How to transfer files from Huawei to Xiaomi: a complete guide to photos and videos

The transition from Huawei to Xiaomi is not only about changing the ecosystem, but also the need to move tens of gigabytes of personal data: photos, videos, contacts, messages and documents. Many users face the problem: standard methods like Bluetooth or email work too slowly, and cloud services limit the amount of free storage. In this article, we will discuss 5 current ways of transferring, including hidden MIUI and EMUI functions, which speed up the process by 10 times.

Modern smartphones have different file systems and folder restrictions, such as the Huawei Mate 60, which encrypts gallery media by default, and the Xiaomi 14, which can block OTG transmission if you don't turn on developer mode, and we've taken these nuances into account and prepared instructions that work even for devices with a locked bootloader or without root rights.

Important: If you are migrating data from Huawei to Xiaomi for the first time, start with the Device Preparation section, which describes the critical steps that save hours of time. №3 ("Wi-Fi Direct Local Network"), which bypasses cloud service restrictions.

Preparation of devices before transfer

Before you start transferring files, follow the mandatory steps on both smartphones, which will prevent data loss and speed up the process:

• 🔋 Charge both phones to a minimum of 50% (for Wi-Fi Direct or Wi-Fi Direct methods) HOT required ≥70%).
• 📂 Free up space on Xiaomi: remove unnecessary apps or transfer files to a memory card (if supported). → Warehouse.
• 🔒 Turn off the screen lock (PIN, pattern lock) at the time of transfer – some methods require constant confirmation of actions.
• 🌐 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network (for methods) №3 and №4. If you use mobile internet, disable background restriction on Huawei in Settings → Mobile network → Traffic limit.

On Huawei with EMUI 12+ and HarmonyOS, additionally:

1. Activate File Transfer to Settings → System → Additional → Data Transfer.
2. Allow installation from unknown sources: Settings → Security → Additional → Unknown sources.

⚠️ Note: If Huawei has enabled storage encryption (optional in Settings) → Security → Encryption, some transfer techniques may not work. №2 (Cable) OTG») or №5 ("Pre-decryption cloud»).

2. Method. №1: Cable OTG (USB-C → USB-C)

The fastest and most reliable method is direct connection via OTG cable (or USB-C to USB-C adapter). Transfer speeds reach 40-60 MB / s (5-10 times faster than Bluetooth), and the risk of data loss is minimal, suitable for transferring any files, including system backups.

What you need:

• 🔌 Cable USB-C to USB-C supportive OTG (check the labeling on the package).
• 📱 Xiaomi plug-in USB-C (All models after the Redmi Note 8).
• 🔄 Huawei should be enabled File Transfer mode (MTP).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the cable to Huawei, then to Xiaomi.
2. On Huawei, select File Transfer Mode (not Charging) in the notification bar.
3. On Xiaomi, open Explorer (File app) → section USB-storage.
4. Copy the folders you want (DCIM for photos, Downloads for downloads) into Xiaomi’s internal memory.

⚠️ Note: If Xiaomi does not see Huawei through OTG, check: 🔌 Cable: Some cheap models only support charging, not data transmission. 🔧 Developer Settings: On Xiaomi, turn on Debugging by USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times to tap → return to → For developers. Cable. USB-C to USB-C supportive OTG| File Transfer Mode on Huawei| Debugging by USB included on Xiaomi| Free space on Xiaomi ≥ data transferability--> 3. Method. №2 Wi-Fi Direct Local Area Network If You Don't Have a Cable OTG, But you have Wi-Fi, you have built-in Wi-Fi Direct or Mi Mover (for Xiaomi), which works without the Internet and allows you to transfer files at speeds up to 10-15 MB/s (faster than Bluetooth, but slower). OTG). Advantages: 📶 No cables or cloud services required. 🔒 Data is transmitted in encrypted form (unlike open networks). 📁 Supports folders and files of any size (free space only). Instructions for Mi Mover (recommended for Xiaomi on the Internet) MIUI 12+): On Xiaomi, open Settings → The phone. → Mi Mover. Select I'm a new user. → On Huawei, download Mi Mover from AppGallery (or use the built-in Phone Clone in Settings). → System system → Cloning your phone. Scan it. QR-code from the Xiaomi screen to Huawei. Select files to transfer (contacts, messages, photos, videos) and confirm the transfer. For devices without Mi Mover, use Wi-Fi Direct: On Huawei: Settings → Wireless networks → Wi-Fi Direct → On Xiaomi: Settings → Wi-Fi → Additionally. → Wi-Fi Direct. Connect to a Huawei device (password is not usually required). Open Explorer on Xiaomi, select Network → Find Huawei and copy the files. 💡If Mi Mover doesn’t find Huawei, check that both devices are enabled. NFC (On some Huawei models, this speeds up the search for devices. 4. №3: Cloud services (with caution!) Cloud storage (Google Drive, Huawei Cloud, Mi Cloud) is convenient for transferring small amounts of data (up to 15 GB), but has limitations: ☁️ Free space: 15GB in Google Drive, 5GB in Huawei Cloud. ⏳ The download speed depends on the Internet connection (when the 4G ~2-5 MB/s). 🔐 Some files (e.g. Huawei backups) may not open on Xiaomi.How to transfer data via Google Drive: On Huawei, open Google Drive → press + → Download. Select files (you can download entire folders). After downloading, log in to the same Google account on Xiaomi. Download files to Settings → Warehouse → Downloads. For Huawei Cloud: On Huawei, open Settings → Huawei ID → Cloud. → On Xiaomi, install Huawei Cloud from Play Market. Log in to Huawei account ID and download the files. ⚠️ Note: If you are transferring contacts or notes through the cloud, export them to a universal format (.vcf for contacts,.txt for notes). MIUI. How to get around the 15GB limit on Google Drive? Create a second Google account on Huawei and upload the remaining files there. On Xiaomi, add this account to Settings → Accounts and download data. Alternatively, archive files in.zip (compression will reduce the volume by 20-30%). 5. №4: MicroSD card If both phones support memory cards, this method will be the easiest solution. Transfer speed depends on the class of the card: 📁 Class 10 or UHS-I: up to 20-30 MB/s. 📁 UHS-II: Up to 90MB/s (but requires smartphone support) Step-by-step: Insert a microSD card in Huawei. Open Explorer → highlight files → Copy.Put the card into Xiaomi (or use an adapter) USB-C → microSD if there is no slot.Put the card into Xiaomi and transfer the files to internal memory: 🚫 Not all Xiaomi models support microSD (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Pro – no slot). 🔄 Maps in volume >256GB may not be readable on older devices (check compatibility in specs). 💡Memory card is the only way to transfer data if Huawei’s connector is broken USB-C Or Bluetooth is disabled. 6. №5: Computer as a middleman If direct transmission is not possible (for example, due to protocol incompatibility), use a PC or Mac as an intermediate. This is a universal technique, but it requires an additional device: 💻 Windows computer 10+ macOS. 🔌 Two cables. USB-C (or USB-A → USB-C). 📂 ~20 GB of free hard disk space (for temporary storage) Instructions for Windows: Connect Huawei to a PC → Select the File Transfer Mode (MTP). Copy the data into a folder on your computer (for example, D:\Huawei_Backup). Disconnect Huawei, Connect Xiaomi → For macOS: Install Android File Transfer (official software from Google). Connect Huawei → Allow access to files. Copy the data into a folder on a Mac, then transfer it to Xiaomi: 🐢 On macOS, transfer speeds may be lower due to Android File Transfer limitations. 🔍 If the PC doesn’t see Xiaomi, turn on Debugging by USB And install the Mi drivers. PC Suite. 7. Transferring Contacts, Messages, and Applications Files are only a part of the data. To fully transfer personal information, use specialized tools: Contacts: 📇 Export to.vcf to Huawei: Contacts → Settings → Imports/Exports → Exports to the vault. 📱 Import to Xiaomi via Contacts → Settings → Imports/Exports → Imports from the vault (SMS/MMS): 💬 Use it. SMS Backup & Restore (Play Market app). 📲 On Huawei, create a backup, then transfer the.xml file to Xiaomi and restore. apps and their data: 📦 Use the installed programs to transfer APK Extractor (extracts.apk files) + Titanium Backup (requires root). 🔄 Without root rights, reinstall apps manually through the Play Market, and sync data through a developer account (e.g. WhatsApp). → Google Drive). ⚠️ Note: Do not migrate Huawei system applications (such as Huawei AppGallery or Petal Maps) to Xiaomi – they will not work due to lack of services HMS Core.8: Frequent Errors and Solutions When Data Transfers, Users Face Typical Problems. Here's how to solve them: Problem Reason Xiaomi solution doesn't see Huawei over Wi-Fi Direct Different versions of Wi-Fi Direct protocol Use Mi Mover or HOT (Photos moved but not opened on Xiaomi.heic format (used on Huawei with Huawei) EMUI 10+) Convert to.jpg via Explorer or Google Photos OTG Power shortage interrupted (especially on Redmi with small battery) Connect Xiaomi to charging while transferring Mi Mover hangs on 99% Background conflict Close all apps on both phones and try again If neither method worked, try: Update MIUI and EMUI Reset the network settings on both devices (Settings) → System system → Reset → Use alternative conductors (e.g. Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer). FAQ: Can you transfer data from Huawei to Xiaomi without a computer? Yes, use the methods №1 (OTG), №2 (Wi-Fi Direct or №4 (Memory card. The computer is only needed in the way №5 Or if other methods don't work because of software constraints. P50 displayed in green on Xiaomi 13? This is a problem with the color profile.heic. Solutions: Open a photo in Google Photos - it automatically converts. Use Explorer on Xiaomi: highlight files → More. → Convert to JPG. How to transfer passwords from Huawei Password Manager? Export them to.csv: On Huawei: Settings → Passwords. → Exports (required) PIN-Transfer the file to Xiaomi and import it to Google Password Manager or Bitwarden. ⚠️ Huawei Password Manager is not compatible with Mi Password Manager – data will have to be manually transferred. How long does it take to transfer 50GB over Wi-Fi Direct? At 10MB/s (average) the transfer will take ~1.5 hours. To speed up the process: Connect both phones to charging. Close background apps (especially messengers and games). Use 5 GHz Wi-Fi instead of 2.4 GHz (if supported). Can you transfer data from Huawei to Xiaomi via NFC? No, NFC in smartphones is only for payments and fast pairing (for example, for Wi-Fi Direct or Bluetooth).