How to transfer data from Samsung to Xiaomi via computer: 4 proven ways

Why is computer transfer the best choice?

The transition from Samsung to Xiaomi is not just a brand change, but a complete migration of digital life: contacts, photos, notes and even app settings. Many users mistakenly believe that it is enough to copy files to a flash drive or use the cloud, but this approach can lead to data loss or folder structure disruption. Computer transfer solves these problems: it guarantees complete control over the process, stores file metadata (dates of creation, geotags), and works even with large amounts of data (50+ GB), which cloud services often limit.

Another key advantage is format compatibility, such as Samsung Smart Switch backups that are not readable on Xiaomi, and direct Wi-Fi transmissions between devices of different brands often fail, as the computer acts as a neutral intermediary that converts data into universal formats (.vcf for contacts,.jpg/.mp4 for media), and only through a PC can you transfer hidden application folders (such as data from WhatsApp or Telegram), which are usually ignored by standard migration tools.

In this article, we will discuss 4 proven methods of transferring – from simple copying files to using specialized software – and also tell you how to avoid typical errors, such as loss of photo quality or duplicate contacts.

Preparation of devices for transfer

Before you connect your phones to your computer, follow a few critical steps.

• 🔑 Unlock the screen and turn off battery optimization for My File and Smart Switch apps (in Settings) → Caring for the device → Battery → Optimizing the operation of applications).

On Xiaomi:

• 🧹 Reset to factory settings (if the phone is new) or clear the memory of unnecessary files.
• 🔌 Enable the Developer Mode and activate Debugging by USB (In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to the Additional Settings → For developers).
• 📂 Make sure there is enough space on the device – 30GB data transfer requires a minimum of 40GB of free space (including temporary files).

⚠️ Note: If data encryption is enabled on Samsung (Settings) → Biometrics and safety → Encryption, the computer can't read files without entering a password. Turn off encryption in advance, it'll take up to 1 hour.

Disable encryption on Samsung (if enabled)

Charge both phones up to 50%+

Update the firmware on both devices

Free up 10-15 GB of space on Xiaomi

Connect the original USB-cables (not cheap substitutes)

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Method 1: Directly copy files through Windows Explorer

The most versatile method that works without additional software is suitable for transferring photos, videos, music, documents and other files stored in the memory of the phone or on the phone. SD-Not suitable for contact, SMS and application data (they are carried separately, see Method 3).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Samsung to your computer via USB-In the phone notification menu, select File Transfer mode (MTP).
2. Open Windows Explorer (Win + E). Your Samsung will appear as a removable drive (usually under the model name, such as the Galaxy S22).
3. Go to the Internal Storage → DCIM (photo/video), Downloads (downloads) or Pictures folder. Select the files you want and copy them (Ctrl + C) to your desktop or to a separate folder on your PC.
4. Disable Samsung and connect Xiaomi in the same MTP mode. Insert the copied files (Ctrl + V) into the corresponding folders on the new phone.

⚠️ Note: Do not copy the entire Android folder, as this can lead to conflicts with Xiaomi system files.

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If your PC can’t see your phone, try another one. USB-port (preferably) USB 3.0, marked in blue) or reinstall drivers via Samsung Smart Switch (even if you don’t use it).

Method 2: Using Samsung Smart Switch to backup

Samsung Smart Switch is the official backup and recovery software that allows you to save your contacts, SMS, call log, calendar, notes, and even system settings, but there is a caveat: the backup file (.spb) is not compatible with Xiaomi, but it can be converted.

How to make a backup copy:

1. Download and install Samsung Smart Switch on PC.
2. Connect Samsung to your computer and start the program. Select Backup.
3. Tick the desired categories of data (for example, Contacts, Messages, Multimedia) and click Reserve.
4. The file will be saved in the folder C:\Users\Your name\Documents\Samsung\SmartSwitch\backup.

For the transfer to Xiaomi:

• 📂 Contact and SMS: Export them from Smart Switch in.vcf (for contacts) and.xml (for contacts) formats SMS) via Export menu.
• 🖼️ Media files: they are saved in the folder backup\media In the original format, just copy them to Xiaomi (see Method) 1).

Method 3: Transfer contacts, SMS and applications through specialized software

Third-party utilities will be required to fully migrate contacts, messages, and application data (such as chat history in instant messengers), and we recommend two proven tools:

1. MobileTrans (from Wondershare)

• ✅ Transferring: Contacts, SMS, call log, photos, videos, music, applications (+ data).
• ⚠️ Limitations: The free version only carries 5 contacts. the full version costs ~1500 rubles.
• 🔗 Official website.

Instructions:

1. Install MobileTrans on your PC and connect both phones via USB.
2. Select Phone Transfer Mode → Phone to Phone.
3. Specify Samsung as the source and Xiaomi as the target. Tick the categories and click Start.

2. Dr.Fone - Phone Transfer (from Wondershare)

• ✅ Supports data transfer between Android and iOS, as well as backup on PC.
• ⚠️ In the free version, only data viewing is available without transferring.
• 🔗 Official website.

⚠️ Note: When you migrate these applications (such as WhatsApp or Viber) to Xiaomi, you must install the same versions of the applications that were on Samsung. Otherwise, the chat history may not recover. → Annexes → [Title of the annex].

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Specialized software (such as MobileTrans) is the only way to transfer the history of SMS and call log without loss, and standard Android tools ignore this data.

Method 4: Transferring over the cloud with a computer as an intermediary

If you have slow internet or limited traffic, you can use the cloud not for direct transmission, but as a temporary storage with download/upload via PC, which is suitable for photos, videos and documents, but not for contacts or SMS.

Algorithm of action:

1. On Samsung, upload files to the cloud (Google Drive, Mi Cloud, Yandex Disk). For example, for Google Drive: Settings → Google → Backup → Download data
2. On your computer, open the web version of the cloud (such as drive.google.com) and download files to the folder.
3. Connect Xiaomi to your PC and transfer the downloaded files to the desired folders (see Method 1).

Advantages of the method:

• 🌐 It works even when phones are physically far apart.
• 🔄 You can use compression (ZIP) save space in the cloud.
• 🔒 Data is encrypted during transmission (as opposed to direct transmission over Wi-Fi).

Disadvantages:

• ⏳ It takes longer due to double loading/unloading.
• 💾 Volume limits (for example, free Google Drive only gives 15 GB).

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If you are moving a photo in high resolution, turn on the “Original Quality” option in Google Photos (in Settings → Backup and Sync) to prevent compression of images.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even when following instructions, users often encounter problems, and here are the most common mistakes and solutions:

Another common problem is loss of video quality when you transfer it, which happens when you:

• 🎥 Video shot in format HEVC (H.265), Which is not supported by some versions of Xiaomi.
• 📁 Files are copied through the cloud with automatic compression (for example, Google Photos in the High Quality mode").

Solution: Transfer the original video format via cable (Method 1) or convert it to H.264 using HandBrake (free software).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions