Why Data Transfers between Huawei and Xiaomi Need a Special Approach
The transition from Huawei to Xiaomi is not just a brand change, but a transition between two fundamentally different ecosystems. Unlike moving between devices of the same brand (for example, from Redmi Note 12 to Poco X6), there are unique difficulties: the lack of compatibility of proprietary cloud services (Huawei Mobile Cloud vs Mi Cloud), different synchronization protocols and even operating system-level restrictions. If you previously used only Samsung smartphones or iPhones, you will find that standard tools like Google Account or Smart Switch work here not so predictably.
The main problem lies in the fact that Huawei after the sanctions of 2019 develops its own ecosystem HarmonyOS (or modified Android without Google services on new models), while Xiaomi remains on standard Android with a proprietary shell HyperOS. This means that even basic data like SMS or call logs may not be transferred automatically. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven migration methods, including little-known nuances for models without Google Mobile Services (GMS).
1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi
Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s proprietary solution for transferring data from other Android devices, including Huawei, preinstalled on all new Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco smartphones and supports Wi-Fi Direct transmission (without having to connect to a router), the main advantage is the preservation of folder structure and photo metadata (shoot dates, geotags).
How it works:
- 📱 On Xiaomi: open the Mi Mover app (find in Tools folder or search.
- 🔄 On Huawei: download Mi Mover from AppGallery (for models without it) GMS) Or Google Play. Launch and select Send Data.
- 🔗 The connection: on Xiaomi will appear QR-code, scan it with a Huawei camera, confirm the connection on both devices.
- 📁 Data selection: tick contacts, messages, photos/video, apps (if necessary.
Charging both phones > 50%|Turn it off. VPN both-device|Make sure that Xiaomi has enough memory.|Close all background applications-->
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If Mi Mover doesn’t see a Huawei device, try turning on the Developer Mode and activating the USB Debugging option (path: Settings → About Phone → Assembly Number – tap 7 times).
Limitations of the method:
- ⚠️ App settings (such as saving in games or messenger data like WhatsApp) are not portable).
- ⚠️ On Huawei models without GMS (For example, the Mate 50 Pro may require manual installation. APK-file.
- ⚠️ Transfer speed depends on the version of Wi-Fi: on Xiaomi 14 with Wi-Fi 7, the process will take ~10 minutes for 30 GB of data, on older models – up to an hour.
2. Transfer through Google Account (for models with GMS)
If your Huawei supports Google services (models before 2019 or with Google Play preinstalled), this method will be the most reliable: it allows you to synchronize contacts, calendars, notes (from Google Keep), photos (via Google Photos), and even some system settings, the main advantage is that the data will be available on any new device, not only Xiaomi.
Step-by-step:
- On Huawei: go to Settings → Accounts → Google and enable sync for all the right categories. Wait until you complete (check in Settings → Accounts → Google → Account Sync).
- Photo/Video: Open the Google Photos app, click on the avatar → Photo settings → Backup and Sync. Choose High Quality (unlimited storage) or Source Quality (counted in Google Drive quota).
- On Xiaomi: when you first turn on, select Recover Data and log in to the same Google Account. If your phone is already set up, go to Settings → Accounts → Google and start syncing.
What if Huawei doesn’t have Google services?
Important nuances:
- 🔄 SMS And the call logs are not synced through your Google Account, and you can use specialized applications like this. SMS Backup & Restore.
- 📂 Applications are not automatically transferred, but their list is saved in Google Play (Library) → Previously established).
- ⏳ Sync time depends on the speed of the Internet. 50 GB of photos in Google Photos can take several hours.
Google Account|Mi Mover|Computer (USB/PC)|Cloud services (Dropbox, Yandex Disk)|Other-->
3. Computer-assisted transfer (USB-cable)
If you don't have Wi-Fi or data is over 100GB, computer-to-computer transfer is the most reliable solution, and it's suitable for all models, including Huawei. GMS And Xiaomi on HyperOS, you're gonna need it. USB-cable (preferably original) or local area network (for large volumes).
Instructions for Windows/macOS:
- Connect Huawei to your PC: use the cable, select File Transfer (MTP) mode in the notification curtain. The internal drive folder will open on your computer.
- Copy the data: Find the folders: DCIM — Photos and videos; Downloads – downloads; Pictures/Movies — mediafiles; Android/data — Application data (not all folders will be available).
Connect Xiaomi:
Contacts and SMS:
.vcf
.xml
Contacts
Communications
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To transfer application data (for example, save in games), use specialized tools like Helium or Swift Backup (root rights are required).
Advantages and disadvantages of the method:
| Pluses | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ It works on any model, even without the Internet. | ❌ Manually Difficult: Requires Manual Copying |
| ✅ Maximum speed (USB 3.0 - up to 500 MB/s) | ❌ System settings and some application data are not transferred |
| ✅ You can selectively transfer files | ❌ Risk of data loss in case of improper extraction USB |
4.Using cloud services (Yandex Drive, Dropbox, Huawei Cloud)
Cloud storage is convenient for transferring media files, documents and backups, but has limitations on the amount of free space, for example, Yandex Drive gives 10 GB, Dropbox 2 GB, and Huawei Mobile Cloud 5 GB. For large volumes you will have to buy a subscription or break data into pieces.
How to move data through the cloud:
- ☁️ Upload files to Huawei: install a cloud service application (for example, Yandex Drive), download the desired folders.
- 📥 Download to Xiaomi: log in to the same cloud account on a new phone and download files. Huawei Mobile Cloud may require exporting data to a universal format (e.g..zip).
- 🔄 Contacts and calendars: export them in format.vcf/.ics via the web version of Huawei Cloud, then import to Xiaomi via Google Contacts or locally.
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To speed up loading to the cloud, use Wi-Fi 6 (if supported by a router) and turn off background sync for other applications. For example, in Yandex Drive you can turn on the Wi-Fi Only option and Download originals for photos.
Comparison of cloud services for transfer:
| Service | Free volume | Loading speed | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yandex Disc. | 10GB | Medium (traffic restrictions) | Photos, documents, backup copies |
| Dropbox | 2GB | High (when paid) | Small files, working documents |
| Huawei Mobile Cloud | 5GB | Low (servers in China) | Contacts, SMS, notes (Huawei only) |
| Google Drive | 15GB (total with Gmail) | Tall. | Any files but require GMS on Huawei |
5. Transfer of applications and their data (including WhatsApp, Telegram, games)
Standard portability methods (Mi Mover, Google Account) do not store app data — for example, WhatsApp correspondence, game progression or Telegram settings — but you need specialized tools or manual actions to do this.
Instructions for popular applications:
- 💬 WhatsApp: Backup on Huawei: Settings → chat → Backup (save to Google Drive or locally). On Xiaomi, install WhatsApp, log in to the same account and restore data from the copy.
⚠️ Note: If not on Huawei GMS, Use a local copy (folder) WhatsApp/Databases) Transfer it to Xiaomi via computer.
Games (Genshin Impact, PUBG, etc.):
- For games with an account binding (Google Play Games, Mi Account, Facebook), it is enough to log into the profile on the new phone.
- For offline games, use Helium or Swift Backup (root rights required).
Telegram:
Telegram
Telegram/Telegram Images
How to transfer application data without root rights?
Problems and Solutions: What to Do When Data Is Not Portable
Even if you follow the instructions, you can get errors, and let's look at the typical scenarios and how to solve them.
🔧 Problem 1: Mi Mover doesn’t see Huawei device.
⚠️ Note: Some Huawei models (e.g., the Mate 40 Pro) block Wi-Fi Direct data transfers due to security policies.Solution: Disable the Firewall in Huawei settings (Settings) → Security → Use hotspot mode: on Xiaomi, turn on Wi-Fi hotspot, connect Huawei to it and repeat pairing in Mi Mover.
🔧 Problem 2: Photos moved without dates and geotags.
This is because Mi Mover or cloud services do not store EXIF metadata.
- Use Google Photos to store all metadata.
- For manual date recovery, use the Exif Editor app on Xiaomi.
🔧 Problem 3: Xiaomi doesn’t have enough data port space.
⚠️ Note: if Xiaomi has less than 10% free space, Mi Mover can interrupt the transfer.Solution: Clear the app cache (Settings) → Annexes → Clear cache. Move some files to microSD (if supported). Use selective transfer: first move only contacts and SMS, And then media files.