How to transfer data from Samsung to Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro: the full guide

Why moving data between Android devices isn’t as easy as it sounds

The switch from Samsung to Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro is not just a brand change, but a transition between two different ecosystems with unique chips. Even if both smartphones run on Android, manufacturers add their shells: One UI from Samsung and MIUI from Xiaomi, which means that standard Google tools (like Google Account) may not carry system application settings, instant messenger data or call history without additional manipulation.

For example, the Redmi Note 8 Pro (a 2019 model with the Mediatek Helio G90T chipset) does not support Samsung Smart Switch, the brand’s migration solution from the Korean brand. While Xiaomi’s Mi Mover, while positioned as a universal tool, often “forgets” to carry passwords from Wi-Fi or data from some games. In this article, we will analyze all working methods, from automatic to manual, so that you do not lose a single byte of information.

Before you start, check:

• 🔋 Battery charge on both phones is at least 50.
• 📶 Stable Internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile network) 4G+) — cloud-based.
• 📁 Free space on the Redmi Note 8 Pro – at least 10 GB if you transfer multimedia.

Method 1: Mi Mover – the official solution from Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a built-in utility in MIUI that can transfer data from most Android devices, including Samsung, and works on a point-to-point basis over Wi-Fi Direct, so it doesn't require an Internet connection.

⚠️ Note: Mi Mover does not transfer data from some proprietary Samsung apps (such as Samsung Health or Samsung Notes.

How to use:

1. On Redmi Note 8 Pro, go to Settings → About Phone → Mi Mover (or search through Settings).
2. Download Mi Mover from Google Play on Samsung.
3. On both phones, select “I am the sender” (on Samsung) and “I am the recipient” (on Xiaomi).
4. Scan it. QR-Code from Redmi screen with Samsung camera.
5. Select data types for transfer (contacts, SMS, photo, video, audio, applications).
6. Confirm the transmission. It'll take 10 to 40 minutes depending on the volume.

What Mi Mover is carrying:

Turn off the screen lock on both phones|Connect both devices to charging|Make sure there is enough space on Xiaomi.|Close all background applications-->

Method 2: Google Account is universal, but not perfect

Syncing through Google Account is the most reliable method for transferring basic data: contacts, calendars, notes (from Google Keep) and some settings.

• 📁 Photos and videos are synced only if they were uploaded to Google Photos before the transfer.
• 📱 Apps are only transferred to their lists (from Google Play), but not stored data (for example, game progress).
• 🔄 Call history and SMS They are not automatically synchronized.

Step-by-step:

1. On Samsung, open Settings → Accounts and Archiving → Account Management.
2. Select your Google Account and enable sync for all categories (contacts, calendar, Chrome, Gmail, etc.).
3. For photos: open Google Photos, click on the avatar → Photo settings → Backup and sync.
4. On Redmi Note 8 Pro, when you first turn on, select “Restore from Backup” and log in to the same Google Account.
5. If the phone is already set up, go to Settings → Accounts → Google and enable sync.

To transfer SMS and call history, use third-party applications, such as:

• 📲 SMS Backup & Restore (Saves Messages in the Reservations) XML-file).
• 📞 Call Logs Backup & Restore (exporting history to the world) CSV).

💡

If you have two-factor authentication (2FA) on Google, check before penos that you have backup codes. The new phone may require re-authorization in services.

Method 3: Transfer over a computer (for large amounts of data)

If you need to move tens of gigabytes of photos, videos or music, the most reliable way is to use a PC (Windows, macOS or Linux) as an intermediary.

• 🔌 You have a slow internet for cloud services.
• 📂 You need to sort the files before the penos.
• 🔒 You want to make a backup copy to the hard drive.

Algorithm of action:

1. Connect Samsung to your computer via USB-cable (use the original cable for stable speed).
2. On your phone, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
3. Copy the folders you want (DCIM for photos, Downloads for downloads, etc.) on your PC.
4. Disable Samsung, plug in the Redmi Note 8 Pro and transfer files back.
5. For music, use the Music folder, for documents, Documents.

To port applications and their data (for example, game saves) use:

• 🖥️ Helium (Carbon Backup) – requires root rights on older versions of Android.
• 📦 Titanium Backup – Rooted Devices Only.

⚠️ Note: When copying photos and videos via PC, the Redmi Note 8 Pro may not display them in the gallery right away.Reboot your phone or use a file manager (like Files by Google) to manually update your media tags.

Method 4: Cloud Services (Yandex.Disk, Dropbox, Mega)

If you don't have access to a computer, but you have stable Wi-Fi, you can use cloud storage, which is a good way to transfer:

• 📸 Photos and videos (up to 50 GB in free rates).
• 📄 Documents (PDF, DOCX, XLSX).
• 🎵 Music and podcasts.

Step-by-step instructions on the example of Yandex.Disk:

1. On Samsung, install Yandex.Disk from Google Play.
2. Upload files to the cloud (you can choose to upload photos automatically).
3. On Redmi Note 8 Pro, install the same app and log in.
4. Download files to the new device.

Comparison of popular cloud services:

To accelerate the loading:

• 🌐 Connect to 5 GHz Wi-Fi (if the router supports).
• 📴 Turn off background synchronization of other applications.
• 🕒 Download files at night when the network load is less.

Method 5: Transfer through OTG-memory-card

If you have OTG-Adapter (or Redmi Note 8 Pro) USB OTG), You can transfer data directly through:

• 📁 Flash drive (FAT32 exFAT).
• 💾 Memory card (microSD).
• 🖥️ External hard drive (if the adapter supports power).

How it works:

1. Connect. OTG-Adapter to Samsung and insert the flash drive.
2. Copy the files you want to drive (use a file manager like Solid Explorer).
3. Disable the adapter from Samsung and connect to the Redmi Note 8 Pro.
4. Transfer files to internal memory or memory card.

⚠️ Note: Redmi Note 8 Pro supports microSD cards up to 512GB, but only in format FAT32 or exFAT. if your card is formatted in NTFS, The phone won't see it. SD Card Formatter for reformatting.

Advantages of this method:

• ⚡ Instant speed (up to 40 MB/s when used) USB 3.0 flash drives).
• 🔒 Security – data is not transmitted over the network.
• 🔄 You can use a single drive to transfer data between multiple devices.

💡

OTG-cable is the most reliable way to transfer large files (movies, backups), but requires additional accessories. OTG, Use the memory card as an intermediary.

Problems with transfer and how to solve them

Even when using official tools, errors can occur, and here are the most common ways to fix them:

If the transfer is interrupted:

• 🔄 Reset the Mi Mover or other tool.
• 📴 Check if the transmission is blocked by antivirus or energy saving mode.
• 🔋 Make sure both phones have enough charge (at least 30%).

To diagnose problems with Google Account:

• 🔍 Check if the storage limit is exceeded (15 GB at the free rate).
• 🔄 Update Google Play Services on both devices.
• 📧 Make sure sync is enabled for all categories (Settings) → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization).

FAQ: Frequent questions about data transfer