account Management.
4. To restore applications, open Google Play, click on the profile avatar → Application and device management → Library and install the necessary programs.

⚠️ Note: If Xiaomi used Mi Account for backup, this data will not be restored to Samsung).

To transfer SMS and call history, use the SMS Backup & Restore app:

1. Install it on Xiaomi, back up and save the file to Google Drive.
2. On Samsung, install the same app, download the backup file and recover the data.

💡

Google Account is the most reliable way to transfer contacts, mail and applications, but is not suitable for multimedia and social media. SMS without further action.

2.Using Samsung Smart Switch (official decision from Samsung)

Samsung Smart Switch is a proprietary utility for transferring data from devices to Android or iOS. It supports the transfer of contacts, messages, photos, videos, music, notes, calendars and even some system settings.

• ⚡ When connected via cable (USB-OTG) Transfer speeds 5-10 times faster than Wi-Fi.
• 🚫 Some files MIUI (For example, theme or settings Mi Home are not portable.
• 🔄 If Xiaomi is running Android 10 or older and Samsung is running Android 12+, Possible compatibility errors.

Instructions for transfer via Smart Switch:

1. Download Smart Switch from Google Play to both devices.
2. On Samsung, launch the app and select Get Data → Android.
3. On Xiaomi, select Send Data → Wireless transfer (or connect devices with a cable via an adapter) USB-OTG).
4. Follow the instructions on the screen. The process can take anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours depending on the amount of data.

⚠️ Warning: If Smart Switch is stuck in the “Data Preparation” phase, try it: 🔄 Reboot both devices. 📶 Connect to another Wi-Fi network (e.g., a mobile access point). 🔌 Use cable instead of wireless.

Manual export of important data (contacts, SMS, note-book)

If the automatic methods don't work, or if you want to transfer only specific data, you can use manual export.

• 📇 Contacts (in.vcf format).
• 💬 SMS and call history (through SMS Backup & Restore).
• 📝 Notes from Mi Notes or Google Keep.
• 🎵 Playlists (e.g. from Mi Music).

For contacts:

1. On Xiaomi, open the Contacts app → ⋮ (Menus) → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Export to file.
2. Select Export to your device and save the contacts.vcf file.
3. Transfer the file to Samsung (e.g., via Google Drive or cable) and import it in the Contacts app.

For SMS:

1. Install Backup & Restore SMS on Xiaomi.
2. Create a backup and save it to the cloud or memory card.
3. On Samsung, install the same app, download the backup and restore messages.

For music and playlists:

• 🎵 If the music is stored in Mi Music, copy the files (.mp3,.flac to a folder on Samsung (e.g. Music).
• 🔗 Mi Music Playlists Are Not Exported – They Will Have to Be Recreated in Samsung Music or Spotify.

4. Computer Transfer (for large amounts of data)

If you need to move tens of gigabytes of photos, videos or documents, the most reliable way is to use a computer (Windows, Mac or Linux).

• 📡 No stable Wi-Fi (air travel may be interrupted).
• 🔒 You need to sort files before copying.
• 🛠️ You need to convert formats (e.g..mi to.mi.mp4).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Xiaomi to your computer via USB-cable and select File Transfer Mode (MTP).
2. Copy the folders you need (DCIM for photos, Downloads for downloads, etc.) to your hard drive.
3. Connect Samsung and paste files into the appropriate folders (for example, photos in Pictures, music in Music).

To speed up the process, you can use programs:

• 🖥️ Windows: Total Commander or TeraCopy (for error-free copying).
• 🍎 Mac: Android File Transfer (official utility from Google).

⚠️ If your computer can’t see Xiaomi or Samsung, try it: 🔄 Reboot both devices. 🔌 Use the other USB-cable (preferably original). 🛠️ Install Mi drivers PC Suite (for Xiaomi) or Samsung USB Driver.

💡

Before copying, sort files by date or type – this will save space on Samsung by removing duplicates or unnecessary screenshots.

5. Transfer through specialized applications (alternatives Smart Switch)

If standard methods don’t work, you can use third-party utilities, which often support more data types and are more stable on older versions of Android.

Example of transfer via Xender:

1. Install Xender on both devices.
2. On Xiaomi, choose Send, on Samsung, Receive.
3. Connect to a single Wi-Fi network or create an access point on one of your phones.
4. Select files on Xiaomi and click Send.

Important: Apps like Mi Mover or Clone Phone may not port data to some Chinese apps (such as Mi Fit or Mi Home) due to manufacturer restrictions.

6. Data portability with root rights (for power users)

If you have root or custom recovery installed on Xiaomi (TWRP), You can back up the system completely and restore it to Samsung:

• 📱 Transfer all data applications (including games).
• 🔧 Restore system settings (for example, APN mobile-internet).
• 📂 Copying hidden files (for example, saving games in the game) /data/data).

Instructions for TWRP:

1. On Xiaomi, load in. TWRP (clamp down on power. + Loudness up).
2. Select Backup and select Data, System (optional) sections.
3. Save a backup to a memory card or computer.
4. On Samsung, install it. TWRP (If possible, recover the data from the backup.

⚠️ Note: This method is not recommended for beginners, as: 🔴 The risk of a breeze (turning the phone into a brick"). 🔄 On Samsung with Knox root, some features can be blocked (e.g. Samsung Pay). 📱 Data may not recover due to differences in structures MIUI One UI.

💡

Root-rights portability gives maximum control, but is only suitable for power users and can disrupt Samsung due to system file conflict.

7. data transfer from cloud services (Google Drive, Mi Cloud, Samsung Cloud)

If you've used cloud storage on Xiaomi, you can use it to transfer data, and the main advantage is that you don't have to connect devices to each other.

• ☁️ Mi Cloud (from Xiaomi) is not synchronized with Samsung Cloud – data will have to download manually.
• 📁 Google Drive is universal, but has a limit of 15 GB (for photos, it is better to use Google Photos).
• 🔄 Samsung Cloud is only available on Samsung devices (you can’t download data from Xiaomi directly).

How to transfer data through Mi Cloud:

1. On Xiaomi, open Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Make sure that the data you need (contacts, notes, photos) is synchronized.
3. On your computer, go to i.mi.com, log in and download files.
4. Upload them to Samsung via Google Drive or cable.

For Google Photos:

1. On Xiaomi, enable autoload in Google Photos (Settings) → Backup and synchronization).
2. On Samsung, install Google Photos and wait for sync.
3. To prevent the photos from taking up space on the device, turn on the option to Free up space.

8. Post-transfer validation and optimization

After data transfer, it is necessary to:

1. 🔍 Check file integrity (open a few photos, videos, run applications).
2. 📱 Set up automatic backup on Samsung (Settings) → Accounts and backups).
3. 🔄 Update apps to Google Play (some may not work due to differences in Android versions).
4. 🗑️ Delete duplicate files (for example, using Files by Google or CCleaner).

Typical post-transfer problems and their solution:

If Samsung has stopped after the transfer:

• 🔄 Reset the device.
• 🧹 Clear the cache in Settings → Maintenance of the device → Memory. → Clean up.
• 🔋 Check battery consumption in Settings → Maintenance of the device → Battery – Some Xiaomi apps may consume excessive energy.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data transfer from Xiaomi to Samsung