How to Move Data from Xiaomi to Samsung: A Complete 2026 Guide

Why Data Transfers between Xiaomi and Samsung Need a Special Approach

The transition from Xiaomi to Samsung is not just a brand change, but a transition between two fundamentally different ecosystems. MIUI One UI They use different encryption algorithms for backups, contact storage formats, and even folder structure for media files. For example, photos in Xiaomi are saved by default to a folder. DCIM/Camera, and at Samsung, in DCIM/100ANDRO or DCIM/100MEDIA, What can cause confusion when copying manually.

Another trap is service binding: Xiaomi aggressively promotes its Mi Cloud, and Samsung Cloud (which, by the way, stopped supporting photo and video backups since 2021), and if you’ve been syncing data only with Mi Account for years, you’ll have to export it first to a generic format, like.vcf for contacts or.zip for messages, and in this article, we’ll look at all the working methods of porting, from official tools to workarounds for rare cases.

Method 1: Samsung’s Smart Switch – the official method with pitfalls

Samsung Smart Switch is a proprietary migration solution that can port contacts, messages, photos, videos, music, notes, calendars and even customizations of some applications. However, with Xiaomi, it has two critical limitations: it does not support porting applications (only their data) and can “forget” some system settings when you switch from MIUI 14+ to One UI 6+.

To use Smart Switch, follow the following steps:

• 📱 Install Smart Switch on both phones: link for Android (on Samsung it is usually preinstalled).
• 🔗 Connect the phones through USB-cable (Samsung's original cable with support is recommended) USB 3.2 for speed) or Wi-Fi Direct (slower but wirelessly free).
• 🔄 On Xiaomi, select the role "Send data", on Samsung - "Receive data".
• ✅ Confirm the transfer and wait until the completion (at the end) 128 GB of data is going away ~40-60 cable-way).

Are both phones connected to charging (the process drains the battery by 15-20%)

Power saving mode is turned off on both devices

Is at least 30% of Samsung’s memory free (for temporary files)

Are both phones up to the latest version of the software (especially Xiaomi on MIUI 14+)

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If your Xiaomi Smart Switch doesn’t see you, try:

1. Enable the Xiaomi mode "Debugging by" USB" In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Tap 7 times on the build number, then return to Settings → Additionally. → For developers).
2. Use a USB-C → USB-A adapter if you have an old Xiaomi with a Micro-USB connector.
3. Reboot both phones and reconnect.

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If Smart Switch is 99% over, don’t turn off the cable! wait 10-15 minutes – the system can handle larger files longer (like 4K video).

Method 2: Google Account is universal, but not perfect

Syncing through Google Account is the most reliable way to move contacts, calendars, notes and some settings, but it is useless for messages, calls and most apps, and the main advantage is that the data is automatically updated on a new phone if you add the same account.

How to transfer data:

1. On Xiaomi, go to Settings → Google Accounts → Sync and turn on all the switches.
2. Wait for the sync to complete (check in Settings → About Phone → Status → Accounts).
3. On Samsung, add the same Google account and enable sync in Settings → Accounts and Backup → Account Management.

Google Account |Samsung Smart Switch | Manual file copying | Other service (Mi Cloud, iCloud, etc.) | I don't sync data-->

An important nuance: if you used Mi Cloud for backup on Xiaomi, export your data from there to local storage first.

1. Open Mi Cloud on Xiaomi.
2. Select "Reserve" → "Local backup".
3. Save the file to your phone or memory card.

Method 3: Manual transfer via computer - for full control

If you need to migrate all files without exception (including hidden application folders or custom formats), manual copying via PC is the most reliable option, and this method is also useful if you have Xiaomi with an unlocked bootloader or custom firmware that Smart Switch may not support.

Instructions:

1. Connect Xiaomi to your computer via USB and select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the following folders from internal memory: DCIM — Photos and videos; Downloads – uploaded files; Pictures – screenshots and images from messengers; Android/data — Application data (e.g. game saving).

Samsung

For manually transferring contacts and SMS:

• 📇 Contacts: export them to.vcf file via the Contacts app on Xiaomi (menu) → "Contact management" → "Imports/Exports").
• 💬 Messages: Use the app SMS Backup & Restore to create a backup in.xml format.

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Manual transfer is the only way to save data from applications that don’t support cloud sync (such as some banking programs or local notes).

Method 4: Transfer over a memory card (for older models)

If you have Xiaomi and Samsung with MicroSD support (like the Redmi Note 10 Pro and Galaxy A52), you can use the memory card as an intermediary, a method slower than a direct cable, but does not require a computer.

Step-by-step:

1. Insert the memory card in Xiaomi.
2. Transfer the necessary files to it (for example, through the "Conductor" or "Gallery").
3. Remove the card and paste it into Samsung.
4. Copy the files into the internal memory of the new phone.

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If the memory card is formatted as “Inner Memory” on Xiaomi, it will not be read on Samsung without formatting. Before transferring, check the format to Settings → Storage → SD card and transfer the data to your computer if necessary, and format the card as “Portifical Storage”.

Limitations of the method:

• ⚠️ Not all applications allow you to store data on SD-card (e.g. WhatsApp requires manual transfer via Chat) → Chat exports").
• ⚠️ Copy speed is limited to the card class (for the 4K-video UHS-I U3 higher).

Method 5: Cloud services (Google Drive, Yandex Drive, Telegram)

If you don't have a cable or a computer on hand, you can upload the data to the cloud and then download it to Samsung, which is suitable for small amounts of data (up to 10-15 GB), because it depends on the speed of the Internet.

The best services for transfer:

• 🌐 Google Drive: 15GB free, Android integration. Suitable for documents and archives.
• ☁️ Yandex Disk: 10 GB free, high download speed in Russia.
• 📎 Telegram (Saved Messages): unlimited file size up to 2 GB. Suitable for fast contact transfer (.vcf) or small archives.
• 🗄️ Mi Cloud → Google Drive: If your data is already in Mi Cloud, download it to your PC and then upload it to Google Drive to access it from Samsung.

How to transfer photos via Google Photos:

1. On Xiaomi, open Google Photos and turn on “Backup and Sync”.
2. Wait for all photos to be uploaded (check in the web version of photos.google.com).
3. On Samsung, log in to the same Google account and wait for sync.

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Cloud services are the only way to transfer data if the phones are located in different cities (for example, you buy Samsung online, and Xiaomi remains with the seller).

Method 6: Transfer applications and their data (for advanced users)

Official methods do not transfer installed applications (.apk files) and their data (for example, game cache or program settings).

Instructions for porting applications:

1. Install the app on Xiaomi APK Extractor (link) and export APK-file.
2. Move it. APK Samsung (via cable, cloud or other SD-map).
3. On Samsung, allow installation from unknown sources (Settings → Applications → Special Access → Install Unknown Applications).
4. Install. APK-manually.

To transfer application data (e.g., save games or settings):

• 🛠️ With root rights: Use Titanium Backup to create a full backup.
• 🔧 No root: copy folders from /Android/data/[package annexes] and /Android/obb/[Application package (not working for all applications).

Important: Some applications (such as banking or DRM-protected) block the work when transferring data, in which case the only way out is to log in again.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even if you follow the instructions, you can make mistakes.

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If you have lost wallpaper or notification sounds after transferring to Samsung, check the /MIUI/theme/ folder on your old phone and copy its contents to a similar folder on the new device (you may need to create a folder manually).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions