How to transfer data from Samsung to Xiaomi Mi 11: 5 proven ways

Contents

• Why Transferring Data Between Android Devices Is Not Always Easy
• Preparation for transfer: what to do before the start
• Method 1: Mi Mover – the official solution from Xiaomi
• Method 2: Sync through Google Account (for contacts, calendar, notes)
• Method 3: Samsung Smart Switch – Can I Use it for Xiaomi?
• Method 4: Cloud services (Google Drive, OneDrive, Mi Cloud)
• Method 5: Manual transfer via computer or OTG-cable
• Typical problems and their solutions
• FAQ: Frequent questions about data transfer

The switch from Samsung to Xiaomi Mi 11 is not just a hardware update, but also a migration of all personal data, from contacts to call history. SIM-In practice, transferring data between devices of different brands requires preparation and choosing the right method.

The main difficulty is that Samsung and Xiaomi use different shells of Android: One. UI and MIUI This means that standard backup tools (such as Samsung Smart Switch) are not always compatible with other devices. OTG-Connection to transmit data via cable – it must be activated manually in the developer settings.

In this guide, we will look at 5 working ways to transfer data, from official utilities to manual methods, and also analyze the typical errors that occur during migration, you can choose the best option depending on the amount of data and the tools available.

Preparation for transfer: what to do before the start

Before you start the transfer, follow a few mandatory steps to avoid data loss and speed up the process:

• 🔋 Charge both devices to at least 50%. Data transfer can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour depending on the volume.
• 📶 Connect to stable Wi-Fi. Cloud-based methods and sync through Google will require Internet.
• 🔄 Update the software on both smartphones. Xiaomi Mi 11 should be installed the latest version MIUI (Check in the settings → The phone. → Updating the system).
• 📁 Clean up unnecessary files on an old Samsung. It makes no sense to carry garbage (cache, duplicate photos.

Pay special attention to permissions. On the Xiaomi Mi 11, the default rights to install applications from unknown sources may be limited.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Special Access.
2. Activate the option of Install unknown applications for the browser or file manager.

⚠️ Note: If Samsung has encryption enabled, it can take much longer to transfer via cable, and it is better to use cloud services.

Method 1: Mi Mover – the official solution from Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a built-in utility in Xiaomi Mi 11, designed to transfer data from other Android devices.

• 📞 Contacts, call history and SMS
• 📷 Photos and videos (including Google Photos albums)
• 🎵 Music and documents
• 📱 Some system settings (wallpaper, labels)

However, there are limitations: Mi Mover does not carry installed applications and their data (for example, save in games), this will require additional tools like Titanium Backup (requires root rights).

Step-by-step:

1. On Xiaomi Mi 11 go to Settings → About the phone and tap 7 times on the item Version MIUI, activate the developer mode.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network.
4. On Xiaomi Mi 11, launch the Mi Mover app (if not, download from Google Play).
5. Select I receiver on Mi 11 and I send on Samsung.

Both phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

- Xiaomi has included debugging on USB

- Power saving mode is disabled on Samsung

Free space on the Mi 11 exceeds the amount of data transferred

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The speed of the transmission depends on the amount of data and the stability of the network. On average, 10 GB of data is transferred in 20-30 minutes.

• Reboot the Mi Mover on both devices.
• Shut down. VPN or proxy on Samsung.
• Use the cable USB-C to USB-C Direct connection (if Wi-Fi is unstable).

⚠️ Note: If Samsung has custom firmware installed (e.g. LineageOS), Mi Mover may not recognize the device.

💡

Mi Mover is the fastest way to transfer contacts, media files and messages, but does not support applications and their data.

Method 2: Sync through Google Account (for contacts, calendar, notes)

If you only need to transfer contacts, calendar, notes and email, the most reliable way is to sync through Google Account, which works on any Android device and does not require additional programs.

How to transfer contacts:

1. On Samsung, go to Settings → Accounts and Archiving → Account Management.
2. Select your Google Account and make sure that Contact Sync is enabled.
3. On Xiaomi Mi 11, add the same Google Account to Settings → Accounts. → Add an account.
4. Wait for automatic synchronization (can take up to 10 minutes).

For calendar and notes, repeat the same steps, but activate sync for Calendar and Google Keep (if you use).

Advantages of this method:

• ✅ No need to connect phones to each other.
• ✅ Data is automatically updated when changes are made.
• ✅ It works even if one of the phones is turned off or discharged.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Does not tolerate photos, videos, music and applications.
• ❌ If your contacts are stored in your device memory (not Google), you must export them first.

If not all contacts are displayed on Xiaomi Mi 11 after synchronization, check:

• Filter settings in Contacts (possibly hidden duplicates).
• Archive folder in Google Contacts (sometimes old records get there).

Method 3: Samsung Smart Switch – Can I Use it for Xiaomi?

Samsung Smart Switch is a proprietary utility for transferring data between Samsung devices or from the iPhone to Samsung. Unfortunately, it doesn't officially support migrating to Xiaomi.

You can use Smart Switch to back up on Samsung and then extract the data manually:

1. Install Samsung Smart Switch on your PC from the official website.
2. Connect Samsung to your computer via USB and back up (select all the data you need).
3. The backup file will be saved in.spb format (usually in a folder). C:\Users\Name of the User\Documents\Samsung\SmartSwitch\backup).
4. Use third-party tools like Smart Switch Backup Extractor to extract data from.spb.
5. Transfer the extracted files to Xiaomi Mi 11 via USB cloud.

This method is suitable for power users, as it requires working with third-party programs. The alternative is to use Smart Switch to transfer data to an intermediate device (for example, another Samsung) and from there to Xiaomi via Mi Mover.

⚠️ Note: Smart Switch (.spb) backup files are not compatible with MIUI. Don’t try to open them directly on the Xiaomi Mi 11 – it could cause a system crash.

Method 4: Cloud services (Google Drive, OneDrive, Mi Cloud)

If you don't have cable or Wi-Fi, cloud storage is a good alternative, and the main advantage is that you can move data in multiple stages and don't depend on the physical connection of the devices.

How to transfer files via Google Drive:

1. On Samsung, open Google Drive and click + → Download.
2. Select files (photos, videos, documents) and wait for the download.
3. On Xiaomi Mi 11, log in to the same Google account and download files through the Google Drive app.

It's the same for OneDrive or Mi Cloud, but there are limitations to each service.

• 📁 Google Drive: 15GB free, then a paid subscription is required.
• ☁️ Mi Cloud: Only 5GB Free, but Optimized for Xiaomi.
• 📂 OneDrive: 5GB free, integrated with Microsoft Office.

To transfer photos and videos, it is more convenient to use Google Photos:

1. On Samsung, open Google Photos and enable Backup and Sync.
2. Wait until all media files are uploaded.
3. On Xiaomi Mi 11, log in to the same account and download files via Photos → Photographs → Choose. → Save it to the device.

⚠️ Note: When uploading to Google Photos in High Quality (not Original Quality) mode, photos and videos are compressed. If the original size is important, choose Original Quality (quoted in the 15 GB quota).

💡

If you have a lot of photos, use the Free up Google Photos feature on Samsung after downloading – this will delete local copies, freeing up memory.

You can use YouTube Music or Spotify (if you have playlists) to transfer music, Google Drive or Dropbox for documents.

Method 5: Manual transfer via computer or OTG-cable

If you prefer full control of the process, manually transfer via PC or OTG-cable is the most reliable option, and it's suitable for large amounts of data (50 GB or more) and is independent of Internet speed.

Transfer via computer (Windows/macOS):

1. Connect Samsung to your PC via USB and select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the folders you need (DCIM for photos, Downloads for downloads, etc.) to your computer.
3. Turn off Samsung and plug in Xiaomi Mi 11.
4. Transfer files to Mi 11 c appropriate folders (for example, photo in the DCIM/Camera).

For OTG-cable (direct connection of Samsung to Xiaomi):

1. Buy a cable. USB-C to USB-C (or adapter if the Samsung connector microUSB).
2. On Xiaomi Mi 11, turn on Mode OTG In Settings → Connections → OTG.
3. Connect Samsung to Xiaomi via cable.
4. On Mi 11, open the file manager (Files) and copy the data from the connected device.

Advantages of manual transfer:

• 🔄 Full control over which files are copied.
• 🚀 Maximum speed (limited only) USB-port).
• 🔒 No risk of data loss due to synchronization failure.

Disadvantages:

• ⏳ It takes time and attention.
• 🖥️ You need to have a PC on hand or OTG-cable.

Typical problems and their solutions

Even if you follow the instructions, you can have errors, and let's look at the most common ones and how to fix them.

1 Mi Mover doesn't see Samsung

• 🔌 Check that both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
• 📱 On Samsung, turn off power saving mode for the Mi Mover app.
• 🔄 Reboot the Mi Mover on both phones.
• 📡 If you use a mobile hotspot, turn it on the Xiaomi Mi 11 and connect Samsung to this network.

2. Contacts are not transferred through Google Account

• 🔍 Check that your contacts are saved in your Google Account on Samsung, not in your device memory.
• 🔄 Manually run synchronization: Settings → Accounts. → Google → Synchronize.
• 📵 Remove and re-add Google Account on Xiaomi Mi 11.

3. apps are not installed on Xiaomi Mi 11

• 🔓 Allow installation from unknown sources: Settings → Annexes → Special access → Installation of unknown applications.
• 📱 Check compatibility. APK s MIUI (Some Samsung apps may not work).
• 🔄 Download the apps again from Google Play (data can be restored via backup).

4. Slow data transmission via cable

• 🔌 Use the original cable USB-C to USB-C (cheap cables limit speed).
• 🖥️ Connect to USB 3.0 port on PC (blue connectors).
• 📱 On Samsung, turn on Developer Mode → Debugging by USB.

5.There is not enough space for Xiaomi Mi 11

• 🗑️ Delete unnecessary files on Mi 11 via Settings → Warehouse.
• 📁 Move some of the data to SD-card (if supported).
• ☁️ Upload media files to the cloud (Google Photos, Mi Cloud) and delete local copies.

💡

If neither method works, try resetting the network settings on both devices: → System system → Reset → Resetting Wi-Fi, Mobile Network and Bluetooth.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data transfer