How to transfer data from Samsung to Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

The transition from Samsung to Xiaomi is not just a smartphone change, but a full-fledged migration of digital life. Last-time photos, instant messengers, saved passwords, and even call history all need to be transferred without loss. Many users fear this process, thinking it will take hours or lead to data loss. In fact, data transfer between Android devices is now as automated as possible, and manufacturers offer convenient tools for migration.

But there are nuances: Samsung uses its own Smart Switch software, and Xiaomi uses Mi Mover, which are not always directly compatible, so it's important to choose the right method depending on the amount of data and phone models. In this article, we'll look at all the current portability methods, from official tools to cloud services, and also explain how to avoid common mistakes.

If you’re switching from the Galaxy S23 Ultra to the Xiaomi 14 Pro or the Samsung A52 to the Redmi Note 13, the instructions below are suitable for any combinations.

1. Preparation of telephones for data transfer

Before you start migrating, make sure both smartphones are ready for the procedure, which will save time and prevent crashes.

On Samsung:

• 🔋 Battery charge of at least 50% (better than 100%).
• 📶 Connect to stable Wi-Fi (mobile internet may not be able to handle large files).
• 🔓 Unlock the screen (PIN, graphical).
• 📁 Free up space: Delete unnecessary files if Xiaomi has little memory.

On Xiaomi:

• 📱 Reset to factory settings (if the phone is new) or clear the memory of unnecessary data.
• 🔄 Update to the latest version MIUI through settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 📲 Install the Mi Mover app (if it is not in the firmware).

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Note: If Samsung has enabled data encryption (Settings → Biometrics & Security → Encryption), the transfer may take much longer.

Also check if Xiaomi has enough space for all files, for example, if you are carrying 100 GB of photos and videos and a new phone only has 64 GB, you will have to use an external drive or cloud.

Charge both phones to 100%|

Connect to one Wi-Fi network |

Free up space on Xiaomi|

Update the software on both devices |

Install Mi Mover (if required)|-->

2. Method 1: Mi Mover is the official tool of Xiaomi

Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s proprietary solution for transferring data from other Android devices, including Samsung, and supports contact, message, photo, video, music, apps (only) APK-files) and even some system settings.

How to use:

1. Download Mi Mover on Samsung from Google Play.
2. On Xiaomi, open the app (usually preinstalled) or download it.
3. Run Mi Mover on both phones and select: On Samsung: "I'm the giver." On Xiaomi: "I'm the receiver."

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Samsung

Select data types to transfer and wait for completion.

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Note: Mi Mover does not transfer data from some proprietary Samsung apps (such as Samsung Health or Samsung Notes), which will have to use separate backups.

The speed of the transfer depends on the amount of data:

• 📸 10 GB photo — ~15-20 minutes.
• 🎵 5GB of music — ~10 minutes.
• 📱 Contact and SMS — 1-2 minutes.

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If the Mi Mover is stuck in the connection phase, restart Wi-Fi on both phones or use a mobile hotspot instead of Wi-Fi Direct.

Method 2: Samsung Smart Switch (partial compatibility)

Samsung Smart Switch is designed to transfer data between Samsung devices, but it can be adapted for Xiaomi, but there are limitations: the data will not be transferred directly to Xiaomi, but you can back up to a PC and then transfer it to a new phone.

Instructions:

1. Connect Samsung to your computer via USB and launch Smart Switch for PC.
2. Create a backup copy by selecting: 📞 Contacts, 💬 Communications, 📷 Multimedia, 📅 Calendar.

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Xiaomi

Backup Extractor

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Note: Smart Switch does not export applications and their data (for example, save in games).

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

If you’ve used Google services on Samsung, most of the data is already synced to the cloud, and just log in to the same Xiaomi account, and contacts, email, calendar, notes (from Google Keep) and even some settings will be restored automatically.

What exactly is being transferred:

• 📇 Contacts (from Google Contacts).
• 📅 Calendar (from Google Calendar).
• 📧 Gmail and mail.
• 📝 Notes (from Google Keep).
• 📍 Locations (from Google Maps).
• 🎮 Save games (if the games support Google Play Games).

