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

The transition from Xiaomi to Honor is always exciting: new features, a different interface, but also the inevitable question: how do you save all the important data? Contacts, photos, messages, apps, even settings — all of these can be transferred without loss, if you know the right tools. In 2026, manufacturers have made it easier to migrate, but there are nuances that you should know about in advance.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to transfer data between devices from different brands, from official utilities (Mi Mover and HiSuite) to universal solutions such as cloud services and direct cable connection. Particular attention will be paid to the compatibility of MIUI firmware and Magic UI, which often causes file transfer failures, and you will learn how to avoid typical errors - for example, why some applications are not portable or why photos lose quality when copying.

Whether you’re changing the Redmi Note 12 to Honor 90 or the POCO X5 to Honor Magic V2, the instructions below are for any model, and the key is to prepare both devices correctly and choose the best method depending on the amount of data and Internet speed.

1. Preparation of telephones before data perenos

Before you start migrating, you need to follow a few critical steps, and if you skip them, you risk losing some data or encountering compatibility errors.

First, update the firmware on both devices. Outdated versions of MIUI or Magic UI may not support modern data protocols. For example, in MIUI 13 and below, Mi Mover is unstable with Honor devices on Magic UI 7+. You can check the relevance of the software in the Settings menu → About Phone → System Update.

Second, make room for both smartphones. To successfully transfer to the target device (Honor) must be at least 20-30% of the free space from the amount of data transferred. If you transfer 64 GB of files, Honor must be free at least 16-20 GB. Otherwise, the process will be interrupted at the copying stage.

• 📱 On Xiaomi: delete the app cache in Settings → Apps → App management → Clear the cache.
• 🧹 On Honor: Use the built-in Optimization → Memory Cleanup.
• 🔋 Charging: Both phones must be at least 50 percent charged. Data transfer consumes a lot of power.
• 🌐 Internet: If you plan to use the cloud, connect to Wi-Fi — mobile traffic may not be able to withstand the volume.

⚠️ Warning: If you have Application Protection enabled on Xiaomi (in Settings → Privacy), turn it off before the penos. It blocks access to some programs' data, so that it won't be copied.

Charging both phones >50%|Updated firmware MIUI/Magic UI|Cleared cache on both devices|Free space on Honor ≥20% data-driven|Application protection on Xiaomi is disabled-->

2. Method 1: Mi Mover is the official tool of Xiaomi

Mi Mover is an integrated application on all Xiaomi smartphones designed to migrate data. It supports porting to devices of other brands, including Honor, but with restrictions. The main advantage is that it does not require a computer and works on a direct Wi-Fi connection between phones.

To take advantage of the Mi Mover:

1. On Xiaomi, open the Mi Mover app (if not, download from Google Play).
2. Choose I'm the sender.
3. On Honor, install Mi Mover from AppGallery or APKMirror (officially the app is not available for Huawei/Honor, but it works).
4. On Honor, select I am the recipient.
5. Scan it. QR-code from the Xiaomi screen on Honor.
6. Select data for transfer (contacts, messages, photos, videos, applications) and confirm.

The speed of transmission depends on the amount of data and the stability of the connection, an average of 10 GB is carried in 20-40 minutes.

• 🚫 Not portable: some system settings (MIUI-specific), game data (save), Wi-Fi passwords.
• ⚠️ Limitation: If the Honor is Magic UI 7.0+, there may be portability errors due to differences in the architecture of APK.
• 📁 Photos/video: Portable in original quality, but DCIM/Camera folders may be duplicated.

⚠️ Warning: If the process is stuck in the Preparation phase, restart both phones and try again, most often due to conflicting versions of the Mi Mover.

💡

Before using Mi Mover, disable VPNs and firewalls on both devices – they can block the connection between phones.

3. Method 2: HiSuite – Official Software from Honor/Huawei

HiSuite is a desktop utility from Huawei that works with Honor devices, which allows you to transfer data not only from Xiaomi, but also from other Android smartphones, as well as from the iPhone, the main advantage is support for backup and recovery, which minimizes the risk of data loss.

Instructions for using HiSuite:

1. Download and install HiSuite on your computer from the official Huawei website.
2. Connect Xiaomi to your PC via USB, enable Debugging via USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – press 7 times, then Additional → For Developers → Debugging by USB).
3. In HiSuite, choose Backup and create a data backup with Xiaomi.
4. Disable Xiaomi, plug in Honor and select Recovery.
5. Specify the backup file and confirm the recovery.

Advantages of HiSuite:

• 🔄 Transfers all types of data, including notes, calendars, and even some system settings.
• 🖥️ Works through a computer, which eliminates problems with direct connection between phones.
• 📂 Only the data you need can be selectively restored (e.g., only contacts or photos).

Disadvantages:

• ⏳ The process takes longer than Mi Mover (due to intermediate PC save).
• 🔌 A USB- cable and computer are required.

Mi Mover (direct connection)|HiSuite (via computer)|Google Drive, Mi Cloud)|Manual transfer (OTG cable)|Another option-->

4. Method 3: Cloud Services – Google Drive, Mi Cloud, Huawei Cloud

If you don't want to mess with cables or utilities, cloud services will be the easy solution, and the key is a stable Internet and enough space in the cloud. Let's look at three of the most reliable options.

Option 1: Google Drive (Universal)

• 📱 On Xiaomi: Settings → Google → Backup → Enable data backup.
• ☁️ Wait until synchronization is complete (may take hours at high volume).
• 📲 On Honor: Log in to the same Google account and restore data to Settings → System → Backup.

Option 2: Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Data Only)

• 📱 On Xiaomi: Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Select data to sync.
• 🔗 Download files to your computer via the web version of Mi Cloud.
• 📲 Transfer downloaded files to Honor via HiSuite or cable OTG.

Option 3: Huawei Cloud (for Honor)

• 📱 On Xiaomi, upload data to Google Drive or another cloud service.
• 📲 On Honor: Settings → Huawei ID → Cloud → upload files from Google Drive to Huawei Cloud.

⚠️ Warning: When using Mi Cloud, note that photos and videos are stored in a compressed format (even if the settings indicate "original quality"). For lossless transfer, use Google Photos in "Original Quality" mode (requires a paid subscription).

5. Method 4: Direct transfer over OTG cable or adapter

If you don't have a computer or don't trust cloud services, you can use an OTG cable or a special adapter to connect your phones directly, which is suitable for transferring photos, videos, music and documents, but not system data (contacts, messages, applications).

What you need:

• 🔌 Cable OTG (with a USB-C connector or Micro-USB, depending on the Xiaomi model).
• 📱 File Manager (e.g., Mi File Manager or Files by Google).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Xiaomi to Honor via OTG cable.
2. On Xiaomi, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
3. On Honor, open the file manager and find the connected device (Xiaomi will appear as a removable drive).
4. Copy the folders you need (DCIM, Downloads, Pictures, etc.) to Honor’s internal memory.

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Instantaneous speed (limited only by the read/write speed of flash memory).
• 🔒 Security – data is not transmitted via the Internet.
• 📂 The folder structure is saved (unlike some cloud services).

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Contacts, messages, applications are not transferred.
• 🔌 Requires a OTG cable (not all Xiaomi models support host mode).

💡

If the OTG cable is not recognized, try rebooting both phones or using a USB-C to USB-C adapter (for the new Honor/Xiaomi models).

Method 5: Manual transfer via computer (for advanced users)

This method is suitable for those who want full control over the data being transferred, it takes longer, but allows selectively copying files, including hidden system folders (for example, with application settings).

What needs to be done:

1. Connect Xiaomi to your computer and enable File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the following folders on your PC (located at the root of internal memory): /DCIM/ # Photos and Video /Downloads/ # Downloads /Pictures/ # Images from instant messengers /Music/ # Music /Movies/ # Video /Android/data/ # Application data (root rights required)
3. Connect Honor and transfer the copied folders to the appropriate directories.
4. To transfer contacts, export them to.vcf: To Xiaomi: Contacts → ⋮ → Contact Management → Export/Import → Export to.vcf On Honor: Contacts → ⋮ → Management → Import from.vcf file

Use applications such as SMS Backup & Restore:

• 📱 Install the app on Xiaomi and create a backup.
• 📲 Move the backup file to Honor and restore the messages.

⚠️ Warning: The /Android/data/ folder contains application data (e.g., game saves or messenger cache) that cannot be copied without root permissions. Also note that some apps (e.g. WhatsApp) link data to the device — porting the /Android/media/com.whatsapp/ folder does not guarantee chat recovery.

💡

Manual transfer via computer is the only way to save application data without root rights, but requires accurate copying of folder structure.

7.Typical mistakes and how to avoid them

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

Another common problem is data loss when resetting. Many users reset (Settings → Reset) before selling Xiaomi before they wait for the transfer to complete. Always check that all files are copied before you clean the device!

If you are migrating data to Honor with outdated firmware (such as Magic UI 4.x), some features (such as recovering from HiSuite backup) may not work.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data transfer