How to transfer all data from Samsung to Xiaomi Redmi Note 10: 5 proven ways

The transition from a Samsung device to a Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 is not only a brand change, but also a migration of all digital life: photos, contacts, messages and apps. Many users are afraid of losing data or spending hours manually transferring files. In practice, the process takes from 15 minutes to an hour, if you choose the right method.

In this article, we will discuss 5 ways to transfer data, from the official Mi Mover tool to alternative solutions using cloud services and physical media, and pay special attention to the nuances that manufacturers do not keep silent: why some files can not be transferred through Mi Mover, if Samsung is enabled encryption, how to circumvent the limitations on the amount of data in cloud services and what to do if a laptop does not see a smartphone via USB.

The choice of method depends on the amount of data and your preferences. For example, to transfer 50 GB of photos and videos, you better use a memory card or an OTG cable, and for synchronizing contacts and notes, you will need a cloud service, and we tested each method on real devices and listed the pros/cons in the comparison table below.

Important: Before starting the transfer, check the battery power on both devices (at least 50%) and make room for the Redmi Note 10. If the firmware with Android beta is installed on Samsung, some Mi Mover features may not work properly.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a proprietary application from Xiaomi designed to migrate data from devices on Android or iOS.It is pre-installed on all Redmi smartphones, including the Note 10, and supports the transfer of contacts, messages, photos, videos, audio, notes and even some system settings.

How does it work? It creates a local Wi-Fi network between devices and transfers files directly, without downloading them to the cloud, which speeds up the process and eliminates the risk of data leakage.

• 📱 Samsung must have the Mi Mover app installed (download to Google Play).
• 🔒 If Samsung has enabled data encryption (e.g., via Settings → Security → Encryption), Mi Mover may not see some files.
• 📶 Both devices must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network (or create an access point on the Redmi Note 10).
• 🚫 No support for porting installed applications (only their data if the application is already installed on Redmi).

Step-by-step:

1. Open Mi Mover on Redmi Note 10 and select “I’m a new user.”
2. On Samsung, launch Mi Mover, select Send Data, and scan the QR- code from the Redmi screen.
3. Select the types of data to transfer (contacts, media files, etc.) and confirm the transfer.
4. Wait until the process is complete. The time depends on the amount of data (for example, 20 GB is transmitted ~30-40 minutes).

⚠️ Warning: If the Mi Mover is stuck in the Prep phase, restart the app on both devices and try again. If you fail again, check if the antivirus or energy-saving mode is blocking the transmission on Samsung.

Install Mi Mover on Samsung|Shut down. VPN both-device|Charge both smartphones >50%|Free up space on the Redmi Note 10-->

2.Move over cloud services: Google Drive, Mi Cloud, Samsung Cloud

Cloud storage is convenient because it doesn't require physical connection of devices, but each service has limitations on the amount of free space and the type of data it transfers, like Google Drive giving 15GB for free, and Mi Cloud only 5GB.

Compare the capabilities of the services in the table:

How to transfer data via Google Drive:

1. On Samsung, open Google Photos and enable backup (Settings → Backup and Sync).
2. Wait until all photos and videos are uploaded to the cloud.
3. On Redmi Note 10, add the same Google account and open Google Photos – files will start downloading automatically.

For contacts and calendars, add a Google account to Redmi: data is synced in the background. If contacts are stored in your phone’s memory (not in your Google account), export them to a.vcf file via Contacts → Settings → Export.

⚠️ Warning: If you used a Samsung account to back up, move your contacts to Google Account before switching to Xiaomi.After June 1, 2021, Samsung Cloud stopped supporting media backup.

Google Drive|Mi Cloud|Samsung Cloud|Yandex Disc.|Other-->

3. Transfer via memory card or USB- drive

Physically transferring data via a memory card or USB- drive is the most reliable way if you have a large file volume (50 GB+) or slow Internet. Redmi Note 10 supports microSD cards up to 512 GB, and Samsung (depending on the model) up to 1 TB.

Step-by-step:

1. Insert the memory card in Samsung.
2. Move the files you need (photos, videos, music) to the folder on the map. Use Explorer or Gallery to do this (select files → Export → select a memory card).
3. Remove the card and paste it into the Redmi Note 10.
4. Open Explorer on Redmi, find the files on the map and copy them to internal memory.

If you do not have a memory card, you can use a USB-OTG adapter and a regular flash drive:

• 🔌 Connect the USB- drive to Samsung via the OTG- adapter.
• Copy the files onto the flash drive.
• Connect the flash drive to the Redmi Note 10 and transfer the data.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ There are no limits on the amount of data.
• ✅ No Internet required.
• ✅ The original quality of the files is preserved (without compression, as in cloud services).

⚠️ Warning: If the memory card is formatted in exFAT or NTFS and the Redmi Note 10 doesn't see it, format the card in FAT32 (but note that FAT32 doesn't support files larger than 4GB).

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Before copying, check files for viruses with antivirus on Samsung. Some viruses can disguise themselves as media files and transfer to a new device.

4. Transfer over USB cable (MTP or PTM)

Connecting Samsung to the Redmi Note 10 via the USB- cable is another quick way, but it requires additional settings. Android does not support direct file sharing between two smartphones via the USB (unlike connecting to a PC) by default, however, there are workarounds:

Method 1: Media Transfer Protocol (MTP)

1. Connect Samsung to the Redmi Note 10 via the USB- cable (use a OTG-enabled cable or adapter).
2. On Samsung, select File Transfer (MTP) mode in the notification panel.
3. On Redmi Note 10, open Explorer → USB- Drive and copy the desired files.

Method 2: Applications for file sharing

If MTP is not working, use apps like Send Anywhere or Xender:

• 📲 Install the app on both devices.
• 🔗 On Samsung, select files to send and generate a QR- code or 6-digit key.
• 📥 On Redmi Note 10, enter the key or scan the QR- code to retrieve files.

USB transfer speeds are faster than Wi-Fi, but depend on the protocol version (USB 2.0 vs USB 3.0). For example, 10 GB of data over USB 3.0 will be transferred in ~10 minutes, and over USB 2.0 in 30-40 minutes.

5. Transfer of applications and their data

Unfortunately, the installed apps can’t be migrated directly from Samsung to the Redmi Note 10 — they’ll have to be downloaded from Google Play again, but you can save their data (such as game progress, messaging settings) with backup.

Method 1: Backup through Google Account

• 🔄 On Samsung, open Settings → Google → Backup and enable saving these apps.
• 📱 On Redmi Note 10, when you first start, select Restore from Google backup.

Method 2: Manual copying of application files

Some apps (like WhatsApp or Telegram) store data in folders on the device to transfer it:

1. On Samsung, look for the app folder (e.g. /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases).
2. Copy backup files (e.g., msgstore.db.crypt14) to a memory card or cloud.
3. Install the app on Redmi Note 10, transfer files to the same folder and recover data through the app menu.

For locally saved games (such as Genshin Impact), use the built-in account anchor function or copy the /Android/obb folder.

⚠️ Warning: Not all apps support data transfer between different vendors, such as Samsung Health not syncing with Mi Fitness, so you have to manually export your data history to.csv and import it into a new app.

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To migrate these apps, always check if it supports cross-platform backups, for example, Telegram and WhatsApp save chats to the cloud, while Samsung Notes do not.

6. Transfer of notes, SMS and calls

Notes, SMS and call history are often left unaddressed when switching to a new device.

Notes:

• 📝 If you have used Samsung Notes, export notes to.pdf or.sbn via Settings → Export.
• 📱 On the Redmi Note 10, import the file to Xiaomi Notes or Google Keep.

SMS and call history:

Use applications like SMS Backup & Restore:

1. Install the app on Samsung and back up (XML or.ab).
2. Move the file to Redmi Note 10 (via cloud or memory card).
3. Install the same app on Redmi and recover the data.

Call Logs Backup & Restore (similar algorithm) is suitable for call history.

If you have used Google Messages or Google Phone, the data is automatically synced to your Google account and will appear on Redmi after you add an account.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even if you follow the instructions, you can have problems, and let's look at the typical mistakes and how to fix them:

If none of the methods worked, try alternative applications:

• 🔄 Cloneit clones data between Android devices over Wi-Fi.
• 📦 Smart Switch (from Samsung) – can export data to a file for further import to Xiaomi.
• ☁️ Dropbox or Mega – if you need to transfer more than 15 GB (give 2 TB and 50 GB free, respectively).

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If the data transfer is interrupted by half, don't panic. Check which files have been copied, and repeat the process only for the remaining data.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions