How to copy data from Huawei to Xiaomi: proven methods

Changing your smartphone is always accompanied by a slight panic: important numbers will disappear, photos from vacations will disappear or customization of familiar applications will be lost. This issue is especially acute when you move between ecosystems, for example, when a user decides to transfer data from Huawei to Xiaomi. Fortunately, modern technology allows you to make this process as smooth and fast as possible without requiring deep knowledge in programming.

There are several proven ways to migrate information, each with its own advantages depending on the size of files and the speed of the Internet connection. The most effective tool developed specifically for owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO equipment is the Mi Mover app, which allows you to transfer information over a direct Wi-Fi connection, which is much faster than standard Bluetooth and does not consume mobile traffic.

But classic methods such as syncing through a Google account or manual copying to a computer can also be a salvation if the automatic utility for some reason refuses to work correctly or requires selective transfer of media files. In this article, we will analyze all the current algorithms of actions so that you can choose the most suitable one for your situation.

Preparation of devices for information transfer

Before you start the action, you need to properly prepare both smartphones. Make sure that both devices are charged at least 50-60%, as the process of transferring a large amount of data can significantly consume battery power. Also check the availability of free space on the new Xiaomi device: the amount of free memory must exceed the size of the copied data from Huawei.

Both smartphones should be enabled and unlocked.It is advisable that both devices have the current version of the Android operating system installed, although modern utilities are usually compatible with most versions, starting with Android 6.0. If the old phone has password or pattern lock protection, keep it on hand, as the system can request confirmation of access rights.

⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to interrupt the data transfer process or close the helper applications during copying, this may cause files to be damaged or partially transferred, which will require a repeat of the procedure.

Most methods will require a stable connection to work. If you plan to use cloud services or sync through your account, make sure both phones are connected to a reliable Wi-Fi network. Mobile Internet is best avoided for downloading large amounts of data, as it can be slow and costly.

Using the Mi Mover app for quick migration

The easiest and most effective way to copy data from Huawei to Xiaomi is to use the specialized Mi Mover app, which is preinstalled on most new Xiaomi smartphones in the Tools folder, and for a Huawei device, it will need to be downloaded from the Google Play store or Huawei AppGallery.

After installing and running the program on both devices, you need to select the role of each phone. On the new Xiaomi, click the “I’m a recipient” button (or “I’m a recipient”), and on the old Huawei, “I’m a sender” (or “I’m a sender”). QR-code that appears on the screen of the receiving device, or you can use the search for devices nearby.

When the connection is established, a list of data categories available for transfer will appear on the Huawei screen. You can select all at once or mark only the desired items, such as contacts, messages, call log, images, music, videos and installed applications. The copying process will take time depending on the amount of information, but it is not recommended to interrupt it.

• 📲 Interface: Simple menu with large buttons for selecting data type.
• ⚡ Speed: Transmission is on a local Wi-Fi channel, speeds can reach 20-40 MB/s.
• 🔒 Security: Data is not transferred through third-party servers, everything stays between two devices.

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Mi Mover is a native solution from Xiaomi that provides the most complete and seamless transfer of system settings and folder structure.

Sync through Google Account and Cloud Services

If direct porting is not possible for some reason, sync via Google’s cloud service is an excellent alternative, ideal for saving contacts, calendar, notes and browser history. On a Huawei device, you need to go to your settings, find the Accounts or Users and Accounts section, select your Google account, and make sure the switches opposite the data you need (Contacts, Calendar, etc.) are activated.

After forced sync on your old phone, take a new Xiaomi. When you first turn on or in your account settings, add the same Google account. The system automatically prompts you to recover data from the cloud. This method is especially convenient because your contacts and calendar events will be available immediately after you connect to the Internet, without having to keep your phones nearby.

For photos and videos, Google Photos is the best service. Install the app on Huawei, log in to your account and enable Autoupload and Sync. Wait until all media files are uploaded to the cloud. On the new Xiaomi, simply install the Google Photos app and log in to the same account, your entire gallery will be available in full.

Manual copying of files through a computer

Sometimes you have to move heavy files, like high-resolution movies or archives with documents that are inconvenient to be transmitted over the air, in which case the most reliable bridge will be a personal computer or laptop. USB-cable and in the notification menu on the phone select the file transfer mode MTP or “Transfer of files».

On your computer, open the device that appears in My Computer. You need to find folders with media files. Usually, photos are in the DCIM/Camera folder, and downloads are in the Download folder. Copy the desired directories to the computer hard drive. When you finish copying, turn off the old phone.

Now connect the new Xiaomi to your computer with the same cable (or similar cable that supports data transfer). Also select file transfer mode. Go to the memory of the new phone and paste the copied folders into the appropriate directories. For example, the photo folder should be placed back in DCIM so that the phone gallery immediately sees and indexes them.

⚠️ Note: When copying large amounts of data through USB try not to use USB-hubs without additional power, as the transmission speed can be unstable, and the process is interrupted.

It's a great way to be versatile, it doesn't depend on Android versions, accounts or wireless modules, you just move bytes from one store to another, but you have to remember that you can't migrate your system settings and passwords from Wi-Fi in this way.

Transfer of messages and call log

SMS and call history are data that users often forget to save, and it's critical to recover it. It's hard to copy with standard Android tools, but the Mi Mover app that I mentioned above does a great job of that, and it can carry both text and MMS, keeping the dialog structure intact.

If you use Google Drive for backup, when you initially set up a new Xiaomi, the system will suggest that you restore data from a backup, which often includes both messages and a call list. Make sure that the old Huawei has a SMS saved on the Google settings (“Backup”).

There are also specialized converter apps like SMS Backup & Restore. You backup an old phone, save a file to Google Drive, then put the app on a new phone and recover data from that file. This is a reliable way if the regular utilities fail.

• 💬 Messages: Saved together with contact names and sending times.
• 📞 Challenges: The log of incoming, outgoing and missed is fully copied.
• 🗑️ Cleanup: After successfully transferring and checking on a new phone, old data on Huawei can be deleted to free up space.

Possible problems and solutions

For example, Huawei without Google services (new models) may require additional installation of GMS (Google Mobile Services) to correctly work some applications when transferring. If Mi Mover does not find the device, try restarting the Wi-Fi module on both phones or temporarily disconnecting mobile Internet.

Sometimes apps don't open on a new device after porting, because the paths to data or OS versions may be different, so it's better to remove the problematic app and download it again from the GetApps store or Google Play on a new Xiaomi phone. The data inside apps (such as messaging) often requires a separate backup inside the app itself.

⚠️ Note: Data from banking applications and some secure messengers (such as WhatsApp without a special backup) are not automatically transferred for security purposes.

Another common problem is the lack of space. Always check before you start that Xiaomi has more space than Huawei. If there is not enough space, start by moving the most important things, and then transfer the photos and videos later through your computer or cloud.

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Before you finally abandon the old Huawei, go with the new Xiaomi for a couple of days, so you make sure that all the data is transferred correctly, and no important file is lost when cleaning the old device.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)