How to transfer contacts to Honor Xiaomi Redmi: 5 working methods

Why the transfer of contacts between Honor and Xiaomi requires a special approach

The transition from Honor (a former Huawei sub-brand) to Xiaomi Redmi is not just a change of gadget, but a transition between two fundamentally different ecosystems. Unlike the transition within the same line (for example, from the Redmi Note 10 to the Redmi Note 12), here you will have three key difficulties:

First, Honor defaults to Huawei Mobile Cloud, which is not synchronized with Xiaomi services. Second, the backup format of the brands is different: Xiaomi works with.miui or.vcf, and Honor works with.hwd or proprietary formats. Third, even standard export through Google Account can fail due to the features of the firmware EMUI (on Honor) and MIUI (on Redmi).

In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to move contacts, from the simplest (via Google Contacts) to the most advanced (using ADB for corrupted databases). Each method is tested on pairs of Honor 50/Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and Honor Magic 4/Xiaomi Redmi K60 devices in 2026. You’ll also learn how to avoid losing contact avatars and associated social media accounts – a common problem when migrating between brands.

Method 1: Sync through Google Account (the most reliable way)

This method works in 95% of cases if Honor previously had a Google Account attached, and the main advantage is that contacts are transferred along with the history of calls (if synchronization is enabled) and group tags (for example, “Work”, “Family”).

Instructions:

📱 On Honor: Open Settings → Accounts. → Make sure the Contacts switch is active. If not, turn on the sync and wait until it's finished (it can take up to 10 minutes with a lot of contacts).
🔄 On Xiaomi Redmi: When you first turn on, select Restore from Google or later add the same account to Settings → Accounts. → Add an account.
⚡ In the Contact Menu on Redmi, tap three points → "Contact management" → "Imports/Exports" → "Import from Google.

⚠️ Note: If you have a firmware installed on Honor EMUI 12+, In Google settings, you may not have contact sync options, in which case update Google services through the Play Store or use Method 3 (export to the Play Store). VCF).

📊 What kind of contact transfer you use more often?

Google Account

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi Direct

VCF file

Special annexes

Other

Method 2: Export/import via VCF (for users without Google)

The.vcf (vCard) format is a universal standard for contact sharing, which is suitable if you do not use a Google Account or want to keep a backup of contacts on your computer. An important caveat is that when exported from Honor, a file can be broken into several parts (200-300 contacts each).

Step-by-step:

On Honor: Open the Contacts app → ⋮ (Menus) → Contact management → Exports/imports → Export to the device. Choose the phone memory or SD-map.
Transfer the.vcf file(s) to Xiaomi Redmi via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct, or USB-cable.
On Redmi: Open Contacts → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Import from the device and select the file.

Problem.	Reason.	Decision
VCF file does not open on Redmi	Damage during transmission	Transfer the file again using USB-OTG or cloud
No contact avatars	VCF does not support images	Use Method 4 (Cloone Phone App)
Duplicate contacts	Synchronization with multiple accounts	Before importing, turn off synchronization in Settings → Accounts

Make sure that Honor has enough memory (at least 50 MB)

Disable battery optimization for the Contacts app

Verify that VCF files are not automatically archived

Save a copy to the cloud (in case of loss)-->

Method 3: Using the Xiaomi Clone Phone app (official tool)

Xiaomi’s Mi Mover app (or Clone Phone in newer versions) was designed specifically for data migration between devices, and supports transferring not only contacts, but also SMS, photos, apps (without APK), and even Wi-Fi settings, with the main advantage of retaining contact avatars and linked WhatsApp/Telegram accounts.

How to use:

📲 Install Clone Phone on both devices from the Play Store (for Honor) and App Store (for Redmi).
🔗 On Honor, select "I am the sender" on Redmi, "I am the recipient".
📶 Connect to a single Wi-Fi Direct network (created automatically) or via a QR-code.
✅ Select Contacts in the Data List and wait until completion (up to 15 minutes at 1000)+ contact).

⚠️ Note: If you have Magic installed on Honor UI 7.0+, Clone Phone may not see contacts due to Huawei restrictions, in which case, before perenosom, disable Data Protection in Settings → Confidentiality.

What if the Clone Phone is 99% Free?

This is a typical problem when transferring large amounts of data (3000+ contacts). Solution: 1. Break contacts into groups of 500 and transfer in parts. 2. Turn off performance optimization in battery settings on Honor. 3. Use a USB-C to USB-C cable instead of Wi-Fi Direct (if supported).

Method 4: Transfer through SIM-card (for basic phones or older models)

This method is relevant for devices without access to Google Account or in the absence of Internet.

