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

Why Samsung and Xiaomi need a special approach

The transition from Samsung Galaxy to Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 is not just a change of gadget, but a transition between two different ecosystems. If in the case of devices of the same brand (for example, with the Galaxy S21 on the Galaxy S23) data is transferred almost automatically through Smart Switch, then when switching to Xiaomi you have to take into account the nuances: from differences in branded cloud services (Samsung Cloud vs Mi Cloud) to the peculiarities of working with MIUI.

The main problem is the lack of a universal tool. Xiaomi offers the Mi Mover utility, but it does not always work correctly with Samsung devices based on Android 12+. In addition, many users are faced with the fact that applications with data (such as WhatsApp or Viber) are not portable through standard means – they have to be restored separately. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, including workarounds for complex cases.

It's important to understand that the transfer speed depends on the amount of data. For example, 64 GB of photos and videos can be copied for up to 2-3 hours using a USB-C to USB-C cable, whereas through the cloud this process will take from 30 minutes (with fast Internet) to several hours. We tested all methods on the Samsung Galaxy A52 (Android 13) and Redmi Note 10 Pro (MIUI 14) - the results are summarized in the comparison table below.

1. Preparation of devices before data transfer

Before you start the transfer, you need to follow a few critical steps, and skipping any of them can lead to data loss or failures in the process.

• 🔋 Charge both smartphones to at least 50%. Data transfer is a resource-intensive process, and if the battery runs out during operation, it can damage files.
• 📶 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network (if you plan to use wireless methods). while the Redmi Note 10 must be connected to a 2.4 GHz network - 5 GHz can cause compatibility problems with the Mi Mover.
• 🗃️ Make room for Xiaomi. Make sure the new device has enough storage for all the data. For example, if you are carrying 30 GB, the Redmi Note 10 should have at least 35-40 GB free (including service files).
• 🔑 Turn off the screen lock on both phones. PIN-A code, pattern lock, or fingerprint may interrupt the process, especially when using a cable connection.

⚠️ Note: If Samsung has enabled data encryption (Settings) → Biometrics and safety → Encryption, transfer via Mi Mover may result in an error, in which case use the method with a Google Account or a physical cable. OTG.

We also recommend backing up your data to Samsung via Samsung Cloud or Smart Switch, which is insurance in case something goes wrong, for example, when you transfer it over Mi Mover, sometimes the geolocation tags of your photos disappear, so you can restore them from the backup.

Charge both phones up to 50%+

Connect to a single Wi-Fi network (2.4 GHz)

Free up 35-40 GB on Xiaomi

Disable screen lock

Create a backup copy on Samsung-->

Method 2: Transfer over Mi Mover (official solution from Xiaomi)

Mi Mover is a proprietary utility from Xiaomi designed to migrate data from other Android devices, and it supports transferring contacts, messages, photos, videos, audio files, and even certain settings.

• 🚫 Installed applications are not portable (only their data, if the application is already installed on Xiaomi).
• 🚫 It doesn’t work with some Samsung models on Android 13+ (for example, Galaxy S22 or Galaxy Z Flip4).
• 🚫 It may not correctly transfer messages from Samsung Messages if they are synced with Samsung Cloud.

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

1. On Xiaomi Redmi Note 10, go to Settings → About Phone → Mi Mover (or find the app through search).
2. Select the option “I’m a new user”.
3. On Samsung, download Mi Mover from Google Play and launch it. Select "I'm an old user."
4. Xiaomi will appear QR-Scan it with a Samsung camera.
5. Select data types for transfer (contacts, messages, multimedia) and confirm the start of the process.

The transfer speed depends on the amount of data and the type of connection:

⚠️ Note: If Mi Mover is stuck in the Preparation phase, try restarting the application on both devices and repeating the procedure. If the error is repeated, use alternative methods (see sections 3-5).

Google Drive (Mi Cloud) and Google Drive (Mi Drive)

Through Cable (Mi Mover, OTG)

Through the computer

Manual transfer (flash drive, postal mail)-->

3. Method 2: Transfer through Google Account (most universal method)

Google Account Sync is the most reliable way to transfer basic data, such as contacts, calendars, notes and parts of apps, and the advantage of this method is that it works on any Android device, regardless of the manufacturer.

