How to Transfer Software from Samsung to Xiaomi: A Complete Guide to Comparing Methods

The transition from Samsung to Xiaomi is not just a brand change, but also a migration of all digital life: instant messengers, social networks, games, work tools. How to migrate apps and their data so that you don't lose game progress, your correspondence history, or your account settings, as opposed to moving within the same ecosystem (like the Galaxy). S22 Galaxy S23), Platform shift from One UI on MIUI requires a special approach.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods for porting programs, from standard tools to advanced technical solutions. You will learn what method is suitable for your case, how to avoid typical errors (for example, data loss in WhatsApp or Telegram), and what to do if the application refuses to work on a new device.

Before you start, answer the key question: what exactly do you want to transfer?

Spoiler: If you have to move everything, including system settings, you have to combine several methods. Now, to the details.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

The most obvious and recommended method by the manufacturer is the use of the Mi Mover utility.This application is pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones (starting with the use of the Mi Mover utility). MIUI 9) and allows data to be transferred wirelessly, but it has limitations that few people warn about.

Mi Mover supports portability:

• 📱 List of installed applications (without APK-file)
• 📁 Photos, videos and audio files
• 📞 Contacts, SMS and call logs
• 📍 Notes and calendars (if synced with Google or Mi Account)

But there are critical nuances:

⚠️ Note: Mi Mover does not port app data (such as saves in games or chat history in Viber), and it may not work if Samsung has custom firmware installed or Android version is newer than Xiaomi.

How to use Mi Mover:

1. On Xiaomi, open Settings → The phone. → Mi Mover.
2. On Samsung, download Mi Mover from Google Play (if it’s not in the app list).
3. Select the role on both devices: Xiaomi – “New phone”, Samsung – “Old phone”.
4. Scan it. QR-code from the screen Xiaomi camera Samsung.
5. Select the data to transfer and wait until it is completed (it can take up to 30 minutes).

If Mi Mover can't see the device:

• 🔄 Reboot both smartphones.
• 📶 Connect to a single Wi-Fi network (or use the access point on Xiaomi).
• 🛠️ Update Mi Mover to the latest version on both devices.

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Mi Mover is the easiest way, but it's only good for basic porting, and these apps and games will require additional tools.

2.Move over Google Account: Pros and pitfalls

Google sync is a universal method that works on all Android devices, but many users don’t know what syncs and what doesn’t.

What is automatically transferred:

• 📇 Contacts (if saved in Google Contacts)
• 📅 Calendars (Google Calendar)
• 📎 Notes (Google Keep)
• 📁 Photos and videos (if you have autoloaded in Google Photos)
• 🎮 Progress in games (if they support Google Play Games)

What's not tolerable:

• 🚫 List of installed apps (only if they were installed through Google Play and linked to an account).
• 🚫 Application data (such as Instagram cache or Spotify settings).
• 🚫 SMS Call log (a separate backup is required).

How to set up synchronization:

1. On Samsung go to Settings → Accounts and archiving → Accounts → Google.
2. Select your account and enable sync for all the categories you want.
3. On Xiaomi, when you first enable, log in to the same Google account or add it to Settings. → Accounts. → Add an account.
4. Wait until the synchronization is complete (it can take several hours for large amounts of data).

Important: If you use Samsung Account for backup, this data will not be transferred to Xiaomi. It must be manually exported (for example, contacts in.vcf format).

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Before transferring, check which apps support cloud sync, such as WhatsApp backed up in Google Drive and Telegram backed up in its cloud.

Manual transfer APK-Files: When it is justified

If you only need to migrate applications (without data), you can copy them. APK-This method is suitable for rare programs that are not available in Google Play, or if you want to save traffic.

How to transfer APK:

1. On Samsung, install a file manager with export function APK (for example, APK Extractor or Solid Explorer).
2. In the app menu, select "Export" APK" Save files to the folder (for example, Download/APK_Backup).
3. Move the folder with APK Xiaomi via cable, cloud or Bluetooth.
4. On Xiaomi, allow installation from unknown sources in Settings → Annexes → Special rights → Installation of unknown applications.
5. Install. APK-manually.

⚠️ Attention: Installation APK Before transferring, check files for viruses using VirusTotal or the built-in scanner on Xiaomi.

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Speed (no matter how fast the internet is).
• 📦 Retain rare or deleted from Google Play apps.

Disadvantages:

• 🚫 No application data (you will have to reconfigure everything).
• 🔄 There may be compatibility errors if the Xiaomi Android version is newer or older.

4. Transfer of data applications: games, instant messengers, social networks

The hard part is the data transfer within applications, and there's no one-size-fits-all solution, because every messenger or game uses its own backup mechanism, and we'll go through the main cases.

Messengers:

Games:

• 🎮 Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail: link your account to miHoYo or Google Play Games.
• 🎮 PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty: Mobile: Use Facebook or Twitter.
• 🎮 Clash of Clans, Brawl Stars: sync through Supercell ID.

Social media and services:

• 📷 Instagram, TikTok: no data transfer, but authorization is saved via Google or Facebook.
• 🎵 Spotify, YouTube Music: Playlists synced with your account.
• 📊 Google Authenticator: Transfer is impossible without manual key saving. Use alternatives like Authy or Microsoft Authenticator that support cloud backup.

If the game or app doesn’t support cloud sync, try:

1. Find the option "Export / Import of data" in the application settings.
2. Use third-party tools like Helium (requires root rights).
3. Contact Developer Support – Some studios (such as Supercell) can restore an account on request.

5. Advanced method: ADB Backup for tech-savvy people

If the standard methods do not work, you can use the tool. ADB (Android Debug Bridge is a method for power users, as it requires command line work and can lead to data loss if used incorrectly.

What can be transferred with the help ADB:

• 📦 Full backup of applications with their data.
• 📱 System settings (Wi-Fi network, wallpaper, some interface parameters).

Instructions:

1. Install ADB Tools on PC (official page).
2. On Samsung, turn on Settings → The phone. → Build number (click 7 times to activate developer mode), then in Settings → Developer mode turn on Debugging by USB.
3. Connect Samsung to your PC and execute the command: adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab This will create a backup.ab file with a full copy of the applications and data.
4. Copy backup.ab on Xiaomi and restore it by the team: adb restore backup.ab

⚠️ Attention: ADB Backup does not always work correctly on devices with MIUI Some apps (such as Samsung Health) block backups of their data.

The alternative ADB — Swift Backup (requires root rights) allows you to selectively save and restore applications with data, but is only suitable for hard-to-shore devices.

6.What to do if the app doesn't work on Xiaomi

Sometimes a ported application refuses to run on Xiaomi, and the reasons can range from a lack of rights to incompatibility with the firmware.

Typical errors and decisions:

If the app doesn't work anyway:

• 🔍 Check it for compatibility with your Xiaomi model on forums (e.g., the website, 4PDA or XDA Developers).
• 📥 Try to install an older or newer version. APK.
• 🛠️ Reset the application settings in Settings → Annexes → [Name of name] → Warehouse → Clear the data.

Special case: Samsung apps

Some Samsung programs (such as Samsung Health, Samsung Pay, Bixby) will not work on Xiaomi, but there are alternatives:

• 🏃 Samsung Health → Google Fit or Mi Fitness.
• 💳 Samsung Pay → Google Pay or Mi Pay (in China).
• 🎤 Bixby → Google Assistant or XiaoAI (XiaoAI voice assistant).

7. Xiaomi Optimization After the Moveover: What to Set Up First

After transferring the applications, remember to optimize Xiaomi for a comfortable experience.

System Tweaks for Better Performance:

• 🚀 Turn on the settings. → Additionally. → Optimization for speeding up work.
• 🔋 Activate Battery Mode → Energy conservation → Optimized for balance between productivity and time.
• 📶 If the internet is slow, reset your network settings in Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings.

If after the transfer Xiaomi began to slow down:

1. Check the list of running applications in Settings → Annexes → Run and close the unnecessary ones.
2. Turn off interface animation in Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Click 5 times, then in the Developer Settings → Size of animation select "Off.").
3. Remove duplicate files that may have appeared during the transfer (use Files by Google or Mi File Manager).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions