How to transfer files from Honor to Xiaomi quickly and securely: from Bluetooth to cloud services

Moving from Honor to Xiaomi is not just about changing the ecosystem, but also the need to move personal data: photos, contacts, music and documents. Many users face the challenge of how to do it as quickly as possible without losing file quality and without spending hours on manual transfer. Unlike transferring between devices of the same brand (where often run proprietary utilities like Mi Mover or Huawei Share), interbrand sharing requires a more flexible approach.

In this article, we will discuss 7 The most current methods of file transfer – from classical (cable, Bluetooth) to modern (Wi-Fi Direct, cloud services). EMUI/Magic UI) Xiaomi (MIUI/HyperOS), And also nuances that can help you avoid common mistakes, like connection breakdowns, loss of media quality, or filename encoding problems. If you only need to move contacts or messages, we have separate sections that focus on these types of data.

1. File transfer via OTG cable: the fastest way

Use of the USB-cable-backed OTG (On-The-Go remains the most reliable method for transferring large amounts of data. 480 Mbit/s (USB 2.0) or 5–10 Gbps (USB 3.0/3.1). The main advantage is that it doesn't depend on Internet speed or the stability of wireless networks:

• 🔌 Type of cable: For modern Honor (USB-C) Xiaomi (USB-C) cable USB-C → USB-C supportive OTG. For older models (microUSB) - adapter USB-C → microUSB.
• 📱 Developer settings: On some Xiaomi devices (especially with the MIUI 12+) You may need to include a debugging USB developer menu.
• 🔄 Connection Modes: On Honor, select File Transfer Mode" (MTP), And Xiaomi — "USB-accumulator".

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the OTG cable to Xiaomi (host device).
2. Connect the second end of the cable to Honor.
3. On Honor, select "File Transfer" in the notification.
4. On Xiaomi, open "Files" → "USB-drive and copy the data.

⚠️ Note: If Xiaomi doesn’t see Honor as a drive, check if your model supports it. OTG-For example, the Redmi Note 8 Pro and newer work without problems, and budget models like Redmi. 9A may require manual activation OTG in settings (Settings) → Connected devices → OTG).

OTG support on Xiaomi (host device)

Type of cable (USB-C → USB-C or adapter)

File Transfer Mode (MTP) on Honor

Free space on Xiaomi (at least +10% of the volume of data transmitted)

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2 Wireless transmission over Wi-Fi Direct: no cables and clouds

Wi-Fi Direct allows you to create a direct network between two smartphones without a router, at speeds up to 250 Mbps (actually 30-50 Mbps depending on interference), this method is suitable for transferring files up to 1-2 GB, but can slow down with a large number of small files (for example, thousands of photos).

How to set up:

1. On Honor: Open Settings → Wireless Networks → Wi-Fi Direct and enable the feature.
2. On Xiaomi: go to Settings → Wi-Fi → Wi-Fi Direct (or Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi Direct in MIUI 14+).
3. Select Honor from the list of available devices and confirm the connection on both smartphones.
4. Use any file application (such as Google Files or Mi File Manager) to transfer.

To speed up the process, we recommend:

• 📂 Archive files in ZIP before the transfer (especially if there are many of them).
• 📶 Disable mobile internet on both devices to avoid interference.
• 🔋 Charge both smartphones to at least 50% – Wi-Fi Direct actively consumes battery.

On OTG cable.

Wi-Fi Direct

Bluetooth

Cloud services

Another option-->

Bluetooth 3: Slowly but without a network connection

Bluetooth is inferior in speed to Wi-Fi Direct and OTG (maximum 2-3 MB / s on Bluetooth 5.0), but helps when there is no cable or Wi-Fi at hand. This method is suitable for transferring small files (up to 50-100 MB): contacts, documents or several photos.

Instructions:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on both devices (Settings → Bluetooth).
2. On Honor, find Xiaomi in the list of available devices and connect (code confirmation may be required).
3. Select files in the gallery or file manager, click "Send" → "Bluetooth" and select Xiaomi.
4. Accept files on Xiaomi in the notification.

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi with MIUI 13+ Bluetooth file reception can be blocked by security. To unlock, go to Settings. → Annexes → Permits → Files and allow storage access for the Bluetooth app".

Advantages and disadvantages of Bluetooth:

• ✅ It works without internet and cables.
• ✅ Low power consumption (compared to Wi-Fi Direct).
• ❌ Very slow speed for large files.
• ❌ File size limit (usually up to 100MB).

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If Bluetooth breaks, try turning off power saving mode on both devices. On Xiaomi, this is done in Settings → Battery → Power Saving Mode.

4.Cloud services: Google Drive, Mi Cloud, Huawei Cloud

Cloud storage is a universal way, if you have access to the Internet, and allows you to transfer files of any size (within a quota) and sync them between devices, but the speed depends on your Internet tariff and server load.

Comparison of popular services:

How to transfer files via Google Drive:

1. On Honor, open the Google Drive app, click + → Download and select files.
2. Wait until the download is complete.
3. On Xiaomi, log in to the same Google account, find the files in Drive and download them.

For Mi Cloud or Huawei Cloud, the algorithm is similar, but keep in mind:

• 🔒 Mi Cloud may require a link to a Chinese or global Xiaomi account.
• 🌍 Huawei Cloud is optimized for devices Honor/Huawei — Xiaomi downloads can be slower.

5. Communication and communication: specialized methods

Files are one thing, but how do you move contacts, SMS and call logs?

• 📇 Contacts: Export them to.vcf file on Honor (Contacts) → Settings → Import/Export. Pass the file to Xiaomi in any convenient way (e.g. by email).Import to Xiaomi via Contacts → Settings → Imports.
• 💬 SMS: Use applications like this. SMS Backup & Restore (available on Google Play). Create a backup on Honor, save the file to a memory card or to the cloud. restore backup on Xiaomi.

For MIUI users, there is a proprietary tool called Mi Mover, but it only works when Xiaomi initially configures (after resetting).

• 🔄 Clone Phone (from Huawei) – supports contact transfer and SMS between Honor and Xiaomi.
• 📱 Smart Switch (Samsung) – despite its name, it works with other brands.

⚠️ Attention: In transmission SMS through third-party applications (for example, SMS Backup & Restore messages can be displayed without contact names. To avoid this, move contacts first and then move them — SMS.

6. Use of the computer as an intermediary

If direct transfer between smartphones is not possible (for example, due to protocol incompatibility), you can use a PC or laptop as an intermediate, this method is suitable for transferring large amounts of data (tens of gigabytes) or when you need to sort files before transferring.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Honor to your computer via USB-cable and select the "File Transfer" mode" (MTP).
2. Copy the desired files from Honor to the hard drive of the PC.
3. Turn off Honor, plug in Xiaomi and repeat step 1.
4. Transfer files from your PC to Xiaomi.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ You can edit files before transferring (e.g., convert video).
• ✅ There are no speed limits (depends only on the speed limit). USB-port).
• ✅ Suitable for backup before resetting Honor.

If the computer can't see Xiaomi:

• 🔌 Install Mi drivers PC Suite (official software from Xiaomi).
• 🔄 Reboot both devices and reconnect.
• 🛠️ On Xiaomi, turn on Debugging by USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to Settings → Additionally. → For developers).

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Using a PC is the only reliable way to transfer files larger than 50GB, especially if there are compatibility issues between smartphones.

7. Alternative methods: NFC, email and instant messengers

If the standard methods are not suitable, you can use less obvious options:

• 📶 NFC: Suitable only for transferring small files (up to 1-2 MB). NFC on both devices (Settings) → Connections → NFC). Attach the smartphones with the back covers to each other and select a file to transfer.
• ✉️ Email: Send files to your Honor email and download them to Xiaomi.Limitation: Most email services don't accept attachments greater than 25MB.
• 💬 Messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp): Telegram allows you to send files up to 2 GB (in normal chat rooms) or 20 GB (in "Saved messages"). WhatsApp limits 100 MB per file.

These methods are less fast and convenient than the main methods, but they help in emergency situations, for example, if you need to urgently transfer one document and there is no cable at hand.

FAQ: Frequent Questions About File Transfers Between Honor and Xiaomi