Changing your smartphone is always stressful, not so much with getting used to a new shell, but with the need to transfer the data accumulated over the years. Owners of Huawei devices often face additional complexity due to the lack of Google services on new models, which makes the migration process to Xiaomi unobvious to beginners. However, modern technology allows you to solve the problem of “how to transfer files from Huawei to Xiomi” in just a few touches, preserving the structure of folders and the integrity of the media.
In this article, we’ll take a look at all the sync methods available, from official MIUI utilities to manually copying through your computer. You’ll learn how to properly prepare your old device’s local storage to avoid transmission errors. Whether you’re using an old Huawei with Google services or a new Mate without Play Market, you’ll find the right option.
Before starting the procedure, make sure that both devices have sufficient battery power, preferably at least 50-60%. interruption of the process of transferring large amounts of data can lead to file corruption or partial loss, which will require a repetition of the entire operation. Also check the availability of free space on the new Xiaomi, as a copy of the /DCIM or /Pictures partition can take up tens of gigabytes.
Using the Mi Mover app for quick migration
The most efficient and official way to transfer is to use a specialized application Mi Mover, developed by Xiaomi engineers. This utility creates a local Wi-Fi network between two devices, allowing you to transfer data at high speed without using Internet traffic. The application automatically recognizes file types, including contacts, messages, call history, installed applications (APK), as well as the media library.
The process starts with installing the app on both smartphones. On the new Xiaomi, it is often already built into the system and is located in the Tools folder or available through the settings menu when you first turn on. APK-file from the official website or through the browser, as AppGallery may not have it. After running on the old device, select the role of "Sender" (Old Phone), and on the new one - "Receiver" (New Phone).
⚠️ Attention: When scanning QR-Make sure that the device screens are close to each other and there are no bright light sources between them that can prevent the camera from reading the matrix.
Once you connect the devices, you'll see a list of data categories that are available for transfer, and the system will suggest you choose what you want to copy: contacts and photos only, or a complete clone of the system. It is important to understand that system settings and Wi-Fi passwords may not migrate correctly due to differences in shells. EMUI and MIUI/HyperOS. In this case, manual setup will be a more reliable option for network configuration.
- 📱 Supports the transfer of contacts, SMS, call-book.
- 📸 Automatically copies photos and videos from the gallery.
- 📦 Transferred APK-Application files (data within applications may not be saved).
- 🔒 Uses a secure local connection without access to the Internet.
We need to focus on the application portability, though. APK-files will be copied and installed on the new phone, their internal data (cache, logins in games, correspondence in messengers) often remain on the old device. For instant messengers like WhatsApp or Telegram, it’s best to use built-in cloud backup features or local backup inside the app itself before launching Mi Mover.
Manual transfer through USB-cable
If wireless methods raise doubts about speed or stability, the classic wired method remains the gold standard of reliability. To implement this method, you will need a computer with Windows or macOS, and also a serviceable computer. USB-This is a method that supports data transfer (not just charging), which is ideal for moving heavy files: video to the computer. 4K, archives with documents and large folders with music.
Connect Huawei to your computer and select the USB File Transfer (MTP) mode in the notifications. The system will define the device as an external drive. Open the explorer and copy the required directories to a separate folder on your desktop. It is critical to copy the following folders from the root of internal memory: DCIM (camera photos and videos), Pictures (screenshots and images from social networks), Download (downloads) and Music.
Structure of folders for copying:
/DCIM/Camera
/Pictures/Screenshots
/Download
/Music
/Documents
Once you have finished copying to your computer, disable Huawei and connect Xiaomi. Select MTP mode again. Open the internal memory of the new smartphone and paste the copied folders into the root directory or the corresponding directories. Android on Xiaomi will automatically index the new media files, and they will appear in the gallery and player.
What to do if your computer can’t see your phone?
If nothing happens when connecting the cable, check if debugging is included. USB In developer mode. Try another. USB-port, preferably USB 3.0 (blue) on the back of the system unit, and the problem may be the cable itself, as many low-cost cables only support charging and do not have data lines.> The advantage of this method is that you have complete control over the process, and you can see the actual size of the data being copied, and you can interrupt the process at any time without the risk of losing the entire database, which sometimes happens when wireless protocols fail. Also, it’s a great way to clean up the memory of an old phone, leaving only an empty folder structure on it. For users who have actively used the Google ecosystem on their Huawei (if the model supported GMS), the transition to Xiaomi will be as smooth as possible. Just type in the same Google account when you first set up a new smartphone. Contacts, calendar events, notes and even passwords from Chrome will automatically pull up from the cloud. However, if your Huawei does not have Google services, you should pay attention to the Huawei Cloud cloud or third-party services like Yandex.Disk, Dropbox or Google Photos. Upload photos and important documents to the cloud from the old device. Then install the appropriate application on Xiaomi, and quickly download the data from the Internet. Service Free Limit Features Google Account 15 GB Best synchronization contacts and calendar Huawei Cloud 5 GB Easy for owners of Huawei equipment, there is a web version of Yandex.Disk 10 GB Automatic download of photos from the phone Telegram (Favorites) Without a limit Convenient for fast transfer of files up to 2 GB Using the cloud also allows you to create a backup before any experiments with a new phone. If in the process of setting up Xiaomi something goes wrong, your data will remain safe on the network. This is especially true for documents and working files, the loss of which can be a pair of documents to Shaby or a couple of photos. Standard Bluetooth is suitable for transferring small files, but its speed rarely exceeds that of the Internet. 1-2 MB/s, which makes video copying inappropriate. However, for.vcf contacts, this is ideal. A more advanced method is using Nearby Share technology (similar to Google's AirDrop). If your Huawei has a more recent version of Android and Google services (or similar ones) available, you can transfer files instantly. It is enough to enable geolocation and Bluetooth, select a file, click Share and select the detected Xiaomi device. For devices without Google services, you can use third-party utilities that work on the principle of P2P-Connections like Send Anywhere or Xender create a direct Wi-Fi Direct connection between phones, delivering speeds comparable to Mi Mover. This is a great way to “flip files from Huawei to Xiomi” without installing unnecessary apps on a new phone if the sender is using a web version or a lightweight client. 📡 Bluetooth is only suitable for contacts and small documents. ⚡ Nearby Share provides high transfer speeds up to 100 MB/s. 🔋 Battery consumption when used P2P-minimalization. 🌐 It doesn't require an internet connection, it works offline. When transmitting over Bluetooth, it's important to keep the visibility of the device in mind. Make sure that the Bluetooth settings on both smartphones have permission for detection by all devices. Sometimes Android security hides the device after 2 minutes of downtime, so the search procedure must be carried out quickly. When switching from Huawei to Xiaomi, users often lose SMS or contacts recorded on SIM-To avoid this, use the contact export function. Go to the Contacts app on Huawei, select Management» → «Imports/Exports» → «Export to storage. You will receive the file contacts.vcf. This file can be transferred by any convenient way (via messenger, mail or Bluetooth) and opened on Xiaomi. SMS, It's more complicated because of the security constraints of Android, and it's often necessary to move messages between different brands directly, and you need to use the Move to iOS app (not suitable) or specialized tools like this. SMS Backup & Restore. ⚠️ Note: When importing contacts from a.vcf file, check where they are stored. It is recommended to choose a Google account so that the next phone change does not have to repeat the procedure again. To transfer the history of calls with regular funds Xiaomi does not provide direct import from Huawei files, but the Mi Mover application often copes with this task. If call history is critical, consider installing synchronization-based dialer apps (like Truecaller or Google Phone) that will save history in the cloud regardless of the phone model (FAQ) Can you migrate apps from Huawei without Google Play to Xiaomi? Yes, it's possible. Using Mi Mover APK-Application files will be copied and installed on Xiaomi. However, if the app was dependent on Google Mobile Services (maps, some games, notifications), it may not work properly or require additional customization via Gspace or Gbox on a new device. Why doesn't Mi Mover see the second phone? Most often the problem lies in the permissions. Make sure that both phones are on GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and all the permissions the app requests to access the LAN and files. Try restarting both phones and trying again. Will Wi-Fi passwords be saved when you transfer? Not always. Due to differences in Android versions and shells (EMUI against MIUI/HyperOS) System settings, including saved Wi-Fi networks and passwords, are often not portable. You will have to re-enter your home network password the first time you connect to Xiaomi? The most reliable way is to back up chats in Google Drive on Huawei (in WhatsApp settings). Then when you install WhatsApp on Xiaomi, select recovery from a copy of Google Drive. Local copies may not be suitable due to differences in file paths. 💡Using Mi Mover is the fastest way to migrate, but for critical data (contacts, photos) always create an additional copy in the cloud or on PC.