Changing your smartphone brand is always stressful for the user, because there is a fear of losing important photos, contacts or app settings. However, switching from Honor to Xiaomi (or Redmi, POCO) has become the most simple and automated process today. Modern Android and HarmonyOS systems (on the new Honor) are excellent compatibility, allowing you to migrate almost all digital luggage in one session.
The challenge is not just the fact of the transfer, but choosing the right tool for the task. There are several proven ways: using the built-in Mi Mover app, cloud services or third-party programs. In this article, we will discuss the most reliable method that ensures the safety of your information.
Before you start taking action, make sure that both devices are at least 50-60% charged. The process of cloning data can take a considerable time, especially if you have a large amount of multimedia files.
Preparing smartphones for data migration
The first step is to properly prepare both devices. On Xiaomi’s new MIUI or HyperOS phone, the transfer app is usually pre-installed in the Tools folder. On the Honor device, it will need to be downloaded from the AppGallery or Google Play official app store. Make sure both devices are Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled, as the data will be transmitted over a local wireless channel without consuming mobile traffic.
It is important to check whether there is space on the target device. The amount of free memory on Xiaomi should exceed the amount of data you plan to transfer from Honor. If there is not enough memory, the process will stop halfway, and you will have to start over, freeing up space.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to transfer data through USB-The standard cables do not support the "bridge" mode for transferring files between the OS without using special intermediary applications.
It is also recommended to disable the "Energy Saving" mode on both devices before starting the procedure. Aggressive energy saving algorithms can break the connection in the background, considering the transfer of data as an extra load on the system, which is a common cause of errors when migrating large amounts of information.
☑️ Checklist of preparations
Installation and configuration of Mi Mover
Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s regular migration tool, optimized for MIUI file system, and can port not only media files, but also system settings, desktop icons and some application data. On the new Xiaomi phone, launch the app and select the “I’m a recipient” role.
On an old Honor device, you need to select the "I'm a sender" role after you run the program, and the application will request permissions to access contacts, storage and location, all of which are mandatory for the correct operation. QR-code or device search may not work.
After selecting roles on the screen of the new phone will appear QR-Point the camera of the old device over this code. The devices will create a secure Wi-Fi Direct hotspot. At which point a warning may appear on the Honor screen that the network does not have Internet access - that's OK, agree to connect.
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If QR-the code is not read, try to increase the brightness of the screen on the sender device or bring the camera closer, but not close so that the focus has time to tune in.
The connection is established quickly, usually within 10-15 So the interface of the application changes, and you see the main screen of data selection, and it's important to take your time and carefully study which categories of files will be copied. The system automatically suggests you to choose everything, but you can manually deselect the unnecessary.
Process of selecting and transferring files
The data selection interface in Mi Mover is divided into logical blocks: Images, Messages, Contacts, Applications, Settings, and others. When migrating from Honor to Xiaomi, special attention should be paid to the Apps section. The program will try to find matches in the GetApps store or Google Play and download current versions of programs on the new device.
For multimedia files (photos, videos, music), the process is done by direct copying. The transfer speed depends on the version of the Wi-Fi module in smartphones. On modern models with Wi-Fi support for 5 GHz, the speed can reach 30-40 MB / s, which allows you to pump 10 GB of data in about 5-7 minutes.
- 📸 Photo and Video: Copy in original quality without compression, saving the shooting date and metadata EXIF.
- 📞 Contacts and Log: Moved along with call history and SMS, If the appropriate option is selected.
- 📱 Applications: Re-install, but data inside (cache, logins) can only be saved for system applications or programs that support backup.
- 🎵 Audio files: Music and dictaphone recordings are transferred to standard folders of media libraries.
During the transfer process, don't switch between apps or lock the screen of the sender device. While current versions of Android and HarmonyOS are fairly stable, background activity from other programs can interrupt the flow of data.
Features of transferring WhatsApp and messengers
The migration of messengers deserves special attention, as they store correspondence in secure databases. Standard transfer via Mi Mover can copy the application itself, but not the history of chats. For WhatsApp on Honor and Xiaomi devices, it is better to use the built-in backup feature on Google Drive.
On an old Honor phone, open WhatsApp, go to Settings → Chats → Chat Backup and click on “Backup.” Make sure the copy is created on the exact Google account you plan to use on the new Xiaomi. This is a critical point, as local copies may not be determined the first time you install it.
When you first start WhatsApp on a new Xiaomi device, after you type in your phone number, it will prompt you to restore your message history from the cloud. You can agree to this. The recovery process will take time proportional to the size of the database. If you skip this step when you first set up, it will be much more difficult to restore the chats later.
⚠️ Note: WhatsApp backup is tied to your phone number and Google account.Moving over Bluetooth or cable without using a cloud backup often results in the loss of your correspondence history.
Telegram doesn't need that complexity, because all the history is stored on servers, just install the app and log in, but secret chats are not portable in any way, because they are tied to a particular device and its encryption keys.
Comparison of data transfer methods
While Mi Mover is the preferred choice, there are alternative migration options, and understanding their differences will help you choose the best option if the main application is not working properly.
| Method | Speed. | What's transferable | We need the Internet. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Mover (Wi-Fi Direct) | Tall. | Everything (photos, apps, settings) | No. |
| Google Account | Medium | Contacts, calendar, photo | Yes. |
| Bluetooth | Very low. | Just contacts, files. | No. |
| USB-cable) | Tall. | Files, photos, videos | No. |
Using a Google account is convenient because after entering the username and password on the new Xiaomi, some of the data will be automatically pulled up in the background, but this method is not suitable for carrying heavy video files and does not tolerate the placement of widgets on the desktop.
Physical connection through USB-cable (e.g. Type-C to Type-C) is possible if both devices support mode OTG The file manager can work with external drives, but this requires a special adapter and is often less convenient than the Mi Mover wireless method.
What to do if the Mi Mover is frozen?
Completion of migration and integrity verification
Once the progress indicator reaches 100%, don’t be in a hurry to turn off devices immediately. Give Xiaomi a few minutes to finalize file indexing and install portable apps. You may see notifications that some apps require logging in or updating components.
Do a gallery and file manager audit, see if all the photo folders are in place, and pay special attention to files that were in the root directory or in non-standard folders on Honor, and sometimes the folder structure may change a little, and the files may end up in the archive or the MIUI folder.
Also check alarm clocks, calendars, and notes. These system data sometimes require manual synchronization or re-enablement in settings. If you used Honor's proprietary apps for notes, their export may require special attention, as they may not be compatible with standard Xiaomi apps.
- 🔍 Contact check: Make sure the numbers are displayed correctly and tied to SIM-Google card or account, not just your phone.
- 🔐 Security: Change passwords in mission-critical apps if you plan to sell or give away your Honor device.
- 🗑️ Cleanup: After successful porting and validation, it is recommended to perform a full reset on an old Honor device to protect personal data.
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A successful migration is only completed when you have checked the health of key applications and made sure that all important files are available on the new device.