How to quickly and safely drop data from Samsung to Xiaomi: photos, contacts, applications

The transition from Samsung to Xiaomi is not just about branding, but also about migrating all your data — photos, contacts, messages, even app settings — and many users fear this process, thinking it will take hours or lead to loss of important information. In fact, transferring data between Android devices can be done in 15 to 30 minutes if you know the right tools and avoid the typical mistakes.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 working ways to transfer data, from official solutions (Samsung Smart Switch and Mi Mover) to universal methods through Google Account, OTG cable and cloud services. Focus on the nuances that manufacturers usually keep silent about: why some files don’t copy, how to circumvent data limits and what to do if devices don’t see each other, and you’ll learn which data can’t be transferred by any means – this will save you time on useless attempts.

If you've tried porting data before and you've encountered errors (e.g., "Device failed" or "Lack of memory"), there's a section in the article that addresses some of the most common problems, and for those who want to save traffic or time, we've compared the speed of each method in a spreadsheet to help you choose the best option for your tasks.

Before you start, make sure that both phones are at least 50% charged – some methods (such as Wi-Fi transmission) can drain the battery faster than you expect. Also prepare a USB-C cable (preferably original or certified) – cheap cables often cause failures.

1. Official method: Samsung Smart Switch + Mi Mover

The most reliable and quickest method is to use proprietary utilities from Samsung and Xiaomi. Samsung Smart Switch exports data from your old phone, and Mi Mover imports it to a new one. This method supports the transfer of almost all types of data, including:

• 📞 Contacts (including groups and notes)
• 📷 Photo and video (in original resolution)
• 💬 Communications (SMS and MMS)
• 📅 Calendars and reminders
• 🎵 Music and documents (except DRM-secure files)

Important: Mi Mover only works on new Xiaomi devices (released after 2019).If you have an older model (like the Redmi Note 5 or Mi 8), this method will not work – use alternative methods from the following sections.

Step-by-step:

1. On Samsung, install Samsung Smart Switch from Google Play.
2. On Xiaomi, open the standard Mi Mover app (if not, download from the Mi App Store).
3. On both phones, select Wireless Direct.
4. On Samsung, click “Send data” and on Xiaomi, “Get data.”
5. Confirm the connection on both devices (entry may be required) PIN-code).
6. Select the data types to transfer and wait for the process to be completed.

Critical detail: if Xiaomi has power saving enabled, the transmission may be interrupted. Turn it off in the battery settings before the process begins.

Shut down. VPN both phones|Make sure that Xiaomi has enough memory|Get out of the "Do Not Disturb" mode"|Connect to a single Wi-Fi network (if the wireless method doesn’t work)-->

2. Transfer via Google Account (for contacts, calendar and part of applications)

If you only need to migrate contacts, calendars, notes and some app settings, syncing through Google Account is the easiest way.It requires no additional programs and works even on older Xiaomi models.

How it works:

• 🔄 Samsung data is uploaded to Google’s cloud.
• 📱 On Xiaomi, they are automatically loaded when you first log in to the same account.

Instructions:

1. On Samsung, go to Settings → Accounts and Archiving → Manage your Google Account.
2. Enable synchronization for Contacts, Calendar, Google Drive and other necessary services.
3. Wait for the synchronization to complete (check in the top notification bar).
4. On Xiaomi, log in to the same Google account and wait for the automatic data download.

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ Photos and videos are synced only if they were uploaded to Google Photos in advance.
• ❌ Communications SMS Not to be carried (use) SMS Backup & Restore from Google Play).
• ❌ Applications are not portable completely – only their settings (for example, bookmarks in Chrome).

Smart Switch/Mi Mover|Google Account|OTG|Cable |Google Drive, Mi Cloud |Never transferred data-->

Transfer over OTG cable (for large data volumes)

If you have tens of gigabytes of photos, videos or music, wireless methods can take too long or be interrupted by an unstable connection, in which case direct transmission via an OTG cable is the most reliable option.

• 🔌 Cable USB-C → USB-C (or adapter if the Samsung connector microUSB).
• 📁 File Manager (e.g. Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).

How to transfer files:

1. Connect Samsung to Xiaomi via OTG cable.
2. On Xiaomi, open a file manager and select a partition. USB-device (or Samsung).
3. Copy the right folders (DCIM for photos, downloads, etc.) to internal memory or SD-Xiaomi.

⚠️ Warning: Don’t copy the entire Android folder, which can lead to conflicts in the application.

The OTG transmission speed is 2-3 times faster than Wi-Fi. For example, 50 GB of photos are copied in ~20 minutes (versus 1-1.5 hours over a wireless network).

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If Xiaomi doesn’t see Samsung through OTG, try turning on Samsung’s File Transfer (MTP) mode in the notification curtain after you connect.

4. Cloud services: Google Drive, Mi Cloud, Yandex Drive

If you don’t have an OTG cable or want to move data in advance (like before you buy a new phone), cloud services are a good alternative.

How to move data through the cloud:

1. On Samsung, upload files to the selected service (e.g., through the Google Drive app).
2. On Xiaomi, download files from the cloud to the device’s memory.
3. For contacts: export them to a.vcf file on Samsung and import them to Xiaomi.

⚠️ Note: If you are using Mi Cloud, please note that the service may block the service. IP-Addresses due to frequent downloads. Break up large files into archives of 1-2 GB.

5. Transfer of applications and their data (without root)

Standard methods do not allow you to transfer installed applications and their data (for example, save in games or configure messengers).

Method 1: Backup through ADB (for advanced users)

1. Install ADB on your computer.
2. Connect Samsung to your PC and execute the command: adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab
3. Copy backup.ab file on Xiaomi and restore it via: adb restore backup.ab

Method 2: Backup applications (without PC)

• 📱 Swift Backup (requires unlocked bootloader on Xiaomi).
• 📱 Titanium Backup (only available on rooted devices).

⚠️ Note: Transferring system applications (e.g. com.android.settings) may cause Xiaomi to crash.

6. Problem Solving: What to do if data is not portable

Even if you follow the instructions correctly, you can get errors, and we've put together solutions for the most common problems.

Problem 1: Devices do not connect via Wi-Fi Direct

• 🔄 Reboot both phones.
• 🔌 Turn off Bluetooth – it can conflict with Wi-Fi Direct.
• 📶 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network manually (if the automatic connection is not working).

Problem 2: There is not enough space for Xiaomi

• 🗑️ Delete unnecessary files through Settings → Warehouse.
• 📁 Transfer the data to SD-card (if supported).
• ☁️ Use the cloud for temporary storage (see section 4).

Problem 3: Photos and videos are copied in low quality

• 🔍 Check your Smart Switch settings – uncheck the box from “Optimize for Transfer».
• 📎 Use the cable. OTG for transferring original files.

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If neither method works, try transferring data via your computer: connect both phones to your PC and copy files manually through the Explorer.

7.What can’t be migrated from Samsung to Xiaomi (and why)

Despite all efforts, some data is fundamentally impossible to transfer due to differences in firmware and manufacturer policies:

• 🔒 System settings (brightness, sound profiles, gestures) – they are tied to the One firmware UI.
• 📱 Data from some apps (such as Samsung Health or Bixby) – not compatible with the data MIUI.
• 🎮 Save games without linking to an account (for example, in Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile – manual backup required.
• 📡 Mobile network settings (APN, priority SIM) — They'll have to re-configure.

For critical data (such as call history or notes from Samsung Notes), use specialized applications:

• 📞 Call Logs Backup & Restore – Call history.
• 📝 S Note Backup – for notes from Samsung Notes.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data transfer