How to transfer data from Samsung to Xiaomi Poco: 5 proven ways

The transition from Samsung to Xiaomi Poco is not just about changing the brand, but also the need to transfer all the important data: contacts, photos, messages and even app settings. Many users fear this process, considering it difficult or risky. In fact, modern tools make migration between Android devices almost automatic, but there are nuances that you should know about in advance.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to transfer data, from the official Mi Mover and Samsung Smart Switch utilities to manual methods through cloud storage and cables. We’ll focus on the typical problems: why some files don’t copy, how to avoid loss of quality photos and what to do if the process is interrupted. If you go from the Galaxy S23 to Poco F6 or from the Samsung A54 to the Poco X6 Pro, here you will find a solution to your situation.

Important: the transfer procedure can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours depending on the amount of data and the method chosen. The only way to guarantee that all application settings (for example, progress in games or feeds on social networks) are saved is to use backup through a Google account or the manufacturer itself (Samsung Cloud, Xiaomi Cloud).

Preparation for transfer: what to do before the start

Before you start migrating, take a few critical steps to avoid data loss and speed up the process:

• 📱 Check the battery power on both devices, which should be at least 50%, and transferring data over cable or Wi-Fi is actively consuming energy.
• 🔌 Use original cables (or certified cables) USB-C). Cheap cables can interrupt the connection, especially when transferring large files.
• 📡 Turn it off. VPN Firewalls – they can block data transmission over a local network or cloud services.
• 🗃️ Clean up unnecessary files on Samsung: remove duplicate photos, app cache and old backups.This will reduce portability time.

Also make sure that Xiaomi Poco has enough free space. For example, if you are porting 64 GB of data from the Samsung Galaxy S22, the Poco X5 Pro should have at least 70-80 GB of free space (including service files). Check this in the Settings → Memory menu.

⚠️ Note: If Samsung has enabled data encryption (Settings menu) → Security → Encryption, some portability techniques may not work, in which case use cloud services or manual file export.

2. Method 1: Mi Mover – official solution from Xiaomi

Mi Mover is an integrated application on all Xiaomi and Poco smartphones, designed to wirelessly transfer data from other Android devices, and it supports contact, message (SMS/MMS), photos, videos, music, calendars and even some system settings.

• 🚫 Does not tolerate applications and their data (for example, save in games or setting messengers).

How to use Mi Mover:

1. On Xiaomi Poco, open the Mi Mover app (if not, download from Google Play).
2. Choose I'm the recipient → Android.
3. On Samsung, download Mi Mover from Play Market and select Me sender.
4. Scan it. QR-code from the Poco screen or connect via Wi-Fi Direct.
5. Select data types to transfer and confirm the start of the process.

The speed of the transfer depends on the device model. For example, when transferring 30 GB of data from the Galaxy A73 to the Poco F5, the process takes about 40-60 minutes.

• 🔄 Reset Mi Mover on both devices.
• 📶 Switch from Wi-Fi Direct to the access point (on Poco, turn on modem modem modem).
• 🔌 Use the cable OTG (if maintained).

Install Mi Mover on Samsung|Charge both phones >50%|Shut down. VPN firewalls|Free up space on Poco (up 10% more data)|Connect to a single Wi-Fi network-->

3. Method 2: Samsung Smart Switch – an alternative from Samsung

Samsung Smart Switch is a mirror tool to Mi Mover, but with other features: it does a better job of porting messages, Samsung Notes notes, and app data (if supported), but to run on Xiaomi Poco, you’ll need to install Smart Switch manually.

How to transfer data via Smart Switch:

1. Download Samsung Smart Switch to Poco from Google Play.
2. On Samsung, open the built-in Smart Switch app (usually preinstalled).
3. Connect devices via USB-C → USB-C cable (recommended) or Wi-Fi.
4. On Poco, select Receive Data, on Samsung, Send Data.
5. Select file types (contacts, messages, multimedia) and wait until you complete the file.

Advantages of the method:

✅ Samsung Notes and Samsung Health (if installed on Poco).

✅ It saves your phone history (unlike the Mi Mover).

✅ It works more stable with cable connection.

⚠️ Note: If messages are displayed without contact names after transfer, check the synchronization of contacts with your Google account. → Accounts. → Google → Synchronize and enable the contact option.

4. Method 3: Transfer through Google Account (for contacts, calendars, photos)

If you only need to transfer contacts, calendars, emails and photos, the most reliable way is to sync through your Google account, which works on any Android device and does not require additional applications.

Instructions:

1. On Samsung, open Settings → Accounts and Archiving → Account Management.
2. Select your Google account and enable sync to: 📇 Contacts 📅 Calendar 📧 Gmail 🖼️ Google Photos (if backup is enabled)

Xiaomi Poco

Google account

Settings → Accounts → Add an account

Enable synchronization for the same data.

To transfer photos and videos through Google Photos:

1. On Samsung, open the Google Photos app.
2. Go to Settings → Backup and Sync and turn on the option.
3. Wait for the download to complete (you can check in Photo → Library → Devices).
4. On Poco, log in to the same Google account – photos will appear automatically.

Limitations:

❌ Free Google Photo Storage is limited to 15 GB (shared with Gmail and Google Drive).

❌ Photo quality may decrease when compressed (if "High Quality" is selected instead of "Original").

💡

If you have a lot of photos, check your Google Account space before transferring, and go to one.google.com/storage and clear unnecessary files or buy additional space if necessary.

5. Method 4: Manual transfer via OTG cable or computer

If you need to transfer large files (video to 4K, app backups) or don't have Wi-Fi access, use a direct cable connection. This is a universal method, but it takes more time and attention.

You'll need:

✅ Cable USB-C → USB-C (adapter USB-A → USB-C, If on Samsung the microUSB connector).

✅ Activated Developer Mode on Samsung (to access hidden settings).

Step-by-step:

1. On Samsung, turn on Developer Mode: Settings → Phone → Software Information → Build Number (click 7 times) Then go back to Settings → Developer Mode and turn on USB Debugging.
2. Connect Samsung to Poco via cable. On Samsung, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
3. On Poco, open Explorer (or Files) and go to the section USB-device.
4. Copy the right folders: 📸 DCIM — photo and video. 🎵 Music - audio files. 📄 Documents - documents. 📱 Android/data — Data from some applications (but not all!).

Important nuances:

✔️ Android/data folder can be hidden – enable the display of hidden files in Explorer settings.

✔️ Not all apps store data in accessible folders, like WhatsApp stores backups in the app. /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases, But it takes a separate process to recover.

✔️ Videos in.mov format (from iPhone) may not play on Xiaomi – use a converter (e.g. VLC).

6. Method 5: Cloud storage (Google Drive, OneDrive, Yandex Drive)

If you have slow internet or no cable, you can use cloud services to temporarily store files, a method that is suitable for transferring documents, music, and archives, but is inconvenient for large volumes (due to speed and traffic restrictions).

Comparison of services:

How to move data through the cloud:

1. On Samsung, upload files to the selected storage via the official app.
2. Download the same app on Poco and log in to your account.
3. Select the files and download them to the device.