How to transfer data from Samsung to Xiaomi: from contacts to apps

The transition from Samsung to Xiaomi is not just about brand change, but also about the migration of digital life, photos, correspondence, passwords and settings, which many users fear, thinking it will take hours or lead to data loss. In fact, transferring data from Samsung to Xiaomi can be done in 15 to 40 minutes, if you choose the right method, the main thing is to consider the nuances: from the version of Android on both devices to the amount of information transferred.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to transfer data, from official Xiaomi tools to universal solutions that work even without the Internet. You will learn how to save contacts, SMS, photos in original quality, as well as which applications will help automate the process.

1. Preparation of telephones before data transfer

Before you start transferring, you need to follow a few critical steps, and neglecting them can lead to data loss, slowing down the process, or even failure.

First, check the battery power on both devices. Optimally, if it is at least 50%, this will eliminate a sudden shutdown during transmission. On Samsung, the charge can be seen in the notification panel or in Settings → Device Care → Battery. On Xiaomi, the path is similar: Settings → Battery and Performance.

Second, make room for Xiaomi. If you're transferring large files (like videos to the site). 4K or application archives, make sure that the new phone has at least 10-15% free space from the total storage. → Warehouse.

Finally, update the firmware on both devices. Outdated versions of Android or MIUI may not support modern data protocols. On Samsung, update the software through Settings → Software Update, on Xiaomi through Settings → About Phone → System Update.

⚠️ Note: If Samsung has enabled data encryption (checked in Settings) → Biometrics and safety → Other security parameters → Encryption, some transmission methods may not work, in which case use cloud services or third-party applications.

• 🔋 Battery charge: at least 50% on both phones
• 📱 Free space on Xiaomi: 10-15% of the total
• 🔄 Update: The latest version of Android and MIUI
• 🔒 Turn off the screen lock (PIN, pattern lock) at the time of transfer

2.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a Xiaomi-branded app designed to migrate data from other Android devices, and it supports contact, SMS, photos, videos, notes, and even some of the system's settings, with the main advantage of not requiring internet access and running through a direct Wi-Fi connection between phones.

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

1. Download the Mi Mover app on Samsung from Google Play (on Xiaomi it is preinstalled).
2. Open Mi Mover on both phones. On Xiaomi, choose I'm new; on Samsung, I'm old.
3. Xiaomi will appear QR-Scan it with a Samsung camera.
4. Confirm the connection on both devices. Wait for Xiaomi to determine the data for the transfer.
5. Select data types (contacts, media files, etc.) and click Transfer.

It can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes depending on the amount of data, so it's important not to interrupt the connection or block the screens of your phones, and if the transmission freezes, try restarting the application and repeating the steps.

Install Mi Mover on Samsung|Shut down. VPN firewalls|Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network (if there is no direct connection)|Close background applications that consume the Internet|Make sure there is enough space on Xiaomi-->

⚠️ Note: Mi Mover does not port installed applications (.apk files) and their data (for example, save in games.

3. Transfer through Google Account (contacts, calendar, notes)

If you use a Google Account on Samsung, most of the data is already synced to the cloud, which is the easiest way to transfer contacts, calendar, notes, and even some settings to Xiaomi, and the main condition is to log in to the same account on a new phone.

To check if sync is enabled on Samsung:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Archiving → Account Management.
2. Select your Google Account.
3. Click Account Sync and make sure Contacts, Calendar and Google Drive are included.

On Xiaomi, you can do the same thing, but in the Settings menu → Accounts → Google. Once logged in, the data will start syncing automatically. It usually takes no more than 5 minutes if you have a stable Internet connection.

This method is not suitable for transferring photos and videos in full (only if they were previously uploaded to Google Photos), nor does it save SMS and call logs, which will require other methods.

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If Xiaomi doesn’t display contacts after sync, check the display settings: open the Contacts app, click on the three dots in the top right corner, and select Display Contacts → All Contacts or Google.

4. File transfer via OTG cable or adapter

If you don’t have Wi-Fi access or want to transfer data without using clouds, the most reliable way is to connect Samsung to Xiaomi via an OTG cable or USB-C → USB-A adapter.

You'll need:

• 🔌 Cable USB-C → USB-C (if on Samsung the Type-C connector is available, or USB-C → Micro-USB (for older Samsung models)
• 🖥️ adapter OTG (If you want to connect a flash drive or hard drive as an intermediate storage)
• 📂 File Manager (e.g. Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer)

Instructions:

1. Connect Samsung to Xiaomi with a cable. Xiaomi will receive a notification USB-Connection – Select File Transfer.
2. Open the file manager on Xiaomi and go to the section USB-Storage (Samsung’s internal memory).
3. Copy the right folders (DCIM for photos, downloads, etc.) to internal memory or SD-Xiaomi.
4. To speed up the process, use the Select Everything and Copy function.

Important: If you are transferring files larger than 4GB (like 4K video), format a flash drive or external drive in an exFAT or NTFS file system. Standard FAT32 does not support files larger than 4GB.

5. Use of third-party applications (SHAREit, Send Anywhere)

If you need to move data without cables or clouds, you can use third-party apps like SHAREit, Send Anywhere or Xender, which create a local network between phones via Wi-Fi Direct and transfer files at speeds up to 20 MB/s.

Advantages of this method:

• 🚀 High speed (faster than Bluetooth)
• 🌐 No Internet connection (works via direct Wi-Fi)
• 📁 Supports large files (video, archives)
• 🔄 Cross-platform (works even between Android and iOS)

Instructions for Send Anywhere:

1. Install the app on both phones from Google Play.
2. On Samsung, select files to send and click Send.
3. Select the method of transfer without Internet (Wi-Fi Direct).
4. On Xiaomi, open Send Anywhere and select Get → Connect to the device.
5. Confirm the connection on both phones.

Transfer speeds depend on the phone model and Wi-Fi version. For example, on the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Xiaomi 13 Pro files with a volume of 1 GB are transferred in 1-2 minutes. The main disadvantage is that applications can show ads, but it can be turned off in the settings.

⚠️ Warning: Do not use public Wi-Fi networks (such as in cafes or airports) to transfer sensitive data through such applications.

6. Transfer of applications and their data

Standard methods (such as Mi Mover or Google Account) do not carry installed applications and their data (for example, save in games or configure messengers).

The most reliable options are:

• 📦 Titanium Backup (requires root rights) – creates full backups of applications and their data.
• 🔄 Swift Backup (without root on some firmware) – an alternative to Titanium Backup.
• 📱 APK Extractor – extracts.apk files of installed applications (without data!).
• ☁️ Helium – backup of applications through the cloud (not all applications are supported).

If you don’t have root rights, the easiest way is to manually save data from important applications:

• For WhatsApp: backup chats in Settings → Chat → Backup.
• For Telegram: export data to Settings → Additional → Export data.
• For games: Check if they support sync via Google Play Games or Facebook.

After migrating to Xiaomi, install the apps again from Google Play and recover data from backups.

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Without root rights, you can’t transfer data from certain applications (such as passwords from managers or saving offline games), in which case you can use cloud services or manual export.

7.Typical mistakes and how to avoid them

Even when following instructions, users often experience problems with data transfer, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to solve them:

If none of these methods worked, try an alternative:

1. Create a backup on Samsung through Settings → Device Maintenance → Backup and Restore.
2. Copy the backup file to the computer.
3. Connect Xiaomi to your PC and transfer the backup to your phone’s memory.
4. Recover data via Mi Mover or Xiaomi’s standard settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data transfer