• ❌ Not tolerated. SMS/MMS (Only if they are not saved in Google Messages).
• ❌ Photos and videos are synced in Google Photos in a compressed quality (unless the Google One tariff is paid).
• ❌ Applications are only ported as a list to install (app data – no).

Instructions for transfer:

1. On Samsung, open Settings → Accounts and Archiving → Account Management.
2. Select your Google Account and enable sync for all categories: Contacts Google Calendar Drive Google Photo Notes (if you use Google Keep)

Google Disk.

Google Photo

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10

Google Account

Settings → Accounts → Add an account

Turn on synchronization and wait for the data to load.

To transfer SMS, you can use the SMS Backup & Restore application:

1. Install it on Samsung from Google Play.
2. Create a backup copy of messages and save it to Google Drive.
3. On Xiaomi, install the same app, log in to Google Drive and restore messages.

💡

If you have a lot of photos, open the app settings before transferring to Google Photos and select “Original Quality” (if there is space in the cloud) to save the original resolution of the images.

Method 3: Transfer over OTG cable and file manager

If you have OTG-adapter (or cable) USB-C to USB-C), You can manually transfer data like a flash drive, and this is a method that works for large files (video, music, documents), but it doesn't work for applications and their data.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Samsung to Xiaomi via OTG-cable.
2. On Xiaomi, open Files by Google or the standard MIUI File Manager.
3. In the section USB-Select the folders you want to copy: 📁 DCIM — photo 📁 Downloads - downloads 📁 Music - audio files 📁 Documents - documents

SD-map

Xiaomi

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Full control over the transferred files.
• ✅ There are no limits on volume (except for free space on Xiaomi).
• ✅ It works even without the internet.

⚠️ Note: When copying the WhatsApp folder (if any), remember to also transfer the file. msgstore.db.crypt14 from /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases. Without it, chat history won't recover.

5. Method 4: Transfer over a computer (for full control)

If you need to migrate all the data without exception, including hidden files and application settings, the best way is to use a computer, which takes longer, but guarantees 100% control over the process.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows or macOS.
• 🔌 Two. USB-cable (or one with a splitter).
• 📂 Backup software (e.g. Samsung Smart Switch for Samsung and Mi) PC Suite for Xiaomi).

Instructions:

1. Connect Samsung to your computer and create a full backup via Samsung Smart Switch.
2. Export important data (contacts, SMS) in.csv or.vcf format.
3. Connect Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 and transfer files manually or via Mi PC Suite.
4. For apps, use APK Extractor (on Samsung) and APK Installer (on Xiaomi).

To transfer SMS in.xml format, you can use Backup & Restore (available on Google Play), which allows you to save messages to a file and restore them on a new device.

💡

Computer-to-computer transfer is the only way to save game data (such as progression to Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile) if it is not tied to the cloud.

6. Method 5: Transfer over cloud services (Google Drive, Mi Cloud, Yandex Drive)

Cloud services are convenient because they don't require physical connection of devices, but each has limitations:

Recommendations for choosing a service:

• 📁 If you need to transfer photos and videos – Google Photos (unlimited space for compressed files).
• 📄 For documents and archives – Yandex Disk (10 GB free).
• 📱 For contacts and SMS — Google Account or Mi Cloud.

How to transfer data via Google Drive:

1. On Samsung, open Google Drive and click "+" → Download.
2. Select files and folders to transfer.
3. On Xiaomi, open Google Drive, find uploaded files and download them.

7.What to do if the data is not transferred or damaged

Even with all the instructions, sometimes there are problems, and let's look at the typical situations and their solutions.

• 🔄 Contacts not synced: Check if contact sync is enabled in Google Account.Export contacts to.vcf file via Contacts → Management → Export and import it to Xiaomi.
• 📸 Photos and videos won't open: Check file extensions (sometimes Samsung saves video in format.mp4, Xiaomi doesn't play them because of the codecs. MX Player to play.
• 💬 Not overdue. SMS: Restore them through SMS Backup & Restore (see Section 3) If the messages were in Samsung Messages, check if they are synced with Samsung Cloud – they can be downloaded from there.

⚠️ Note: If you lose your passwords from your Samsung Pass or Google Smart Lock after transferring to Xiaomi, you will have to manually restore them.

If none of these things worked, try resetting Xiaomi to factory settings and repeating the port, and sometimes conflicts arise because of previously installed apps or settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data portability from Samsung to Xiaomi