Why moving notes between Android devices isn’t as easy as it sounds
The transition from Samsung to Xiaomi is not just a brand change, but also a transition between two very different ecosystems. While photos, contacts, and even messages are relatively easy to move through through cloud services, notes are more complicated, because each manufacturer uses its own note-taking app with a unique storage format.
On Samsung, it’s Samsung Notes (formerly S Note), which saves files in the proprietary format.snb or.spd. And Xiaomi has the Notes app (or Mi Notes in older versions) installed by default, which works with.zip formats for archives and synchronizes through Mi Account. There are no direct imports between them – and this is the main problem.
In this article, we’ll look at 5 workable portability options, including cloud services, manual export/import, and even workarounds for those with non-standard formats, and why syncing through Google Keep may be the most reliable option despite limitations.
Method 1: Export notes from Samsung Notes to a universal format
The most reliable method is to convert notes into a format that any device can read.
- Open the Samsung Notes app on your Samsung.
- Tap on three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Settings.
- Go to Export Notes (or Backup in older versions).
- Choose PDF or TXT formats – they are supported by all devices.
Important: If you choose PDF, Each note will be saved as a separate file, which is convenient for archiving, but inconvenient for importing into Xiaomi. TXT It is better suited for further editing.
⚠️ Note: In some versions of Samsung Notes, the option of exporting to the TXT It can be hidden. If it's not there, use it. PDF, and then convert files through online services (e.g. SmallPDF).
After export:
- 📁 Move files to Xiaomi via USB-cable, Bluetooth or cloud (Google Drive, Mi Cloud).
- 📝 Open each file manually and copy the text to the Notes app on Xiaomi.
- 🔄 If you have a lot of notes, use package import apps like Notepad.+ (available on Google Play).
Selected all necessary notes (checks in the list)| Enough space on the device to create an archive | Export format supported by the target device | Backup of original notes-->
Method 2: Sync with Google Keep – Why it’s often the best option
Google Keep is a versatile solution for moving notes between any Android device, and its main advantage is that Samsung and Xiaomi work equally well with Google services, and notes are synchronized automatically.
Instructions:
- Install Google Keep on both devices (if not already installed).
- On Samsung, open Samsung Notes, select a note → Share → Google Keep.
- Repeat for all notes (or select a few and send in a packet).
- On Xiaomi, open Google Keep – all notes will be there.
- If necessary, copy them to the standard Notes app from Xiaomi.
Pros of the method:
- ☁️ Automatic sync through your Google account.
- 🔄 Ability to edit notes on any device.
- 📌 Support for checklists, color tags and reminders.
⚠️ Note: If you have a lot of notes (hundreds of pieces), transfer through Share will take a long time. TXT (Method 1) or Smart Switch (Method 3).
| Criteria | Google Keep | Samsung Notes → TXT | Smart Switch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer speed | ⭐⭐ (slow-volume) | ⭐⭐⭐ (Quickly, but you need to copy it manually) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (automatically) |
| Preserving formatting | ⭐⭐⭐ (partly) | ⭐ (text) | ⭐⭐ (depending on the version) |
| Support for investments (photos, pictures) | ⭐⭐⭐ | ❌ | ⭐⭐ |
| The need for third-party applications | ❌ (Google Keep only) | ❌ | ✅ (Smart Switch) |
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Google Keep is the best choice if you want to sync between devices in the future, rather than a one-time transfer.
Method 3: Using Samsung Smart Switch – Does it Work with Xiaomi?
Samsung Smart Switch is the official app for transferring data between Samsung devices, but can it be used to transfer notes to Xiaomi? Technically, but with reservations.
Smart Switch supports transferring the following types of data to other brands’ devices:
- 📞 Contacts
- 📩 Communications
- 📷 Photos and videos
- 🎵 Music.
- 📅 Calendar
There's no note on this list.
- On Samsung, open the Smart Switch and select Send Data → Wireless Transfer.
- On Xiaomi, install Smart Switch from Google Play (not to be confused with Mi Mover!).
- Select Get Data → Samsung.
- Connect to a Samsung device via Wi-Fi Direct.
- In the data list for transfer, find Other files or Documents – sometimes notes are included in the archive.
If this method didn’t work, try exporting notes to a file via Samsung Notes (Method 1) and then transferring that file via Smart Switch as a custom document.
What if the Smart Switch doesn’t see Xiaomi?
Method 4: Mi Mover Transfer – Xiaomi’s Official Solution
Mi Mover is an analogue of the Smart Switch, but it's from Xiaomi. The app is designed to transfer data from other Android devices to Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO. In theory, it should support notes, but in practice it depends on the model and version of the software.
How to use:
- Install Mi Mover on Samsung from Google Play.
- On Xiaomi, open Mi Mover (usually preinstalled).
- Select I am a sender on Samsung and I am a receiver on Xiaomi.
- Connect through QR-code or manually over Wi-Fi.
- In the data list, select Notes (if the item is available).
Problems that may be encountered:
- 🚫 On some models, the Samsung Mi Mover does not see notes from Samsung Notes.
- 🔄 Transfer may be interrupted if notes contain non-standard characters or attachments.
- 📱 On Xiaomi MIUI 12+ Notes can be imported in image format (screenshots) rather than text.
💡
If Mi Mover didn’t move the notes correctly, try exporting them from Samsung Notes to PDF and then uploading those PDFs to the Files app on Xiaomi, where you can open them and copy the text manually.
Method 5: Manual transfer over cloud services (OneNote, Evernote, Simplenote)
If standard methods fail, third-party note-taking apps can be a lifeline, with the main advantage being cross-platform and import/export support.
Algorithm of action:
- Install one of the applications on Samsung: 📒 Microsoft OneNote (works best with Samsung Notes) 🐘 Evernote (supports manual import) 📝 Simplenote (simple and lightweight)
Samsung Notes
Share.
Xiaomi
Notes
Xiaomi
Advantages of the method:
- ☁️ Sync between all devices (not just Samsung and Xiaomi).
- 🔍 Possibility of searching by text of notes.
- 📎 Support for investments (photos, scans, audio).
⚠️ Warning: The free versions of Evernote and OneNote have limits on how much data you can download (e.g. 60MB/month on Evernote). If you have a lot of attachment notes, you may need to sign up for a paid subscription or port data in parts.
Frequent problems and their solutions
Even if you follow instructions, you can't move your notes as planned, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to correct them:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Notes moved, but without formatting | Export format (TXT) does not retain styles | Use PDF or third-party apps (OneNote) |
| Smart Switch doesn’t see Xiaomi | Version incompatibility or Wi-Fi Direct disabled | Update the app, turn on Wi-Fi/Bluetooth on both devices |
| In the notes instead of the text - hieroglyphs | Incorrect coding during export | Export to UTF-8 or use Google Keep |
| Mi Mover freezes during the transfer stage | Too much data or an unstable connection | Transfer notes in parts of 20-30 pieces |
If none of these methods worked, try an alternative approach:
- Take screenshots of each note on Samsung (you can use the scroll mode in Samsung Notes).
- Move screenshots to Xiaomi via Google Photos or Mi Cloud.
- Use a text recognition app (like Google Lens or Text Scanner) to convert images into editable text.
💡
If your notes contain critical information (passwords, financial data), be sure to check their integrity after transfer, and it is better to spend an extra 10 minutes on reconciliation than to lose the data.