How to transfer data from Xiaomi to Samsung Galaxy A12: all ways 2026

Why Data Transfers between Xiaomi and Samsung Need a Special Approach

The transition from Xiaomi to the Samsung Galaxy A12 is not just a smartphone change, but a transition between two different ecosystems. If you're used to MIUI with its proprietary services like Mi Cloud and Mi Mover, Samsung's One UI will offer a very different set of tools. The main problem is that these systems are incompatible out of the box, so direct data transfer via cable or NFC often works with errors.

The second nuance is that the Samsung Galaxy A12 (SM-A125F/DS and SM-A127F) does not support wireless transfer via Google Quick Switch Adaptor, unlike the flagship models of the S or Note series. This means that owners of the budget Galaxy A12 will have to use workarounds: from manual file copying to specialized applications. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods – from the simplest (via Google account) to advanced (using ADB).

It's important to consider the amount of data. If you have 50 on Xiaomi, you'll have 50.+ High-resolution GB photos or hundreds of applications, wireless methods like Smart Switch can take hours. OTG-We tested all the methods on real devices and we identified the pros and cons of each one.

Method 1: Transfer through a Google account (most universal)

This method works on any Android device, regardless of the manufacturer, and its main advantage is automatic synchronization of contacts, calendars, notes and parts of applications. However, there are limitations: photos and videos are synchronized only in compressed quality (unless you use Google Photos in the original resolution), and SMS and call logs are not always portable.

How to do this:

• 📱 On Xiaomi: Open Settings → Google accounts → Synchronize and turn on all the switches. Wait until the process is complete (can take up to 30 minutes with a lot of data).
• 🔄 On the Samsung Galaxy A12: When you first turn on, select "Copy data" → "Android" → Log in to the same Google account. If your phone is already set up, go to Settings → Accounts and archiving → Account management → Google and start syncing.
• 📂 For photo/video: Install Google Photos on both devices, enable backup in “Original Quality” (requires a space fee of over 15 GB) or “High Quality” (free but compressed).

⚠️ Note: If Xiaomi used Mi Account for backup, data from it will not be transferred to Google. First export it manually: Settings → The phone. → Backup → Local backup.

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If you have two-factor authentication on Google, check before perenosom that the new Samsung A12 has mobile internet or Wi-Fi enabled.

Method 2: Using Samsung Smart Switch (official solution)

Samsung Smart Switch is a proprietary migration app, but it is not stable with Xiaomi. MIUI-Optimizations, especially on devices with Android version below 11. However, this is the only way to migrate SMS, call log and some system settings without manual export.

Step-by-step:

1. Download Smart Switch from Google Play to both devices.
2. On Xiaomi, go to Settings → Apps → Permissions → Autostart and enable Autostart for Smart Switch.
3. Connect devices through OTG-cable (original from Samsung) or Wi-Fi Direct.
4. On the Galaxy A12, select Get Data → Android and follow the hints. If the process is 99% frozen, restart both phones and try again.

Method 3: Manual transfer via computer (most reliable)

If you need to transfer large amounts of data (e.g. 100+GB of photo/video) or you have errors with wireless methods, connecting via a computer is the best option. This method takes longer, but guarantees 100% control over the process.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux
• 🔌 Two. USB-cables (preferably original)
• 📁 Folder on the hard drive with 50+ GB of free space (in case of large files)

Algorithm of action:

1. Connect Xiaomi to your computer in File Transfer (MTP) mode. If the phone is not identified, install MIUI drivers.
2. Copy the folders: Internal Storage/DCIM/ – Photos and videos of Internal Storage/Pictures/ – Uploaded images of Internal Storage/Download/ – downloads of Internal Storage/WhatsApp/Media/ – media from WhatsApp
3. Disable Xiaomi, plug in the Samsung Galaxy A12 and paste files into the same folders. Use TeraCopy (Windows) or rsync (macOS/Linux) to speed up.

⚠️ Note: Do not copy the entire Android folder – it can disrupt the work of applications on Samsung A12. Transfer only media files and documents.

Method 4: Transfer over a local area network (Wi-Fi Direct)

If you don't have a cable or a computer, you can use a direct Wi-Fi connection between your phones, which is slower than wired but doesn't require additional devices, and the main requirement is that both phones must support Wi-Fi Direct (on the Samsung A12, this works stable, and on Xiaomi, you may need to enable the feature manually).

Instructions:

1. On Xiaomi, open Settings → Connection and Sharing → Wi-Fi Direct.
2. On the Samsung A12, go to Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi → Wi-Fi Direct and select your Xiaomi from the list.
3. Once connected, use any file application (such as Files by Google or Solid Explorer) to transfer data.

The transmission speed will be ~5-10 MB/s (depending on the interference in the network).

• 📶 Move the phones closer together (within 1 meter).
• 🔋 Charge both devices to 100% - transfer drains the battery faster than usual.
• 📴 Turn off mobile internet on both phones to avoid conflicts with Wi-Fi.

Method 5: Transfer applications and their data (advanced)

Standard methods do not carry installed applications and their data (for example, save in games or configure messengers).

1. Backup via ADB (power users only): adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab adb restore backup.ab On the Samsung A12, enable USB Debugging before recovery and allow backup to Settings → System → For Developers.
2. Backup applications: 📦 Swift Backup (requires root or ADB) 🔄 Titanium Backup (Root only) 📱 App Cloner (for duplicate applications without data)

⚠️ Note: Transferring system applications (com.android.*) can cause conflicts in One UI. Remove them from the backup using the filter: adb backup -apk -obb -shared -f backup.ab -noshared com.whatsapp com.telegram.org Only WhatsApp and Telegram are listed here – replace them with the desired packages.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even when following the instructions, users encounter common mistakes, and here's how to avoid them:

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If the Samsung Smart Switch is hanging out in the “Data Preparation” phase, try clearing the app cache on both phones or using an alternative method (like a computer).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions