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Release Date & Rollout Timeline
Huawei officially confirmed that HarmonyOS 5.1 began its global rollout on July 31, 2025, following the earlier launch on the Pura 80 series in June Wikipedia+12Huawei Central+12Nokiamob | Welcome to the Nokia World!+12. The update is being delivered in phases to eligible smartphones, tablets, wearables, and even PCs.
Eligible Devices (Initial Batch — 30+ Models)
Huawei’s first wave of HarmonyOS 5.1 includes a wide range of devices across all major product categories:
Smartphones
- Mate series: Mate 70 (and Pro, Pro+, RS Ultimate), Mate 60 (Pro, Pro+, RS), Mate XT Ultimate Design, Mate X6 (Collector’s Edition), Mate X5 (Collector’s Edition)
- Pura series: Pura 70 (Pro, Pro+, Ultra), Pura X (Collector’s Edition)
- Pocket 2
- Nova series: Nova 14 (Pro, Ultra), Nova 13 (Pro), Nova 12 (Pro, Ultra), and Nova Flip foldable The Verge+8Huawei Central+8Nokiamob | Welcome to the Nokia World!+8The Verge+2Huawei Central+2Huawei Central+2
Tablets
- MatePad Pro 13.2″ (2025 & 2024)
- MatePad Pro 12.2″
- MatePad Pro 11″ (2024)
- MatePad Air 12″
- MatePad 11.5‑S Series RPRNA+6Huawei Central+6Huawei Central+6Nokiamob | Welcome to the Nokia World!
Wearables
- Watch GT 5 series
- Watch D2 Wikipedia+11Huawei Central+11Reddit+11
PCs
- MateBook Fold Ultimate Design
- MateBook Pro Huawei Central+4Huawei Central+4Nokiamob | Welcome to the Nokia World!+4
Devices like the Nova 11, P60-series, Mate 50, and Mate 40 family may receive the update later—but no formal timeline has been announced yet Wikipedia+10Huawei Central+10Nokiamob | Welcome to the Nokia World!+10.
What’s New in HarmonyOS 5.1
Enhanced Performance & Battery Efficiency
HarmonyOS 5.1 builds on HarmonyOS 5’s core improvements—speed gains of ~30% and better RAM management that frees up around 1.2 GB—to reduce lag and extend battery life thedeepnewssource.com+4Gizchina.com+4Huawei Central+4.
Camera & Imaging Upgrades
- Improved low-light and portrait photography
- Dedicated 50 MP main sensor, 12 MP periscope zoom lens, 13 MP ultrawide, and a 1.5 MP multi-spectral sensor for richer detail and color accuracy RPRNA+14thedeepnewssource.com+14Gizchina.com+14
AI Features & Assistant Improvements
- Xiaoyi (Harmony Intelligence) is more capable—summarizing docs, translating, travel planning, and personalized task suggestions Gizchina.comThe VergeWikipedia.
- Drag-and-drop AI: Drop images, files, or text into Xiaoyi to trigger actions like summarizing or web product search Gizchina.com.
Inter-Device Connectivity & Live Windows
- Seamless multi-device syncing: Pick up content across phone, tablet, and PC with no interruption Gizchina.com.
- Live Windows display real-time info (delivery tracking, fitness stats, alerts) right on your home or lock screen Gizchina.com.
Convenience & Gestures
- File-sharing via Touch‑to‑Share enables offline transfers between Huawei devices without quality loss Gizchina.com.
- Improved knuckle gestures let you circle to extract text like addresses or codes instantly Gizchina.com+1Cinco Días+1.
Watch‑Specific Enhancements (Watch GT 5 & D2)
- New Star Ring home screen, plus Chessboard and List layouts
- Richer watch face customization and universal modules
- Voice memo recorder for quick audio notes
- Health Insights app: sleep quality, heart rate variability (HRV), stress trends and personalized tips
- Sync up to 30 contacts directly on watch
- Expanded sports metrics support, optimized alarm naming, and better notifications compatibility Reuters+11thedeepnewssource.com+11Huawei Central+11
Installation Tips & Update Deployment
- Make sure you have sufficient free storage—update sizes can be larger than usual, especially on watches and foldables thedeepnewssource.com.
- If your device is on the eligible list, updates will arrive via My Huawei app or Settings → System → System update.
- The rollout is staggered, so some regions may receive it later in July or early August.
Summary Snapshot
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Launch Date | Began globally on July 31, 2025 |
| First batch | Over 30 devices: flagship & mid-range smartphones, tablets, wearables, PCs |
| Key improvements | Faster UI, AI assistant, drag-and-drop, camera upgrades, health analytics, live windows |
| Availability | Rolling globally—check device eligibility via My Huawei app |
Why It Matters
HarmonyOS 5.1 represents Huawei’s continued shift from Android-based systems toward a fully native HarmonyOS NEXT environment, particularly evident in the Pura X foldable and Pura 80 series Huawei CentralNokiamob | Welcome to the Nokia World!+1Huawei Central+1Gizchina.comWikipedia+15The Verge+15Wikipedia+15. The expansion across mid-range lineup—including Nova and Flip—signals Huawei’s ambition to establish software independence and a unified ecosystem across device types
Related Blog Post Ideas
How to Install HarmonyOS 5.1 on Huawei
HarmonyOS 5.1 Hands-On: Speed, Design & Features
Huawei HarmonyOS 5.1 Update : Release Date, Devices, and Features
What is HarmonyOS 5.1?
HarmonyOS 5.1 is the latest global software update from Huawei, released in 2025. It enhances system performance, introduces AI-powered tools like Xiaoyi, improves camera functionality, adds a refreshed UI with Live Windows, and strengthens cross-device connectivity across Huawei smartphones, tablets, wearables, and laptops.
When did Huawei release HarmonyOS 5.1 globally?
he global rollout of HarmonyOS 5.1 began on July 31, 2025, following its debut on the Huawei Pura 80 series in June
How can I check if my Huawei device is eligible for HarmonyOS 5.1?
Open the My Huawei app or go to Settings → System → Software Update. You’ll receive a notification if your device is eligible.
Does HarmonyOS 5.1 replace Android on Huawei phones?
Not entirely. HarmonyOS 5.1 still contains Android Open Source Project (AOSP) elements for app compatibility. However, Huawei is gradually shifting to a full-native HarmonyOS NEXT platform, which will no longer rely on Android architecture.
Is HarmonyOS 5.1 safe to install?
Yes. It’s an official OTA (over-the-air) update released by Huawei. Ensure you back up your data and have at least 50% battery before installing.
