Changing your smartphone or having to move your phone book to a new device is a standard situation that every Xiaomi user faces. Redmi owners often look for where to import and export contacts, so as not to lose valuable numbers when reinstalling the system or buying a gadget. In an Android operating system with a MIUI shell or HyperOS, this process may not be obvious due to the nature of the menu grouping.
Phonebook backup is built into the standard Contacts app and system settings. Proper data export ensures that you can recover your call list even on a different brand device. We'll take every way you can save numbers, from creating a.vcf file to syncing through cloud services.
Users sometimes confuse account synchronization with direct file exporting. It is important to understand the difference, since vCard is a universal format that is read by almost all phones and email clients. Below we will describe in detail the algorithms of actions for various use cases.
Use of the Application Contacts for Export
The fastest way to save numbers is to use the built-in functionality of a standard call. To do this, open the Contacts app on the home screen or in the Tools folder. In the upper right corner of the interface, you will see a three-dot button or menu icon, clicking on which will open the list of available actions.
In the drop-down list, select the item Import / export contacts. The system will offer several options: copying from the Internet. SIM-maps, import from a file, or, what we need, export to the device's memory. Select the option Export to storage, and the phone will automatically create a file with all the saved numbers.
By default, the system will prompt you to save the file under the name contacts.vcf to the root folder or MIUI/Contacts directory. You can rename the file by adding a date or your name so as not to get confused in the backup versions. After the process is completed, notifications will appear on the successful save message.
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Keep the export file not only in internal memory, but also immediately send it to your messenger or mail, so as not to lose data in the event of a phone breakdown.
This method is convenient because it does not require an Internet connection and works even in air mode. The vCard file takes up minimal space and contains all the information: names, numbers, email addresses and photos, if they were associated with contacts.
Transferring data through Google Account
The most reliable way to save a phone book is to sync with your Google account, which allows you to automatically update your contact list on all devices that log in to your profile. To check your settings, go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
Make sure that there is an active switch opposite the Contacts item. If synchronization is enabled, all new numbers will be instantly saved to the cloud. For forced export, you can also use the web-based interface contacts.google.com, where the upload function in.csv or.vcf format is available.
- 📱 Open your smartphone settings and find the “Accounts” section».
- ☁️ Select your Google account from the list of available profiles.
- 🔄 Make sure the Contacts slider is on and lit in blue.
- 💾 For manual saving, go to Google Contacts from your computer.
The advantage of this method is that if you lose or steal your phone, you can restore all the numbers just by entering your username and password on the new device. Google Contacts also knows how to combine duplicates and recover deleted records from the last 30 days.
☑️ Checking Google Syncs
Exports and imports through SIM-map
Use of the SIM-Data transfer cards are an old but still relevant method, especially when switching from button phones or devices without cloud services. SIM-The card has limited memory and often does not support keeping long names or multiple numbers for a single contact.
To copy contacts to the SIM card, open the import/export menu in the Contacts app and select Export to the SIM card. SIM-The system will warn you of possible format limitations, and once you copy it, you can insert the SIM card into any other phone and select the import function from the memory card. SIM.
⚠️ Note: When exporting to SIM-Long names may be cropped and contact photos lost. Use this method only as a temporary solution or for base numbers.
The reverse process - importing from SIM — Select the appropriate item in the menu, and the phone will suggest adding the entries found to the device memory or to your Google account. SIM-map may demagnetize.
Mi Mover app for migration to Xiaomi
For owners of Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones, the most convenient tool is the Mi Mover app, which allows you to transfer contacts, messages, photos and even place icons on your desktop from your old phone to your new one without using the Internet.
Run the app on both devices. Select "I'm the recipient" on the new phone, and "I'm the sender" on the old one. Scan. QR-code that appears on the screen of the new device to establish a connection. In the list of data to be transmitted, be sure to tick the contact point.
The data transfer speed over Wi-Fi Direct, which Mi Mover uses, is significantly higher than over Bluetooth.The process is fully automated: once the transfer is complete, all contacts will be automatically distributed to the corresponding accounts or stored in the phone's memory.
What if the Mi Mover can’t see the device?
This method is ideal when buying a new Redmi, as it preserves the data structure of the original system. Local connection guarantees privacy, since the data does not pass through third-party servers.
Comparison of methods of maintaining contacts
The choice of backup depends on your goals and the current state of the art. If you need to quickly flip a couple of numbers, Bluetooth or other devices will do. SIM-For full migration, it is better to use cloud services or specialized utilities.
The table below compares the main characteristics of different export methods so that you can choose the best option for your situation.
| Method | Speed. | Photo preservation | We need the Internet. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Synchronization | Tall. | Yes. | Yes. |
| VCF file (Memory) | Instant. | Yes. | No. |
| SIM-map | Low. | No. | No. |
| Mi Mover | Very high. | Yes. | No (locally) |
As you can see from the table, file method and Mi Mover are the most complete solutions, preserving the entire data structure. Google Synchronization benefits in everyday use, but requires a stable connection.
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For maximum security, combine methods: keep your sync with Google and create a backup VCF file on your computer once a month.
Frequent import problems and their solution
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where after recovery contacts are displayed incorrectly or duplicated, often because the numbers were stored simultaneously in the memory of the phone and on the phone. SIM-map, and Google account. To solve this problem, use the "Combine duplicates" function in the contact settings.
If the import is interrupted, the file may be corrupted, in which case, try opening the.vcf file on your computer with a text editor to check its integrity, and make sure that the device has enough free RAM to handle a large list.
- 🔍 Check if the right source of import is selected on the menu.
- 🗑️ Remove duplicate records through display settings.
- 📂 Make sure that the export file does not have write protection.
In rare cases, the problem is the encoding of the file. If you see a set of characters instead of Russian names, try changing the file encoding to UTF-8 before importing, which is especially true if the file was edited on a computer.
⚠️ Do not interrupt the process of importing thousands of contacts by removing them. SIM-This can damage the phone book database, which will require resetting the settings.