How to quickly and safely transfer data from Honor to Xiaomi: from contacts to apps

Moving from Honor to Xiaomi is not only a brand change, but also the need to transfer all the important data: contacts, photos, messages and even installed applications. Many users face the problem: how to do it quickly, without loss and without using a computer? In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to migrate data, including official tools from Xiaomi and universal solutions, and also tell you what types of files are better to transfer each method to avoid errors.

The difference between Honor (based on EMUI/Magic UI) and Xiaomi (based on MIUI) is the difference in the architecture of the system folders and the limitations of manufacturers. For example, standard Bluetooth porting here will not work because of incompatibility of protocols, and some cloud services (like Huawei Cloud) can block access to data when trying to download it to a device of another brand. We tested all methods on current models (including Honor 90 and Xiaomi 14) and highlighted key nuances.

1.The official way: Mi Mover by Xiaomi

Mi Mover is a Xiaomi-branded app designed to wirelessly transfer data from Android devices, which supports contact, message (including SMS/MMS), photos, videos, audio files, and even some system settings, with the main advantage of not requiring a computer or cables, just a Wi-Fi connection.

However, there are limitations:

• 📱 It only works on Xiaomi with the version. MIUI 9+ (The old silk may not be present).
• 🔄 Not all Honor models are compatible, such as Magic devices. UI 7.0+ You may require additional permits.
• 📁 Does not carry installed applications (.apk), only their data (for example, save in games).

Step-by-step:

1. Download Mi Mover on both phones from Google Play (on Honor) or AppGallery (if available).
2. On Xiaomi, open the app and select “I’m a new user.”
3. On Honor, select "I'm an old user" and scan. QR-Xiaomi screen code.
4. Select data types to transfer (we recommend disabling Applications, as they may not install correctly).
5. Confirm the transfer on both devices and wait until the transfer is completed (time depends on the amount of data).

Charging both phones > 50%|Shut down. VPN firewalls|Connect to a single Wi-Fi network|Release. 1-2 GB of memory on Xiaomi|Check the compatibility of versions MIUI and EMUI-->

⚠️ Note: If you have Chinese firmware installed on Honor (EMUI CN), Mi Mover may not see the device. In this case, use the method with Google Account or cable. OTG.

2. Move through Google Account (for contacts, calendar and notes)

The most versatile way to sync contacts, calendar events and notes is to use Google Account, which works on any Android device and doesn't require any additional apps, and the main advantage is that the data is automatically updated when you change on one of the devices.

How to move:

• 🔄 On Honor go to Settings → Accounts. → Google and enable sync for Contacts, Calendar and Notes (if you use Google Keep).
• 📱 On Xiaomi, add the same Google Account to Settings → Accounts and synchronization.
• 🔄 Wait for automatic synchronization (can take up to 10 minutes).

Limitations of the method:

• 🚫 I can't stand it. SMS/MMS, photo-appendage.
• 📁 If your contacts are saved to Local Memory or Huawei Cloud on Honor, they must first be exported to a.vcf file.

💡

Before syncing, check if contacts are duplicated. Open the Contacts app on Honor, click on it. ⋮ → Contact management → Combine duplicates

3.Use of OTG cable for direct copying of files

If you don’t have access to Wi-Fi or data is too large (such as 4K video or app backups), the best option is to connect directly via an OTG cable.

• 📸 Photos and videos (folders) DCIM, Pictures).
• 🎵 Music and audio recordings (Music, Recordings).
• 📄 Documents (Downloads, Documents).
• 📦 Backups of applications (.apk,.obb).

What you need:

• 🔌 Cable OTG (Type-C → Type-C or Micro-USB → Type-C, depending on the device connectors).
• 📱 File Manager (e.g. Mi File Manager on Xiaomi or Files by Google).

Instructions:

1. Connect Honor to Xiaomi via cable OTG. Xiaomi will receive a notification "USB-plug-in".
2. Open the file manager on Xiaomi and select "USB-"Reserve" (this is the memory of Honor).
3. Copy the right folders (DCIM, Downloads, etc.) to internal memory or SD-Xiaomi.
4. To transfer SMS, pre-create a backup via the SMS Backup & Restore app (save the.xml file to Honor, then copy it to Xiaomi and restore it).

⚠️ Note: When you copy your Android folder (where app data is stored), you may experience access errors. To avoid them, on Honor, turn on File Transfer Mode in your settings. USB-connection.

Mi Mover|Google Account|Cable OTG|Cloud services (Google Drive, Huawei Cloud)|Other-->

4.Cloud Services: Google Drive, Huawei Cloud and Alternatives

If you need to migrate data without cables or extra applications, cloud services are a good solution, but there are nuances to each of them:

Google Drive:

• ✅ Suitable for photos, videos, documents and contacts (via export.vcf).
• ❌ Restriction of free storage – 15 GB.
• 🔄 Download speed depends on the Internet connection.

Huawei Cloud:

• ✅ Optimized for Honor/Huawei — reserve SMS, contact and photos.
• ❌ Xiaomi may not open through the browser (required) VPN for certain regions).

Yandex.Disk / Mail.ru Cloud:

• ✅ Unlimited storage for photos (in Yandex).
• ❌ Slow loading of large files (>1GB).

How to transfer data via Google Drive:

1. On Honor, open Google Drive, click + → Download and select files.
2. On Xiaomi, log in to the same Google account and download files through the Drive app.
3. For contacts: On Honor, export them to the.vcf file (to Settings → Contacts → Import / Export), upload them to Drive, then import them to Xiaomi.

💡

To move SMS over the cloud, use the SMS Backup & Restore app, which creates a backup in.xml that can be downloaded to any cloud and restored to a new device.

5. Computer transfer (for full backup)

If you need to copy all the data without exception (including system settings, calls and application data), the most reliable way is to back up via a PC.

• 🖥️ HiSuite (official software from the Huawei/Honor) — Creates a full backup, but restore it to Xiaomi will not work (different formats).
• 🖥️ Mi PC Suite – only works with Xiaomi, but can accept files from other devices.
• 🖥️ ADB-commands for experienced users (allows you to pull even hidden data).

Step-by-step instructions via HiSuite + manual copying:

1. Connect Honor to your PC via USB, install HiSuite, and back up (select "User Data").
2. The backup file will be in.hbk format – extract it through an archiver (e.g. 7-Zip).
3. Copy the folders you want (DCIM, Downloads, etc.) to Xiaomi via Mi PC Suite or manually.
4. Use separate apps to transfer SMS and calls (e.g. Super Backup & Restore).

For power users: port over ADB (requires Developer Mode enabled):

adb pull /sdcard/path to PC

This command will copy all the files from Honor’s internal memory to your computer, and then you can transfer them to Xiaomi via adb push.

6. Transfer of applications and their data

The hardest thing to do is migrate installed applications -- standard methods like Mi Mover only copy their data, not the.apk files themselves.

Method 1: Manual transfer via APK

• 📱 On Honor, install it. APK Extractor and extract.apk of the desired applications.
• 📁 Transfer files to Xiaomi (via the OTG, cloud).
• 🔧 Install.apk on Xiaomi by allowing installation from unknown sources (Settings) → Special facilities → Installation of unknown applications).

Method 2: Titanum Backup (Root only)

• 🛠️ Requires root rights on both devices.
• 📦 Creates backups of applications along with their data (for example, saves in games).
• ⚠️ Risk of data loss in case of incorrect recovery.

Method 3: Synchronize through accounts

• 🔄 Many apps (e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram, Google Photos) are synced through the cloud.
• 🎮 For games, use the link to Google Play Games or Social Club.

💡

Not all applications can be transferred simply by copying.apk. Banking applications (SberBank, Tinkoff), instant messengers with a connection to the device (Viber, WhatsApp) and some games require re-authorization.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When you migrate data from Honor to Xiaomi, users face typical problems. Here's how to solve them:

Problem 1: Mi Mover doesn’t see the Honor device

Problem 2: Photos are not copied through OTG

• 📁 Check if the folders are hidden (e.g.,.thumbnails).
• 🔧 On Honor in the settings USB Select "File Transfer" (not "Charging").
• 🛠️ If files are not displayed, use another file manager (e.g. Solid Explorer).

Problem 3: Apps are not installed on Xiaomi

8. How to transfer specific data (calls, passwords, settings)

Some types of data require a special approach:

Calls (history and records):

• 📞 Use Call Logs Backup & Restore (saves history in.xml).
• 🎤 For call records, copy the CallRecordings folder through OTG.

Passwords and bookmarks:

• 🔐 If you use Google Smart Lock, it will automatically sync.
• 🌐 For browser bookmarks, export them to HTML (Chrome: ⋮ → Bookmarks → Bookmarking exports).

System settings:

• ⚙️ You can transfer wallpaper, notification sounds and some parameters via Mi Mover.
• 📱 Always On Display, Gestures, or Dual Apps will have to be manually configured.

Fitness tracker data:

• 🏃 If you used Huawei Health, export your data to Google Fit via Settings → Export of data.
• ⌚ Install Mi Fitness on Xiaomi and sign in to the same account.

⚠️ Note: If the Honor feature is enabled with "PrivateSpace" or "App Lock", the data from the protected folders will not be transferred by standard methods.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions