How to transfer data from Honor to Xiaomi: all ways

Changing a smartphone is always stressful, not so much with getting used to a new interface, but with the fear of losing important data. Especially relevant for users moving from the Honor ecosystem to Xiaomi devices, since the architecture of Android on these devices has its own nuances. Modern shells MIUI and HyperOS are significantly different from MagicOS, which requires a special approach to information migration.

Fortunately, developers have developed several effective methods to save contacts, photos, call history, and even app settings. Wireless technology now allows you to do this in minutes without using a computer, but it is important to understand what kind of way to work in your situation, given the version of the operating system and the availability of Google services.

In this guide, we will look at all the current portability options, from the regular Mi Mover app to manual copying through cloud storage, how to avoid common errors and why some applications may not be transferred automatically, and the proper preparation of both devices is the key to successful completion of the process.

Preparing devices for data migration

Before you start copying files directly, you need to perform a number of preparatory steps. Ignoring this step can cause the process to interrupt halfway or the data will be damaged. First of all, make sure that both smartphones are charged at least 60-70%, as active data transfer over Wi-Fi Direct significantly consumes battery power.

Both devices must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network if you plan to use cloud methods or a local area network.However, for specialized utilities such as Mi Mover, creating a direct access point often happens automatically. Check the availability of free space on the new Xiaomi: the amount of free memory should exceed the size of the data you plan to transfer from Honor.

• 📱 Charge both smartphones to at least 60% for stable operation.
• 📶 Make sure that both devices have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled.
• 🔒 Unlock the screens of both phones and confirm trust when connecting.

It is also critical to check the relevance of the system software. The old Honor may have bugs that prevent correct data uploading, and the new Xiaomi may not have the necessary security patches to receive files. Go to Settings → About Phone → System Update and install available updates.

⚠️ Note: If your Honor has apps that require Google services (YouTube, Gmail, Maps), make sure that the new Xiaomi sign in to the same Google account before the transfer starts, so that the sync is correct.

Using the Mi Mover app for full cloning

The most effective and preferred way for Xiaomi users is to use the proprietary utility Mi Mover. This application is designed specifically for migration from Android and iOS and supports the transfer of contacts, messages, calls, notes, voice recordings, as well as photos and videos. The main advantage is the ability to transfer even some system settings and the location of icons on the desktop.

The process begins with installing the app on both devices. On Xiaomi smartphones with a shell MIUI or HyperOS, it's often embedded in the Tools folder. On Honor, you need to download the app from the AppGallery store or through your browser by scanning it. QR-The code that will appear on the screen of the new phone, and when you start it on the new device, you have to select the role "I am the recipient" and the old one, "I am the sender".

When the devices find each other, they will request confirmation of the connection, and once they've been accepted, the system will suggest you select data categories to transfer, you can choose all at once, or you can manually mark only the right items, for example, leaving heavy video files for manual copying if the network is unstable, the transfer speed depends on the supported Wi-Fi standards, but usually ranges from 10 to 40 MB/s.

• 🚀 High data transfer speeds with Wi-Fi Direct.
• 📂 Saving folder structure and file names when transferring.
• 🔄 Ability to resume interrupted transmission without loss of progress.

It is important to note that some Honor system apps will not be installed on Xiaomi, as they are incompatible with the MIUI shell. In this case, Mi Mover will simply skip them or offer analogues from the GetApps store. After the process is completed, it is recommended to restart the new smartphone for file indexing and contacts work correctly.

Transfer through Google Account and Cloud Sync

If you’ve been using Google’s Honor ecosystem, the transition to Xiaomi will be as smooth as possible, ideal for those who want a clean system without junk files and cache of old apps, the main advantage being that your contacts, calendar events, and notes (if you used Google Keep) will be saved in the cloud regardless of the physical condition of the old phone.

To implement this method on the new Xiaomi at the first setup or through the Settings menu → Accounts and syncs need to be added to your Google account. The system will automatically prompt you to restore data from the backup. You can choose which apps from the list of previously installed on Honor to download from Google Play.

