How to transfer data from Huawei to Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Why migrating data between Android smartphones of different brands is not as easy as it seems

Shifting from Huawei to Xiaomi is a popular solution among users who want more features for the same money. But even if both devices run Android, the data migration process often turns into a headache. It’s all about proprietary shells: Huawei’s EMUI and Xiaomi’s MIUI use different encryption algorithms, backup formats, and even restrict access to system folders. For example, Google’s standard Android Backup Service doesn’t always correctly restore data on Xiaomi if it was created on Huawei with an EMUI version older than 12.

Another trap is the ecosystem binding, where Huawei is actively promoting services (Huawei Mobile Services, AppGallery, Cloud) that are incompatible with MIUI. If you used Huawei Cloud to back up, you'll have to export data to a universal format first. Xiaomi, on the contrary, is betting on integration with Google, but there are nuances: for example, when migrating through Mi Mover, some applications (such as WhatsApp or Viber) require additional authorization, even if the backup is successfully restored.

In this article, we'll look at 5 working ways to migrate data, from official tools to workarounds for complex cases, how to save not only contacts and photos, but also call history, SMS, notes and even settings for some applications, and what errors users often make and how to avoid them.

Method 1: Mi Mover is the official tool from Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a proprietary application from Xiaomi that is designed to quickly transfer data from other Android devices. It is pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones (starting with MIUI 9) and supports most Huawei models. The main advantage is direct transmission over Wi-Fi without the need to connect to the Internet or use cloud services.

To use Mi Mover, follow the following steps:

• 📱 Install the Mi Mover on your Huawei from Google Play (if it's not in AppGallery.
• 🔗 Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network. If the network is not available, Mi Mover will automatically create an access point.
• 📤 On Huawei, select the role of “Sender” (Sender), on Xiaomi – “Receiver” (Receiver).
• 🔍 Scan it. QR-code from the screen Xiaomi camera Huawei or enter PIN-manually.
• 📋 Select data types to transfer: contacts, messages, photos, videos, audio, applications (not all supported).
• ⚡ Press "Transfer" and wait until the process is complete!

Charge both phones at least to the 50%|Release. 10-15% memory|Shut down. VPN firewalls|Make sure Huawei has a developer mode enabled (if required)|Check the compatibility of versions MIUI and EMUI-->

The speed of the transfer depends on the volume of data and the stability of the connection, on average 10 GB of information is transmitted in 20-30 minutes.

⚠️ Note: Mi Mover does not port certain applications (e.g. Huawei Health or Huawei Wallet) as well as system settings (wallpaper, audio profiles) and may have problems porting apps not installed from Google Play (APK-file).

Mi Mover/Xiaomi Quick Share|Google Account| Cloud Services (Dropbox, Yandex Disk)| OTG/PC Cable | Another way-->

Method 2: Transfer through Google Account (the most universal method)

If you’ve used Google services on your Huawei, you can transfer data to Xiaomi through synchronization with your Google Account, which works even if you don’t have access to your old phone (for example, it’s lost or broken), and the main thing is that you have synced earlier.

Step instructions:

1. On Huawei: 🔄 Go to Settings. → Accounts. → Google. 📋 Make sure you have synced for the data you want (contacts, calendar, Chrome, Gmail, etc.). 🔙 Backup in Google Drive: Settings → System system → Backup → Backup copy in Google Drive.
2. Xiaomi: 📱 When you first turn on, select “Recover Data” and log in to the same Google Account. 🔍 If the phone is already configured, go to Settings → Accounts. → Google → Synchronize and enable the necessary options. 📥 To restore backup: Settings → The phone. → Backup and reset → Recover data.

Advantages of this method:

• 🌍 It works on any Android device, regardless of brand.
• 🔄 Automatic background synchronization (no need to repeat the process when changing the phone).
• 📁 Stores not only contacts, but also calendars, notes (Google Keep), bookmarks Chrome.

⚠️ Note: Google does not keep backups SMS, Call history and files (photo/video) require separate transfers via Google Photos or other services, and some apps (such as WhatsApp) require separate backup settings in their settings.

💡

If Google Play Services is disabled on Huawei (e.g., on non-GMS models), use an alternative Huawei ID account to export your contacts in VCF format, and then import them to Xiaomi via Contacts → Import/Export.

Method 3: Using cloud services (Dropbox, Yandex Disk, Huawei Cloud)

Cloud storage is a universal way of transferring files that is independent of the phone model, and the main advantage is that you can access data from any device, even if one of the phones is temporarily unavailable.

1.Huawei Cloud (if you have used it before)

If your Huawei has been enabled to sync with Huawei Cloud, you can export data from there:

1. 🌐 Go to cloud.huawei.com from PC or Xiaomi.
2. 📥 Select the desired files (photos, contacts, notes) and download them in format ZIP or VCF.
3. 📲 Transfer downloaded files to Xiaomi via cable, Bluetooth or email.

2. Google Photos (for media files)

The easiest way to transfer photos and videos:

• 📸 On Huawei, install Google Photos and enable automatic download.
• ☁️ Wait for the sync to be completed (check in the web version of photos.google.com).
• 📲 Log in to the same Google account on Xiaomi – all photos will appear automatically.

3. Dropbox/Yandex Disk (for any files)

Suitable for transferring documents, music and other files:

1. 📁 Install Dropbox or Yandex Disk on both phones.
2. 📤 On Huawei, upload files to the cloud.
3. 📥 On Xiaomi, download them to the right folder.

Method 4: Transfer over an OTG cable or computer

If you don't have access to Wi-Fi or cloud services, the most reliable way to do this is to connect directly to the cable.

• 🔌 USB-cable OTG (Connecting Huawei to Xiaomi directly; or
• 💻 Computer with USB-Ports and cables for both phones.

Option A: Direct Connection (OTG)

Some Xiaomi models support USB OTG mode, which allows you to connect Huawei as an external drive:

1. 🔌 Connect Huawei to Xiaomi via OTG-adapter.
2. 📂 Xiaomi will open a file manager – copy the necessary folders (DCIM, Downloads, Pictures, etc.).
3. 📲 Contact and SMS can be exported in format VCF/XML via the Contacts app on Huawei.

Option B: Through a computer (most securely)

This method is suitable for transferring large amounts of data:

1. 🖥️ Connect Huawei to your PC via USB (Select the File Transfer Mode).
2. 📂 Copy all the necessary files to your computer (we recommend creating a separate folder, for example, Huawei_Backup).
3. 🔄 Disconnect Huawei and connect Xiaomi.
4. 📥 Transfer files back to a new phone.

⚠️ Note: When copying via PC, pay attention to hidden folders (such as.WhatsApp or.Telegram) that need to be transferred in their entirety, otherwise messengers will not see the history of chats. Also check that Xiaomi has enough space - if memory is not enough, use a microSD card (if supported).

💡

Transferring over a computer is the only way to guarantee the structure of folders and metadata files (dates of creation, geotags, etc.).

Method 5: Transfer applications and their data (including games)

One of the most difficult aspects of migration is the transfer of installed applications and their data (for example, save in games, set up messengers), standard methods (Mi Mover or Google Backup) often fail to cope with this task.

1. backup through ADB (for power users)

If you have access to the Android Debug Bridge (ADB), you can create a full backup of the apps:

adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab

Then restore it to Xiaomi:

adb restore backup.ab

Note: This method requires unlocking USB debugging on both devices (Settings → About Phone → Assembly Number (7 taps) → For developers → USB debugging).

2.Transfer via Titanium Backup (requires Root)

If your Huawei has root rights, use Titanium Backup:

• 📦 Backup all applications and data on Huawei.
• 📥 Transfer the backup file to Xiaomi.
• 🔄 Recover data via Titanium Backup (root and Xiaomi required).

3. Cloud backups of applications

Many applications have a built-in backup function:

• 💬 WhatsApp: Settings → chat → Backup (save in Google Drive).
• 🎮 Games: Use Google Play Games accounts or social media (Facebook, VK) synchronize progress.
• 📝 Notes: Export in format TXT/PDF (For example, through Google Keep or ColorNote).

💡

If the game or application does not support cloud storage, try to manually copy the folder with data (usually located in the cloud). /Android/data/[package_name] or /Android/obb/[package_name]).

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even when following instructions, users often encounter problems. TOP-5 errors and ways of solving them:

1. Mi Mover doesn't see Huawei: 🔌 Check that both phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (not mobile data). 📶 Turn it off. VPN, Firewall or antivirus (they can block the connection). 🔄 Reboot both devices and try again.
2. Contacts are not tolerated: 📇 Make sure your contacts are saved in your Google account, not your phone’s memory. 📥 Export them to the file. VCF: Contacts → Settings → Imports/Exports.
3. Photos moved forward without dates: 📅 Google Photos – it saves metadata. 🖥️ When copying via PC, check the properties of the files (sometimes the dates are confused due to file system errors).
4. Applications not restored: 📦 Check if the “Restore Apps” option is enabled in the Google Account settings on Xiaomi. 🔓 Some applications (such as banking) require re-authorization.
5. There is not enough space for Xiaomi: 🗑️ Free up space by removing unnecessary files or apps. 📁 Move some of the data to a memory card (if supported).

⚠️ Note: If you migrate data from Huawei to Xiaomi with different versions of Android (for example, from Android 10 to Android 13), some applications may not work correctly.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions