Moving from Xiaomi to Huawei is not only about changing the ecosystem, it's also about moving important data, which is where contacts come in first, and even if you've carefully stored phone book numbers, losing them when you change your device can be a serious problem. Fortunately, there are several reliable ways to shift contacts between these brands – from classic methods to using the same brand. SIM-Maps to modern cloud solutions.
In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods of transferring contacts, taking into account the features of firmware MIUI (Xiaomi and EMUI/HarmonyOS (You will learn which is the fastest, which is the most reliable, and how to avoid common mistakes, such as duplicate recordings or loss of photos of contacts.
Whether you’re switching from the Redmi Note 12 to the Huawei P60 or from the POCO X5 to the Nova 11, the instructions below are suitable for any model, and the main thing is to prepare both devices in advance and choose the best method depending on the amount of data and tools available.
1. Transfer contacts through a Google account (the most universal way)
If you have a Google account set up on your Xiaomi, this method will be the easiest and fastest, and it works even on Chinese versions of Huawei, where there are no Google services, just temporarily install the necessary applications.
Algorithm of action:
- 📱 On Xiaomi: Open the Contacts app, tap on three dots (menus) → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Select Export to your Google account. Make sure all contacts are synced (check Settings). → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization of contacts).
- ☁️ On Huawei: If Huawei does not have Google services, how to install Google Mobile Services (GMS) Huawei without root: Download LZPlay (for models on HarmonyOS 2.0)+). Install. APK-Google Account Manager, Google Services Framework and Google Play Services files manually. Restart your device and add a Google account.
- 🔄 After adding a Google account to Huawei, enable contact sync in your account settings. Contacts will appear automatically within 5-10 minutes.
- 📤 Transfer the.vcf file to Huawei (e.g. via Bluetooth, Email or Telegram).
- ☁️ On Huawei: Open the.vcf file and select Import in Huawei Cloud. or download the file manually: Settings → Huawei ID → Cloud → Contacts → Imports.
🔍 Nuance: If Huawei doesn’t have the Huawei Cloud installed, download it from AppGallery. Chinese versions of the firmware may require you to change your account region to Russia or Europe to access the cloud.
☑️ Preparation for transfer through the cloud
5. Data portability applications: fast and automated method
For those who don’t want to mess with manual settings, there are specialized applications, such as Clone Phone (from Huawei) or Xiaomi Migration, which automate the process and allow you to transfer not only contacts, but also SMS, photos, applications.
The best applications for transfer:
- 📲 Huawei Phone Clone: Download both devices from AppGallery or APKMirror. On Huawei, select This is a new phone; on Xiaomi, This is an old phone. Scan QR-code and select data to transfer (enable Contacts).
- 🔄 Send Anywhere: Install on both phones. On Xiaomi, select Send → Contacts, generate 6-digit code. Enter the code on Huawei and confirm receipt. ⚠️ Note: When using the Huawei Phone Clone on the Chinese versions of Huawei, you may need to disable region check. → System system → Region and select Europe. Restart the device and try again. 💡Apps like Phone Clone port contacts along with call history and SMS, But they may not retain their attachments to messenger accounts (WhatsApp, Telegram). 6. If you prefer to work through a PC, you can export your contacts with Xiaomi to a file, edit it (for example, delete duplicates), and then import it to Huawei. This method gives you complete control over the data, but takes longer. Step-by-step instruction: 🖥️ Connect Xiaomi to your computer via USB (Select the File Transfer Mode). 📂 Copy your contacts: If your contacts are on Google: export them through contacts.google.com (Export menu) → Google CSV). If the contacts are local: find the contacts.vcf file in the folder /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/backup/AllBackup (backup MIUI). 📝 If necessary, edit the file in Excel or Notepad.++ (vcf format supports editing). 📥 Connect Huawei to your PC and copy the file to your device memory. 📱 On Huawei, import contacts through Contacts → Management → Imports. 💡 Tip: If the.vcf file doesn't open on Huawei, rename it to contacts.vcf and place it in the root folder of internal memory. ES Conductor for import. Frequent errors and solutions Even when following instructions, users face problems. Here are the most common ones and ways to fix them: Problem Reason Solution Contacts are not synced with Google Synced or not Internet Check Settings → Accounts → Google → Contact Sync. Reboot device..vcf file does not open on Huawei Damaged file or encoding incompatibility Try to open a file on a PC via Google Contacts and re-export. Not all contacts transferred via Bluetooth Restriction on the number of records in one transfer Break contacts into groups of 50–100 pieces and send in parts. Contacts after the other contacts have been set up in the phone. 🔧 Additional Help: If none of the methods worked, try resetting your contacts settings on Huawei: Settings → Annexes → Contacts → Warehouse → Clean the data after that repeat the import. FAQ: Answers to popular questions ❓ Can you move your contacts from Xiaomi to Huawei without the Internet? Yes, Bluetooth is the way to do that, SIM-a card or direct transfer of a.vcf file (e.g., via OTG-The most reliable offline method is exporting to the country. SIM-map, but limited to 250 contacts. ❓ Why did contact photos disappear after the Huawei move? Contact photos are kept separate from the main data and not always transferred through standard methods. To save them: Export your contacts with Xiaomi to the.vcf file via Mi Cloud (there are photos stored there). Or use the Clone Phone app – it transfers photos along with contacts. ❓ How to transfer contacts from the Chinese version of Xiaomi (without Google)? to the Chinese Xiaomi (for example, Redmi) K60 Pro for China market) instead of Google uses Mi Account. In this case: Export contacts to.vcf via Mi Cloud (web version: i.mi.com). Pass the file to Huawei and import it to Huawei Cloud or local phone book. If Huawei is also Chinese firmware, use Huawei Mobile Cloud (Huawei registration is required). ID). ❓ Can I transfer contacts with the history of the calls? Yes, but not all the ways: 📱 Huawei Phone Clone (Transfers Contacts and History). 🖥️ Backup via Mi Cloud (includes call history) followed by manual transfer. Standard methods (Google, Bluetooth, SIM) call history doesn't carry. ❓ What to do if contacts are transferred but not displayed in Huawei’s phone book? The problem may be related to: 🔄 Disconnected Synchronization: Check Settings → Accounts. → [Your account] → Synchronization of contacts. 📂 Default Native Phone Book: Open Contacts → Settings → Phone Book by Default and Select Device or Google. 🔄 App cache: clear the Contact cache in the application settings.