How to Transfer Data from Samsung to Xiaomi Poco: A Complete Guide to Comparing Methods

The transition from Samsung to Xiaomi Poco is not just about changing the brand, but also migrating all the important data: contacts, photos, messages, and even app settings. Many users fear this process, fearing losing valuable information or spending hours manually restarting files. In fact, transferring data between these devices can be done in 15 to 40 minutes — if you know the proven ways and avoid typical errors.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods for data transfer, including official tools from Xiaomi and Samsung, cloud services and on-premises solutions. You will learn what method is suitable for contacts, photo/video, SMS/MMS, notes and even call history. And the comparison table at the end of the section will help you choose the best option based on data volume and Internet speed.

We will focus on data transfer from Samsung phones to Xiaomi Poco X5, Poco F5, Poco M6 and earlier versions – these devices have nuances with support for Mi Mover and Smart Switch protocols. We will also reveal why some files (for example, records from Secure Folder or data from Samsung Health) may not transfer – and how to get around it.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a Xiaomi-branded app designed to migrate data from Android devices (including Samsung) and even iOS. It is pre-installed on all Poco smartphones, but it can also be downloaded from Google Play to an old phone, the main advantage of the method is direct data transfer over Wi-Fi without using the cloud or cable.

To transfer data through Mi Mover, follow the steps:

• 📱 Install Mi Mover on Samsung from Google Play (if not). Poco already has the app in the Tools folder.
• 🔄 Run the app on both phones. On Poco, select I'm a new user; on Samsung, I'm an old user.
• 📶 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network or create a Poco hotspot and connect Samsung to it.
• 🔍 On Samsung, scan it. QR-code that appears on the Poco screen. After that, select the data types to transfer (contacts, SMS, photos, etc.).
• ⏳ Wait until the process is complete. Time depends on the amount of data, 5 to 30 minutes.

⚠️ Note: Mi Mover does not port apps (only their data if supported) or files from Samsung Secure Folder. apps will require separate sync via Google Account or manual installation APK.

Charging the battery of both phones >50%|Free space on Xiaomi Poco (at least 20% more data portable)|Battery Optimizers for Mi Mover Disabled|Wi-Fi connection stable (better 5 GHz)-->

2.An alternative from Samsung: Smart Switch

Samsung Smart Switch is a mirror tool from the Korean brand that also supports data transfer to devices from other manufacturers, including Xiaomi. Unlike the Mi Mover, the Smart Switch can work through a USB cable (USB-C to USB-C or USB-OTG adapter), which speeds up the process with a large amount of files.

Instructions for transfer via Smart Switch:

1. Download Smart Switch on Xiaomi Poco from Google Play.
2. Connect your phones with a cable. On Samsung, select File Transfer (Do Not Charge!) mode.
3. On Poco, run Smart Switch and select Get Data → Android.
4. On Samsung, confirm the data transfer and select categories (contacts, calendar, photos, etc.).
5. Wait until it's done. 10 GB of data is going to take a cable. ~10-15 minutes.

⚠️ Note: Smart Switch may not port data to some apps (like WhatsApp or Telegram) if they don't support backup via Google Drive.

3. Cloud Transfer: Google Account and Other Services

If you prefer not to depend on branded tools, the most versatile way is sync through your Google account, which is suitable for transferring contacts, calendar, notes (via Google Keep), photos (via Google Photos), and even some application settings.

How to transfer data through Google Account:

• 🔄 On Samsung go to Settings → Accounts and archiving → Manage your accounts and select your Google account.
• 📥 Make sure you have synced for Contacts, Calendar, Google Drive and other services.
• 📲 On Xiaomi Poco, add the same Google account to Settings → Accounts and enable synchronization.
• 🖼️ For photos and videos, use Google Photos: on Samsung, turn on autoload, and on Poco, install the app and wait for the media files to download.

The advantage of this method is that it automatically updates data when you add new contacts or files, but it has limitations:

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If you have a lot of high-resolution photos, check your Google Photos settings on Samsung before transferring. go to Settings → Backup and Sync and select Original Quality if you want to save all the details (but note that this will quickly run out of 15GB of free space).

4. Local transfer: via OTG cable or memory card

If you don’t have a stable internet or want to migrate data without cloud services, you can use physical media: USB-OTG-A cable, a microSD card, or even a computer as an intermediary, which is suitable for large amounts of data (e.g., video or music collections).

Step-by-step instructions for transfer via USB-OTG:

1. Buy it. USB-C to USB-C OTG-adapter USB-A to USB-C, If on Samsung the microUSB connector).
2. Connect Samsung to Xiaomi Poco via an adapter. On Samsung, select File Transfer Mode.
3. On Poco, open Explorer (or Files) and go to the section USB-accumulator.
4. Copy the folders you want (DCIM for photos, Download for downloads, etc.) into internal memory or to a Poco memory card.

For transfer via microSD:

• 📁 Insert the map in Samsung, copy the data to it.
• 🔄 Remove the card and paste it into Xiaomi Poco.
• 📂 Use Explorer to move files to internal memory.

⚠️ Note: When copying through OTG or microSD, don't interrupt the process, it can cause some files to be lost (>1GB, it is better to use your computer as an intermediary to avoid errors.

Through branded tools (Mi Mover, Smart Switch)| Through Google account and cloud |Locally (cable, memory card) |I don't know, haven't tried-->

5. Transfer of applications and their data

The hardest part of migration is migrating installed apps and their data. Unfortunately, neither the Mi Mover nor the Smart Switch copy. APK-There are, however, workarounds:

• 📲 Account Sync: Many apps (e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) allow you to back up to the cloud (Google Drive or your own storage.
• 🔄 Backup through ADB: For advanced users, there is a way to create a full copy of applications with data through ADB Backup. Requires a computer and installed ADB Tools.
• 📦 Hand-held installation APK: With apps like this. APK Extractor can be removed APK-files from Samsung and install them on Poco, but application data (such as saving in games) will not be transferred in this way.

For WhatsApp, the instructions are as follows:

1. On Samsung, open WhatsApp → ⋮ → Settings → chat → Backup copy.
2. Back up your Google Drive account (make sure you have the same account as Poco).
3. On Poco, install WhatsApp, log in to the same account and restore chats from backup.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (e.g. banking or with) DRM-You can't move it, you have to re-install it and configure it from scratch. Also, remember that game data is often linked to your Google Play Games account or social media, check the sync beforehand.

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To migrate these applications, always check first if it supports backup to the cloud. If not, use specialized tools like Titanium Backup (requires root) or Swift Backup (for devices with an unlocked bootloader).

6.Transfer of specific data: Samsung Health, Secure Folder, Bixby

Some of Samsung’s data is stored in closed formats and not transferred by standard methods, and let’s look at how to save the most important information:

• 🏃 Samsung Health: Export data manually. Open the app → More. → Settings → Export data and save the file to a memory card or to the cloud. On Poco, use Google Fit or Mi Fitness to import (format may differ).
• 🔒 Secure Folder: Files from Secure Folder cannot be transferred directly. First, deactivate the folder in Settings → Biometrics and safety → Secure Folder, then manually copy files to regular storage.
• 🎤 Bixby Routines: Bixby Settings are not portable. Alternative to Xiaomi - Automation in Settings → You'll have to reset the rules.
• 📝 Samsung Notes: Export notes to the PDF text-file ⋮ → Exports in the annex itself.

For Samsung Pay, you can’t transfer cards again to Mi Pay or Google Pay. Similar to Samsung Pass, you can’t export data, but you can manually transfer passwords through Google Password Manager.

7 Problems and Solutions: What to Do If Data Is Not Transferred

Even if you follow the instructions, you can get errors, and let's look at the typical problems and the ways you can solve them.

If neither method worked, try resetting the network settings on both phones (Settings). → System system → Reset → Resetting the mobile network/Wi-Fi) Or use your computer as an intermediary to copy files.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data transfer