How to Move Apps from Samsung to Xiaomi: A Complete Guide with Proven Ways

Why migrating apps between Android devices isn’t as easy as it sounds

Switching from Samsung Galaxy to Xiaomi Redmi/POCO — It's not just a change of gadget, it's a migration of the entire digital ecosystem, and many users are under the illusion that it's enough to copy. APK-You can use a file or a standard backup, and it works. 90% applications fail to function properly after mechanical transfer, and the reasons are due to architectural differences in One firmware. UI (Samsung and MIUI/HyperOS (Xiaomi), as well as in linking data to manufacturer accounts.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods for porting applications, from official tools to manual methods for power users. Particular attention will be paid to the problem of synchronizing data within applications (for example, game progress or messaging settings), which is often missed in standard instructions. All methods were tested on pairs of Galaxy S23 Ultra → Xiaomi 14 Pro and Galaxy A52 → POCO F5 devices in 2026.

Method 1: Official Smart Switch Transfer (with limitations)

Samsung Smart Switch is positioned as a universal solution for migration, but when transferred to Xiaomi, it works only partially.

• 📱 Only transferred APK-files (without data and cache)
• 🔄 Samsung apps (such as Samsung Health or Samsung Pay) are not installed on Xiaomi
• 🔐 Required. USB-OTG adapter or shared Wi-Fi network
• ⚡ Nana MIUI 14+ You may need to disable the protection. MIUI In Settings → Special opportunities → Protection MIUI

Step-by-step:

1. Install Smart Switch on both devices from Google Play.
2. On Samsung, select Send Data → Wireless or Cable.
3. On Xiaomi, confirm the receipt of data (permission to install from unknown sources may be required).
4. In the list, select only Applications (by marking the remaining items, you risk clogging the new firmware with unnecessary files).

⚠️ Note: If applications do not open after transfer, check Settings → Annexes → Application management → Permits on Xiaomi.The system often blocks rights for "foreigners" APK.

Method 2: Sync through Google Account (best option for most)

The most reliable method for 90% of applications is to use Google's built-in sync, which works because most modern applications (including WhatsApp, Telegram, Gmail) link data not to the device, but to the account.

1. On Samsung: Settings → Accounts and Archiving → Account Management → Select Google → Account Sync Make sure Contacts, Calendar, Gmail, Google Play Games are included (to save game progress).
2. On Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select Restore from backup and log in to the same Google account.
3. After you boot the system, check: Settings → Memory → Backup Here should show the latest backup with Samsung.

Advantages of the method:

• ☁️ Automatically restore app settings (such as Telegram themes or YouTube subscriptions)
• 🔄 Synchronize Wi-Fi passwords (if enabled in Google)
• 🎮 Keeping progress in games through Google Play Games

⚠️ Note: Some Chinese apps (such as Mi Fit or Xiaomi Community) do not support sync via Google.

Enable synchronization on Samsung

Check the space available on Xiaomi (minimum 2 GB)

Remember the password from the Google account

Disable two-factor authentication at the time of transfer (optional)

Ensure a stable Internet connection-->

Method 3: Manual transfer APK-Files (for experienced users)

If you need to migrate unique applications that aren’t on Google Play (like enterprise utilities or modified APKs), you’ll have to do it manually, which requires USB debugging and ADB, but gives you complete control over the process.

Instructions:

1. On Samsung, turn on Developer Mode: Settings → Phone → Software Information → Build Number (click 7 times) Then go back to Settings → System → Developer Mode and activate Debugging over USB.
2. Connect Samsung to your PC and execute a command to retrieve the application list: adb shell pm list packages -f | grep "/data/app" Copy paths to the desired APK (e.g. /data/app/com.example.app-1/base.apk).
3. Use adb pull to copy: adb pull /data/app/com.example.app-1/base.apk C:\Temp\
4. Move the APK to Xiaomi and install it through any file manager (e.g. Mi File Manager).

💡

If you install an APK on Xiaomi error “Application not installed”, try to remove previous versions of this app through Settings → Apps → Delete for all users.

Method 4: Moving over cloud services (for large volumes)

If you have dozens of applications or limited time, cloud storage will be the best solution. We recommend Yandex Disk or Dropbox because of the high download/download speed in Russia and the CIS.

1. On Samsung, install an APK Extractor (such as App Extractor).
2. Select the desired applications and export them in.apk or.xapk format (for games).
3. Upload files to the cloud (e.g., via Yandex Disk with automatic Download/APK folder synchronization).
4. On Xiaomi, download the archive and install the applications via Mi File Manager or SAI (for XAPK).

Pros of the method:

• 🌐 No specific device binding (you can transfer to several Xiaomis)
• 🔄 Selective recovery capability
• 📁 Version history is preserved APK (kickback)

⚠️ Note: Some apps (e.g. banking) block installation from unverified sources, and make sure to use official stores (Google Play or Mi App Store) for them).

Method 5: Use of third-party utilities (Smart Switch alternative)

If the standard methods didn’t work, look for specialized programs. We tested 3 solutions that showed stable performance with Samsung-Xiaomi pairs:

Recommendations for use:

• 🔌 For Clone Phone on Xiaomi, pre-disable Optimization MIUI In Settings → Special opportunities.
• 📶 When using SHAREit, connect both devices to the same 5GHz network for maximum speed.
• 🔐 Send Anywhere, use a 6-digit key instead of a key. QR-code is more reliable.

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The side of the utility is convenient for one-time transfer, but not suitable for regular backup. For constant synchronization, it is better to set up a Google Account or cloud storage.

What to do if applications do not work after the transfer

Even after a successful APK installation, applications can crash, not open, or lose data. Here's a diagnostic and problem-solving algorithm:

1. The “Application Stopped” error: Settings → Apps → Select Problem → Storage → Clear Cache and Data If it doesn’t help – delete and install the app again from Google Play.
2. No Internet access: Check permissions in Settings → Apps → Permissions → Network access. On MIUI, some applications are depriving of mobile Internet rights by default.
3. The app requires unknown permissions: This is typical of Samsung apps (like Samsung Members) that request access to Knox services that Xiaomi doesn't have, and the solution is to search for analogues on Google Play.
4. Gaming progress lost: Make sure both devices share a Google Play Games account. To recover: Game settings → Account → Recover progress

If the problem persists, check:

• 📱 Android Version: Xiaomi with Android 13+ may not work APK, b bundled for Android 10 (typical for older versions of Samsung apps).
• 🔧 Processor architecture: Applications for ARM64 not-start x86 (emulator-specific).
• 🛡️ Security MIUI: B Settings → Confidentiality → Special access check if the application is blocked.

FAQ: Frequent questions about moving apps from Samsung to Xiaomi