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HarmonyOS (HarmonyOS NEXT, 5, 6 and 7)

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Checked against the makers' own pages · Last reviewed October 15, 2026

HarmonyOS is Huawei's own operating system. Huawei says it built HarmonyOS NEXT (HarmonyOS 5 and later) itself, from the kernel up. Apps come from Huawei's HarmonyOS AppGallery; Huawei's support pages route ordinary Android app packages through Zhuoyitong, which Huawei calls a third-party app. It ships on Huawei phones, tablets and PCs sold in China; Huawei's phones sold abroad run EMUI, an Android-based system, instead. The newest version, HarmonyOS 7, launched in September 2026. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

Android app compatibility
No native Android app support; Huawei routes Android packages through the third-party Zhuoyitong app, subject to what it supports [3][4][10]
Google apps
No Google services or Play Store [8]
Apps
HarmonyOS AppGallery: more than 450,000 HarmonyOS apps and services (Huawei, Sept. 28, 2026); some Android apps through third-party Zhuoyitong/Chujingyi [3][4][5]
Phones it runs on
Huawei phones, tablets and PCs sold in China, such as the China editions of the Mate 80, Mate X7, Pura 80 and nova 14 [4][7][12][13][14]
Buy it preinstalled
Only preinstalled on Huawei devices; Huawei's global phone editions run EMUI instead [6][15]
Project status
Active; HarmonyOS 7 launched in September 2026 [5][9]
Latest version
HarmonyOS 7 (September 2026) [5]
Made by
Huawei [1]
Android apps
Not natively. Huawei's support pages route Android packages (APKs) through the third-party Zhuoyitong and Chujingyi apps. [3][4]
Google services
None. Huawei says its phones from the Mate 30 series on don't come with Google Mobile Services. [8]
Scale (Huawei, Oct. 1, 2026)
HarmonyOS 6 and 7 run on over 90 million devices; over 11 million registered developers [9]
On this page
  1. What HarmonyOS is
  2. How it compares to stock Android
  3. Which phones run it
  4. Can you get it outside China?
  5. Project status and news
  6. Questions people ask

What HarmonyOS is

Huawei released HarmonyOS NEXT, which it calls "native HarmonyOS" (原生鸿蒙), on Oct. 23, 2024. Huawei describes it as the biggest upgrade since HarmonyOS began. Huawei says it developed the whole stack itself, from the kernel to the file system, database, programming language and compiler, and that the kernel uses a microkernel design. Huawei's FAQ for HarmonyOS 7 says HarmonyOS 6 rebuilt the system on a new HarmonyOS kernel, and that on phones HarmonyOS was redesigned from the kernel and programming language up to the system architecture.

Huawei's support pages treat HarmonyOS NEXT and "HarmonyOS 5 and above" as the same family: an error message that mentions HarmonyOS NEXT is explained as applying to HarmonyOS 5 and later. Versions since then are HarmonyOS 6 and HarmonyOS 7. Huawei's launch event for HarmonyOS 7 and the Mate XT 2 ended on Sept. 7, 2026, and the Mate 90 series launched on Oct. 1, 2026 with HarmonyOS 7. [1][2][5][9][10]

How it compares to stock Android

Stock Android with GoogleHarmonyOS 5 and later (China editions)
App storeGoogle PlayHuawei's HarmonyOS AppGallery
Play Store appsYesNo
Android app packages (APKs)Install directlyOnly through the third-party Zhuoyitong or Chujingyi apps
Google sign-in and Google appsYesNot preinstalled; Huawei suggests Google's web versions
Typical appsGlobal appsChinese apps rebuilt for HarmonyOS, such as Alipay, Taobao, Douyin, Meituan, JD and WPS

Play Store apps and Google services. Huawei says that because of Google's licensing, its phones from the Mate 30 series onward come without GMS (Google Mobile Services: Play Store, Google sign-in, Google Maps and Google's push messaging) or Google apps, and that whether you can use Google apps depends on Google, not on Huawei's own services. Google's apps, such as Google Wallet or Android Auto, are therefore not preinstalled.

Android apps. HarmonyOS 5 and later doesn't install Android packages on its own. Huawei's support page on getting apps says to search the AppGallery first, where apps served by Zhuoyitong or Chujingyi can be installed directly. For APK files shared from another phone or downloaded from the web, Huawei says whether they install depends on what Zhuoyitong supports. Huawei calls Zhuoyitong a third-party app. When an app already has a HarmonyOS version, the system refuses the Android download and points you to the AppGallery.

Apps and payments. At the 2024 launch, Huawei named Meituan, Douyin, Taobao, Xiaohongshu, DingTalk, Alipay, WPS, JD and Feishu among the apps with HarmonyOS versions. Huawei's own payment option is Huawei Wallet; the China spec pages list NFC payment through Huawei Wallet, SIM cards or HCE.

Travel abroad. For older HarmonyOS and EMUI versions, Huawei suggests the third-party Chujingyi app or a foreign-region Huawei ID to get apps from other countries. For HarmonyOS 5 and later, Chujingyi appears in Huawei's app-install instructions alongside Zhuoyitong. [1][3][4][7][8][10][11]

Which phones run it

HarmonyOS 5 and later ships on the China editions of Huawei's phones. Huawei's China spec pages list:

The Mate 90 series, launched in China on Oct. 1, 2026, runs HarmonyOS 7. Huawei also sells HarmonyOS PCs in China; its support page says they can install Zhuoyitong from HarmonyOS 6.0.0.115 on.

The global editions of the same phones run EMUI 15.0, which is Android-based, with Huawei's AppGallery and no Google services (the global nova 14 runs EMUI 14.2). [4][6][7][9][12][13][14][15][16]

Can you get it outside China?

Not on a Huawei phone sold abroad: Huawei's global spec pages for the Mate 80 Pro and Pura 80 Ultra list EMUI 15.0, not HarmonyOS. To use HarmonyOS 5 or later you need a China-edition Huawei device, which Huawei sells in China (for example through its Vmall store) and which third-party exporters resell. See each phone page for sellers, US bands and the US rules on Huawei devices, and our guide to phones bought in China.

Huawei's HarmonyOS 7 FAQ says HarmonyOS 7 is currently offered as an upgrade only in mainland China, and that Huawei will announce any plans for other countries later. [5][6][7][15]

Project status and news

HarmonyOS is in active development. Huawei said in June 2026 that HarmonyOS 6 ran on more than 66 million devices, that it had over 11 million developers, and that the AppGallery offered more than 380,000 HarmonyOS apps and services; it showed a HarmonyOS 7 developer beta at its HDC 2026 developer conference. On Oct. 1, 2026, Huawei said HarmonyOS 6 and HarmonyOS 7 "power over 90 million devices, including smartphones, PCs, and tablets," and expected to pass 100 million by the end of 2026. Huawei's HarmonyOS 7 FAQ gives more than 90 million devices and more than 450,000 available apps and services as of Sept. 28, 2026. [5][9][17]

Phones in our database that run HarmonyOS

PhoneTypePriceStatusUSCarriersGoogle appsOS
Huawei Mate 80 ProHuawei · China6.75" · 16 GB RAM · 512 GB · 5,750 mAh · 219 g Phones sold without GoogleRM 2,999 global Mate 80 Pro 16/512 GB (Huawei Malaysia, Oct. 15, 2026) On sale Import AT&T bandsT-Mobile bands None HarmonyOS (China) / EMUI (global)
Huawei Mate 90 seriesHuawei · China6.75" · 12 GB RAM · 256 GB · 6,600 mAh · 222 g Phones sold without GoogleFrom CNY 5,999 (Mate 90) to CNY 12,999 (RS) in China On sale Import Bands not published None HarmonyOS 7
Huawei Mate X7Huawei · China8" · 16 GB RAM · 512 GB · 5,600 mAh · 236 g Phones sold without GoogleRM 6,688 global 16/512 GB (Huawei Malaysia) On sale Import Verizon bandsAT&T bandsT-Mobile bands None HarmonyOS (China) / EMUI (global)
Huawei Mate XT 2Huawei · China10.2" · 16 GB RAM · 256 GB · 5,600 mAh · 299 g Phones sold without Google¥23,999 for 16 GB / 1 TB on Huawei Vmall (Oct. 15, 2026) On sale Import Bands not published None HarmonyOS 7
Huawei nova 14 seriesHuawei · China6.78" · 12 GB RAM · 256 GB · 5,500 mAh · 207 g Phones sold without Google€349 nova 14 Pro (Huawei Germany, Oct. 15, 2026) On sale Import Verizon bandsAT&T bandsT-Mobile bands None HarmonyOS (China) / EMUI (global)
Huawei nova 16 seriesHuawei · China6.84" · 12 GB RAM · 256 GB · 7,000 mAh · 218 g Phones sold without GoogleChina: from ¥3,399 (nova 16) and ¥4,299 (nova 16 Pro) On sale Import Verizon bandsAT&T bandsT-Mobile bands None HarmonyOS 6.1 (China) / EMUI 16 (global)
Huawei Pura 80 seriesHuawei · China6.8" · 16 GB RAM · 512 GB · 5,170 mAh · 233.5 g Phones sold without Google€1,099 Pura 80 Ultra, €699 Pura 80 Pro (Huawei Germany, Oct. 15, 2026) On sale Import Verizon bandsAT&T bandsT-Mobile bands None HarmonyOS (China) / EMUI (global)
Huawei Pura 90 seriesHuawei · China6.6" · 12 GB RAM · 256 GB · 6,000 mAh · 213.5 g Phones sold without GoogleFrom ¥4,699 in China (Pura 90 launch price) On sale Import Verizon bandsAT&T bandsT-Mobile bands None HarmonyOS 6.1 (China) / EMUI 16 (global)

Questions people ask

Can HarmonyOS 5 or 6 run Android apps?

Not by itself. Huawei's support pages say Android packages install through the third-party Zhuoyitong or Chujingyi apps, and whether a given APK installs depends on what Zhuoyitong supports. [3][4]

Does HarmonyOS have Google Play?

No. Huawei says its phones from the Mate 30 series on come without Google Mobile Services or Google apps, and suggests using Google's web versions. [8]

Is HarmonyOS the same as EMUI?

No. Huawei's global phones, such as the global Mate 80 Pro, run EMUI 15.0, which is Android-based and uses Huawei's AppGallery. The China editions run HarmonyOS 5 or later. [6][7][18]

What is the latest HarmonyOS version?

HarmonyOS 7. Huawei's launch event for it ended on Sept. 7, 2026, and the Mate 90 series ships with it. [5][9]

Sources (18)
  1. HarmonyOS NEXT正式发布，开启更多机型公测, Huawei. Checked October 15, 2026.
  2. 鸿蒙誓师大会：曙光在望，“待到山花烂漫时”, Huawei. Checked October 15, 2026.
  3. HarmonyOS 5及以上应用下载安装介绍, Huawei (China support). Checked October 15, 2026.
  4. 鸿蒙电脑应用市场如何下载应用, Huawei (China support). Checked October 15, 2026.
  5. 关于HarmonyOS 7 公共问题的相关说明, Huawei (China support). Checked October 15, 2026.
  6. HUAWEI Mate 80 Pro Specifications, Huawei. Checked October 15, 2026.
  7. HUAWEI Mate 80 Pro 参数规格, Huawei (China). Checked October 15, 2026.
  8. 华为手机/平板安装了HMS Core，是否可以使用Google应用, Huawei (China support). Checked October 15, 2026.
  9. Huawei Launches the HUAWEI Mate 90 Series, Equipped with the Flagship Tau Chipset Across the Entire Series, Huawei (via PR Newswire). Checked October 15, 2026.
  10. 浏览器下载应用安装时提示“无法安装”, Huawei (China support). Checked October 15, 2026.
  11. 如何通过应用市场获取境外应用, Huawei (China support). Checked October 15, 2026.
  12. HUAWEI Mate X7 规格参数, Huawei (China). Checked October 15, 2026.
  13. HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra 规格参数, Huawei (China). Checked October 15, 2026.
  14. HUAWEI nova 14 规格参数, Huawei (China). Checked October 15, 2026.
  15. HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra Specifications, Huawei. Checked October 15, 2026.
  16. HUAWEI nova 14 Specifications, Huawei. Checked October 15, 2026.
  17. 星河璀璨，百花齐放：HDC 2026 见证鸿蒙生态的繁荣盛况, Huawei. Checked October 15, 2026.
  18. Introduction to HMS Core, Huawei Support. Checked October 15, 2026.

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