How to Safely Copy Data from Huawei to Xiaomi: From Contacts to Apps

Moving from Huawei to Xiaomi is not just about changing your brand, but also the need to transfer all the important data: photos, contacts, messages, and even installed applications. Many users face problems when trying to copy files due to firmware differences (EMUI vs MIUI), manufacturers limitations, or simply not knowing the best methods. In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to transfer data, including official tools and workarounds for complex cases.

The peculiarity of the process is that Huawei actively blocks some standard transmission protocols (for example, MTP via USB can work unstable), and Xiaomi sometimes restricts access to system folders. We tested all methods on Huawei P40 Pro, Mate 50 and Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi Note 12 models - instructions are relevant for devices released after 2018. If you have an older model, check compatibility in the table below.

1.Official way: Xiaomi’s “Phone Clone” app

The most reliable method is to use Xiaomi’s proprietary solution, the Phone Clone app (formerly Mi Mover) specifically designed to migrate data between devices from different brands, including Huawei, and supports porting:

• 📞 Contacts (including call history)
• 📸 Photos and videos (without loss of quality)
• 💬 Communications (SMS and chat rooms of some messengers)
• 📁 Documents and notes
• 🎵 Music and ringtones

The app bypasses EMUI's USB data restrictions by using a direct Wi-Fi channel between phones, and it's important that Huawei temporarily shuts down the power saving for the Phone Clone, otherwise the connection may be interrupted.

Instructions:

1. Download Phone Clone to both phones: Huawei: from AppGallery (search by name) Xiaomi: from Google Play or Mi App Store

Xiaomi

Huawei

Xiaomi

Select data types for transfer (we recommend leaving all ticks).

Confirm the transfer on both devices and wait until it is completed (can take up to 30 minutes with a large volume).

Turn off power saving for Phone Clone on Huawei|Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network|Charge the devices to a minimum 50%|Release me. 10-15% Xiaomi memory for temporary files-->

⚠️ Note: If Huawei has a firmware installed EMUI 12+, The application can request permission to access the "Special Permits" in the settings, without which the transfer of messages and contacts will not be possible.

2. Transfer via USB cable (MTP/OTG)

The classic method using a USB-C → USB-C cable or an OTG adapter is unstable due to the EMUI features. However, if set up correctly, you can copy files manually. The main obstacle is that Huawei defaults to hiding system folders (such as DCIM or Downloads) when connecting to another device.

To get around this:

1. Connect Huawei to Xiaomi via cable (Xiaomi may need to enable File Transfer in the Notification Curtain).
2. On Huawei, go to Settings → System → For developers and enable USB Debugging (if there is no item, tap 7 times on the build number in About Phone).
3. Return to Settings → Memory → Additional → Access to USB and select File Transfer (MTP).
4. On Xiaomi, open the file manager (Mi File Manager) and copy the folders you need (DCIM, Pictures, Music, etc.).

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If Xiaomi stubbornly doesn’t see Huawei through the cable, try connecting both phones to your computer, copying files to your PC, and then to Xiaomi. This will take longer, but guarantee 100% success.

3. Wireless transmission via Huawei Share or Nearby Share

If you don't have the cable, you can use wireless protocols, and Huawei has Huawei Share technology (formerly Huawei Beam), and Xiaomi has Nearby Share (similar to AirDrop), which unfortunately are not directly compatible, but there is a workaround:

Method 1: Huawei Share + Google Files

1. On Huawei, open Huawei Share (in the notification curtain or Settings → Connections → Huawei Share).
2. Select files to transfer and click "Send".
3. On Xiaomi, install Google Files and enable Nearby Share in the settings.
4. Accept the file on Xiaomi via notification.

Method 2: Local area network (FTP-server)

A more universal method is to create FTP-server on Huawei and connect to it with Xiaomi:

1. On Huawei, install FX File Explorer or MiXplorer.
2. Turn it on. FTP-server in application settings (usually in the "Network" or "Connections" section»).
3. Write it down. IP-address and port (e.g, ftp://192.168.1.100:2221).
4. On Xiaomi, open a file manager, select “FTP Connection” and enter data.

Through cable. USB|Wi-Fi (Phone Clone, Nearby Share)|Google Drive (Huawei Cloud)|Through the computer|Another option-->

4. Transfer of contacts and calendar through accounts

Calendar contacts and events are the easiest to sync through cloud accounts, and there are two options:

Option 1: Through Google Account

1. On Huawei, go to Contacts → Settings → Import/Export → Export to file (save as.vcf).
2. Send the file to Xiaomi in any convenient way (for example, via Telegram or email).
3. On Xiaomi, open the.vcf file and import contacts to Google Contacts.
4. Enable sync in Settings → Accounts → Google → Contact Sync.

Option 2: Through Huawei Cloud → Google Account

If your contacts are already saved in Huawei Cloud:

1. Export your contacts from Huawei Cloud to.vcf.
2. Import them to Google Contacts via the web interface.
3. On Xiaomi, add the same Google Account and enable sync.

⚠️ Note: When you move contacts over.vcf, you may lose profile photos and some additional fields (e.g., “Birthday”). Use Phone Clone (Section 1) to save them).

5. Transfer of applications and their data

Unfortunately, you can’t directly copy installed apps from Huawei to Xiaomi due to differences in firmware architecture and system limitations.

• 📥 Save a list of applications for quick installation on a new device.
• 🔄 Transfer data from certain applications (for example, games through Google Play Games or instant messengers through backup).
• 📂 Copy APK-Application files (if not available on Google Play).

How to save the list of applications:

1. On Huawei, install the App List Backup.
2. Export the list to a.txt or.csv file.
3. On Xiaomi, import the list to the same App List Backup and install apps through Google Play.

How to transfer the data of games and applications:

• For games: Use Google Play Games (enable sync in game settings).
• For WhatsApp: back up to Settings → Chat → Backup and restore to Xiaomi.
• For Telegram: Data is synchronized automatically when you log in to your account.

6. Alternative methods: cloud storage and PC

If none of the above methods work, there are universal solutions:

Through cloud storage

• 🌥️ Google Drive: Download files from Huawei, download to Xiaomi.
• ☁️ Huawei Cloud: Export data to the cloud, then download it to Xiaomi.
• 📦 Yandex Disc./Mail.ru Cloud: Suitable for large files (up to the top) 50 GB free).

Through the computer

1. Connect Huawei to your PC via USB and copy the files to your hard drive.
2. Connect Xiaomi and transfer the data back.
3. Use USB 3.0 ports and original cables to speed up.

The advantage of cloud-based methods is that there is no firmware dependency, but the speed is limited by the Internet connection. For example, transferring 30 GB of photos via Google Drive can take several hours at an average download speed.

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Cloud storage is the most reliable way to transfer large amounts of data (video, backups), but requires a stable Internet connection. For small files (contacts, documents), it is better to use Phone Clone or cable.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data transfer from Huawei to Xiaomi