How to transfer contacts to Xiaomi Honor: all working methods

Moving from Xiaomi to Honor is not just a brand change, but a migration of all personal data. Phone contacts are often the most important part of this procedure: losing a friend or colleague's number can be a serious inconvenience. Fortunately, modern smartphones offer several ways to transfer, and we will analyze all the current methods taking into account the characteristics of both manufacturers.

In this article, you will find not only step-by-step instructions, but also a comparison of the speed, security and convenience of each option.We have taken into account the nuances of the latest versions of MIUI (up to 14th inclusive) and Magic UI (up to 7.2), as well as the features of working with Chinese and global firmware. If you move from Redmi Note 12 to Honor 90 or Xiaomi 13T to Honor Magic5, here you will find a solution to your situation.

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

Syncing with a Google account remains the most versatile method, as it works on any Android device regardless of brand, and the main advantage is that contacts are automatically updated on all devices where you are logged in to this account, including tablets and computers through Google Contacts.

On Xiaomi, this method works steadily, but there is a caveat: in Chinese firmware (China ROM), Google services are disabled by default. If you have this version, first install Google Play Services through the MIUI App Store or third-party sources.

• 📱 On Xiaomi: Open Settings → Accounts. → Google and make sure the Contacts switch is on. If it's not, tap it and wait until the sync is complete.
• 🔄 On Honor: When you first turn on, log in to the same Google account. Contacts will appear automatically through the 5-10 If not, check the settings. → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization.
• ⚙️ Issues? Delete the app cache Contacts on both devices: Settings → Annexes → Contacts → Memory. → Clear the cache.

⚠️ Note: If you used Mi Account to back up your contacts on Xiaomi, this data will NOT be automatically transferred to Honor).

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

Check the free space in your Google account (contacts take up little, but just in case)

Start manual sync in Google account settings

Make sure that the power saving mode for the Contacts app is disabled on Honor"-->

2.Export/import through VCF-File (for those who do not use Google)

If you don’t use Google services, or if you have a Chinese firmware Xiaomi without GMS, you can export contacts to a universal.vcf file, which works even without the Internet and is suitable for porting to Honor, Huawei or any other Android device.

The main advantage is complete control over the data: you can edit the file before importing (for example, delete unnecessary numbers) or save it on your computer as a backup.

• 📤 On Xiaomi: Open Contacts → ⋮ (menu) → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Export to file: Choose which contacts to export (all or only with) SIM-map/phone).
• 📥 On Honor: Copy the.vcf file to your device (via Bluetooth, USB or cloud, then open your contacts. → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Import from the file.
• 🔍 Tip: If contacts aren't imported, check the file encoding.Sometimes Xiaomi saves.vcf to UTF-16, Honor is waiting. UTF-8. This can be fixed through any text editor on PC.

3. Bluetooth Transfer: Quickly but with Restrictions

Bluetooth is a classic way of communicating between phones that doesn’t require the internet or a computer, but it has serious limitations: the maximum number of contacts per transmission is usually less than 500, and the transfer speed is poor (especially on older versions of the protocol).

Another problem is that Xiaomi and Honor can use different versions of Bluetooth (for example, 5.2 vs 5.3), which sometimes leads to a connection break. If you have modern flagships (Xiaomi 14 or Honor Magic V2), there should be no problems, but owners of budget models (Redmi A2 or Honor X6) should be better prepared in advance for possible failures.

• 🔵 On Xiaomi: Turn Bluetooth on in the notification curtain, then open Contacts → ⋮ → Share. → Bluetooth. Select the right contacts (or all) and confirm the transfer.
• 📱 On Honor: Accept the incoming file in the Bluetooth connection notification. Contacts will be saved automatically in the phone's memory.
• ⚡ Acceleration: If contacts are passed on for too long, try dividing them into groups. 100-200 Also make sure both phones have power saving disabled for Bluetooth.

⚠️ Note: When transmitted via Bluetooth, some special characters in contact names (e.g. emoji or Chinese characters) may not be displayed correctly. If critical, use the.vcf method.

Through a Google account|Through VCF-file|Through Bluetooth.|Through SIM-map|Another way.-->

4. Copying of contacts on SIM-Map: Outdated but working method

Transfer of contacts through SIM-The card is a "grandfather" way that still works, but has so many limitations that we recommend using it only as a last resort:

• 📵 Limit on number of contacts: usually no more than 250 (depending on operator and type) SIM-map).
• 📞 Only name and number are saved – all additional information (email, address, notes) is lost.
• ⏳ Slow recording/reading: copying 200 Contacts may be gone 10-15 minute.

However, if you don’t have access to the internet, a computer or Bluetooth doesn’t work, this method can help.It’s suitable for owners of older models (Xiaomi Redmi 4A, Honor 7A), where other methods are not available.

• 📶 On Xiaomi: Go to Contacts → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Exports to SIM-Pick the contacts and wait until they're done.
• 🔄 Move it. SIM-Honor card (or use an adapter if slot types are different).
• 📱 On Honor: Open Contacts → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Import with SIM-map.

5. Use of third-party applications (for advanced users)

If standard methods don’t work (e.g., you have Xiaomi with custom firmware or Honor without Google services), you can use specialized applications. We tested several and selected the most reliable ones:

• 🔄 Copy My Data (from Media Mushroom): Transfers contacts, calendars and photos over Wi-Fi. Works without cloud services, but requires installation on both devices.
• 📱 Cloneit (from Shareit Technologies): clones not only contacts, but also SMS, apps, settings. Minus -- shows ads.
• ⚡ Send Anywhere: Transfers files (including.vcf) over a direct channel with no size restrictions.

Warning: When using third-party apps, always check the permissions they request. for example, CLONEit requires access to SMS and call history - if you don't need it, it's better to choose a different tool.

Instructions for Copy My Data:

1. Install the app on both phones from Google Play or APKMirror.
2. On Xiaomi, select Send Data → Contacts and wait for the code generation.
3. On Honor, select Receive Data, enter the code with Xiaomi and confirm the transfer.
4. Once completed, check contacts on Honor – sometimes duplicate entries.

💡

Before using third-party applications, back up your contacts via a.vcf file, which will protect you from data loss if the program is not working properly.

6. Transfer over a computer (for maximum security)

If you prefer old school and want to have full control of the process, you can use a computer as an intermediary, which is suitable for transferring large contact databases (1000+ records) or if you want to edit data before importing.

Advantages:

• 🖥️ The ability to edit contacts in Excel or Google Sheets before importing.
• 🔒 100% data loss protection (local copy on PC).
• 📂 Suitable for backup to an external disk.

Instructions:

1. Connect Xiaomi to your computer via USB (select File Transfer Mode in the notification curtain).
2. Copy the contacts.vcf file (if exported previously) or find it in the Internal Storage → MIUI → backup → AllBackup folder (if you used MIUI backup).
3. Open the file on your PC via Excel (it will open as a table) or any text editor. Edit the data if necessary.
4. Connect Honor to your computer and copy the edited.vcf file to any folder.
5. On Honor, import contacts through Contacts → ⋮ → Imports/Exports.

⚠️ Note: If you are editing a.vcf file in Excel, save it in format CSV (a comma separator, then convert back to.vcf via online services (e.g. vcf-converter.com!

💡

Transferring over a computer is the only way to guarantee 100% control over data and to correct errors (doubles, typos) before final import.

7. Features of the port from the Chinese versions of Xiaomi (without Google)

If your Xiaomi is running on China ROM, standard synchronization methods won’t work, and you have three options:

• 🌐 Install Google Play Services manually (instructions are available on the 4PDA or XDA Developers).
• 📱 Use Mi Account to export contacts to.vcf and then transfer the file to Honor.
• 🔧 Refuse the phone to the global version MIUI (risky if you don't have experience).

More information about the second option (via Mi Account):

1. On Xiaomi, open Settings → Accounts → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Contacts and enable synchronization.
2. Export contacts to the file: Contacts → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Export to file.
3. Transfer your.vcf file to Honor in any convenient way (e.g. via QQ or WeChat if you have a Chinese ecosystem).

Important: Mi Account may not work properly with Cyrillic in contact names. If some of the names are displayed by Krakozabra after export, open the file in the text editor and replace the encoding with UTF-8.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even when following instructions, there are sometimes problems, and we've collected the most common errors and ways to correct them:

If none of the methods worked, try resetting the Contacts app settings to Honor:

Settings → Applications → Contacts → Memory → Reset Settings

This will remove all local contacts, but it can solve import problems.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions