How to transfer all data from Honor to Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Moving from Honor to Xiaomi is not just a brand change, but also a migration of all digital life: contacts, photos, messages, even app settings. Many users fear losing important data or spending hours manually transferring files. In fact, the process can be automated by 90% - if you know the right tools and sequences.

In this article, we will analyze all current methods of data transfer, taking into account the features of Magic firmware. UI (Honor and MIUI/HyperOS (From standard Google features to customized utilities from manufacturers, you'll pick the method that suits you. And if something goes wrong, there's a section at the end of the article that addresses typical problems.

Important: Before you start transferring, check the space on Xiaomi, which should be at least 20% more than the data you’re carrying, and remember to charge both phones up to 50% or more, as some methods require long synchronization.

Preparation for transfer: what to do before the start

Data portability is like moving: if you don't prepare in advance, you'll get some nasty surprises in the process. Start by taking an inventory of what you need to move. Make a list:

• 📱 Contacts (including groups and notes)
• 📷 Photos and videos (including hidden folders and albums)
• 💬 Communications (SMS, MMS, chat-room)
• 🎵 Music and podcasts (local files, not streaming)
• 📁 Documents (PDF, Excel, Word, etc.)
• 🎮 Application data (save games, settings)
• 🔔 System settings (wallpaper, alarm clocks, Wi-Fi networks)

Now check the compatibility of Android versions on both devices. If the Honor is Android 10 and below, and Xiaomi is Android 13+, You may have problems syncing through some services, in which case you should use direct cable transfer (method). №3 in this article).

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If you have Magic Firmware installed on Honor UI 7.0 and later, use the built-in Phone Clone feature – it is optimized to work with Xiaomi and supports transferring even data from Huawei AppGallery.

Remember to disable battery optimization for applications that will participate in the port.On Honor, this is done in Settings → Annexes → Special access → Battery optimization. Xiaomi takes a slightly different path: Settings → Battery and productivity → Battery consumption management.

2. Method 1: Transfer through Google Account (most universal)

If you've used Google's Honor service, this will allow you to transfer up to 80 percent of your data automatically, and the main advantage is that you don't have to connect your phones to each other or use additional software, and the disadvantage is that not all apps support backup through Google.

Step-by-step:

1. On Honor, open Settings. → Google → Backup.
2. Enable Backup in Google Drive and click Create Backup Now.
3. Wait for the process to be completed (it can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours depending on the amount of data).
4. On Xiaomi, when you first turn on, select Restore Data from a backup and log in to the same Google account.
5. Select the most recent backup and confirm the recovery.

What exactly will go through Google:

Important: If the Honor was power-saving, the backup may not have ended. → Google → Backup → History of copies.

Method 2: Direct Wi-Fi Transfer with Mi Mover

Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s proprietary solution for migrating data from other Android devices, which works even without the internet, creating a local Wi-Fi network between phones, the main advantage of which is that application data (such as saving games or settings for instant messengers) are transferred that are not synchronized through Google.

How to use Mi Mover:

• 📱 Install the Mi Mover app on both phones (available on Google Play for Honor and preinstalled on Xiaomi).
• 🔄 On Xiaomi, choose Me New User, on Honor I'm Old User.
• 📶 Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network or create an access point on Xiaomi.
• 🔍 On Honor, scan. QR-code that will appear on the screen of Xiaomi.
• ✅ Select data for transfer and confirm the beginning of the process.

The speed of the transfer depends on the volume of data and the stability of the connection. 10 GB data is transmitted for 20-30 If the process is interrupted, try it:

• 🔌 Connect phones to charging.
• 📶 Switch to 5 GHz Wi-Fi (if the router supports).
• 🚫 Shut down. VPN Firewalls on both devices.

Download Mi Mover on Honor|Charge both phones >50%|Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network|Free up space on Xiaomi (minimum) +20%)|Disconnect power saving for Mi Mover-->

Limitations of Mi Mover:

• Data from some Chinese applications (e.g. WeChat or WeChat) is not transferred. QQ).
• The maximum volume of one file is 4 GB.
• On some models, Honor may need to enable debugging USB (Settings → The phone. → Assembly number (7 taps) → For developers → Debugging by USB).

Method 3: Transfer over cable OTG adapter

This is the fastest and most reliable way, if you have the right cable.

• 🔌 Cable USB-C — USB-C (If both phones have type C).
• 🔌 adapter USB-C — MicroUSB (if the Honor connector is MicroUSB).
• 🔌 USB-hub OTG (connect via computer).

Instructions for direct connection:

1. Connect your phones with a cable. On Honor, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. On Xiaomi, open Explorer (or Files) and select USB-device.
3. Copy the right folders (DCIM for photos, downloads, etc.) for internal memory or SD-Xiaomi.
4. For the transfer of contacts and SMS Use Contacts or Messages Backup & Restore (available on Google Play).

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Transfer speed up to 480 Mbps (USB 3.0).
• 🔒 No dependence on the Internet or cloud services.
• 📁 Only the necessary files can be selectively transferred.

An important nuance: when you copy photos and videos, your original folder structure is saved. DCIM → Camera, Xiaomi will be there, and this will help avoid duplicates with further synchronization with the cloud.

Method 4: Transfer over a computer (for large amounts of data)

If you have more than 50GB of data, or want to make a full backup before selling Honor, you better use a computer, which is also suitable if the phones have different connectors (for example, for example, the phone has different connections, USB-C Xiaomi and MicroUSB on the old Honor).

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux.
• 🔌 Two. USB-cable (or single cable) + hub).
• 📁 Enough free space on the hard disk.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Honor to your computer and select File Transfer mode.
2. Copy all the necessary folders (DCIM, Pictures, Music, etc.) to your computer.
3. Disable Honor, connect Xiaomi and transfer files back.
4. For the transfer of contacts and SMS use the programs: 📱 My Phone Explorer for Contacts and Messages). 📱 SMS Backup & Restore (only for the SMS/MMS).

If you use macOS, you'll need to install Android File Transfer to access your Android files. 10/11 Drivers are installed automatically.

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When transferring via computer, archiving can be used (ZIP/RAR), It's especially important for large video files or music collections.

To transfer application data (e.g. game saves) use:

• 🎮 Helium (requires root rights to Honor).
• 🎮 Titanium Backup (Routed Devices Only).
• 🎮 Built-in cloud-based game save features (like Google Play Games or Mi Account for Xiaomi games).

Method 5: Cloud-based Transfer (for specific data types)

If you only need to transfer certain types of files (like photos or music), it’s easier to use specialized cloud services, which is also convenient if the phones are in different places (for example, Honor has already been given to a relative, and the data needs to be transferred to your new Xiaomi).

The best services for different types of data:

To transfer messages from messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) use the built-in export functions:

• 💬 WhatsApp: Settings → chat → Backup copy (save in Google Drive).
• 💬 Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Export of history (preserved in the JSON).
• 💬 Viber: Settings → Account. → Backup copy (retained on SD-map).

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If you transfer data from Huawei Mobile Services (HMS), Install the Huawei Mobile Cloud app on Xiaomi and log in to the same account. This will allow you to download backups made on Honor.

7. Transfer of specific data: what to do with the rest?

Not all data is carried by standard methods. Here's how to deal with atypical cases:

• 🎵 Music Playlists: Export from Honor Music to File.m3u Or use Poweramp (supports synchronization of playlists through the cloud).
• 📅 Calendars and Reminders: Sync through Google Calendar or export to.ics file.
• 🏠 Smart Home Settings: Link devices to a new phone via Mi Home or Google Home.Some devices (like Huawei Smart Home) will require resetting before re-binding.
• 🎮 For games with Google Play Games support: log in to the same account. For games from Xiaomi: use Mi Account. For others: check whether the game supports cloud saves (for example, Genshin Impact or not). PUBG Mobile).

If Huawei’s branded apps (e.g. Huawei Health, Huawei Wallet) have been installed on Honor, their data can be transferred as follows:

1. Export data in these applications (usually in Settings) → Export of data).
2. Copy the files you receive on Xiaomi.
3. Install similar apps from Xiaomi (e.g. Mi Fitness instead of Huawei Health) and import data.

Note: Some applications (such as banking or two-factor authentication) cannot be ported, but must be reinstalled and reconfigured for security reasons.

8. Typical problems and their solutions

Even with the right instructions, you can have difficulties, and here are the most common ways to do this.

• ❌ Mi Mover doesn't see Honor: Check that the power saving mode for the Mi Mover is turned off on Honor. Restart the app on both phones. Try connecting via the hotspot instead of your home Wi-Fi.
• ❌ Contacts not portable: Make sure contacts are saved in a Google account, not in your phone's memory.Export contacts to a.vcf file via Contacts → Settings → Exports.
• ❌ Photos moved but not displayed in Xiaomi Gallery: Open Explorer and check that files are in the folder DCIM/Camera. Restart the Gallery app or clear its cache in Settings → Annexes.
• ❌ Apps are not restored from Google backup: Check that Xiaomi has installed from unknown sources (Settings) → Some apps may not be compatible with the new version of Android and will have to be updated manually.

Note: if after transferring to Xiaomi there are duplicate contacts, use the built-in function of the merger: open Contacts, click on three points → Contact management → Combine duplicates.

If none of these methods worked, try a combination approach:

1. Move your contacts and calendars through Google.
2. Transfer the photo and video through the cable.
3. Move the messages through SMS Backup & Restore.
4. Install apps manually from Google Play.

In extreme cases, you can use the services of service centers - many of them offer data transfer for a nominal fee (usually a fee). 300-500 ruble).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions