Moving from a phone Honor to Samsung is not only a change of brand, but also the migration of all your data: from photos to call history. Many users lose important information at this stage because they are not aware of the nuances of transferring between different Android shells. In this article we will analyze all working methods —from the official Samsung Smart Switch to manual copying via a PC—and also tell you how to avoid common mistakes when synchronizing accounts Huawei and Google.

Features of the transfer from Honor (which previously belonged to Huawei) to Samsung is the difference in firmware: Magic UI vs One UI. This means that standard Android tools may not work correctly without some configuration. We tested all methods on models Honor 50/70/90 and Samsung Galaxy S22/S23/A54 —the instructions are relevant for devices from 2018 to 2026. If you have an older model, check compatibility with official sources.

📊 Which method of data transfer do you prefer?
Via cloud (Google/Huawei)
By cable (Smart Switch)
Via computer
Manual transfer (SD card)
I don’t know

1. Preparing for the migration: what you need to do on Honor before you start

Before you start migrating be sure to follow these steps on your old phone Honor. This will prevent data loss and speed up the process:

  • 🔋 Charge both phones to at least 50%. Data transfer may take up to 1 hour, and draining during the process will result in failure.
  • 📶 Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network. Cloud methods will require a high-speed connection (minimum 10 Mbps).
  • 🔐 Make sure that USB debugging is enabled on Honor (if you plan to use a cable). Path: Settings → About phone → Build number (press 7 times) → Return to Settings → System → For developers → USB debugging.
  • 📁 Free up space on both devices. On Samsung there should be at least 20% of the memory of the transferred data free.

If you use Huawei ID (and not Google Account) for backup, please note: transferring data from Huawei Cloud to Samsung is only possible through workarounds - direct export to Google Account is not supported. More about this in the section about cloud services.

⚠️ Attention: On some models Honor (for example, Honor 8X or Honor 10 Lite) function USB debugging may be hidden behind additional security settings. If you don’t find it, check the section Advanced settings → Developer options.

2. Method 1: Samsung Smart Switch - official method

Samsung Smart Switch is a proprietary data transfer application that supports most Android devices, including Honor. It allows you to transfer:

  • 📞 Contacts, call log, SMS/MMS
  • 📷 Photos, videos, music and documents
  • 📱 System settings (wallpaper, sounds, Wi-Fi networks)
  • 🎮 Some application data (for example, history WhatsApp)

However, there are limitations:

  • ❌ Applications are transferred only as APK files (they will need to be installed manually).
  • ❌ Data from some Chinese applications (for example, WeChat or QQ) may not be available to be transmitted.
  • ❌ On Honor s Magic UI 4.0+ you must first disable the function Data transmission protection in the security settings.

Step-by-step guide:

  1. Download Smart Switch on both phones:
  • On Samsung select Get data → Android.
  • Connect the phones with a cable (recommended original USB-C from Samsung) or via Wi-Fi Direct.
  • On Honor Allow access to data and confirm the transfer.
  • Select the types of data to transfer and wait for completion.

    • Install Smart Switch on Honor|Charge both phones >50%|Connect to Wi-Fi|Disable data protection on Honor (if any)|Use original cable-->

    Data type Transferred via Smart Switch Restrictions
    Contact ✅ Yes Only if saved in the phone memory or Google Account
    Photo/video ✅ Yes Max. file size - 5 GB
    Applications ⚠️ Partially Only APK, without data (for example, saves in games)
    SMS/MMS ✅ Yes Messages from Chinese are not transferred messengers
    Wi-Fi settings ✅ Yes Only networks with open or WPA2 encryption
    ⚠️ Attention: If you are connecting via cable Smart Switch gives an error "Device not supported", try:
    1. Reconnect the cable by selecting Honor mode "File transfer" (MTP).
    2. Update Smart Switch to the latest version.
    3. Use an adapter USB-OTGif phone ports are incompatible.

    3. Method 2: Transfer via Google Account (for contacts, photos and applications)

    If you actively use Google Account on Honor, this method will be the easiest. It is suitable for transferring: Google Account data-i="147">with original quality)

    • 📇 Contacts (sync automatically)
    • 📅 Calendar and notes (Google Keep)
    • 📷 Photos and videos (Google Photos with original quality)
    • 🎮 Game and application data (if they are linked to Google Play Games)

    How to transfer:

    1. To Honor open Settings → Accounts → Google and enable synchronization for all necessary data.
    2. Wait for synchronization to complete (check in Google Drive or Google Photos).
    3. On Samsung log in to the same Google Account and enable synchronization.
    4. Install the missing applications from Google Play —they will pull up the saved data (for example, progress in games).

    For transfer SMS and call logs through Google you will need a third-party application, for example SMS Backup & Restore:

    1. Install it on Honor from Google Play.
    2. Create a backup copy and upload it to Google Disk.
    3. On Samsung install the same application and restore data from the cloud.
    💡

    If you had (HMS) enabled on Honor instead of Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) instead Google Mobile Services (GMS), then data from HMS applications (for example, Huawei AppGallery or Huawei Health) are not synchronized with Google. They will have to be exported manually through the settings of each application.

    4. Method 3: Transfer via Huawei Cloud (if you do not use Google)

    If you used the ecosystem Huawei and stored the data in Huawei Cloud, they can be exported to Samsung, but with reservations. Here's how to do it:

    Step 1. Export data from Huawei Cloud

    1. to Honor open Settings → Huawei ID → Cloud → Backup.
    2. Create a fresh backup (make sure all the necessary categories are enabled).
    3. Go to Manage backups and select Export data.
    4. Download the archive to your phone or PC (format .huawei).

    Step 2. Convert and transfer to Samsung

    The files Huawei Cloud have a proprietary format, so they need to be converted:

    • 🖥️ For contacts: export them in format .vcf via Contacts → Management → Export.
    • 📷 For photos/videos: just copy the folder Huawei/Backup to Samsung.
    • 📄 For SMS: use the application Backup & Restore (available in AppGallery) to export messages to .xml.
    ⚠️ Attention: Data from Huawei Health (steps, workouts) cannot be directly transferred to Samsung Health. The only way is to export the history to .csv via the web version Huawei Health and manually upload it to Google Fit or Samsung Health.
    How to transfer data from Huawei Health to Samsung Health?

    1. Go to the website health.huawei.com from a PC and export the history to .csv.

    2. Open the file in Excel and convert the data to a supported format Samsung Health (columns: date, type of activity, duration, calories).

    3. Import the file via Samsung Health on your phone (section Data management → Import).

    4. Some metrics (for example, blood oxygen level) may not be transferred due to differences in measurement algorithms.

    5. Method 4: Manual transfer via computer (the most reliable)

    If the data volume exceeds 10 GB or you want to have full control over the process, use a computer (Windows/Mac) This method is suitable for:

    • 🎵 Music and playlists
    • 📄 Documents (.pdf, .docx, .xlsx)
    • 📂 Folders with user files
    • 🎮 Game saves (if they are stored locally)

    Instructions:

    1. Connect Honor to the PC via USB cable and select mode File transfer (MTP).
    2. Copy the necessary folders:
      • DCIM — photos and videos
      • Downloads —downloads
      • Music —music
      • Android/data —data of some applications (for example, WhatsApp)
  • Disable Honor and connect Samsung.
  • Paste the files into the appropriate folders on Samsung.

    • To transfer applications and their data use ADB (Android Debug Bridge): 

    adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab

    This command will create a full backup on PC, which can then be restored to Samsung:

    adb restore backup.ab
    ⚠️ Attention: When transferring manually WhatsApp do not forget to copy the folder /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases along with the file msgstore.db.crypt14Without this, the chat history will not be restored!

    6. Method 5: Transfer via SD card or OTG drive

    If you have microSD card or USB-OTG flash drive, this method is suitable for quick transfer without a computer. Pros:

    • ⚡ Fast (up to 50 MB/s when using UHS-I SD card).
    • 🔒 Without the risk of data loss due to interruption connections.
    • 📱 Works even on older models Honor (for example, Honor 7A).

    How to transfer:

    1. Insert the SD card into Honor (or connect OTG flash drive).
    2. Copy the necessary files to the drive through any file manager (for example, Files by Google).
    3. Remove the card and insert it into Samsung (or connect a flash drive).
    4. Transfer files to internal memory.

    For contacts and SMS use export to file:

    • Contacts: Contacts → ⋮ → Manage contacts → Export to SD card (format .vcf).
    • SMS: application SMS Backup & Restore → Backup → Save to SD card.
    💡

    The SD card must be formatted in FAT32 or exFAT. If Samsung does not see the files, check the format in the drive settings.

    7. Transfer of specific data: WhatsApp, Telegram, games

    Some applications require a special approach due to data protection. Here's how to transfer the most popular ones:

    Application Transfer method Nuances
    WhatsApp Backup to Google Drive + local backup On Honor create a backup in Settings → Chat → Backup copy. On Samsung restore the first time you start.
    Telegram Cloud synchronization All chats and media are transferred automatically when you log into your account. Secret chats require manual transfer.
    Games (Call of Duty, Genshin Impact) Linking to Google Play Games or social networks Make sure that the game is saved in the cloud (for example, via Facebook or Google Play).
    Samsung Health / Huawei Health Export to .csv + manual import Health data is not transferred directly. Use intermediate services like Google Fit.

    For WhatsApp with Honor on Samsung there is a critical nuance: if on Honor was not attached Google Account, local backup can only be transferred via computer:

    1. Copy the folder /sdcard/WhatsApp to PC.
    2. Install WhatsApp on Samsung and confirm the number (do not restore from the cloud!).
    3. Connect Samsung to the PC and paste the folder WhatsApp to the root of the memory.
    4. Delete and reinstall WhatsApp —when you first start it will find a local backup.

    8. Checking and optimization after the transfer

    After the transfer is complete be sure to follow these steps:

    • 🔍 Check the integrity of the data:
      • Open several photos and videos - they should play without errors.
      • Call another number to make sure the contacts are saved.
      • Launch key applications (for example, WhatsApp or Telegram).
    • 🧹 Clear the cache on Samsung:
      • Go to Settings → Applications → ⋮ → Clear cache for everyone.
      • This will eliminate possible lags after the transfer.
    • 🔄 Update applications:
      • Open Google Play and click Update all.
      • Some applications (for example, banking) may require re-authorization.

    If you find that some of the data has not been transferred:

    • Check the folder Lost.Dir on Samsung — sometimes files end up there.
    • Use the application Files by Google to find duplicates or lost files.
    • To recover SMS try SMS Backup & Restore s function Search for backups.
    💡

    If after transfer Samsung became slower, check the animation settings: go to Settings → Additional functions → Accessibility → Animation speed and select Without animation. This will speed up the interface.

    FAQ: Frequently asked questions about transferring from Honor to Samsung

    Is it possible to transfer data from Honor to Samsung without computer?

    Yes, there are three main ways without a PC:

    1. Samsung Smart Switch via Wi-Fi Direct.
    2. Synchronization via Google Account (contacts, photos, calendar).
    3. Use SD cards or OTG flash drives for manual copying.

    However, for transfer applications and their data (for example, saves in games), you will still need a computer.

    Why doesn’t Smart Switch see my Honor?

    Reasons and solutions:

    • 🔌 Non-original cable: use a cable from Samsung or certified USB-C.
    • 🔒 Data transmission blocking: on Honor disable Data transmission protection in the security settings.
    • 📱 Outdated firmware: update Smart Switch software on both phones.
    • 🔄 Mode connection: on Honor select File transfer (MTP)rather than Charging.

    If the problem persists, try connecting via Wi-Fi Direct.

    How to transfer passwords from the browser from Honor to Samsung?

    It depends on browser:

    • Google Chrome: passwords are synced automatically when you log in to Google Account.
    • Huawei Browser:
      1. Export passwords to Settings → Passwords → Export (PIN code required).
      2. Copy the file to Samsung and import to Samsung Internet or Chrome.
  • Samsung Internet: does not support import from Huawei Browser. Use Chrome as an intermediate option.

    • Will the screen settings (brightness, reading mode) be transferred from Honor to Samsung?

    No, screen settings are not transferred by any of the methods. This is due to the fact that:

    • U Honor and Samsung different display drivers.
    • Functions like Eye Comfort (on Honor) and Blue Light Filter (on Samsung) work differently.

    You will have to adjust the brightness, color temperature and other parameters manually on the new phone.

    Is it possible to transfer data from Honor to Samsung if the old phone is broken?

    Yes, but the methods depend on the condition Honor:

    • The screen is broken, but the phone turns on:
      • Connect to PC via USB and copy data in mode MTP.
      • Use ADB to create a backup: adb pull /sdcard/.
    • The phone does not turn on:
      • If synchronization with Google or Huawei Cloudwas enabled, restore data from clouds.
      • If not, contact the service center to extract data from the internal memory (cost ~1500–3000 ₽).
      • ⚠️ Attention: If data encryption was enabled on Honor it is almost impossible to extract information without unlocking.