Switching to a smartphone from another brand is often perceived by users as a stressful situation associated with the risk of losing important data, especially when changing ecosystems, for example, when you change your Honor device to a gadget from Xiaomi. Although both manufacturers use the Android operating system, their proprietary shells and approaches to storage differ significantly, but modern technology allows you to solve the migration problem as painless and quickly as possible.
You don't have to be a technician to complete this process successfully, but you just have to follow a proven algorithm and use the right tools that are already built into the system or available for free download, and we'll look at all the ways you can do that, from cloud synchronization to direct Wi-Fi, so you can choose the most convenient option for your situation.
The main thing to understand before you start is that backup is a must-do step, which is absolutely not to be neglected. Even if you use automatic means of transfer, creating an additional copy of the data will protect you from accidental errors or failures in the transfer process. In this article, we will discuss each step in detail to make your new smartphone work as a native immediately after turning on.
Preparing devices for data migration
Before you start copying files directly, you need to do a number of preparatory activities on both devices, a critical step that is often ignored, which leads to interruption of the process or damage to files. First of all, make sure that both smartphones are charged at least 50-60%, as active transfer of large amounts of data can significantly consume battery power.
It is also worth checking the availability of free space on the receiving Xiaomi device. The amount of free memory should exceed the size of the data you plan to transfer from Honor. If the new phone already has some applications installed or files saved, it is better to temporarily vacate space to avoid recording errors.
⚠️ Warning: Do not start the transfer process if one of the devices is power-saving mode. It can limit the operation of the Wi-Fi module or background processes, which will cause the connection to break at the most inopportune time.
It is also recommended to update the operating system on both gadgets to the latest available version. Developers are constantly improving data protocols and fixing compatibility errors in security updates. You can check for updates in the Settings menu → About Phone → System Update.
Don't forget to turn off any VPN-They can interfere with local data transfer between devices, rerouting traffic through remote servers, making direct connection impossible. A simple and stable LAN is key to the success of the entire operation.
Using the Mi Mover application for portability
The most effective and native way to migrate for Xiaomi app owners is the Mi Mover utility, an official application designed specifically for switching from other Android devices, including Honor, to Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones. It allows you to transfer contacts, messages, call history, photos, videos, music and even installed applications.
The process starts with installing the app on an old device. On Honor smartphones, it may not be available as a basic configuration, so it must be downloaded from the Google Play Store or the official MIUI website. On the new Xiaomi, the app is usually preinstalled in the Tools folder or available through settings when you first launch.
☑️ Check before launching the Mi Mover
Once you start the program, select Receiver on your new phone and Sender on your old Honor, and the app will create a Wi-Fi hotspot that the second device will need to connect to. QR-The code with the camera of the old phone will greatly simplify the pairing process and eliminate the need for manual password entry.
When the connection is established, you will see a list of data categories available for transfer, you can select all items at once or mark only the necessary ones, such as contacts and gallery, and it is worth remembering that system settings and passwords from Wi-Fi networks may not be transferred due to differences in the structure of the Magic UI and MIUI shells.
The speed of the transfer depends on the amount of data and the quality of the wireless module. On average, the process takes 10 to 40 minutes. Do not turn off the device screens and do not leave the application until the operation is complete, otherwise progress may be lost.
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If the process is stuck in the File Preparation phase, try turning off and re-enable Wi-Fi on both devices, then restart the Mi Mover app.
Sync through Google Account and Cloud Services
The alternative and very reliable method is to use cloud storage. Google's ecosystem is universal for all Android smartphones, including Honor (models before the US ban) and Xiaomi. It is ideal for those who want to keep their data secure and have access to it from any device in the future.
To start, make sure that old Honor is synced. Go to your Google account settings and check if the check boxes are "Contacts," "Calendar," "Notes" and "Photos." For photos and videos, the best option is to use Google Photos, which will automatically upload media files to the cloud when you have a Wi-Fi connection.
| Type of data | Synchronization method | Limitations of the free version |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Google Contacts | 15GB (together with mail) |
| Photos and videos | Google Photos / Yandex.Disk | Quality compression or volume limit |
| Files and Documents | Google Drive | 15 GB of shared space |
| Annexes | Google Play Store | No listing restrictions |
Once the data has been uploaded to the cloud, take a new Xiaomi smartphone. When you first turn on or in the settings menu, log in to the same Google account. The system automatically prompts you to restore data from the backup. Contacts will appear in the phone book, calendar events will appear in the scheduler, and applications will start to download from the market.
Owners of new Honor smartphones without Google services can use the Honor Cloud manufacturer or third-party solutions such as Yandex.Disk or Dropbox. The principle remains the same: download data on the old device, install the same application on the new and download information back.
Manual transfer of multimedia through a computer
If wireless methods seem too slow or unstable, there is always a time-tested PC option, which is especially relevant when transferring huge volumes of multimedia files, such as videos to 4K or photo archives over several years.
Connect Honor smartphone to your computer via USB-On the phone screen, select the mode of operation. USB "File transfer" (MTP). Open "My Computer" on your PC, find the device and copy the folders DCIM (Photos and video from the camera, Pictures (screenshots and images from the apps) and Music in a separate folder on the hard drive.
⚠️ Note: When copying large files, do not disconnect the abruptly cable. Use the Safe Device Removal feature in your computer operating system before physically turning off your smartphone to avoid damaging the file system.
Then plug in the new Xiaomi. Also select file transfer mode. Copy the folders you saved from your computer to the corresponding directories of internal memory of the new phone. Android folder structure is standardized, so photos are automatically determined by the gallery and music is determined by the player.
This method also allows for data auditing: while files are on your computer, you can remove unnecessary duplicates, blur sensitive documents, or sort archives before they get to the clean system of a new smartphone.
What to do if your computer can’t see your phone?
Transfer of WhatsApp messages and messengers
Special attention needs to be paid to transferring the history of correspondence in messengers, since the usual methods of copying files here often do not work due to data encryption. WhatsApp has a built-in backup mechanism that needs to be activated on the old device.
On Honor, open WhatsApp, go to Settings → Chats → Chat Backup. Click on "Backup" and make sure it's done in your Google Drive account. Importantly, the Google account should be the same one you'll be using on your new phone.
When you first launch WhatsApp on Xiaomi, the app will find a backup in the cloud and offer to restore your message history and media files. Accept this offer and wait until the process is over. Without this step, all correspondence will be lost, only contacts will remain.
For other popular messengers like Telegram or Viber, the process can be different. Telegram stores the entire history on its servers, so just type in a phone number and all chats will appear instantly. Viber also requires you to create a backup through Google Drive or locally, which you then need to transfer to a new device.
Completion of the setup and integrity check
Once the main dataset has been moved, the final check is in place. Don't rush to delete the data from the old Honor right away. Conduct a thorough review of the new device to make sure no important contact or photo is lost during the migration.
Check the operation of applications, especially banking and government services. Due to a change in device and changing security identifiers (IMEI, serial number), some banks may require re-authorization or verification of identity via SMS. Prepare for this in advance with access to the SIM card.
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Full synchronization of all services and check the work of critical applications is a mandatory final stage before cleaning the old smartphone.
You should also set up biometric protection. Fingerprints and facial data stored on the old device are not portable for security reasons. You will need to re-register fingerprints and configure facial recognition on Xiaomi in the Settings → Passwords and Security menu.
If you’ve used specific system settings, such as font size, theme or icon location, you’ll also have to manually adjust them, as the MIUI and Magic UI interfaces have different workspace logics, which is a great opportunity to master the new features of your smartphone.