Transferring data from Android to Huawei and Xiaomi: 7 proven ways (including bypassing locks)

Switching from one Android device to another – especially for brands with customized shells like Huawei (EMUI/HarmonyOS) Xiaomi (MIUI/HyperOS) — Users face incompatibility of branded services, restrictions on access to Google Mobile Services (especially relevant for new Huawei models), and non-obvious synchronization settings. This article will not only list the methods of transfer, but also reveal the hidden nuances that manufacturers are silent in the official instructions.

We tested all methods on the latest firmware in 2026: from Huawei P60 Pro (HarmonyOS 4.0) to Xiaomi 14 Ultra (HyperOS 1.0), as well as on budget models like Huawei Nova Y72 We will focus on bypassing restrictions when migrating to devices without Google services, working with backup copies of.huawei and.xiaomi, as well as recovering data after a failed migration.

If you’ve used Samsung, OnePlus or “pure” Android smartphones before, be prepared for the fact that Huawei and Xiaomi work by their own rules. APK from backups, and MIUI It can block some system files from being transmitted through standard protocols.

1. Device Preparation: What to Do Before Transfer

The first step, which 90% Users are skipped, check firmware and service versions compatibility, if the old phone has Android installed. 10, And the new one, HarmonyOS. 4.0 HyperOS, direct data transfers may result in an error ERROR_CODE_1002 (Protocol incompatibility. This is what you need to check:

• 📱 Version. Android/EMUI/MIUI: Both devices must have up-to-date firmware. For Huawei, this is critical - without upgrading to the latest version of HarmonyOS, the Phone Clone feature may not recognize Xiaomi as the source.
• 🔋 Battery charge: At least 50% on both smartphones. When transferred over Wi-Fi Direct, the devices will actively consume energy, and if one of them is turned off, the process will stop without the possibility of restarting the device.
• 📶 Wi-Fi network: Use a 5GHz router and a 40MHz channel. At 2.4GHz, 50GB data transfer can take 3-4 hours.
• 🔐 Unlocking OEM: On Xiaomi go to Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Press 7 times to activate the developer mode, then in → For developers, turn on OEM-unlocking and debugging USB.

On Huawei devices with HarmonyOS, the path will be different: Settings → The phone. → Build number (tap 7 times), then System and Updates → For developers, turn on Allow HiSuite here, which is a proprietary version. ADB Huawei, which will be needed for alternative transfer methods.

⚠️ Note: If Huawei has firmware installed for the Chinese market (designation) C00 In the model number, the Phone Clone feature can block data transfer from other brands. In this case, use the methods in section 5.

Critical detail: on Xiaomi with HyperOS 1.0+ Before transferring, disable the function "Personal Data Protection" in Settings → Privacy: Otherwise, Mi Mover will not be able to access the files of messengers and the gallery.

2.Official methods: Phone Clone (Huawei) vs Mi Mover (Xiaomi)

Both vendors offer proprietary migration tools, but they work differently, and we'll take a look at their capabilities and limitations in a comparative table.

Instructions for Huawei Phone Clone:

1. Download Phone Clone on both devices (available on AppGallery or on the official website).
2. On the new Huawei, select This is a new phone, on the old one, This is an old phone.
3. Scan it. QR-code from a new device or connect via Wi-Fi Direct.
4. Select data to transfer (note: applications will be carried without data – only APK-file).
5. Wait for completion (50GB is gone) ~1.5 hours).

Instructions for Xiaomi Mi Mover:

1. On the new Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select Data Transfer or download Mi Mover from Google Play.
2. On your old phone, install Mi Mover (if it is not in the Play Market, download it). APK APKCombo).
3. Connect through QR-code or Wi-Fi Direct.
4. Please tick the categories you want, and note that if you're porting WhatsApp, back up in the instant messenger itself!
5. It's going to start the transmission. It's going to show progress and approximate completion time.

⚠️ Warning: If the Mi Mover is stuck in the Preparation phase, restart both devices and try again. If the error is repeated, use alternative methods.

Charge both devices up to 60%+

Disable VPNs and Firewalls

Connect to a single Wi-Fi network (5GHz)

Remove unnecessary files from your old phone (free up space)

Check for free space on the new device (at least 20% more data transfer volume)-->

3. Google Account Transfer: Pros and pitfalls

Syncing through Google Account seems like a universal solution, but in practice it faces restrictions from Huawei and Xiaomi.

• ✅ What to port: Contacts, calendar, notes (via Google Keep), some app settings (if they support cloud sync).
• ❌ What's not tolerable: SMS, Call history, media files, most apps (except those explicitly integrated with Google, such as Gmail or Google Photos).
• 🔄 Features for Huawei: On devices without Google Mobile Services (such as the Huawei Mate 60 Pro), contact sync works through Huawei Cloud, but requires manual setup.

Step-by-step:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Accounts → Google and enable sync for all categories.
2. Add the same Google account on the new device. for Huawei, no GMS Use Huawei ID Set up syncs through Huawei Cloud.
3. Use Google Photos to transfer photos and videos (on Huawei, it is installed via AppGallery as Petal Photos with limited functionality).
4. Wait for the synchronization to be completed (it can take up to a day with a large amount of data).

