How to Move Apps from Samsung to Xiaomi: The Complete 2026 Guide

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

The transition from Samsung Galaxy to Xiaomi Redmi/POCO is not just a brand change, but a transition between two fundamentally different ecosystems. Even though both manufacturers use Android, their shells — One UI (Samsung) and MIUI/HyperOS (Xiaomi) — have unique features that complicate data migration. Unlike the iPhone, where iCloud syncs everything automatically, here the user has to choose between official tools, third-party solutions and manual settings.

The main problem is that Samsung Smart Switch and Xiaomi Mi Mover are software incompatible – they are optimized to work only within their ecosystems, which means that directly migrating applications through these services often leads to errors, data skip or even impossible.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to port applications – from official tools to workarounds, including nuances for specific models (for example, the Galaxy S23 Ultra → Xiaomi 14 Pro).

Method 1: Official port over Samsung Smart Switch + Mi Mover (with limitations)

This is the most logical, but not the most reliable method. Samsung Smart Switch and Xiaomi Mi Mover should theoretically work together, but in practice their compatibility leaves much to be desired.

1. On Samsung: Install Smart Switch from the Galaxy Store (not from Google Play!). Launch the app and select Send Data → Wireless Transfer.
2. Xiaomi: Install Mi Mover from the App Store MIUI (In some regions, it may be called Xiaomi Migration. → Android.
3. The connection: on both devices will appear QR-Scan it from Xiaomi to Samsung (or vice versa, depending on the software version).

What can be transferred in this way:

• 📱 Contacts, messages, call log (usually no problem)
• 📷 Photos and videos (but often with reduced resolution)
• 🎵 Music and documents (if not protected) DRM)
• ⚠️ Apps are just lists of them (without data!) and not all of them.

⚠️ Note: If your Xiaomi has HyperOS installed (new 2026 models), Mi Mover may not recognize Samsung as a compatible device.In this case, try updating both apps to the latest version or use alternative methods from this article.

The speed of transfer depends on the amount of data, for example, 30 GB of photos and videos can be transmitted from 20 minutes to 1.5 hours, and the applications are not portable, only their shortcuts, which then have to be re-installed through Google Play.

Method 2: Transfer through Google Account (most universal)

This method works on any Android device, but it has its limitations, and the main advantage is synchronizing apps (their lists) and parts of data through Google Play.

Enable sync on Samsung (Settings → Accounts → Google → Sync)

Make sure that Xiaomi uses the same Google account.

Turn off battery optimization for Google Play Services on both devices

Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network (preferably 5GHz for speed)

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Step-by-step:

1. On Samsung, go to Settings → Accounts and Archiving → Archiving and Recovery and enable Archiving.
2. On Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select Recover Data and log in to the same Google Account. If the phone is already set up, reset it to factory settings (Settings → About Phone → Reset) and repeat the step.
3. Once restored, check the list of apps in Google Play → Library → Installed. Here will be all the programs that were on Samsung (but not their data!).

What is transferred and what is not:

⚠️ Note: If Samsung has installed apps from the Galaxy Store (such as Samsung Health or Samsung Pay), they will not appear on Xiaomi, as these services are tied to the Samsung ecosystem.

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Before migrating, check which apps on your Samsung have backup to the cloud, such as WhatsApp and Telegram allow you to export chats separately.

Method 3: Manual transfer over PC (most reliable for applications)

If you need to migrate not only the apps themselves, but also their data (e.g., save games, customize programs), the best way to do this is to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) and manual file copying, which requires a little bit of technical skill, but gives you maximum control.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux
• 🔌 USB-cables (preferably original)
• 🛠️ Utilities: ADB, Fastboot, APK Extractor (for extraction) APK)
• 📂 Access to the file system of both phones

Step-by-step:

1. Enable USB debugging on both phones: On Samsung: Settings → Phone → Software Information → Build Number (click 7 times), then Settings → Development → USB. On Xiaomi: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times), then Additional Settings → Developers → USB Debugging.

Connect Samsung to a PC

adb shell pm list packages -f | grep "/data/app" | sed 's/package://;s/=.*//' > samsung_apps.txt

It'll create a file. samsung_apps.txt with all user applications.

Copy. APK-file

Samsung

adb pull /data/app

(Root rights are required, if not, use the APK Extractor from Google Play.)

Install APK on Xiaomi

adb install path/to app.apk

For batch installation, use the script or APK Installer from Google Play.

Transfer of application data

adb pull /data/data/package name

Then:

adb push local path /sdcard/

And recover data via Root Explorer or a similar app (root rights to Xiaomi are required).

⚠️ Attention: Application data portability (/data/data/) If you don't have root access on Xiaomi, you can only transfer it yourself. APK-Files, but not settings or saving them. Use Google Play Games or Helium for games (if supported).

Method 4: Use of third-party applications (SHAREit, Send Anywhere, CLONEit)

If the official methods don't work, you can use third-party data utilities, which often do better than built-in tools, but have their own risks (e.g., volume limits or advertising).

How to use (in the example of Shareit):

1. Install Sharet on both phones from Google Play.
2. On Samsung, select Send → Applications and tick the right ones.
3. On Xiaomi, select Get and connect to an access point created by Samsung.
4. Wait for the transfer to be completed and install the received APK-file.

Step-by-step:

1. Install Titanium Backup on Samsung and provide root access.
2. Backup your desired applications: Menu → Package Actions → Backup all user applications + data
3. Copy /sdcard/TitaniumBackup folder on your PC or external drive.
4. Move the folder to Xiaomi (to the same directory /sdcard/TitaniumBackup).
5. Install Titanium Backup on Xiaomi, provide root access and restore data: Menu → Package Actions → Restore all applications with data

⚠️ Note: Restore system applications (com.android.*) on Xiaomi could crash the system!Restore only custom programs. Also note that some applications (such as Samsung Knox) won't work on Xiaomi due to differences in firmware.

The benefits of Titanium Backup are:

• 🔧 Complete control over what to copy.
• 🔄 Ability to transfer the settings of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other system parameters.
• 🛡️ Encryption of backup copies (optional).

Disadvantages:

• 🔐 Requires root rights on both devices.
• ⚠️ Risk of incompatibility of some applications with MIUI/HyperOS.
• 🕒 Long process (especially if there are many applications).

What to do if apps don’t port or work on Xiaomi

Even after successful portability, some applications may not behave properly, and here are the typical problems and solutions:

1.The application is installed but not opened

• 🔄 Reboot the phone.
• 🔧 Clear the app cache (Settings) → Annexes → Select an application → Clear the cache).
• 📥 Reinstall the app from Google Play (sometimes) APK The backup is in conflict with the current version).
• 🛠️ Check compatibility with MIUI/HyperOS (Some apps are optimized for One only. UI).

2. the Application requires authorization (banks, messengers)

• 🔑 Use the same one. SIM-The phone number or card that is on Samsung.
• 📧 Check your email to confirm your entry (some services send the code to the old number).
• 🔒 If the app is tied to Samsung Knox (like Samsung Pay), it won’t work on Xiaomi – look for alternatives.

3. The game or settings have disappeared

• 🎮 Check if the game supports cloud-based saves (Google Play Games, Facebook).
• 🔍 Look for backups in the folder /Android/obb/ or /Android/data/.
• 💾 If the game supports manual import/export (e.g. Brawl Stars), use this feature.

4.The application is slow or crashes

• 🔋 Enable the performance mode for it (Settings) → Annexes → Permits → Battery → No restrictions).
• 🔄 Turn it off. MIUI Optimization (requires unlocking the bootloader on Xiaomi).
• 📉 Check if the app is blocking security MIUI (Settings → Annexes → Application management → Special access).

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If you port WhatsApp, use the built-in backup feature to Google Drive. Before transferring to Samsung, go to WhatsApp Settings → Chat → Backup and create a copy. On Xiaomi, log in to the same Google account and restore the chats.

FAQ: Frequent questions about moving apps from Samsung to Xiaomi