How to transfer contacts from Xiaomi to Huawei: all ways with nuances

Changing a smartphone is always an exciting process, especially when it comes to transitioning between ecosystems of different brands. Xiaomi and Huawei use their own shells (MIUI and EMUI, respectively), which complicates direct data exchange. Contacts are the most valuable information users tend to save during the transition, errors here can lead to loss of important numbers, duplication of records or synchronization failure.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to transfer contacts, from standard (via Google-account or Google-based). SIM-map to advanced (export to.vcf, specialized applications) Each method is tested on current models: Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12, Huawei P60 And the Honor 90, you'll learn which is faster, which is more reliable, and where you'll find common mistakes.

Note: If you use POCO or Black Shark, the instructions are identical, as these brands run on the same MIUI firmware.

1. Transfer contacts through a Google account (the most reliable way)

Google Contact Sync is a universal method that works on any Android device, including Huawei (despite the limitations of Google services on new models), the main advantage is that data is stored in the cloud and automatically updated when new contacts are added.

To move contacts:

1. On Xiaomi, open the Contacts app → click on three dots in the top right corner → Contact Management → Import/Export → Export to Google.
2. Select the Google account you want to save your contacts to (if not, add to Settings → Accounts).
3. Wait until the synchronization is complete (it can take up to 5 minutes with a large number of records).
4. On Huawei, sign in to the same Google account: Settings → Accounts → Add an account → Google.
5. Open Contacts → Settings (three points) → Contact Management → enable synchronization.

Important: Huawei with EMUI 12+ and later may not have the standard Google Contacts app, in which case install it manually from AppGallery or use the web version of contacts.google.com.

Make sure that Xiaomi has mobile internet or Wi-Fi enabled|

Check the space available on your Google account (1 contact ≈ 1-3 KB) |

Turn off battery optimization for the Contacts app |

Remember your Google account password (required for Huawei)-->

2. Export contacts to the VCF file (for backup)

The.vcf (vCard) format is the standard for storing contacts that all modern smartphones support, a method that is useful if you want to back up or transfer contacts to a device without access to Google (for example, Huawei with limited services).

Instructions:

• 📱 On Xiaomi: Contacts → Management → Imports/Exports → Export to your device. Select the contact package (usually "All contacts") and confirm the export. The file will be saved in the Internal Storage folder. → MIUI → Backup → AllBackup.
• 📁 Copy the contacts.vcf file on Huawei via USB-cable, Bluetooth or cloud storage (such as Huawei Cloud or Yandex Disk).
• 📲 On Huawei: Open the Contacts app → Management → Imports/Exports → Import from the device → select the copied file.

If Huawei does not display an import option, try opening the.vcf file through the File Manager, and the system will prompt you to import contacts automatically.

3. Transfer through SIM-Card (for a small number of contacts)

SIM-A card is the most “old-fashioned” but reliable way if you have few contacts (up to 250 entries), cons: limited card memory and no support for photos / additional fields (for example, email addresses).

Step-by-step:

1. On Xiaomi: Contacts → Management → Imports/Exports → Exports to SIM-Select contacts for export (you can note everything).
2. Wait for the copy to be completed (a notification will appear on the screen).
3. Extract. SIM-Map from Xiaomi and paste it into Huawei.
4. On Huawei: Contacts → Management → Imports/Exports → Import with SIM-map → Select a contact package.

⚠️ Note: Some Huawei models (e.g. Mate 50 Pro) SIM-The default contacts are saved to a separate group and are not displayed in the main list. → Groups → SIM-map and transfer the entries to the general list manually.

Through Google Account|

Exports to VCF-file|

SIM-map|

Bluetooth or other wireless technologies |

Special applications (e.g. ShareMe)-->

4. Wireless transfer over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct

If you don't have access to the Internet or cable, you can transfer contacts over Bluetooth or through Xiaomi and Huawei's proprietary utilities, a method that works for single contacts or small lists.

Method 1: Through Bluetooth

• 🔵 On Xiaomi: Open Contact → Press Share. → Choose Bluetooth → turn on the device.
• 📱 On Huawei: Turn Bluetooth on in the notification curtain → Find Xiaomi in the list of available devices → confirm the conjugation.
• 📤 On Xiaomi, send a contact (or a contact group, if supported). On Huawei, accept the file and save it to the contacts.

Method 2: Through Xiaomi Share (formerly Mi Drop) and Huawei Share

Both companies have their own solutions for fast file transfer:

1. On Xiaomi, install Xiaomi Share (if not preinstalled) and export contacts to.vcf (see section 2).
2. Open Xiaomi Share → select the contacts.vcf file → click Send.
3. On Huawei, open Huawei Share (or Quick Shutter) → accept the file.
4. Import.vcf through Contacts (see Section 2).

⚠️ Note: When you transmit via Bluetooth, Cyrillic contact names may be displayed by cracosyabras. To avoid this, change the contact encoding to UTF-8 via apps like Contact Editor (available on Google Play).

5. Special applications for data transfer

If standard methods don’t work (for example, on Huawei without Google services), use third-party utilities. We tested 3 tested applications:

• 📲 Copy My Data (available in AppGallery and APKMirror): Transfers contacts, photos and calendars over Wi-Fi. Supports Xiaomi and Huawei without root rights.
• 🔄 CLONEit: Clones data from one phone to another via direct Wi-Fi. Requires installation on both devices.
• 📱 Huawei Phone Clone (official app): optimized for data transfer to the mobile phone Huawei/Honor, But it works with Xiaomi. Available on AppGallery.

Instructions for Huawei Phone Clone:

1. Install the app on both phones (on Xiaomi download APK from AppGallery).
2. On Huawei, select This is a new phone, on Xiaomi, This is an old phone.
3. Scan it. QR-code from the screen of Huawei on Xiaomi.
4. Select Contacts in the data list for transfer and wait until it is completed (may take 5-15 minutes).

Both phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (or enable a hotspot on Huawei).

On Xiaomi, turn off the power saving mode for the Phone Clone app.

- Antivirus does not block data transfer (add the application to exceptions).-->

6. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

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

• 🔄 Contacts are duplicated: Clear the list to Huawei before transferring or use apps like Duplicate Contacts to delete copies.
• 🚫 Huawei doesn’t see Google Contacts: Install Google Contacts Sync from AppGallery or use a.vcf file.
• ❌ Import error VCF: Check the file for special characters (e.g., emojis in names) – they may violate the structure of the.vcf.
• 📵 Bluetooth breaks: Reduce the distance between phones to 1 meter and turn off other wireless devices (earphones, fitness bracelets).

If your contacts are missing after transfer, restore them via Google Photos (if they were linked to your account) or manually copy your Pictures/Contacts folder from Xiaomi to Huawei.

💡

Before penos, always back up your contacts in multiple formats (Google + VCF + SIM) to protect you from data loss if one of the methods fails.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions