Changing your smartphone is always stressful, with the fear of losing important data, photos or contacts. However, if you move from a Honor device to a brand new Xiaomi device, the data migration process becomes surprisingly simple and fast. Modern Android operating systems and MIUI or HyperOS shells have built-in tools that allow you to copy all information in minutes without using a computer.
In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to transfer information from using the proprietary Mi Mover application to classic methods through cloud storage and Bluetooth. You will learn how to not lose a single photo, how to restore the call list and how to quickly install all the necessary applications on a new device.
Before starting the procedure, make sure that both smartphones are at least 50-60% charged. Active data transfer can significantly consume battery power, and a sudden disconnection of one of the devices will cause an interruption of operation. Also check the availability of free space on the receiving Xiaomi device, so that all files fit without errors.
Preparing devices for data migration
The first step before any manipulation is to carefully prepare both gadgets. On Honor, you need to make sure that all important data is synchronized with your Google account or locally stored in memory, not just in the app cache. On Xiaomi device, you need to perform the initial setup, connect to the Wi-Fi network and log into your Mi Account, although this is not always strictly necessary for local tools, but extremely desirable.
Special attention should be paid to cleaning up unnecessary garbage on an old phone. Transferring gigabytes of temporary files, messenger cache and system debris makes no sense - it will only increase the transfer time. Use built-in cleaning tools or third-party utilities to remove excess. Freeing up space on an old device will speed up the process of creating a backup.
☑️ Preparation for transfer
On a new Xiaomi smartphone, the Mi Mover app is usually pre-installed in the Tools folder. If it is not available, download it from the GetApps store or Play Market. On the old Honor app you also need to download from Google Play, as in newer Honor models, the Huawei AppGallery store may not be available or limited in functionality.
Using the Mi Mover app for full portability
The most efficient and quickest way to move almost all types of data is to use Mi Mover, the official application from Xiaomi, which creates a direct Wi-Fi connection between two devices, providing high speed transfer without using Internet traffic, it supports the transfer of contacts, messages, call history, photos, music, videos and even a list of installed applications.
The way you start is, open the app on both smartphones. On Xiaomi, select I'm a recipient, and on Honor, I'm a sender. QR-The code that you want to scan with the camera of the old device, and when you connect, the interfaces sync up, and you see a list of data categories to select.
⚠️ Warning: Do not leave the Mi Mover app or lock your smartphone screens during transmission. Interrupting the connection may cause files to be damaged or you need to start the process anew.
After selecting categories (e.g. Images, Contacts, Applications), click the Send button. The transfer speed depends on the data volume and the quality of Wi-Fi modules, but is usually between 10 and 30 MB/s. At the end of the process, Xiaomi will automatically start installing the transmitted applications in the background.
What if the Mi Mover doesn’t see the second phone?
Transferring Contacts through Google Account
If your primary goal is to save your phone book, the most reliable and time-tested method is syncing through Google Contacts, which works regardless of the phone’s brand, whether it’s Honor, Xiaomi or any other Android smartphone. Contacts saved in the Google cloud are never lost, even if the physical device is lost or broken.
On the old Honor, open settings, find the Users and Accounts section (or just Accounts), select your Google profile. Make sure the switch opposite Contacts is activated. If it was turned off, turn it on and click the sync button (usually three dots in the corner or a separate button).
On the new Xiaomi, when you first set up your system, you will be prompted to log in to the same Google account. If the phone is already set up, just add the account in Settings → Accounts and Sync. Once you log in, the system will automatically tighten all saved numbers. In the Contacts app on Xiaomi in the display settings, make sure that the tick ticks show contacts from Google.
This method is particularly convenient because it does not require cables or additional software. Internet connection is enough. Contacts stored only in the phone's memory (not in Google or SIM) will not be transferred automatically, so it is critical to export them to the cloud before changing the device.
Comparison of data transmission methods
The choice of porting depends on your priorities: speed, data volume, or simplicity. Below is a comparative table of the main methods we have reviewed, as well as alternative options such as Bluetooth or cloud services.
| Method | Speed. | Data types | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Mover | Tall. | Everything (photos, apps, settings) | Low. |
| Google Account | Medium | Contacts, calendar, notes | Very low. |
| Bluetooth | Low. | Files, contacts (individually) | Medium |
| USB Cable | Tall. | Photos, videos, documents | Tall. |
| The cloud (Disc) | Depends on the network. | Documents, photos, videos | Low. |
As you can see from the table, Mi Mover is the leader in complexity, it allows you to transfer not just files, but the structure of your phone use, but if you want to throw a couple of documents, it's easier to use Google Drive or send a file to yourself in a messenger.
Bluetooth is now considered an outdated method for mass transfer because of its extremely low speed, which can take hours to transmit a single 1GB video, and should only be considered an emergency if other methods are not available and file submission is urgent.
Transfer of multimedia and documents
Photos and videos often take up the lion's share of smartphone memory. When switching from Honor to Xiaomi, it's important to keep your family archive intact. In addition to Mi Mover, a great option is to use Google Photos. Install the app on your old phone, enable autoload and wait for the process to end. On the new device, just log in to the same account and the entire gallery will be available.
To transfer large volumes of documents, music or video files without loss of quality, you can use a computer as an intermediary. Connect Honor to your PC in file transfer mode (MTP), copy the DCIM, Download, Music folders to your hard drive. Then connect Xiaomi and move the data to the appropriate directories. This method is reliable, because it eliminates network errors.
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Use a USB-C cable on USB-C to transfer files directly between phones if both devices support OTG. This can be faster than creating a wireless network.
Note the folder structure in Xiaomi's file manager ("Conductor"). The system can automatically sort imported photos by date, but music tracks sometimes need to be manually placed in the Music folder for the player to see them. Similar to ringtones, they are better placed in the Ringtones folder at the root of internal memory.
Solutions and applications
When transferring applications, it is worth considering that the programs themselves (APK-files are copied, but logging into accounts inside them (social networks, banks, mail) is most often required to be re-executed for security reasons. SIM-map, so make sure your SIM is already installed in the new Xiaomi or you have access to confirmation codes.
Bank and government applications require special attention. On new Honor models without Google services, some applications may not work stable or require “crutches.” On Xiaomi with a full Google Play Market, all banking applications (Sberbank, Tinkoff, etc.) will work normally. However, when you log in from a “new” device, the security system can block the entrance. Prepare recovery codes or contact the bank in advance.
⚠️ Note: Messenger data (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) is not always transferred completely through standard tools. For WhatsApp, use the built-in backup function in Google Drive on your old phone and restore from copy on a new one.
If some apps are not working properly or are displayed as a standard Android robot after the transfer, try clearing the app cache or reinstalling it from the Play Market.
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Full data transfer is possible only with an integrated approach: Mi Mover for system and files, Google Account for contacts, manual check of banking applications.