Transfer Contacts Samsung to Huawei: Full Guide

Moving your contacts from a Samsung phone to a Huawei device doesn’t have to be a chore. This guide walks you through every reliable method — from built-in phone cloning apps to Google sync and VCF files — so you can pick the one that fits your situation. You’ll need both phones charged, a stable Wi-Fi connection for most methods, and your Google account details if you choose that route.

What You’ll Need

• Both phones (Samsung and Huawei) fully charged or plugged in.
• A stable Wi-Fi network for cloud or wireless transfer methods.
• Your Google account credentials (if using Google sync).
• A USB cable and computer (only for the VCF file method).
• Huawei Phone Clone app (preinstalled on most Huawei devices) and Samsung Smart Switch (preinstalled on most Samsung devices).

Step-by-Step

Method 1: Use Huawei Phone Clone (Recommended)

1. On your Huawei phone, open Phone Clone (or Clone Phone in Settings > System & updates). If not present, download it from the Huawei AppGallery.
2. On your Samsung phone, install Smart Switch from the Galaxy Store or Google Play if it’s not already there.
3. On the Huawei phone, choose This is the new device and select Android as the old device type.
4. On the Samsung phone, open Smart Switch, tap Send data, then Wireless.
5. Follow the on-screen prompts to connect the two phones. This usually involves scanning a QR code or entering a PIN shown on one device into the other.
6. Once connected, select Contacts (and any other data you want) on the Samsung phone.
7. Tap Send on the Samsung phone and accept the transfer on the Huawei phone. Wait for the process to complete — it can take a few minutes depending on the number of contacts.

Method 2: Sync via Google Account

1. On your Samsung phone, go to Settings > Accounts and backup > Accounts and tap your Google account.
2. Ensure Contacts sync is toggled on. If not, enable it and tap Sync now.
3. Wait a few minutes for the contacts to upload to Google’s servers. You can verify by visiting contacts.google.com on a computer.
4. On your Huawei phone, go to Settings > Accounts > Add account > Google.
5. Sign in with the same Google account used on the Samsung phone.
6. After signing in, go to Settings > Accounts > tap your Google account and enable Contacts sync.
7. Tap Sync now. Your contacts will appear in the Huawei Contacts app within a few minutes.

Method 3: Export as VCF File

1. On the Samsung phone, open the Contacts app.
2. Tap the three-line menu (hamburger icon) in the top-left corner.
3. Tap Manage contacts > Export contacts.
4. Choose Save to internal storage (or SD card if you have one). The phone will create a .vcf file.
5. Transfer the .vcf file to the Huawei phone. You can email it to yourself, use a USB cable, or upload to cloud storage like Google Drive.
6. On the Huawei phone, open the Files app and navigate to the .vcf file.
7. Tap the file. A prompt will appear asking if you want to import the contacts. Confirm and select where to save them (e.g., Phone or Google account).

Method 4: Use a Third-Party App

1. Install a reputable transfer app like CLONEit or ShareMe (Mi Drop) on both phones from their respective app stores.
2. Open the app on both devices and follow the on-screen setup (usually one device creates a hotspot, the other connects).
3. Select Contacts as the data type and start the transfer.

Common Mistakes

• Not enabling sync on the old phone: If you only toggle sync on the new phone, contacts won’t appear. Always ensure the source phone has synced first.
• Choosing the wrong device type in Phone Clone: Selecting “This is the old device” on the Huawei phone will reverse the process and cause confusion.
• Importing VCF with duplicate contacts: If you import the same VCF file multiple times, you’ll get duplicates. Check your contacts after import and use the merge feature if needed.
• Forgetting to allow permissions: Phone Clone and similar apps need access to your contacts. If you deny permission, the transfer will fail silently.

Tips

• Before transferring, clean up your contact list: remove duplicates and merge any with missing information. This makes the transfer faster and the result cleaner.
• If you have a lot of contacts (over 1,000), use the Google sync method — it’s the most reliable and doesn’t require both phones to be near each other.
• Use the Phone Clone method for a one-time transfer of everything (contacts, messages, photos) — it’s the fastest for bulk data.
• After transferring, check a few contacts to ensure phone numbers, emails, and other details came over correctly.

Troubleshooting

Phone Clone won’t connect: Make sure both phones are on the same Wi-Fi network, or that one is broadcasting a hotspot and the other is connected to it. Restart both apps and try again. If the QR code fails, use the manual PIN option.

Google contacts not appearing on Huawei: Check that you’ve enabled Contacts sync in the Google account settings on the Huawei. Also, ensure the Samsung phone actually synced — go to contacts.google.com to verify the contacts exist there.

VCF file won’t import: Make sure the file isn’t corrupted. Try opening it on a computer to see if it contains valid data. If the file is large, split it into smaller parts using a text editor or import it on a computer first.

Transfer is very slow: Both methods rely on Wi-Fi speed. Move closer to the router or use a direct hotspot connection. For Phone Clone, make sure no other heavy downloads are running.

Contacts appear but with missing data: Some fields (like custom labels) may not transfer perfectly between Samsung and Huawei due to different contact formats. You may need to manually re-add these.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose my contacts if I use Phone Clone?

No, Phone Clone copies data, it doesn’t delete anything from the source phone. Your Samsung contacts will remain intact.

Can I transfer contacts without Wi-Fi?

Yes, you can use a USB cable and copy the VCF file manually, or use a mobile data connection for Google sync (though this may incur data charges).

Do I need to install anything on the Samsung phone?

For Phone Clone, you need Smart Switch (usually preinstalled). For Google sync, you just need a Google account. No extra apps are required for the VCF method.

Will my contact photos transfer?

Usually yes, but they may not appear if they were stored in a proprietary format. If photos are missing, you may need to re-link them manually.

Can I transfer contacts from a Samsung to a Huawei using Bluetooth?

Technically yes, but it’s impractical for more than a few contacts. You’d need to share each contact individually via the Contacts app’s Share option. It’s not recommended for bulk transfer.

What if I have contacts saved on the SIM card?

You can copy SIM contacts to the phone first: on Samsung, go to Contacts > Manage contacts > Import/Export > Import from SIM. Then follow any of the methods above.

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