How to Transfer Messages from Huawei to iPhone X

Switching from a Huawei phone to an iPhone X is exciting, but your text messages (SMS and iMessage) don’t automatically follow you. This guide walks you through the most reliable ways to move your messages, whether you’re coming from an Android device with a cable or prefer a wireless approach. You’ll need your Huawei phone, your iPhone X, a computer (for one method), and a stable Wi-Fi connection.

What You’ll Need

Your Huawei phone (with messages you want to transfer)
Your iPhone X (with iOS 12.4 or later for the Move to iOS app)
A USB cable (Lightning to USB or USB-C) for the cable method
A computer with internet access (for the third-party method)
Stable Wi-Fi network for both phones
Sufficient battery charge on both devices (or keep them plugged in)

Step-by-Step

There are three main methods. Choose the one that fits your situation:

Method 1: Using Move to iOS (Wireless, Easiest)

Prepare your iPhone X: Turn it on and follow the initial setup screens until you reach the “Apps & Data” screen. If you’ve already set up your iPhone, you’ll need to erase it first (Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings) to start fresh.
Install Move to iOS on your Huawei: On your Huawei, open the Google Play Store (or AppGallery if Play Store isn’t available), search for “Move to iOS,” and install it. It’s a free app from Apple.
Start the transfer: On your iPhone, tap “Move Data from Android.” On your Huawei, open the Move to iOS app and tap “Continue.” Agree to the terms and conditions.
Enter the code: Your iPhone will display a 6-digit or 10-digit code. Enter it on your Huawei phone.
Select messages: The app will connect the two phones over a private Wi-Fi network. On the transfer screen, make sure “Messages” is toggled on. You can also choose other data like contacts, photos, and calendars.
Wait for completion: Keep both phones close together and plugged into power. The transfer time depends on the amount of data. When it’s done, the iPhone will say “Transfer Complete.” Tap “Done” on your Huawei.

Method 2: Using a USB Cable and a Computer (For Large Backups)

Back up your Huawei messages: On your Huawei, go to Settings > System > Backup & restore > Phone clone (or use the built-in backup to a USB storage). If you have a microSD card, you can also copy the backup file there.
Connect your Huawei to a computer: Use a USB cable to connect your Huawei to a Windows PC or Mac. When prompted on the phone, select “File Transfer” (MTP) mode.
Copy the backup file: Navigate to the backup folder (usually in “Internal Storage/Backup” or “Huawei/Backup”). Copy the backup file (often with a .bak or .db extension) to your computer.
Connect your iPhone X: Disconnect the Huawei and connect your iPhone X to the same computer. Open iTunes (on Windows) or Finder (on macOS Catalina or later).
Restore the backup: In iTunes/Finder, select your iPhone, then click “Restore Backup.” Choose the backup file you copied from your Huawei. This will restore the messages (and other data) to your iPhone. Note: This method only works if the backup was created in a compatible format (e.g., from a previous iPhone or an Android backup that was converted). For Huawei-to-iPhone, this method is less straightforward and often requires third-party conversion tools.

Method 3: Using Third-Party Transfer Software (For Selective Transfer)

Choose a reputable tool: There are several paid and free apps like “PhoneTrans,” “iMazing,” or “AnyTrans” that can transfer messages directly. Download and install one on your computer.
Connect both phones: Launch the software and connect both your Huawei and iPhone X to the computer using USB cables. Follow the on-screen instructions to grant necessary permissions on both phones.
Select messages: In the software, choose the “Phone Transfer” or “Message Transfer” module. Select “Messages” as the data type.
Start transfer: Click “Transfer” and wait for the process to complete. The software will typically show a progress bar.
Check your iPhone: Once done, disconnect the phones. Your messages should now appear in the Messages app on your iPhone X.

Common Mistakes

Skipping the “Apps & Data” screen: If you’ve already set up your iPhone, you must erase it before using Move to iOS. Otherwise, the app won’t work.
Not keeping both phones charged: A transfer can take 30 minutes or more. If a phone dies mid-transfer, you may lose data.
Using the wrong USB mode: When connecting to a computer, make sure your Huawei is set to “File Transfer” (MTP), not “Charge Only.”
Assuming iMessage will work: Your Huawei messages will appear as SMS/MMS on the iPhone. iMessage (blue bubbles) only works between Apple devices, so you won’t see read receipts or typing indicators for those old conversations.
Ignoring the Wi-Fi requirement: Move to iOS creates a temporary Wi-Fi network. If you have a VPN or a weak signal, the connection may drop.

Tips

Update both phones: Before transferring, update your Huawei to the latest Android version and your iPhone X to the latest iOS version. This ensures compatibility.
Back up your iPhone first: If you’re erasing your iPhone for the Move to iOS method, make sure you have a backup of any existing data you want to keep (via iCloud or computer).
Transfer contacts first: If you only need contacts, use the “Contacts” option in Move to iOS. Messages will come along with them.
Use a cable for large transfers: If you have thousands of messages, the cable method (Method 2 or 3) is faster and more stable than Wi-Fi.
Check message attachments: Photos and videos in messages may not transfer with the Move to iOS app. Use a cloud service (like Google Photos) to move those separately.

Troubleshooting

Move to iOS won’t connect: Make sure both phones are on the same Wi-Fi network (or that the temporary network is not blocked). Restart both phones and try again. Also, disable any VPN or ad-blocker on your Huawei.

Transfer is stuck at a percentage: Wait at least 10 minutes. If it doesn’t move, cancel and restart the process. Sometimes, the connection drops due to interference. Move the phones closer together.

Messages don’t appear after transfer: Check if your iPhone is set to show SMS/MMS. Go to Settings > Messages and ensure “Send as SMS” is enabled. Also, restart your iPhone. If using a third-party tool, verify that the software reported success.

Code not accepted: The code expires after a few minutes. If it doesn’t work, tap “Can’t use the code?” on the iPhone to get a new one, or restart both phones.

Only some messages transferred: Move to iOS may skip messages with unsupported attachments (like certain emojis or file types). For a complete transfer, use a third-party tool that handles attachments better.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will my WhatsApp messages transfer too?
A: No, the Move to iOS app only transfers SMS/MMS, not WhatsApp messages. For WhatsApp, use the built-in chat backup feature in WhatsApp (Settings > Chats > Chat Backup) and restore on iPhone.

Q: Can I transfer messages without a computer?
A: Yes, the Move to iOS method works entirely wirelessly with just the two phones.

Q: Will my messages appear as iMessage or SMS?
A: They will appear as SMS/MMS (green bubbles). iMessage only works between Apple devices, so those old conversations won’t have blue bubbles.

Q: How long does the transfer take?
A: It depends on the number of messages and attachments. Typically, a few thousand messages take 10-20 minutes. Large photo/video attachments can extend this.

Q: Do I need to erase my iPhone X to use Move to iOS?
A: Yes, if you’ve already set it up. The app requires the iPhone to be in the “Apps & Data” setup screen. You can erase it via Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.

Q: Can I transfer messages from a Huawei to an iPhone that’s already in use?
A: Not directly with Move to iOS. You can use a third-party tool that allows selective transfer without erasing the iPhone, but these are usually paid.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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