How to transfer data from Honor to Xiaomi Redmi: 5 proven ways

Why migrating data from Honor to Xiaomi requires a special approach

The transition from Honor to Xiaomi Redmi is not just a smartphone change, but a transition between two different ecosystems. If you used Huawei Mobile Services (HMS), now you have to work with MIUI and Google Mobile Services (GMS), which makes standard data transfer methods not always effective.

The main problem is that Xiaomi does not support direct migration from Huawei/Honor through proprietary utilities like Huawei’s Phone Clone. Moreover, some data (such as notes or calendar) may be stored in proprietary formats that are not compatible with MIUI. So it is important to choose the right method in advance – it depends on how much time you spend and what data will remain intact.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 working ways to port data, taking into account the characteristics of both brands: you’ll learn how to save not only contacts and photos, but also call history, SMS, apps and even Wi-Fi settings. To avoid the typical mistakes, we’ve highlighted the critical points that users often miss when switching between Android devices from different manufacturers.

Method 1: Mi Mover – the official solution from Xiaomi

Mi Mover is an embedded MIUI application designed to transfer data from other Android devices, and it supports contact, message, photo, video, audio, calendars, and even some apps, but there’s a nuance: not all Honor models are compatible with the utility due to Huawei’s limitations.

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

• 📱 Install the Mi Mover app on both devices (available on Google Play for Honor and pre-installed on Redmi).
• 🔗 Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network or create a hotspot on Redmi.
• 🔄 On Honor, select the role of “Sender” (Sender), on Redmi – “Receiver” (Receiver).
• 📋 Scan it. QR-code from the Redmi screen to Honor and select data to transfer.

⚠️ Note: If Honor has firmware without Google Play Services (e.g., HarmonyOS), Mi Mover may not work.

The speed of the transfer depends on the volume of data and the stability of the connection. On average, the transfer of 10 GB takes about 20-30 minutes. If the process is interrupted, try to repeat it by rebooting both devices beforehand.

Charge both phones to at least 50%|Make sure there is enough space on Redmi.|Turn it off. VPN firewalls|Check the stability of the Wi-Fi connection-->

Method 2: Transfer through a Google account (most universal)

Using a Google account is the most reliable way to transfer basic data, as it is independent of the device manufacturer.It is suitable for contacts, calendars, notes (if synced with Google Keep), photos (via Google Photos), and some settings.

Step instructions:

1. On Honor, go to Settings → Accounts → Google and enable sync for all the right categories.
2. Wait for the sync to complete (check in Settings → Accounts → Google → Account Sync).
3. On Redmi, when you first turn on, select the “Recover Data” option and log in to the same Google account.
4. If the phone is already set up, go to Settings → Accounts → Google and manually start syncing.

This method does not carry SMS, call history and applications, but it is guaranteed to work on any device.

• 📸 Install Google Photos on Honor and enable autoload.
• 🖼️ On Redmi, install the same app – all photos and videos will automatically download.
• ☁️ Please note: Free storage in Google Photos is limited to 15 GB (together with Gmail and Google Drive).

⚠️ Note: If you use Chinese firmware without Google Play, install Google Services Framework through APKMirror or alternative stores first.

Method 3: Direct transfer via OTG cable (for large volumes)

If you have a lot of data (like tens of gigabytes of photos or videos), the quickest way to do this is to use it. OTG-This method requires a little more effort, but it doesn't depend on Internet speed or application compatibility.

You'll need:

• 🔌 OTG-adapter (or cable) USB-C to USB-C, if the ports match).
• 📁 File Manager (e.g. Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).
• 🔋 Charging at least 70% on both devices.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Honor to Redmi via OTG-Redmi will have a connection notification. USB-storage.
2. Open the file manager and go to the section USB-storage device (this is the memory of Honor).
3. Copy the right folders (DCIM for photos, Downloads for downloads, WhatsApp for messenger backups) for internal memory or SD-map.
4. To transfer applications, copy files with the.apk extension from the /data/app folder (root rights required).

This is ideal for large file transfers, but not for system data (SMS, call log) and is better to combine OTG with other methods.

Method 4: Cloud services (Yandex Drive, Mail.ru Cloud, Dropbox)

If you don't. OTG-And you can use cloud storage, and this is convenient because the data is accessible from any device, and it can be transferred incrementally:

Steps for transfer:

1. Install Yandex Drive on Honor and log in.
2. Upload the files to the cloud (you can choose to automatically upload photos and videos).
3. On Redmi, install the same app and download the files back.

Advantages and disadvantages of cloud services:

To move contacts through the cloud, export them to a.vcf file on Honor (Contacts → Settings → Export), upload them to the cloud, and then import them to Redmi.

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If you have slow internet, enable Wi-Fi-only downloads to the cloud in the app settings to avoid wasting mobile traffic.

Method 5: Transfer SMS and call histories through specialized applications

Standard methods (such as Mi Mover or Google account) do not always correctly transfer SMS and call logs, and it is better to use third-party utilities such as SMS Backup & Restore or Super Backup for this task.

Instructions for SMS Backup & Restore:

1. Install the app on Honor and create a backup.
2. Save a backup file (usually in.xml format) to the cloud or on the cloud. OTG-accumulator.
3. Install the same application on Redmi, download the backup file and restore the data (Restore).

For the history of calls, Super Backup is suitable:

• 📞 Select the Call Logs option and back up.
• 📤 Save the file (usually.ab) to an external medium.
• 📥 Recover data on Redmi via Super Backup.

⚠️ Note: Some messengers (for example, Viber or Telegram) store the history of chats in their cloud services. You do not need to manually transfer them - just log in to a new device.

What to do if the data is not transferred or not fully transferred

Sometimes, after a transfer, some of the data may be missing or not working properly, and here are the typical problems and solutions:

• 🔄 Contacts are duplicated: Open Contacts → Settings → Combine duplicates on Redmi.
• 📷 Photos not displayed in gallery: Check folder DCIM via file manager and update media library (Settings) → Annexes → gallery → Warehouse → Clear the data).
• 📱 Applications not installed: Make sure Redmi is allowed to install from unknown sources (Settings) → Confidentiality → Special permits).
• 🔊 Calls are not displayed in the log: Try to restore backup again or use an alternative app (e.g. Truecaller).

If the problem is not solved, try resetting your network settings to Redmi (Settings). → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Reset network settings) or perform a full reset to factory settings (pre-saving data!).

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Before resetting your new phone, make sure to check that all data has been successfully transferred. recovery after reset can be difficult.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data portability from Honor to Xiaomi Redmi