The transition from Xiaomi to Huawei is not only about changing the ecosystem, but also the need to transfer personal data: photos, contacts, messages and applications. Many users face problems when trying to transfer files due to differences in firmware. MIUI and EMUI/HarmonyOS. In this article, we will discuss 5 Proven methods, including wireless and wired methods, and how to avoid data loss when changing devices.
The peculiarity of the transfer between these brands is that Huawei lost Google services after the 2019 sanctions, and Xiaomi continues to use them, which affects the work of cloud services and some migration applications, we took into account all the nuances and prepared instructions that are relevant for the 2020-2026 models.
Important: if you plan to sell the old Xiaomi, before transferring data, be sure to untie your Mi Account account in the settings and reset to factory settings - this will remove the binding to the device and protect your data from leakage.
1. Data transfer via the Phone Clone application (recommended method)
Phone Clone is Huawei’s official solution, optimized for migrating from Android devices, including Xiaomi.The app supports contact, message (SMS/MMS), photos, videos, audio files, calendars and even some application settings. The main advantage is that you do not need to connect to a PC.
How it works:
- 📱 Install Phone Clone on both smartphones (available in AppGallery for Huawei and Google Play for Xiaomi).
- 🔗 Huawei: “This is a new phone” and Xiaomi: “This is an old phone".
- 📶 Smartphones are connected via Wi-Fi Direct (a local network is created).
- 📁 Select data categories to transfer and start the process.
The speed of the transfer depends on the amount of data: for example, 10 GB of photos and videos are transferred in 15-25 minutes. If the connection is interrupted, the application will prompt you to resume the transfer from the moment of the break.
⚠️ Note: Phone Clone does not carry Wi-Fi passwords and data from some applications (such as WhatsApp or banking programs.
Install Phone Clone on both phones|Charging both devices >50%|Connect both smartphones to the same Wi-Fi network (optional)|Make room on Huawei (at least 10% of the data transfer volume)|Turn it off. VPN Xiaomi-->
2.Using cloud services: Mi Cloud vs Huawei Cloud
Cloud storage is a convenient way to transfer if you have a stable Internet, but here is a caveat: Xiaomi uses Mi Cloud (with Google Drive integration), and Huawei uses its own Huawei Cloud. Direct exchange between them is not possible, so you will have to use an intermediate service, for example, Google Drive or Yandex Drive.
Step-by-step:
- Xiaomi: 📁 Upload data to Google Drive (photos/video/documents) or export contacts to.vcf via Contacts → Management → Exports. 🔗 Keep a backup copy. SMS via SMS Backup & Restore (Available on Play Market).
Huawei
- 📥 Install Google Drive via AppGallery (if not installed) or use a browser.
- 📂 Download files and import contacts through Contacts → Management → Imports.
Cable transmission speeds are 40-60 MB/s (5-10 times faster than Wi-Fi).
- 🚫 Not all application files can be transferred (such as game cache or WhatsApp data).
- 🔋 The battery should be charged. >30%, otherwise Xiaomi may be disabled while copying.
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If Huawei doesn’t see Xiaomi through OTG, try using a USB 3.1 cable (usually blue). Also check if developer mode and USB debugging are enabled on Xiaomi (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times press).
4. Transfer of contacts and SMS through SIM-map VCF
Contacts and SMS are the most critical data that is often lost when changing a smartphone, and can be transferred in several ways:
Method 1: Through SIM-Card (suitable for contact)
- 📞 On Xiaomi: Contacts → Management → Imports/Exports → Exports to SIM.
- 🔄 Replace it. SIM Huawei.
- 📱 On Huawei: Contacts → Management → Import with SIM.
- Wi-Fi passwords are not portable: 📝 Save them manually or use Google Password Manager (if Huawei supports Google services).If photos from the gallery are missing after transferring to Huawei, check the folder. DCIM/.thumbnails — Sometimes thumbnails don't update automatically.Reboot the Gallery app usually solves the problem. FAQ: Can you transfer data from Xiaomi to Huawei without the Internet? Yes, there are three ways: via cable OTG (Direct connection. Phone Clone via Wi-Fi Direct (no Internet, only LAN between phones). SD-card or flash drive (copy files manually) fastest method — OTG-Why can't Huawei see Xiaomi through the Phone Clone: 📶 Different versions of the app (update Phone Clone on both devices). 🔌 Disabled Wi-Fi Direct (check network settings). 📵 VPN or firewall (unplug them before connecting). 🔋 Low battery charge (<20% If nothing helps, try reinstalling the application or using an alternative method (e.g, OTG). How to transfer WhatsApp from Xiaomi to Huawei if there is no Google services? Without Google Drive, you can restore chats like this: On Xiaomi, create a local backup in Settings → chat → Backup → Save (the file will appear in the folder) WhatsApp/Databases). Transfer the WhatsApp folder to Huawei via OTG Or Phone Clone. Install WhatsApp on Huawei, and when you request, specify the path to the local backup. msgstore.db.crypt14. If Huawei can't see the file, rename it. Can you transfer data from Xiaomi to Huawei through a computer? Yes, it's a reliable method for large volumes. Instructions: Connect Xiaomi to PC via USB And you can copy the files to the hard drive, plug in Huawei and transfer the data back. USB 3.0 and Teracopy (copies files faster than standard Explorer). What to do if some applications do not work after porting to Huawei: 🚫 Lack of Google Services: Install them manually through AppGallery (search on request "GMS"). 🔄 Version Incompatibility: Update the app via AppGallery or APKMirror. 📵 Block permissions: Check settings in Settings → Annexes → Permits: Banking applications (e.g. Sberbank Online) may require re-authorization through SMS.