However, you should consider the limitations: Photos and videos are synced only if the old phone has enabled the “Shoot and Sync” function in the Google Photos app. If you only store media files in the device’s memory or in the Honor cloud, this method will not affect them, and Wi-Fi passwords and specific settings of some banking applications will not be transferred.

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Google Account is the best way to migrate contacts and calendars, but it is not suitable for a full copy of the system (SMS, calls, settings).

Manual transfer of multimedia through a computer

When it comes to gigabytes of high-resolution photos and videos, wireless methods can be too slow, and in such cases the most reliable option is to use the personal computer as an intermediate buffer, which ensures that no bytes of information are lost when the transmission protocol is compressed or errored.

Connect Honor to your computer via USB-cable and select the menu on the phone screen mode "File transfer" (MTP). The computer will open a conductor window where you need to find the phone's internal memory. DCIM (Photos and video from the camera, Pictures (screenshots and images from messengers), Download and Music. Copy these folders to your PC hard drive.

Then turn off your old phone and connect your new Xiaomi. Also select file transfer mode. Create a similar folder structure on your new device, or simply copy the contents to the appropriate directories. Once you turn off the phone, the new system will scan the media files and they will appear in the gallery.

• 💾 Maximum speed of copying large amounts of data (up to 400 MB / s).
• 🛡️ Complete security: data is not transmitted through third-party servers.
• 📁 The ability to sort and clean garbage files before recording to a new phone.

Remember, this method does not transfer SMS messages, call history and installed applications, it is only a way of migrating user content, and you still have to log in to social networks and messengers again to complete the move.

⚠️ Note: When copying a folder DCIM Make sure you don't create a folder with the same name inside the new phone's memory, otherwise the gallery may not see the photos.

The Nuances of WhatsApp and Viber Portability

Messengers have a special place in users’ lives, and losing their correspondence history is unacceptable. When switching from Honor to Xiaomi, it is important to consider that both devices run on Android, which makes it easier to do but requires a strict sequence of actions. The main mechanism for backing up WhatsApp is tied to Google Drive.

On the old Honor, open WhatsApp, go to Settings → Chats → Chat Backup. Make sure you select the right Google account and click “Create a Backup.” Wait for the process to complete and check the date of the last copy. On the new Xiaomi, install WhatsApp, enter the same phone number, and when asked, restore data from a copy of Google Drive.

With Viber, the situation is similar, but the backup is also saved to Google Drive. In Viber settings, select Account → Backup Viber. Once you install the app on your new phone and enter the number, the system will automatically detect the backup and prompt you to restore your message history and media files.

You should pay special attention to chat portability if you use different Google accounts on your devices. In this case, the standard method will not work, and you will have to use the function “Chat transfer” inside the WhatsApp settings, which requires finding both phones in the same Wi-Fi network and scanning. QR-code.

Solving and eliminating errors

Even if all instructions are followed, there can be technical difficulties. Often users are faced with a situation where Mi Mover does not see the device or the transmission is cut off by 99%. This can be due to the energy-saving settings of Android, which “kill” the background transfer process. On both phones, in the battery settings for the carrier application, you should set the “No restrictions” mode.

Another common problem is that some apps are missing after the transfer, which is normal for Honor system utilities, which are unmatched in the GetApps store or Google Play, in which case you need to find web versions of services or download them. APK-Files from trusted sources, although less secure.

If contacts are transferred but without names (numbers only), check where they were saved. SIM-Maps or locally to the device, not to Google account. In the Contacts app on the new phone, select the Contact Management menu and import/export to combine duplicates and link them to your account.

• 🔋 Turn off the power saving mode for the time of data transfer.
• 📱 Make sure that both devices are debugging enabled. USB (Sometimes it is necessary for deep transfer).
• 🔄 If you have Wi-Fi errors, try resetting your network settings on both devices.