❌ Only name and number are transferred (without email, addresses, notes).
❌ SIM-the card should be supported USIM (Modern Standards - Old Standards SIM limited to 250 contacts.
❌ On Honor with EMUI 10+ export option SIM may be hidden.

Instructions:

On Honor: Contacts → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Exports to SIM-Select contacts (or "All").
Move it. SIM-map.
On Redmi: Contacts → ⋮ → Contact management → Import with SIM-map.

1. whether the SIM is inserted into the SIM1 slot (some models only support import from the main slot).

2. Active SIM-map in Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks.

3. whether the Contacts app has been updated to the latest version.-->

Method 5: Advanced ADB Transfer (for corrupted databases)

If Honor contacts are not exported in standard ways (for example, after a reset or virus attack), you can extract them directly from the Android database using ADB. This method requires unlocking debugging over USB and basic command line knowledge.

Step-by-step:

Activate Developer Mode on Honor: Settings → About Phone → Build Number (tap 7 times). Then turn on USB Debugging in Settings → System → Developer.
Connect Honor to your PC and execute commands: Adb devices adb shell su cp /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/contacts2.db /sdcard/contacts_backup.db exit
Copy the file. contacts_backup.db on the PC and convert it to VCF utility-wise DB Browser for SQLite or Online Contacts Service DB to VCF.
Import the resulting VCF to Xiaomi Redmi (see Method 2).

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB Before executing commands, back up via Huawei Backup (on Honor) or Mi Cloud (on Redmi).

The Honor screen is broken, but the phone is determined by the PC.

Contacts disappeared after the EMUI update.

- Standard export methods give an error "Database is damaged".-->

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even when you follow instructions, users have problems. TOP-5 mistakes and their solutions:

Contacts duplicated Reason: Multi-account Sync (Google, Mi Account, SIM) Solution: Before importing, disable auto-synchronization in Settings → Accounts and delete duplicates through the Cleaner app (built into MIUI).
Proprietary contact fields are not portable Reason: Fields like "Birthday" or "Notes" in EMUI are stored in a non-standard format.Solution: Use Clone Phone (see Method 3) or manually export data through Huawei Cloud.
The “Insufficient Memory” Error in Exports VCF Reason: System section /storage/emulated/0 Solution: Clear the cache in Settings → Memory or export the file directly to SD-map.

If none of the methods worked, check:

🔍 Honor does not include Power Saving Mode (blocks background processes).
🔍 Redmi has been disabled from Optimization MIUI" for the annex Contacts.
🔍 Both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (for methods 1 and 3).

FAQ: Frequent questions about contact transfer

Can I transfer my Honor contacts to Xiaomi without a computer?

All methods in this article (except the 5-s method) ADB) The most convenient options are: through Google Account (if it was synced to Honor); through Clone Phone (only Wi-Fi or cable required). OTG). Through file. VCF, If there is no Google Account on Honor, use Method 4 (SIM-Map) or install Clone Phone directly from APKMirror.

Why did the contact avatars disappear after the transfer?

This is a limitation of VCF and SIM formats — they don't support graphics. To save avatars: Use Clone Phone (Method 3) — it transfers images. Sync your contacts with Google Photos (if the avatars are tied to a Google account); Manually save avatars through screenshots and assign them to Redmi. On some Honor models (e.g. Honor Magic 5), avatars are stored in the /Pictures/Contacts folder — copy it separately.

How to move contacts if Honor is not included?

If the Honor phone doesn’t respond to charging or is locked, try it: 🔌 Hard reset: Squeeze the power + Volume up for 10 seconds, then select Wipe Data (data will be erased, but the phone will work). 💻 PC extraction: If the screen is broken but the phone is defined as Media Device, use ADB (Method 5) or Huawei HiSuite for contact extraction. 📱 SIM-map: If the contacts are saved SIM, Transfer it to Redmi and import the data (Method 4). If the phone is completely dead, contact the service center - the wizards can extract the data using Chip-Off (reading from the memory chip).

Will call and SMS history be rescheduled?

It depends on the method: ✅ Clone Phone (Method 3) transfers call history and SMS (up to 10,000 messages). ✅ Google Account (Method 1) syncs calls if Settings is enabled → Google → Backup. ❌ VCF and SIM-The map (Methods 2 and 4) only transfers contacts. SMS Use separate applications like SMS Backup & Restore (Available on Play Store).

Can I transfer Honor contacts to Xiaomi via iCloud?

No, iCloud is an Apple service, and it's not compatible with either Honor or Xiaomi. VCF (Method 2. Upload the file to iCloud.com via your browser (in the Contacts section). On Xiaomi Redmi, add an iCloud account via Settings → Accounts. → Add an account → iCloud and sync contacts, which is a good way to do it if you've used an iPhone before and want to connect contacts.