How to activate sync on Xiaomi:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Sign in to your account (the same one you had on Samsung).
3. Turn on synchronization for all the necessary services.
4. Wait until it is completed (it can take up to 10 minutes).

To transfer photos and videos, use Google Photos:

1. On Samsung, open Google Photos and enable backup.
2. Wait until all files are uploaded to the cloud.
3. On Xiaomi, install Google Photos and log in to the same account.
4. Download files back to your device via Photos → Settings → Backup and Synchronization.

5. Method 4: Cloud Services (Yandex Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive)

If you have slow internet or little space on Google Drive, you can use other cloud storage, which is suitable for transferring photos, videos, documents and music, but not system data (contacts, SMS).

Step-by-step:

1. Install a cloud service app on Samsung (like Yandex Drive or Dropbox).
2. Upload files to the cloud: 📁 For Yandex Drive: Click Download and select folders. 📁 For Dropbox: Use the “Create” option → Download files».

Xiaomi

Download the files back to the device.

🔹 Comparison of cloud services:

✅ Important: If you are carrying more than 100GB of data, it is best to use a physical drive (USB-OTG Instead of the cloud, it saves time and traffic.

Method 5: Transfer through USB-OTG memory-card

The most reliable (but longest) way is to copy files to an external medium and then transfer them to Xiaomi, suitable for large data volumes (100 GB+) or if you do not have a stable Internet connection.

What you need:

• 🔌 USB-OTG adapter (to connect the flash drive to the phone).
• 💾 A flash drive (preferably) USB 3.0 for speed or microSD card.
• 📱 File Manager (e.g. Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).

Instructions:

1. Connect the flash drive to Samsung via OTG.
2. Open the file manager and copy the folders you need: DCIM (photo and video), Downloads (downloads), Music or Ringtones.

Xiaomi

Copy the files into the appropriate folders on the new phone.

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Note: Do not copy system folders like Android or data, this can cause malfunctions in the work of Xiaomi.

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USB-OTG is the safest way to carry large amounts of data, but it requires additional accessories, which is suitable if you do not have access to Wi-Fi or the cloud.

7. Transfer of applications and their data

Move it yourself. APK-Application files can be made via Mi Mover or manually (copying the folder) /data/app However, application data (save games, settings, cache) are more difficult to transfer.

Decisions:

• 🎮 Games: Use Google Play Games to save or log in via an in-game account (e.g. Facebook or Facebook) VK).
• 📱 Social networks: log in again – correspondence and media will be restored automatically (in WhatsApp, Telegram, VK).
• 🔧 Application settings: For some applications (for example, Nova Launcher) there is an option to export settings to a file.

To fully port these applications will require root rights and a utility like Titanium Backup. However, this is risky and can disrupt Xiaomi if you are an inexperienced user.

🔹 How to Move WhatsApp:

1. On Samsung, back up to WhatsApp Settings → Chat → Backup.
2. Copy /sdcard/WhatsApp folder to a flash drive or cloud.
3. Install WhatsApp on Xiaomi and log in with the same number.
4. When you are asked to restore the chats, confirm and wait for the completion.

8. Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even when following instructions, users often encounter problems, and here are the most common mistakes and solutions:

🔘 Mi Mover doesn't see Samsung:

• Check if Wi-Fi Direct is on on both phones.
• Reboot both devices.
• Update the Mi Mover to the latest version.

🔘 Contacts are not tolerated:

• Make sure that contacts are saved in Google Account, not in the phone’s memory.
• Check sync in Settings → Accounts → Google → Contacts.

🔘 Photos in Google Photos are not downloaded on Xiaomi:

• Check if there is enough space on the device.
• Enable the option “Save to Device” in the Google Photos settings.
• Update the app.

🔘 Applications not restored:

• Mi Mover only carries APK, not data, and you'll have to reinstall apps from Google Play.
• For games, use Google Play Games or social media accounts.

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If some files are missing after transferring to Xiaomi, check the MiMover folder in internal memory – sometimes the data is stored there temporarily.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data transfer