Changing your smartphone is always an exciting process, especially when you need to transfer important information. If you switched from Honor to Xiaomi, the first thing you need to do is save your phone book. Losing your friends, colleagues and delivery numbers can be a disaster, so you need to approach the procedure responsibly.
Fortunately, modern technology allows you to synchronize data in just a few minutes, so you don't have to manually reprint hundreds of numbers or look for complicated ways to get around, and there are several proven methods that guarantee that information is safe.
In this article, we will look at all the available methods, from cloud services to local file transfers, how to avoid duplication of records and what to do if standard methods do not work, and the instructions are relevant for all modern models of both brands.
Preparing devices for data migration
Before you start the transfer process, you need to make sure that both devices are ready to work. Honor and Xiaomi should have screens on, and it is advisable to keep the battery charge above 50%, this will prevent a sudden shutdown at the most critical time.
Be sure to check for a stable internet connection if you plan to use cloud methods. Networking is not required for local Wi-Fi Direct or Bluetooth transmission, but drivers need to be updated. Make sure that the new Xiaomi has enough free space.
⚠️ Note: Before starting any manipulation of data, we strongly advise you to create a backup of contacts on the Internet. SIM-map or export them to.vcf just in case.
It’s also worth clearing the contact list of obvious debris and duplicates on the old device, which will make the process easier and make the new phone book on Xiaomi more neat.
Using the Mi Mover application for portability
The most effective and native way for Xiaomi ecosystem is the Mi Mover utility, an official application designed specifically for migrating data to smartphones of this brand, which allows you to transfer not only contacts, but also photos, applications and settings.
The process starts with installing the app on both devices. On the new Xiaomi, it is often pre-installed in the Tools folder. On Honor, you need to download it from the AppGallery store or the official website. After launching, select the device role: "I send" on the old one and "I receive" on the new one.
☑️ Checklist for Mi Mover preparations
When the devices find each other and connect, you'll see a list of data categories, and you'll have to select Contacts and start the process. The speed of the transfer depends on the volume of the phone book, but it usually takes seconds.
The main advantage of the method is that it retains the structure of records, including photos of subscribers and additional numbers, local transmission does not consume traffic of the mobile operator and works even without access to the global network.
Synchronization through Google account
If both smartphones use the Android operating system, then the most logical step would be to use a Google account, which is a standard mechanism that works in the background and does not require the installation of additional software.
On Honor, you need to go to the settings and find the "Users and Accounts" section. Make sure that the contacts sync is enabled. If you haven't done this before, manually click the "Sync" button to upload all numbers to the cloud.
- 📱 Open your settings on Honor and go to the account section.
- ☁️ Select your Google account and make sure the Contacts slider is active.
- 🔄 Press the sync button and wait for the process to be completed.
- 📲 On Xiaomi, log in to the same account when you first set up or through the menu.
Once you log in to your account on the new Xiaomi, the system will automatically pull up all the saved numbers, which takes some time depending on the speed of the Internet connection, and in the Contacts settings, you can select the data from your Google account.
What to do if no contacts appear?
The good thing about this method is that your data will always be safe in the cloud, and even if you lose your phone, when you enter your login and password on any other device, the phonebook will recover instantly.
Export and import via VCF file
The classic method that works seamlessly even when there is no internet, is to create a special business card file that contains all the information about your contacts. The.vcf format is supported by all modern smartphones.
On Honor, open the Contacts app, go to management or settings. Find Import/Export Contacts and select Export to Drive. The system will create a file that is usually stored in the root of internal memory or in the /Contacts folder.
Next, you need to transfer this file to Xiaomi, which can be done via Bluetooth, messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp), or just flip through the phone. USB-You can get a cable to your computer, and then you can get it to your new phone.
| Parameter | Description | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Format | .vcf (vCard) | Universal standard |
| Size | Depends on the number of photos. | Up to 100 MB is transmitted quickly |
| Coding | UTF-8 | Preserves the Cyrillic alphabet |
| Compatibility | Android, iOS, PC | Works everywhere. |
Xiaomi automatically recognizes the file and prompts you to import the entries contained in it. SIM-It's a great way to back up offline.
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When exported to file VCF Make sure that all contact groups are selected, including those stored on the site. SIM-map, if they're there.
Transfer over Bluetooth and file sharing
If you don't have a computer at hand and the Internet is unstable, good old Bluetooth comes to the rescue. Modern MIUI and Magic UI shells (on Honor) have built-in exchange tools that work on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct.
Turn on Bluetooth on both devices. On Honor, select the contacts you want or select All Contacts from the control menu. Press Share and select Bluetooth. On Xiaomi, you must accept the pairing request and file transfer confirmation.
This method can be slow if you're transmitting high-resolution contacts to photos, but it's perfect for text data, and the key is not to turn off the phone screens until the process is complete.
In some cases, the system may request permission to access media files, which is normal, since the contacts with the photos are technically media data, and once confirmed, the transfer will begin automatically.
Addressing problems and duplicates
After data transfer, users often encounter a situation where one person has two or three identical numbers written down.This happens if the contacts were duplicated from different sources (SIM, phone memory, Google).
Go to the Contacts app on your new smartphone. Open the settings menu (usually three dots or a gear). Find the item "Combine repetitive contacts." The system will prompt you to automatically find and merge duplicates into one card.
⚠️ Note: When automatically combining, carefully check the result so as not to lose unique numbers that coincide by name.
There may also be a problem with encoding, where the Russian letters are "krakozyabr" instead of "krakozyabr" -- a rare case, but possible with very old versions of Android or third-party utilities, in which case re-exporting in UTF-8 format will help.
If contacts don't show up at all, check where they were saved. Often, when importing, the default is to choose the phone's local storage, and the display is set up only for a Google account, or vice versa.
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The built-in MIUI tools allow you to combine duplicates into one click, making the phone book clean and neat.