How to transfer all data from Huawei to Xiaomi: a step-by-step algorithm

Changing your smartphone is always stressful, with the fear of losing important photos, contacts or correspondence. Migration is especially important for users switching from Huawei devices to Xiaomi gadgets, because the ecosystems of these brands have their own unique features. Despite the fact that both manufacturers use the Android operating system, standard copying methods can work incorrectly due to the lack of Google services on new Huawei models.

In this guide, we will look at all the available ways to transfer information, from using proprietary utilities to cloud services and manual copying via PC. You will learn how to properly prepare both devices so that the process goes as quickly and without errors. A critical step is to pre-check the free space on the receiving device Xiaomi, as the lack of memory will lead to interruption of migration.

There are several proven methods, each with its own advantages depending on the amount of data transferred and the speed of the Internet connection.We will consider the use of the Mi Mover application, which is a standard tool for such tasks, as well as alternative options for those who prefer local copying or working with the cloud.

Preparing devices for data migration

Before you start any manipulation, make sure that both smartphones are ready to work. Charge Huawei and Xiaomi to at least 60-70%, as the process of transferring large amounts of data can be energy-consuming. Also check for stable Wi-Fi connection if you plan to use cloud services, although local transmission via Wi-Fi Direct is not required.

Clear the cache of apps on your old device to avoid transferring digital junk to your new smartphone, which will help speed up MIUI or HyperOS immediately after you turn on, and remove unnecessary files and applications you haven’t used in a long time to reduce latency.

⚠️ Warning: Do not interrupt the data transfer process or switch between apps on smartphones during migration. this can cause file damage or system freeze.

Make sure that both devices are enabled with Bluetooth and geolocation, as they are often used to initially detect devices from each other.On a Xiaomi device, you may need to allow storage access for system services at first startup.

Using the Mi Mover app for fast transfer

The most effective and recommended way is to use the Mi Mover utility.This is a regular application that is often pre-installed on Xiaomi smartphones, but it can also be downloaded to Huawei from the AppGallery store or through a browser. The program creates a direct Wi-Fi connection between devices, which ensures high copy speed without using Internet traffic.

Run the app on both smartphones. On Xiaomi, select Recipient, and on Huawei, Sender. QR-code or connect through device search. Once you have established the connection, you will see a list of data categories available for portability.

• 📱 Contacts and messages – transferred in full, including the history of correspondence SMS and MMS.
• 📸 Gallery and video – copy original files in high resolution.
• ⚙️ System settings - basic parameters, wallpaper and location of icons.
• 📲 Applications – a list of programs that will be downloaded from stores.

Select the desired items and click the "Send" button. Transfer speeds can vary from 10 to 40 MB/s depending on the router model or Wi-Fi modules in smartphones. Large files such as 4K video can be copied longer, so be patient.

Once the process is complete, the new smartphone can restart to apply the settings. Check for all files in the respective folders. Apps that were not installed automatically will appear in the Tools folder or be marked as “Not Installed.”

Transfer through Google Account and Cloud Services

If you can’t connect directly, you can use the sync capabilities of your Google account, which is ideal for saving contacts, calendar, notes and photos through Google Photos. On your Huawei device, make sure that sync is enabled in your account settings.

For Huawei users without Google services (on the new models), this method may be limited if you have not pre-installed GMS (Google Mobile Services), in which case you should consider using the Huawei Cloud or third-party services such as Dropbox or Yandex.Disk.

Sign in to your Google account on the new Xiaomi smartphone in Settings → Accounts and Sync. The system will prompt you to recover data from the backup. Select the last available recovery point.

It’s important to understand that free space on Google is limited to 15GB. If you have a lot of photos in original quality, sync can get in line or require you to buy extra space. Google Photos allows you to compress images to save space, but the quality can suffer a little.

Manual copying of files through a computer

The most reliable, albeit more time-consuming, way is to use a personal computer as an intermediary. Connect Huawei to a PC via a PC. USB-cable and select file transfer mode (MTP). Copy important folders, such as DCIM (Photos and videos), Download and Documents, on the hard drive of the computer.

Then turn off the old phone and plug in Xiaomi. Create folders in the memory of the new device or in the internal storage and transfer the stored data to it, which ensures that no bytes of information are lost or compressed by cloud-based algorithms.

Pay special attention to the WhatsApp folder if you use this messenger. Just copying the folder is not enough – you need to back up inside the application before transferring it, and then restore it to the new device when you first install it.

Structure of folders for copying:


/Huawei/DCIM/Camera -> /Xiaomi/DCIM/Camera




/Huawei/Pictures -> /Xiaomi/Pictures




/Huawei/Music -> /Xiaomi/Music

⚠️ Note: When copying via PC, make sure you use quality USB-Cheap cables can only support charging, but not data transmission, which will lead to errors when reading disks.

Once you've finished copying, check the integrity of the files. Open a few photos and documents on your new smartphone to make sure they're displayed correctly. Android is path-sensitive, so try to keep the folder structure intact.

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Use a network-enabled file manager (such as Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer) to transfer files over Wi-Fi directly between your phone and computer wirelessly if there is no cable at hand.

Features of the transfer of messages and messengers

Transferring your history to WhatsApp, Viber or Telegram requires a separate approach, since this data is often not stored in a shared backup system. In Telegram, the history is stored in the cloud, so it is enough to log in. Viber and WhatsApp need to create a local backup or upload it to the cloud before changing the device.

For WhatsApp on Huawei, go to Settings → Chats → Chat Backup and click “Create a Backup.” Make sure it’s uploaded to Google Drive (if Google services are working) or saved locally. On Xiaomi, the app will prompt you to restore a history from a found copy when you first launch.

• ✅ Create a full backup in the messenger app.
• ✅ Check if the copy is uploaded to the cloud or stored in memory.
• ✅ Use the same phone number and account (Google/iCloud) new-device.

Some banking applications and secure messengers may require re-verification via SMS or call. SIM-The card that must be installed in the new smartphone.

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To successfully restore WhatsApp chats, it is critical to use the same Google Drive account and phone number as you would on your old device.

Solving and eliminating errors

The migration process can be complicated by technicalities, such as the Mi Mover app can break the connection if the backlight goes off or the energy-saving mode starts on the Huawei screen. To avoid this, set the time before the “Never” or maximum available value in the screen settings of the old phone.

If files are damaged or not opened, try changing the file system format or using another copying method. Sometimes antivirus programs on Huawei can block data transmission, considering it a suspicious activity.

If contacts are not displayed correctly or duplicated, use contacts.google.com to clean and combine duplicates. This is a versatile tool that works regardless of the phone brand.

Following these guidelines, you can easily upgrade to a Xiaomi device, saving all the important information, and the right preparation and choice of the right tool will make the process simple and fast.