Switching to a new smartphone is always stressful, especially when you need to move gigabytes of important information, contacts and customizations of familiar applications. If you switch from a device with a MIUI shell to a gadget from Huawei running HarmonyOS or EMUI, the process can seem confusing due to differences in ecosystems. However, modern technology allows you to make migration almost invisible to the user, while preserving the integrity of the digital space.
In this article, we will take a look at all the ways that you can synchronize data between smartphones of these brands, learn how to use native tools manufacturers, cloud services and third-party solutions to ensure the copying of information. No matter how much memory your library takes, proper preparation will avoid losing valuable files.
And it's worth noting that we're going to focus on the official Phone Clone app, which is the de facto standard for migrating to Huawei devices, which doesn't require an Internet connection, because it creates a local Wi-Fi network between gadgets, which allows for high transfer rates. Let's take a look at the preparatory phase, which is critical to the successful completion of the procedure.
Preparing devices for data migration
Before starting the transfer process, make sure that both devices are ready for active operation. First of all, check the battery level: both smartphones must have at least 50-60% of the energy. The cloning process can take from 15 minutes to several hours depending on the amount of data, and a sudden shutdown of one of the devices will interrupt the operation, which can lead to file damage.
It is also important to free up enough space on the new Huawei. Check in advance how much memory is occupied on your Xiaomi and make sure that the target device has free space with a margin of 10-15%. If internal memory is not enough, some media files can be temporarily moved to a microSD card if the smartphone model supports external drives.
Be sure to unlock the screens of both gadgets and enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules. Although data transfers go over a direct Wi-Fi channel, Bluetooth is often used for initial device detection and handshake security protocols. Make sure both devices have the latest available system updates installed to avoid compatibility bugs.
☑️ Checklist before transfer
Using the Phone Clone app to port
The most effective and reliable way is to use the proprietary Phone Clone utility. On new Huawei smartphones, this application is already preinstalled in the Tools or System folder. If you do not find it, or your Xiaomi has an outdated version installed, you need to download the current one. APK-file or find the app in the AppGallery store. Xiaomi will need to install manually, as the application may be missing or irrelevant in Google Play.
Once installed, run the program on both devices. On the new Huawei, select "This is a new phone" (or "This is a receiver device") and on Xiaomi, "This is an old phone." QR-The Xiaomi camera reads the code, and a secure connection will be established between the gadgets.
Then you'll open the data selection interface, and you can tick contacts, messages, call logs, images, video, audio, and even system settings, and the cloning algorithm will automatically select the formats that are compatible with the new system, and then you'll start the copying process, and the progress will be shown as a percentage.
⚠️ Warning: Do not switch between apps or lock Xiaomi's screen during transfer. MIUI can aggressively optimize background processes and break the connection if it deems the application inactive.
Set up transfer via Google Account
An alternative, but less complete, way is to sync through a Google account.This method is ideal for transferring contacts, calendar and notes, but it will not cope with the transfer of installed applications and their data. On Xiaomi, go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google and make sure that the check boxes are in front of Contacts, Calendar and Drive.
On the new Huawei, when you first set up or through the Settings menu → Users and accounts log in to the same Google account. The system automatically prompts you to restore data from the cloud. This takes longer, because it depends on the speed of the Internet connection, but guarantees the safety of the contact book even when you change carrier.
It is important to understand the limitations of this method: Google Photos only syncs media files uploaded to the cloud, not the entire local gallery, unless the appropriate option is enabled. Local files, such as voice recorder records or files in the Download folder, cannot be transferred through this method.
Why are some apps not portable through Google?
Manual transfer of multimedia and documents
If automatic methods don't work for some reason, or you want to selectively migrate only certain folders, you can use the manual method via a PC connection or a direct connection. The fastest way is to use a USB-C to USB-C cable (if both phones support OTG) or an adapter. By connecting Xiaomi to your computer in File Transfer (MTP) mode, copy the DCIM, Pictures, Download and Documents folders to your hard drive.
Then connect Huawei and move the files to the appropriate directories. Android and HarmonyOS folders are similar, so the photos will automatically be identified by the gallery after the device is restarted. For documents, create a separate folder so that the root directory does not clutter up.
Another option is to use cloud storage, such as Yandex.Disk, Cloud Mail.ru or Dropbox. Upload files from Xiaomi to cloud storage via Wi-Fi, and then download them to Huawei, a method that creates an additional backup of your data online.
| Method of transmission | Speed. | What's transferable | We need the Internet. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone Clone | High (up to 40 MB/s) | Everything (contacts, photos, apps, settings) | No (locally) |
| Google Account | Medium (depending on the network) | Contacts, calendar, notes | Yes. |
| PC + cable | Tall. | Photos, videos, documents (manually) | No. |
| Bluetooth | Very low. | Individual small files | No. |
Solving the compatibility issues of MIUI and HarmonyOS
When switching from Xiaomi ecosystem to Huawei, users often face the problem of not having Google services on new models of the Chinese brand. GMS (Google Mobile Services, some apps may not work properly even after porting, in which case use the built-in GBox or Petal Search tool to find analogues or install the necessary ones. APK-file.
Another common problem is incorrect display of fonts or icons after transferring the theme of the design. MIUI has deep visualization settings that may conflict with the standard theme of EMUI. It is recommended that after transferring the data, reset the theme to the standard through Settings → Screen and brightness → Theme.
You may also experience a situation where SMS messages or call logs have been moved but are not displayed, in which case clear the Phone and Messages app cache on the new device, sometimes requiring manual permissions to read contacts and memory, as these security settings may not be copied when cloning due to differences in Android versions.
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Use the Cache Cleanup feature in the Optimizer app on Huawei immediately after transferring data, which will help the system re-index new files and speed up the interface.
What to do with apps and passwords
Apps ported over Phone Clone often require re-authorization. This is a normal security measure. Remember the passwords from the main services: social media, online banking, and email boxes. If you used a Google password manager or a third-party, make sure it is installed and synced on the new device.
Pay special attention to the applications of banks and government services. On Huawei, without Google services, some of them may not start. Check the compatibility list on the manufacturer's official website or use the web versions of these services. For instant messengers like WhatsApp and Telegram, when transferring via Phone Clone, the correspondence history is usually saved, but for WhatsApp it is better to make a separate backup to Google Drive or locally before migrating.
If an application doesn't open or crash, don't rush to delete it. Try updating it through AppGallery or finding the latest version online. Library conflicts are common when you change platforms, and software updates usually solve the problem.
⚠️ Note: Two-factor authentication (2FA) It can be a problem if you lose access to SIM-A card or an authenticator app, make sure that the phone numbers are linked to the one that's working. SIM, or save backup recovery codes.
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Automatic application porting saves installation time, but manual access settings and account authorization are a must for data security.
Completion of the setup and verification of results
Once the copying process is complete, don’t rush to delete data from the old Xiaomi. For 2-3 days, actively use the new Huawei, checking for all contacts, photos and app health. Make sure the notifications come correctly and alarms are set.
Check notification settings for important applications. On HarmonyOS, the power saving system can be configured more aggressively than on MIUI, and "kill" the background processes of messengers. Go to Settings → Battery → Launch applications and allow auto-run for the desired programs.
Only when you make sure everything is running smoothly can you start cleaning up your old device.Make a full Xiaomi reset to factory settings to protect your personal information before selling or transferring your smartphone to another user.