Changing the brand of a smartphone is always stressful for the owner, especially when it comes to moving from the Honor ecosystem (formerly Huawei) to the Xiaomi platform with the shell of MIUI or HyperOS. The main problem of users is often not the lack of a familiar interface, but the fear of losing contacts, correspondence in messengers and personal photos accumulated over the years. Fortunately, modern technologies allow you to solve the problem of data migration as efficiently and safely as possible for the user.
There are several ways to migrate information, each with its own advantages depending on the amount of files you transfer and the availability of a stable Internet connection.We will look at both Xiaomi’s native tools and universal cloud solutions that ensure your digital life is safe. It is important to understand that properly preparing both devices before starting the procedure will save you hours of time and nerves.
In this article, we will take a look at the algorithms for different scenarios, focusing on the nuances of working with Huawei and Google accounts, learn how to avoid typical sync errors and what security settings should be checked before you part with an old gadget.
Preparing devices for data migration
Before you start the direct transfer, you need to make sure that both smartphones are ready to work in data mode. First of all, check the battery level on both devices: it should be at least 50-60% so that the process is not interrupted halfway due to discharge.
Make sure that both phones have Wi-Fi enabled, as transferring large amounts of data over the mobile network can be unstable or consuming traffic. Older Honor models may require manual debugging over USB or permission to install apps from unknown sources if you plan to use third-party software.
⚠️ Warning: Do not start the transfer process if one of the devices is power-saving mode. This can cause connection breakage and damage to the transmitted files.
If your contacts and calendar are stored in a Huawei ID account, they will need to be pre-synchronized with Google contacts or exported to a.vcf file. This is a critical step, as direct synchronization between Huawei and Xiaomi services may not work properly without an intermediate link.
Using the Mi Mover application for portability
The most effective and official way to migrate is to use the Mi Mover utility, designed specifically for owners of Xiaomi equipment, which allows you to transfer contacts, messages, call history, photos, videos, music, documents and even installed applications (APK-files) without loss of quality. The setup process takes only a few minutes and does not require a computer.
To get started, you need to install the app on both devices. On the new Xiaomi, it is often built into the system and is located in the Tools folder or in the About Phone settings section. On the old Honor, you need to download the app from the Google Play Store or scan it. QR-code that will appear on the screen of the new smartphone when you start the program.
After installation, follow the following steps:
- 📲 Run Mi Mover on both devices and accept the terms of the user agreement.
- 📲 On the new phone, select “I am the receiver” and on the old one, “I am the sender).
- 📲 The sender must scan. QR-code displayed on the recipient screen to establish a secure connection.
- 📲 Select data categories for transfer and click the button "Start transfer».
The speed of copying depends on the amount of data and the quality of the wireless module. During the process, do not switch to other applications and keep the device screens on. Mi Mover will automatically create a folder structure on the new device similar to the old one, which will make it easier to find files.
What if the Mi Mover can’t see the device?
Make sure that both phones are on GPS Sometimes it helps to reboot the Wi-Fi module or temporarily shut down the mobile Internet on one of the devices.> An alternative and often more reliable way is to use Google’s cloud services, which is ideal for transferring contacts, notes, calendars, and system settings. If your Honor has been enabled to sync with Google, then when you enter the same account on Xiaomi, most of the information will download automatically. Check the sync status on the old device by going to Settings → Accounts. → Make sure the switches opposite Contacts, Calendar and Notes are active and the data is successfully uploaded to the cloud. On your new phone, simply add the same Google account when you first set up or through the user menu. For photos and videos, Google Photos is the best service. Install the app on Honor, enable Autoboot and Sync, and wait until the process is over. Once you log in to the same Redmi account, all your media files will be available in full, taking up minimal space in internal memory thanks to the “Saving Space” feature. Data type Best method Nuances Contacts Google Account Instant Sync Photo/Video Google Photo/Mi Mover Requires a lot of space or traffic Mi Mover/Play Market Apps Data within apps may not be saved Messages SMS Google's Mi Mover is not synchicized SMS By default, WhatsApp and Telegram messaging is one of the most important data sources for most users. Transferring the history of Telegram correspondence is automatic, since all data is stored on the servers of the messenger. Just install the application on the new Xiaomi, enter the phone number and confirmation code – all chats, channels and groups will appear instantly. WhatsApp is a little more complicated, as the history of correspondence is stored locally or in the Google Drive cloud. To successfully transfer to Honor, you need to open WhatsApp settings, go to the Chats section» → «Backup" and create a fresh backup on Google Drive. Make sure that the Google account is used, not Huawei Cloud. On the new device, when you install WhatsApp and log in, the system will prompt you to restore the history from the backup found. SIM-Maps and Google Account. If automatic recovery didn’t work, you can try to create a local copy through Settings → Chats → Backup Chats, copy the WhatsApp folder from the internal memory of the old phone to the new one and then start restoring. File system and multimedia If the amount of photos and videos is calculated in tens of gigabytes, cloud methods can be too slow. In this case, the most rational solution will be to use the computer as an intermediate link. Connect Honor to the PC in file transfer mode (MTP) and copy the DCIM, Pictures, Download and Music folders to the hard drive. Then connect and the data to the file, so Xiaomi will not move the corresponding file to the file file, and the algorithm. You can also immediately review files and delete duplicates before downloading to a new device. When working with a file system, look for hidden folders and specific application directories. For example, voice recordings of a voice recorder or files downloaded in a browser may be in separate directories. Use a file manager with hidden files to avoid missing anything. ⚠️ Note: When copying through a computer, do not interrupt the abruptly connection. Use the Safe Device Removal feature before disabling the cable to avoid damaging the file system. During the migration process, users may face a number of technical difficulties. One of the frequent problems is the inability to install some applications due to regional restrictions or the absence of the GetApps store. In such cases, it is recommended to use the official website of the developer or verified sources. APK-files, pre-allowing installation from unknown sources in security settings Privacy protection → Special permissions. Another common mistake is to interrupt transmission when the screen is locked. Some Honor models with aggressive energy saving systems can break the Wi-Fi connection when the screen goes out. Be sure to set the “Sleep Mode” option in the screen settings of the old phone to the “Never” value or the maximum possible time for the data transfer period. If contacts are not displayed correctly or duplicated after transfer, go to the Contacts app on the new phone, select the filter menu and leave the display only for your Google account. After successfully transferring all data and verifying its integrity on the new Xiaomi, you can proceed to prepare the old Honor for sale or disposal. ID Samsung Account (if used) and untie the device from Find My Device. Complete factory reset (Settings) → System system → Reset → This will delete all personal data and return the phone to its original state. Before doing this, make sure that all important files are saved to the new device or in the cloud. Now your new smartphone is fully ready to work with current data. Enjoy Xiaomi’s performance and new shell capabilities MIUI/HyperOS. Regularly back up important data so that the procedure for changing the phone takes a minimum of time in the future. Can I transfer passwords from Wi-Fi networks? Yes, when you use Mi Mover and select System Settings or Wi-Fi, passwords from saved networks can be transferred, and passwords are synchronized if you use a Google account to back up your device settings. What if Mi Mover is 99% overloaded? This is a common problem when transferring large numbers of small files. Try restarting the app on both phones and selecting only the categories of data that have not yet been transferred. Don't choose All Data at once, break the process into stages. Will keyboard layouts and font settings remain? Font and theme settings are only portable if they are compatible with the new shell version MIUI. Keyboard layouts (such as Gboard) will be restored automatically when you log in to your Google account, as they are linked to the cloud. Should I take it out? SIM-No, for Mi Mover and Google sync. SIM-You don't need a card, you only need Wi-Fi, but you need to confirm the number in messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) SIM-The card must be inserted into a new phone or be in a device that receives the card. SMS.