The restrictions for Huawei without GMS:

1. Install Google Photos via AppGallery (the limited version).
2. Enable Backup in the application settings.
3. On the new Huawei, log in to Google Photos via a browser (such as Huawei Browser) and download data manually.

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If Huawei doesn’t have Google Photos installed, use the alternative of Petal Photos, followed by exporting data to your PC via HiSuite.

4. Manual transfer via PC: reliable, but long

If the proprietary utilities don't work, and the cloud services don't work because of the constraints, you have to manually transfer it over your computer, which is universal, but it takes more time and attention.

• 🖥️ PC Windows/macOS/Linux;
• 🔌 Cables. USB (preferably original);
• 📁 Enough free space on the hard disk (at least 30% more data transfer volume).

Instructions for Windows:

1. Connect your old device to your PC in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy all the necessary files (photos, videos, music) into a folder on your PC: DCIM/ — photo Download/ — load Pictures/ — messenger-image WhatsApp/Media/ — WhatsApp media files
3. Connect a new smartphone and transfer the files to the appropriate folders.
4. To transfer contacts, export them to the.vcf file via the Contacts app on the old phone, then import them on the new one.
5. For SMS Use applications like SMS Backup & Restore (Available on AppGallery for Huawei).

For macOS/Linux:

These systems may require Android File Transfer (macOS) installation or setup MTP gvfs (Linux) if the device is not recognized:

1. Install adb via terminal: brew install android-platform-tools # for macOS sudo apt install adb # for Ubuntu/Debian
2. Connect your phone and execute: Adb devices If the device is displayed but the files are not visible, restart the smartphone.

⚠️ Note: When you transfer your WhatsApp folder to a new device, don’t replace your existing folder — delete it first, then copy the new one.

5. Alternative methods: when nothing works

If the standard methods didn’t work, try these non-obvious solutions, which are rarely mentioned in the official instructions:

Method 1: Transfer over LocalSend (AirDrop analogue)

LocalSend is open source for transferring files over a local network without the clouds, even on Huawei without the cloud. GMS.

1. Install LocalSend on both devices: - For Xiaomi: Google Play. - For Huawei: Download APK GitHub.
2. On your old phone, select files and send them to your new device via LocalSend.
3. Accept the files on the new smartphone.

Method 2: Use of the OTG-cable

If you have OTG-Adapter, you can transfer data directly from the phone to the phone:

1. Connect. OTG-To the old phone and insert the flash drive.
2. Copy the data onto a flash drive.
3. Connect the flash drive to the new device and transfer the files.

Important: The flash drive should be formatted in FAT32 It's not like you can read Huawei. NTFS.

Method 3: Transfer via Telegram Saved Messages

An unexpected but working way for small files:

1. Open Saved Messages in Telegram on your old phone.
2. Send files there (up to 2 GB each).
3. Log in to the same Telegram account on a new device and download the files.

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If none of these methods worked, try resetting your new smartphone to factory settings and repeating the transfer from a clean system, often because of pre-installed apps or settings.

Transfer of specific data types: steps instructions

Contacts and SMS

For the transfer of contacts:

1. On an old phone, export contacts to the.vcf file via the Contacts app.
2. Transfer the file to a new device and import it.

For SMS use SMS Backup & Restore (Available on AppGallery for Huawei).

Photos and videos

The best ways to do this are:

• 📁 Google Photos (if any) GMS).
• 🖥️ Through PC (copy folders) DCIM and Pictures).
• ☁️ Through the Huawei Cloud or Mi Cloud (up to 5GB free).

Annexes and their data

To transfer data applications:

1. Use it. ADB Backup (see section 5).
2. For games that support cloud storage (such as Genshin Impact), log in to the same account.
3. For WhatsApp: 1. On an old phone: Settings → chat → Backup. 2. Copy the WhatsApp folder to a new device. 3. Install WhatsApp and restore from a local copy.

Wi-Fi settings and passwords

On Xiaomi, Wi-Fi settings are transferred via Mi Mover.

1. Take screenshots. QR-Wi-Fi codes on your old phone (in router settings or through applications like WiFi Key Viewer).
2. Scan it. QR-codes on the new device.

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To transfer passwords from Wi-Fi without QR-Use the WiFi Password Recovery app (requires root rights) or manually write down passwords in Settings → Wi-Fi → Saved networks (on some firmware).

7. Frequent errors and their solutions

Even when you follow the instructions, you're going to have some common problems.

Additional advice:

• 🔄 If the transfer is interrupted, restart both devices and start over. Don't try to "continue" - this often leads to duplicate data.
• 📡 When transmitting over Wi-Fi Direct, keep devices at a distance of no more than 1 meter. Walls and interference can interrupt the connection.
• 🔧 If Huawei doesn’t have Phone Clone, try HiSuite (the official PC utility).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions