The move to a new smartphone is always accompanied by a desire to preserve the accumulated digital assets of years, whether it is family photos, important work documents or customization of familiar applications. Changing the ecosystem, even within Android, often causes fears among users about the possible loss of information or difficulties in synchronization.
Fortunately, modern technologies allow you to migrate data as quickly and safely as possible without requiring a user to have a deep knowledge of IT. The transfer process takes from 15 minutes to an hour depending on the amount of information and the method chosen. In this article, we will discuss all the available methods in detail so that you can choose the most suitable for your situation.
There are several proven ways to do this, each with its own advantages depending on the speed of the Internet and the number of gigabytes that need to be moved. We will consider the use of a specialized tool Mi Mover, standard Google backup tools, as well as working with cloud storage.
Preparing devices for data migration
Before starting any transfer process, it is critical to make sure that both the old Honor and the new Xiaomi 10 have sufficient battery power.It is recommended to charge both devices to at least 60-70% so that a sudden power outage does not interrupt the transfer of files in the middle, which can damage the archives.It is also worth checking for free space on the receiving device, although Xiaomi usually suggests clearing the place or immediately indicates a shortage when initially configured.
Both phones need to be connected to a stable Wi-Fi network if you plan to use cloud methods or wireless transmission over a local area network.The direct Wi-Fi connection between devices that many transfer applications create is faster and more stable than transfer via a router.Make sure both smartphones have geolocation and Bluetooth enabled, as these modules are often used to detect partner devices.
⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to interrupt the data transfer process by opening other heavy apps or running games on smartphones during migration.This can lead to a freeze in the interface and the loss of some contacts or messages.
Remember to unlock the screens of both devices and keep them close to each other throughout the procedure. If the old phone has a power saving mode, it is better to temporarily turn it off so that the system does not “sleep” and break the connection at the most inopportune time. Also check that both devices have current versions of the operating system, which minimizes the risk of file format compatibility conflicts.
☑️ Checklist for transfer preparations
Using the Mi Mover app for fast transfer
The most effective and native way to transfer information to Xiaomi devices is to use the proprietary application Mi Mover. This tool is preinstalled on all Xiaomi 10 smartphones and is available for installation on Honor devices through the Google Play Store or the official website of the manufacturer. The main advantage of the method is the ability to transfer not only media, but also the structure of folders, system settings and even the location of icons on the desktop.
The process begins with launching an app on a new smartphone, where you select the role of “I am the recipient” (New Phone), the application will create a Wi-Fi hotspot, which you will need to connect to from the old device. On Honor, after installing and running Mi Mover, the role of “I am the sender” is selected, after which the role is scanned. QR-This is an action that automatically connects devices to a local network.
What to do if QR-code is not readable?
Once the connection is established, the system will suggest selecting data categories to copy. You can transfer contacts, messages, call log, photos, videos, music, documents, and even installed applications. Transfer speeds through Mi Mover can reach 20-40 MB/s, which is much faster than standard cloud synchronizations. It is important to note that applications will be copied, but some banking clients or secure programs may require re-authorization.
The Mi Mover feature is that it can continue to transmit in the background, but experts advise not to use phones actively at this point. If there is an error in the process, the application will suggest restarting the transmission from the break point, rather than starting over again, which is especially useful when transferring large volumes of video archives, which are estimated at tens of gigabytes.
- 📲 Install Mi Mover on Honor from Play Store if it is not available.
- 🔗 Connect devices through scanning QR-code to create a secure channel.
- 📂 Select all relevant data categories, including system settings.
- ⏳ Wait until the process is over and check the integrity of the files on the new device.
Synchronization through Google Account and Cloud Services
An alternative and often more versatile way is to use the Google ecosystem, which is deeply integrated into both smartphones. Since both Honor (the older Google models) and Xiaomi run on Android, syncing through Google Account allows you to instantly access contacts, calendar, notes and browser history immediately after you enter a password on a new device, a method ideal for those who appreciate automation and do not want to mess with cables or special applications.
To successfully implement this method, you need to go to the Google account settings on the old Honor and make sure that the sync switches are activated for all the necessary points. Usually these are contacts, Google calendar, Google Photos and Google Drive. After enabling sync, the data is sent to the cloud, from where it can be “pulled” to the Xiaomi 10 during the initial setup process or through the account settings menu.
💡
Use Google Photos in “Original Quality” (requires subscription) or “Saving Space” mode to avoid taking up a 15GB quota if you have a lot of heavy 4K videos.
The Google Photos app allows you to automatically upload media files to the cloud when you have Wi-Fi. On the new Xiaomi 10, you just need to install this application and log into the same account so that the entire gallery appears in a few minutes. However, it is worth considering that free space is limited to 15 GB, and large archives may require additional space or selective download.
For users who are actively using vendor cloud storage, such as Honor Cloud or Mi Cloud, there is also cross-platform portability. You can upload files from Honor to the cloud, and then install the corresponding app on Xiaomi or use the web version to download them back. This is good for backup, but can be slow in the absence of a fast Internet connection.
| Method | Speed. | Internet dependency | What's transferable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Mover | Tall. | No (locally) | All (including annexes) |
| Google Sync | Medium | Yes (Wi-Fi required) | Contacts, Calendar, Photos |
| USB Cable | Very high. | No. | Files and media |
| Bluetooth | Low. | No. | Only contacts and small files |
Manual file transfer via USB and PC
If wireless methods raise doubts about speed or stability, the classic method using a computer remains the most reliable for carrying heavy files. USB-cable for each phone (or one cable and adapter). Connect Honor to your PC, select file transfer mode (MTP) In notifications and copy folders DCIM, Pictures, Download and Music on your computer hard drive.
Once you've finished copying, turn off your old phone and plug in Xiaomi 10. Create a similar folder structure in the internal memory of your new smartphone and move the stored data there. This method ensures that the original quality of photos and videos is not compressed by the algorithms of messengers or cloud services, and you can transfer any files, even those that do not fall into standard categories, such as document archives or APK installation files.
For more advanced users, it is possible to use the MTP protocol directly between phones if the computer supports two devices at once, but this requires specific drivers. Most often, it is easier to use the computer as an intermediate storage. Remember that when you manually copy the system settings, Wi-Fi passwords and application layouts will not be transferred - they will have to be reconfigured manually.
⚠️ Note: When manually copying via PC, make sure you copy hidden folders (starting from a dot) if they store settings for some applications, such as messenger cache or game data.
Pay special attention to the WhatsApp folder if you use this messenger. Simply copying the folder through a PC may not restore the history of correspondence. For WhatsApp, it is better to use the built-in backup function in Google Drive inside the application itself on the old phone, and then restore it from it when you first launch the messenger on Xiaomi 10.
Transfer messages, contacts and application settings
Contacts and SMS/MMS messages are the most critical information loss. If you used Google sync, contacts will appear automatically. If not, Honor can export contacts to.vcf via Contacts -> Contact Management -> Import/Export. The resulting file is easily transferred via any messenger or Bluetooth and imported to Xiaomi similar menu.
Messages are more complicated. Android doesn't always make it easy to unload SMS in readable form without third-party software. Apps like SMS Backup & Restore let you create a full backup of correspondence, save it to the cloud or memory card, and then deploy it to a new device. It's the only reliable way to save SMS history when you change your phone brand.
App settings and Wi-Fi passwords are most conveniently transferred through Google One backup. When Xiaomi 10 is first activated, the system will offer to restore data from the last backup. This will return passwords from stored Wi-Fi networks, alarm settings, dictionaries and some system settings. However, it is worth remembering that not all applications support a full backup of data through the standard Android mechanism.
For banking applications and secure enterprise services, data portability is often impossible for security reasons, and you will have to re-enter logins, passwords, and pass identity verification procedures (SMS, biometrics), and it is recommended to remember passwords from important accounts in advance or make sure that you have access to a phone number for recovery.
Typical problems and ways to solve them
There are a number of technical difficulties in migrating, and one of the common problems is that you interrupt your Wi-Fi Direct connection when you use the Mi Mover, which often happens when you have an aggressive power saving mode on one of your devices or if you have a smart traffic saving mode, and the solution is simple: turn off those functions while you're transferring them and keep the screens on.
Another common problem is the incompatibility of Android versions. If Honor is running a very old version of Android (for example, 6.0 or 7.0), and Xiaomi 10 runs on a modern shell, some database formats may not be read correctly, in such cases, it is recommended to transfer only media files and contacts, and install the applications again from the store.
💡
If the transfer is suspended 99%, Don't panic. Often the process is actually complete, and the system just indexes the files for a long time. 10-15 minutes before the forced reboot.
Users also sometimes complain that notifications from some applications do not work after migrating to Xiaomi, due to aggressive battery optimization in the MIUI shell. After migrating, go to the battery settings, find the problem application and select the “No Limits” mode, and allow auto-run, which will ensure stable operation of messengers and mail.
If you find photos migrated but not displayed in the gallery, try clearing the Gallery app cache or running a media scan through the file manager. Sometimes the system takes time to rebuild thumbnails, especially if several thousand images have been moved.