How to migrate apps from Huawei to Xiaomi: a complete guide with solutions to common bugs

The transition from Huawei to Xiaomi is not just a brand change, but also a migration of all digital life: apps, contacts, photos and settings, and the main problem users face when this transition is data loss or the inoperability of migrated programs due to ecosystem differences. EMUI (Huawei and MIUI (In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods of portability, including cloud services, local copying and specialized utilities, and also tell you how to avoid typical errors, such as failures in the recovery of backups or problems with application licenses.

The peculiarity of the transfer between these brands is that Huawei uses its own services Huawei Mobile Services (HMS), Xiaomi is integrated into the Google Mobile Services ecosystem (GMS). This means that some apps (such as Huawei AppGallery or Petal Maps) may not work on Xiaomi without additional manipulation. We will discuss in detail which data can be transferred directly and which will require a workaround, such as exporting through third-party services or manually configuring the data.

This article is relevant for all Xiaomi models (including Redmi, POCO) Huawei (P, Mate, Nova series) released after 2018.If you use a device older, check for current versions support EMUI (12+) and MIUI (13+), As outdated firmware may limit backup functions.

1.Preparation for the transfer: what to do on Huawei before the migration

Before you start the transfer, optimize the data on the original Huawei device.This will reduce copy time and minimize the risk of errors. Start by cleaning the cache and removing unnecessary files:

• 🧹 Remove unused applications through Settings → Annexes → App management. Note programs that haven’t been updated for more than a year that may not be compatible with the application. MIUI.
• 📁 Move photos and videos from internal memory to a microSD card or cloud, which will make room for backup.
• 🔄 Update all critical apps (messaging, banking) to the latest versions. Older versions may not support recovery on Xiaomi.
• 🔒 Check if important accounts (such as WhatsApp or Telegram) are linked to a phone number rather than a device, making it easier to log in on a new smartphone.

Pay particular attention to applications with local data that are out of sync with the cloud: progress games, notes, calendars. These may require manual export. For example, in Huawei Notes, click Three Dots. → Export and save the file in.zip or.hwnote format.

⚠️ Note: If your Huawei has enabled Application Protection (Settings) → Security, disable it before backing up, otherwise some data (such as passwords from Huawei Password Vault) may not be portable.

We also recommend taking pictures or recording:

• 📋 List of installed apps (can be exported via Google Play or AppGallery).
• 🔐 Logins and passwords from rarely used services (such as corporate emails or subscriptions).
• 🎵 Equalizer settings in music apps (if you use Huawei Music or Spotify).

2. Method 1: Transfer over Huawei Backup (built-in utility)

Huawei Backup is a standard backup solution that supports most data transfer, including apps (without data), contacts, messages, and system settings.

• ❌ Data from certain apps (such as game progress or WhatsApp history) is not transferred).
• ❌ Backup is created in the proprietary.hbk format, which is not read directly on Xiaomi.
• ✅ All Huawei models are supported with EMUI 9.0+.

Instructions for creating a backup copy:

1. Open Settings → System → Backup.
2. Select Backup to your device and connect your microSD card or USB-accumulator.
3. Check the categories of data for copying (applications, contacts, messages, etc.).
4. Click Backup and wait until it is completed (may take 10–30 minutes).

To restore to Xiaomi, you will need to convert the.hbk file to a compatible format, which can be done using the Huawei Backup Extractor utility (available on GitHub). Alternatively, use Mi Mover (see method 3), which partially supports reading such copies.

⚠️ Note: If you transfer data to Xiaomi with firmware MIUI Global, some system settings (such as gestures or themes) may not recover due to differences in shells, in which case they will have to be reconfigured.

Whether unnecessary applications have been removed

Is there enough space on the memory card (minimum 5 GB)

Is application protection disabled in security settings

Are your contacts synced with your Google account (just in case)

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Method 2: Using Mi Mover (official solution from Xiaomi)

Mi Mover is a proprietary utility from Xiaomi designed to transfer data from other Android devices, and it supports the transfer of applications, contacts, messages and multimedia, but has nuances when working with Huawei:

• ✅ Transferred APK-Application files (but not always their data).
• ✅ It works without root rights and does not require a connection to a PC.
• ❌ Some Huawei system applications may not be recognized (e.g. Huawei Health).
• ❌ Requires a stable Wi-Fi connection or cable USB-OTG.

Step-by-step:

1. Install Mi Mover on both devices from Google Play or AppGallery.
2. On Xiaomi, choose I am a new user, on Huawei, I am an old user.
3. Connect devices to a single Wi-Fi network or connect them with a cable USB-C → USB-C (Adapters are required if the ports are different).
4. On Huawei, select data to transfer (applications, contacts, etc.) and confirm the transfer.
5. Wait until it is completed (time depends on the amount of data) Xiaomi will receive a notification of successful transfer.

If Mi Mover doesn’t see Huawei, try:

• 🔄 Reboot both devices.
• 📶 Connect to another Wi-Fi network (for example, create an access point on your phone).
• 🔌 Use the original Huawei cable (some cheap cables do not support data transmission).

After the transfer, check the health of the applications. Some programs (for example, banking) may require re-authorization. Also note the permissions: after restoring to Xiaomi, some applications may lose access to contacts or storage. → Annexes → Manage permissions and set them up again.

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If Mi Mover has not migrated the application data (for example, save games), try to manually copy the folder. /Android/data/[name packet) from Huawei to Xiaomi via file manager, which requires enabling the display of hidden files.

4. Method 3: Cloud services (Google Drive, Huawei Cloud, Mi Cloud)

Cloud storage is a universal way of transferring, but its effectiveness depends on what data you synchronize in advance.

How to transfer data via Google Drive:

1. On Huawei, go to Settings → Accounts. → Google and enable sync for the right categories.
2. Install the same apps on Xiaomi and log in under the same Google account.
3. B Settings → Accounts. → Google → Sync on Xiaomi Enable Data Recovery.

For Huawei Cloud, you can do this:

1. Export data (such as contacts) from Huawei Cloud to a.vcf or.csv file.
2. Send the file to Xiaomi by mail or via messenger.
3. Import contacts through Contacts → Settings → Imports/Exports.

⚠️ Note: If you have used Huawei ID To log in to games or apps (e.g. Huawei GameCenter), you can’t transfer progress to Xiaomi, in which case, link your accounts to Google Play Games or social networks (e.g. Facebook) in advance.

5. Method 4: Local transfer via cable or memory card

This method is suitable for users who want to transfer all data manually, including: APK-Application files and their data:

• 📱 Two smartphones (Huawei and Xiaomi).
• 🔌 Cable USB-C → USB-C (Adapters, if the ports are different).
• 📁 MicroSD memory card (optional if the data volume is large).

Instructions:

1. On Huawei, turn on Developer Mode (7 times click on Build Number in Settings) → About the phone) and activate the debugging USB.
2. Connect Huawei to your PC and copy folders: /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/ — file /storage/emulated/0/Android/obb/ — game-file /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/ — photo and video /storage/emulated/0/Download/ — file-load
3. Move the copied folders to Xiaomi in the same directories.
4. Install. APK-Manual application files (unless they are automatically restored).

To transfer the list of installed applications, use the App Backup & Restore utility (available on Google Play):

1. On Huawei, back up your list of apps.
2. Export the file to the memory card.
3. On Xiaomi, import the list and install apps from Google Play.

This method takes longer, but it ensures that you can migrate as much data as possible, including those that are not supported by cloud services. However, note that some Huawei system applications (such as Huawei Mobile Services) will not work on Xiaomi due to service incompatibility.

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Local cable transfer is the most reliable way to save application data (such as progress in offline games or program configurations), but it requires manual adjustment and is not suitable for beginners.

Method 5: Third-party cloning applications (Clone Phone, Samsung Smart Switch)

If standard methods don’t work, you can use specialized tools to clone devices, and although they are developed for other brands (such as Samsung Smart Switch), some of them support Huawei and Xiaomi:

• 📱 Clone Phone (from Xiaomi) is an analogue of Mi Mover, but with advanced features. Supports the portability of applications, contacts, messages and multimedia.
• 🔄 Samsung Smart Switch – Despite the name, it works with most Android devices, transfers data over cable or Wi-Fi.
• 🌐 Dr.Fone – Phone Transfer (paid solution) – supports cross-platform portability, including iOS and Android.

How to use Clone Phone:

1. Install the app on both devices.
2. On Huawei, select This is an old device, on Xiaomi, This is a new device.
3. Connect devices through QR-code.
4. Select data categories to transfer and wait for completion.

The advantage of third-party utilities is the support of non-standard data, for example:

• 📅 Calendars and Reminders from Huawei Calendar.
• 📝 Notes from Huawei Notes (in.hwnote format).
• 🎵 Playlists from Huawei Music.

However, please note that some applications (such as Samsung Smart Switch) may carry data in a format that is incompatible with the Samsung Smart Switch. MIUI. In this case, additional file conversions will be required.

7. Solving typical post-transfer problems

Even after successful transfer, you may encounter errors, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

If after the transfer Xiaomi began to slow down, follow the following steps:

1. Reset the device.
2. Clean the cache in Settings → Storage → Cleanup.
3. Turn off background activity for unnecessary apps in Settings → Battery → Energy management.

Applications that require device-based binding (such as banking or enterprise) may require a re-authorization or call in support of the service to reset the anchor.

8. Alternative solutions for specific data

Some types of data require a special approach. Let's look at how to transfer:

• 📱 SMS and call history: Use SMS Backup & Restore (export to.xml and import to Xiaomi).
• 🎵 Music and playlists: Move files through a memory card or sync with Google Play Music/Spotify.
• 📅 Export to.ics from Huawei Calendar and import to Google Calendar.
• 🔐 Passwords: If you used Huawei Password Vault, export them to.csv and import them to Google Password Manager or Bitwarden.

To transfer Wi-Fi settings, you can use the Export Networks function in Huawei (available in Settings). → Wi-Fi → The file with the settings (.conf) is then imported to Xiaomi via the file manager.

If you use Huawei Health to track activity, export data to.csv via the web version of the service and import it to Google Fit or Mi Fitness. note that some metrics (such as sleep data) may not migrate correctly due to differences in processing algorithms.

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To migrate data from Huawei’s proprietary apps (e.g. Huawei Health or Huawei Notes), always use the export function to universal formats (.csv,.zip) to ensure compatibility with Xiaomi.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions