How to transfer video from Samsung to Xiaomi: all ways to maintain quality

Why moving videos between Android devices can be a problem

The transition from Samsung Galaxy to Xiaomi Redmi/POCO often involves the need to migrate media files — especially video. It would seem that this is difficult? But in practice, users face loss of quality, cropping metadata (filming dates, geotagging) or even format incompatibility. For example, videos in HEVC (H.265), shot on the flagship models of the Galaxy S22 Ultra or Galaxy Z Fold, may not play on the budget Redmi Note without additional codecs.

Another catch is the file system difference: Samsung defaults to F2FS or exFAT for memory cards, while Xiaomi still works with FAT32 on some models, which does not support files larger than 4GB. This means that long videos in 4K may not be copied. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to transfer video with the preservation of original quality and metadata, including little-known nuances for specific models.

Method 1: Direct transfer through USB-cable (OTG)

The most reliable method is to connect both smartphones directly with a USB-C cable (or a USB-A → USB-C adapter if the ports are different), which works even without the Internet and does not depend on cloud services, the main condition is that Xiaomi must be enabled File Transfer (MTP) mode.

Instructions:

• 🔌 Connect Samsung to Xiaomi via cable. On the Galaxy screen, select File Transfer (not "Only Charge").
• 📱 On Xiaomi, open the notification USB To transfer files and confirm the connection.
• 📁 Go to the File Manager on Xiaomi (e.g. Mi File Manager or Files by Google). USB-device find the folder DCIM → Camera or Movies.
• 🔄 Select the desired videos, click Copy, then go to Xiaomi internal memory and paste files.

☑️ What to check before copying the USB

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⚠️ Warning: If the video is not copied with the "file is too big" error, the problem is in the file system:

1. Transfer the video to an exFAT memory card (if it is supported by both devices).
2. Or break up your video into 3.9GB pieces with apps like Video Splitter.

Method 2: Wireless transmission over Wi-Fi (Mi Drop, LocalSend, Snapdrop)

If you don't have a cable, you can use a local Wi-Fi network.

• 📲 Mi Drop (built into firmware) MIUI, It only works between Xiaomi).
• 🌐 LocalSend (cross-platform, open source, with no file size restrictions).
• 🔗 Snapdrop (web service, does not require installation, but depends on the browser).

Example from LocalSend:

1. Install the app on both phones from Google Play.
2. Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network.
3. On Samsung, select video → Send → select Xiaomi from the list.
4. On Xiaomi, confirm acceptance (files will be saved to the Download/LocalSend folder).

⚠️ Note: When transmitted over Wi-Fi, video may be compressed if the standard protocol is used. HTTP (For example, in Snapdrop, to avoid loss of quality:

• Use LocalSend with the "No Compression" setting.
• Or archive the video to ZIP without compression before sending it.

Method 3: Cloud Services (Google Photos vs Mi Cloud)

Cloud storage is convenient but has limitations. For example, Google Photos offers unlimited storage for free, but compresses video to 1080p if it is above this resolution. Xiaomi's Mi Cloud retains original quality, but only gives 5GB for free.

How to move through Google Photos without loss:

1. On Samsung, open Google Photos → Photos → Select a video.
2. Click Save to your device on Xiaomi (if the video is already in the cloud).
3. Or upload the video to "Original Quality" (requires space in your account).

💡

If the videos in Google Photos are displayed as “Not supported”, try downloading them through the browser in “Pc” mode (select “Pc Version for Computer” in the browser menu).

Method 4: Memory card or external drive

If both phones support microSD, video transfer is made easier:

1. Insert the card in Samsung, copy the video to a folder (for example, Videos).
2. Remove the card and paste it into Xiaomi.
3. Copy the files into internal memory.

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi with MIUI 12+ The memory card may not be displayed if it is formatted in NTFS. Decision:

• Format the map in exFAT on PC.
• Or use a USB-C → USB-A adapter and a flash drive.

Method 5: Transfer over a computer (PC or Mac)

If you have a computer, this method guarantees 100% data security:

1. Connect Samsung to your PC via cable, select File Transfer mode.
2. Copy the video to a folder on your computer (e.g., D:\Temp\Videos).
3. Disable Samsung, connect Xiaomi and transfer files back.

To speed up the process:

• 🖥️ Use it. USB 3.0 port (blue connector) and high-quality cable.
• 📂 Archive the video in ZIP free of compression (right button) → Send. → A compressed folder).
• 🔍 Check the integrity of files after copying (compare sizes and hash amounts).

💡

PC copying is the only way to transfer HEVC (H.265) video without converting, unless Xiaomi supports this codec out of the box.

Problems and Solutions: Why Videos Aren't Playable on Xiaomi

Even after successful transfer, videos may not open. Common causes and fixes:

To check the video codecs:

1. Install MediaInfo on Xiaomi.
2. Open the problem video → look at the Format and Codec ID lines.
3. If so, hev1 or hvc1, So you do. HEVC-codec.

FAQ: Frequent questions about video transfer