Changing your smartphone is always stressful, not so much with getting used to a new interface, but with the need to transfer the digital life accumulated over the years. Owners of the Xiaomi ecosystem often face the question of how to migrate to Honor devices as painlessly as possible, saving all important contacts, correspondence and media files. Fortunately, modern Android operating systems and specialized utilities allow you to make this process fast and safe, regardless of the brand.
In this article, we will take a look at all available synchronization methods, from cloud services to direct cable, and learn about the nuances of data transfer between MIUI and MagicOS, as well as how to avoid common errors that can lead to loss of information. Proper preparation of both devices before the procedure is the key to the success of the entire operation.
Before you start taking action, you need to make sure that both smartphones are charged at least 50-60%. The process of mass transfer of files, especially if it is a gigabyte of photos and videos, can be energy-intensive.
Using the Phone Clone app for quick migration
The most effective and official way to transfer data to Honor devices is to use the Phone Clone app, which is designed specifically for migration between smartphones of different brands and supports the transfer of contacts, messages, calls, applications, images, videos, music and even some system settings. The main advantage of the method is to create a direct Wi-Fi hotspot between devices, which provides high speed transfer without using Internet traffic.
To get started, you need to install the app on both smartphones. On Honor, it is often preinstalled in the Tools folder, and on Xiaomi it can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store or the official Huawei AppGallery app store. When you start the program on the new Honor device, you need to select the option "This is a new device", and on the old Xiaomi - "This is an old device". QR-code or connect to a created Wi-Fi network manually.
⚠️ Note: During the transfer process, do not leave the Phone Clone app or block smartphone screens, as this may interrupt the connection and require a repeat of the procedure.
Once the connection is established, the interface will suggest selecting data types to copy, you can only mark contacts and messages, or choose to migrate all the contents of the memory. The application algorithm is optimized to automatically bypass Android security limitations, but some MIUI system settings may not be transferred to MagicOS due to the differences in shells.
☑️ Preparing for migration via Phone Clone
Transfer through Google Account and Cloud Services
If you’ve been using Google on your Xiaomi, most of your data is already in the cloud. This is the most reliable way to save contacts, calendar, notes and passwords. When you first set up a new Honor, just log in to the same Google account and the system will automatically prompt you to restore backup. However, it’s worth considering that the standard Google backup does not always retain folder structure and some specific files.
For photos and videos, Google Photos is the best option. Make sure that Xiaomi has sync enabled ("Shoot and sync"). Once all media files are uploaded to the cloud, just install Google Photos on Honor and log in to your account - your entire gallery will be available instantly. Cloud storage frees up space on your device and ensures that data is not lost even if your old phone is physically broken.
Special attention should be paid to the transfer of these applications. Many programs, such as WhatsApp, Viber or Telegram, have their own backup mechanisms tied to Google Drive. Before switching to a new phone, open the chat settings in the messenger on Xiaomi and create a fresh backup. When you install the application on Honor and log in to your account, the system will detect the backup file and offer to restore the history of correspondence.
| Type of data | Google's method | Transfer nuances |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Autosynchronization | Instant access after entry |
| Photo/Video | Google Photo | Requires stable Wi-Fi |
| Annexes | Google Play | Download list, data inside apps may not be saved |
| Wi-Fi passwords | Google One | Automatic connection to known networks |
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Use Google One to create a full backup of your device, including MMS and home screen structure, if the data volume allows (up to 15GB free).
Brand utility Mi Mover: features of working with Honor
Xiaomi owners are familiar with the Mi Mover app, which is built into the MIUI shell. Although it is designed primarily to transition between Xiaomi devices, it can also be used to transfer data to other Android smartphones, including Honor, as an archive. However, the functionality of cross-platform use can be limited: the application can simply pack data into a file that you have to unpack manually.
To use Mi Mover to transfer to Honor, run the app on Xiaomi through the settings menu or find it in the tool folder. Select the "Send" option and create an access point. On the Honor side, you will need to download it. APK-Mi Mover file or similar client that supports data reception from Xiaomi, which is not always guaranteed to work correctly due to differences in transmission protocols.
A more effective approach would be to use Mi Mover to create a local backup on Xiaomi itself, and then transfer that file to your computer or directly to Honor via USB. In the Mi Mover settings, select Backup and specify what exactly to save. The resulting file will have an extension that only the Xiaomi ecosystem understands, so a third-party file manager may be required to retrieve data to Honor.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to restore a full system backup MIUI On Honor through standard recovery tools, this can lead to system conflict and cyclical reboot.
If your goal is to transfer only multimedia or documents, Mi Mover can create a new version of the file. ZIP-It is an archive that can be easily opened on any device, but for system settings and applications, it is less effective than specialized cross-platform solutions. Format compatibility remains the main limitation when using native utilities of one brand on devices of another.
Why can't Mi Mover see Honor?
Manual data transfer through USB-cable
The oldest, but most reliable and controlled, method is to use a computer as an intermediary, and by connecting Xiaomi to a PC, you can access the file system as a simple flash drive, and it's the perfect way to transfer large amounts of data -- movies, music, documents, and download folders -- where speed and integrity are more important than automation.
Connect Xiaomi to your computer via USB-cable and select the notification mode "File transfer" in the notification menu" (MTP). Open the Explorer on the PC, copy the necessary folders (DCIM, Download, Documents, Music, to your hard drive. Then disable Xiaomi, connect Honor, and copy the data to the appropriate directories of the new smartphone.
Copy folders:
/DCIM/Camera (Camera Photos and Videos)
/Download (downloads from the browser)
/Android/data (Application data, require caution)
/Bluetooth (Files obtained via Bluetooth)When you manually copy, it’s important to keep folders structured, especially for media files, so that the Honor gallery indexes them correctly. For example, photos are better placed in the Pictures or DCIM folder, and music is better placed in Music. Android is path-sensitive, and chaotic file placement can make it difficult to find them in the future.
Synchronization of contacts and messages: nuances of MIUI and MagicOS
Contacts are the most valuable thing in the phone, and losing them is the most critical. On Xiaomi, the default contacts are often saved to a Mi Account that is not synced with Honor. Before you switch, you need to open the Contacts app on Xiaomi, go to the settings and change the default storage location on Google Account, or export them to a.vcf file.
To export contacts to.vcf (vCard), open the contact app, click on three dots in the menu corner and select "Import/Export Contacts." Select "Export to Storage." The resulting file can be transferred to Honor in any convenient way (via messenger, Bluetooth or USB) and open - Honor automatically prompts you to import all entries into the phone book.
SMS messaging is more complicated. Standard Android tools don't always share this database between different shells. To transfer the history of correspondence, you can use specialized applications from the Play Store, such as SMS Backup & Restore. Create a backup on Xiaomi, save a file to the cloud or to your computer, install the same application on Honor and restore data.
Don’t forget messengers. WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram and Signal store their correspondence history differently. Telegram and Signal sync everything through the cloud when you sign in. WhatsApp and Viber make sure to make a local or cloud backup inside the app itself on the old phone before resetting or selling Xiaomi.
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Always check the account that you keep contacts to. If it's a Mi Account, change it to Google or export it to a file, or it won't be on Honor.
Typical problems in transfer and ways to solve them
The migration process is not always smooth. One of the common problems is interrupting the Wi-Fi Direct connection when using the Phone Clone. This can be due to Xiaomi's energy-saving settings, which "kill" the background processes. Before you start transferring, go to the battery settings and allow the transfer application to run in the background without restrictions.
Another common difficulty is the lack of space on the new device. Honor may have less internal memory than your previous Xiaomi. In this case, it is worthwhile to conduct a data audit: remove non-cash videos, duplicate photos and heavy files that have not been used for a long time.
Users also often find that some apps are not installed or are not working correctly, because some versions of MIUI applications may be optimized for specific hardware and not work properly on Honor processors, which are better removed and downloaded from the official Honor AppGallery or Google Play app store.
⚠️ Warning: If the Honor phone starts to run out quickly or run slowly after the transfer, give it to the phone. 1-2 The system indexes files and optimizes databases in the background.
In rare cases, you may need to manually reset your network settings to Honor if your mobile Internet or Wi-Fi stops working after the transfer. This does not mean a breakdown, but only a conflict between old network profiles and new equipment. Resetting your network settings will not affect your personal files, but will return the connection settings to factory values.