How to transfer data from an old Huawei phone to a new Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

The transition from Huawei to Xiaomi is not just about brand change, but also about migrating all your data, from contacts to message history. Many users fear that the process will be complicated or lose important information. In fact, modern smartphones offer several convenient ways to transfer data, and most of them require no special skills.

In this article, we will discuss 5 current methods of transferring data from Huawei to Xiaomi – from standard manufacturer tools to universal solutions. You will learn how to save contacts, photos, videos, applications and even Wi-Fi settings, as well as avoid typical errors. We will pay special attention to the nuances associated with the lack of Google services on some Huawei models and the features of the MIUI on Xiaomi.

Whether you’re switching from the flagship Huawei P60 Pro to the Xiaomi 14 Ultra or from the budget model Huawei Nova Y70 to the Redmi Note 13, the instructions below are suitable for any combination.

1. Preparation of telephones before data perenosom

Before you start the transfer, you need to follow several mandatory steps on both devices, which will help to avoid crashes and data loss.

On Huawei:

• 🔋 Charge your phone to at least 50% – transferring data can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour depending on the volume.
• 📶 Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network (if you plan to use cloud services). Mobile Internet may not be able to handle large files.
• 🔄 Update your firmware to the latest version via Settings → System and Updates → Software Update. On some Huawei models, older versions EMUI do not support modern transfer protocols.
• 📁 Free up space by deleting unnecessary files. To check for free space, go to Settings → Memory.

On Xiaomi:

• 📦 Unpack the new phone and turn it on. Go through the initial setup until the desktop comes up.
• 🔄 Update MIUI via Settings → About Phone → System Update. This ensures compatibility with portability tools.
• 📡 Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth — they’ll be needed for most methods.
• 🔐 Turn off the screen lock (if installed) or add an old phone to trusted devices. This will make it easier to connect via cable.

⚠️ Warning: If Huawei has data encryption enabled (check Settings → Security → Encryption), the cable transfer may be slower or require additional permissions, in which case it is better to use cloud services.

2. Data transfer via cable (Mi Mover)

One of the most reliable and quickest ways is to use Xiaomi’s proprietary Mi Mover tool, which allows you to transfer almost all types of data, including:

• 📞 Contacts and call log
• 💬 Communications (SMS and MMS)
• 📸 Photos and videos
• 🎵 Music and audio files
• 📁 Documents (PDF, Word, Excel)
• 📱 Some system settings (Wi-Fi, wallpaper)

Step-by-step:

1. On Xiaomi, open the Mi Mover app (if not, download from the App Gallery or Google Play).
2. Select the option I am a new user (or similar).
3. On Huawei, install the Huawei Phone Clone app from AppGallery (if it’s not by default).
4. Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi or create an access point on Xiaomi.
5. On Huawei in Phone Clone, select This is an old phone, and on Xiaomi, This is a new phone.
6. Scan the QR- code from the Xiaomi screen on Huawei or connect via Bluetooth.
7. Select data types to transfer and confirm the start of the process.

The speed of the transfer depends on the amount of data and the stability of the connection. On average, 10 GB of information is transferred in 15 to 30 minutes. If the process is interrupted, start again, the application will resume transmission from the moment of the cliff.

Both phones are charged at more than 50 times%|Xiaomi has the latest update installed MIUI|Huawei has power saving disabled for Phone Clone|Both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.|Xiaomi has enough free space for data transfer-->

⚠️ Warning: If Huawei has firmware installed without Google services (e.g., on models after 2019), Mi Mover may not recognize some applications, in which case, transfer only media files and contacts, and install the applications manually from AppGallery or APKMirror.

3. Cloud services (Google Drive, Huawei Cloud)

Cloud storage is a one-stop solution that doesn’t require cables or special applications, and the main advantage is that data is stored in the cloud and can be restored on any device, including Xiaomi.

Let’s look at two popular options:

Instructions for Google Drive:

1. On Huawei, open Settings → Accounts → Google (if not, install Google Play Services via APKMirror).
2. Enable synchronization for Contacts, Calendar, Photos (via Google Photos).
3. On Xiaomi, add the same Google account and enable sync.
4. To transfer photos and videos, use Google Photos: upload files to the cloud on Huawei, download them on Xiaomi.

For Huawei Cloud:

1. On Huawei, go to Settings → Huawei ID → Cloud.
2. Select data for backup (contacts, messages, media) and wait until it is completed.
3. On Xiaomi, open your browser and go to cloud.huawei.com, log in.
4. Download the archive of data to your computer and then transfer it to Xiaomi via cable.

💡

If Huawei does not have Google services but Huawei Mobile Services, use Huawei Cloud to back up your contacts and messages. Once ported to Xiaomi, they can be imported through VCF (contacts) and XML (messages).

4. Transfer over computer (Windows/Mac)

If you have a computer, this method gives you maximum control over the process, so you can manually choose which files to copy and avoid unnecessary data.

It will require:

• 💻 Computer with USB-port
• 🔌 Type-C cables (or adapters if ports are different)
• 📂 Enough free space on the hard disk

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Huawei to your computer via cable. Select File Transfer (MTP) mode in the notification on your phone.
2. Copy the folders you need (DCIM for photos, Downloads for downloads, Music for music) to your computer.
3. Turn off Huawei and plug in Xiaomi. Also select MTP mode.
4. Transfer the copied files to Xiaomi to the appropriate folders.
5. For contacts, export them to Huawei in the.vcf file via Contacts → Settings → Export, then import to Xiaomi.

To transfer messages and call logs will require special programs:

• 📱 SMS Backup & Restore (free on Google Play) – backs up SMS in.xml format.
• 📞 Super Backup & Restore - Stores a call log and apps.

⚠️ Warning: When you connect Xiaomi to your computer for the first time, you may need to unlock through Settings → Additional → Developer Settings → Debugging by USB. Don’t turn on this mode if you don’t understand its purpose – this can reduce the security of the device.

5. Posting Contacts and Messages Separately

Contacts and SMS often require special attention, because losing them can be critical. Let's look at the reliable ways for each type of data.

Transfer of contacts:

• 📇 Through SIM- card (suitable for a small number of contacts):
• 📤 Through file VCF (universal method):

Message transfer (SMS/MMS):

• 💬 SMS Backup & Restore:
• 📧 Through email (for selected important messages):

Important: Messages from messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) are not carried in the standard ways, but you need to use the built-in backup functions of each application.

💡

To transfer contacts and messages, always back up in two formats (e.g. VCF + SIM- contact card) to protect you from data loss if one of the methods fails.

6. data transfer from applications (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.)

Messengers and social media stores data on their servers, but some of them (like WhatsApp) require additional actions to fully transfer.

WhatsApp:

• 📱 On Huawei, open WhatsApp → ⋮ → Settings → Chat → Backup.
• 📤 Back up your phone to Google Drive (if you have a Google account) or locally to your phone.
• 📥 On Xiaomi, install WhatsApp, log in with the same number, and restore chats from backup.

Telegram:

• ☁️ All chats and media are automatically synced to the Telegram cloud, and you just need to log in to Xiaomi with the same account.
• 📁 For local backup, use Settings → Data and Memory → Export Chat Data.

Viber:

• 🔄 Enable sync with your Viber account: More → Settings → Account → Sync.
• 📱 On Xiaomi, log in to Viber – chat history will pick up automatically.

For other applications (e.g. VK, Instagram, Facebook), it is usually enough to log in to a new phone, the data will be downloaded from the cloud, except for games with local progress saving.

• 🎮 Built-in binding to a Google Play Games account or social media.
• 📲 Backup through Helium (requires root rights)

7.Typical mistakes and how to avoid them

Even when following instructions, users often encounter problems, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to solve them:

Additional advice:

• 🔄 If the transfer is interrupted, do not turn off the phones — wait for the current operation to complete or restart the process.
• 📶 When using Wi-Fi, turn off mobile data on both phones to avoid network switching.
• 🔋 If the battery is running out too quickly, connect both phones to charging while transferring.

8. What to do after the data transfer?

To make the new Xiaomi work as efficiently as possible, do a few additional steps:

Xiaomi's setting:

• 🔒 Set up the unlock by fingerprint or face in Settings → Password and security.
• 📶 Connect to Wi-Fi and set up mobile internet (if you use the same SIM- card).
• 🔊 Personalize sounds and vibrations in Settings → Sound and vibration.
• 🎨 Install wallpaper and themes through Themes (preinstalled app).

Optimizing productivity:

• 🚀 Enable Performance Mode in Settings → Special Features → Performance Mode (available on Xiaomi flagships).
• 🗑️ Clear the app cache through Settings → Apps → Clean up.
• 🔄 Update all apps via Google Play or App Gallery.

Safety:

• 🔐 Install an antivirus (e.g. Dr.Web or Kaspersky).
• 📱 Set up a device search via Settings → Google → Security → Find the device.
• 🔄 Regularly back up your Settings → System system → Backup.