Changing a smartphone is not only a pleasant experience associated with updating a gadget, but also a certain headache caused by the need to transfer all the accumulated information, which is especially acute when it comes to the transition between ecosystems, for example, from Huawei devices to Xiaomi devices. Despite the fact that both manufacturers use the Android operating system, their proprietary shells EMUI and MIUI have significant differences in file structure and settings.
Fortunately, modern technology allows data to migrate with little or no loss. You don't have to manually rewrite phone numbers or search for every photo in the gallery of an old device. There are several proven methods, from using cloud storage to direct Wi-Fi connection, that ensure that your personal information is safe, and in this article we will take a detailed look at each of them so you can choose the most convenient option.
The transfer process can take anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours, depending on your media library size and connection speed, the key is not to interrupt the process halfway and monitor the battery levels on both devices, it is critical that both smartphones are charged at least 60% before the procedure begins. Let's look at what tools we will need to successfully migrate.
Preparation of devices for information transfer
Before you start directly copying files, you need to perform a number of preparatory steps, which will help to avoid synchronization errors and speed up the process. First of all, make sure that both smartphones are Wi-Fi module and Bluetooth, as many methods rely on wireless connection.
It is also worth checking whether there is free space on a new Xiaomi device, if the amount of data transferred from Huawei exceeds the available memory, the process may result in an error or only partially copy files, and it is recommended to delete unnecessary cached files in advance or temporarily move them to the computer.
- 🔋 Charge both smartphones to a level of at least 60-70% steady-work.
- 📶 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network or enable an access point.
- 🆔 Sign in to your Google account on both devices to sync your contacts.
- 📲 Make sure both phones have data transfer and Bluetooth enabled.
Another important nuance is system software updates. Manufacturers often release patches that improve the stability of communication modules. Check for updates in Settings → Phone → System Update. This is especially true for older Huawei models that have not received major updates in a long time.
⚠️ Warning: Do not start porting if one of the devices is power-saving mode.It can limit the background activity of applications for transferring files, which will cause the connection to break.
After these simple steps, your gadgets will be ready to go, and now you can move on to a specific migration path, and we'll go from the simplest and fastest to the more complex, but versatile options.
Using the Mi Mover app for quick migration
The most effective and native way for Xiaomi app owners is to use the Mi Mover app, which is designed specifically to make it easier for users to switch from other Android smartphones. On Xiaomi devices, it is often pre-installed in the Tools folder, and for Huawei, it can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store or through the built-in app store.
The connection setup process is automatic, and when you run the app on the new phone, you select the "I'm the recipient" role, and on the old Huawei, "I'm the sender." QR-code or connect via Bluetooth for a first handshake, and then the devices will create a secure local Wi-Fi Direct network, through which data transfer will go at high speed.
☑️ Check before launching the Mi Mover
The app interface allows you to flexibly configure what data will be transferred, you can select only contacts and messages, or copy everything, including call history, system settings, and even desktop icons. It is worth noting that some Huawei system applications cannot be ported directly, but their Android analogues will be found and offered for installation.
- 📲 Open Mi Mover on both devices.
- 🔗 Scan it. QR-camera-code.
- 📂 Select data categories for copying (photos, contacts, applications).
- ▶️ Click the “Send” button and wait for the process to be completed.
Transfer speeds over Mi Mover are typically between 20 and 40MB/s, allowing you to transfer 10GB of data in about 5-10 minutes. This is significantly faster than transferring via Bluetooth or cloud services with limited traffic. However, if there is an error in the process, the application will suggest you try again only for unsuccessfully copied files.
Transferring contacts and calendars through Google Account
If your primary goal is to save your phone book and calendar events, then Google sync is the most reliable method. Unlike app files, contacts are stored in the cloud and tied to your account, not to a particular device, which means that it is enough to simply log in to a new smartphone to transfer them.
On Huawei, you need to make sure that sync is enabled. Go to Settings → Accounts → Google and select your profile. In the list that opens, make sure that the sliders opposite Contacts, Calendar and Notes are activated. If you haven't used this feature before, click the menu button and select Sync.
Once the data is gone to Google servers, pick up the new Xiaomi. When you first set up, the system will prompt you to enter your username and password. If the phone is already configured, just add an account in Settings → Accounts and Sync → Add an account → Google. In a few minutes, your entire phone book will appear in contacts.
What to do if no contacts appear?
This method also allows you to recover calendar events and notes if you've used standard Google apps, but you can't transfer photos and app files that way, and you'll have to use other tools for media content, which we'll talk about later.
Copying photos and videos via USB and computer
When it comes to large amounts of media, wireless methods can be too slow or unstable. USB-cable is the king of reliability. You'll need a computer with Windows or macOS and two. USB-cable (or single cable and ability to switch devices quickly).
Connect Huawei to your computer first. You'll see a request for USB mode on your phone. Select File Transfer or MTP. Your computer will identify the device as an external drive. Open the explorer, find the folder with your phone's name, and copy the DCIM (camera photos and videos), Pictures (screenshots and downloads) and Download folders to a separate folder on your PC desktop.
Then turn off the old phone and plug in Xiaomi. Also select file transfer mode. Open the internal memory of the new device and paste the folders you copied earlier into the root or the corresponding directories. MIUI automatically scans the media files and adds them to the gallery.
| Android folder | Contents | Where to copy on Xiaomi |
|---|---|---|
| /DCIM/Camera | Photo and video from the main camera | /DCIM/Camera |
| /Pictures/Screenshots | Screenshots of the screen | /Pictures/Screenshots |
| /Download | Uploaded files from the browser | /Download |
| /Music | Audio files and ringtones | /Music |
The main advantage of this method is a full copy of the file structure. You don't lose a single byte, and the process is independent of Internet speed. The only downside is that you need a computer at hand. If you have a MacBook, you may need an Android File Transfer app, because Finder doesn't see Android devices natively.
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Use original cables or quality USB 3.0-enabled cables, if your computer and phone ports allow it, which will increase the speed of copying large video files several times.
Alternative Ways: Bluetooth and Cloud Storage
If you don't have a computer on hand and Mi Mover doesn't work for some reason, you can use the built-in Bluetooth module, which is suitable for transferring a small number of contacts or documents, but it's not recommended for a photo album. The transfer speed here is very low, and one file can take several minutes.
To transfer over Bluetooth, enable the function on both devices, pair, enter the confirmation code. Then in the Huawei file manager, select the desired files, click Share and select Bluetooth. On the Xiaomi side, remember to click Accept in the pop-up window.
A more modern option is to use cloud storage, such as Google Drive, Yandex.Disk or Dropbox. Upload files from Huawei to the cloud via Wi-Fi, then install the corresponding application on Xiaomi and download data, which is convenient in that files become available immediately on all your devices, but requires stable and fast Internet.
There are also third-party cloners, like Send Anywhere or SHAREit, which are based on a local area network, ähnlichno Mi Mover, but require separate software to be installed on both phones, a good backup if the standard funds fail.
Solving problems and features of WhatsApp portability
Particularly noteworthy is the transfer of messengers, in particular WhatsApp. The history of correspondence in WhatsApp is not stored in the public cloud of Google in an open form, but is tied to a backup copy of Google Drive. To transfer correspondence from Huawei to Xiaomi, you need to click on the old phone in the WhatsApp settings (Chats → Backup Chats) “Backup”.
Then, install WhatsApp on the new Xiaomi, log in to the same Google account and phone number, and the app will find the backup in the cloud and suggest you restore your message history, and it's important that the phone number and Google account match.
⚠️ Note: When you transfer data, some application passwords may not be saved for Android security reasons.Be prepared to re-sign in to banking apps and social media.
If you find some apps that don’t open or don’t work properly after you’ve moved them, try removing them and reinstalling them from the Google Play Store, and if you cloned, you could only transfer data, but not the executables themselves, or the software versions might conflict with the new MIUI shell.
Huawei users also often face a lack of Google services on new models, but when you switch to Xiaomi, this problem disappears. All Google Play services will work fully. However, if you used the Huawei Cloud, your notes and voice recordings could only be synchronized there. To transfer them, you will have to go to the web version of the Huawei Cloud from your computer, download files and download them to a new phone.