How to add a contact on Xiaomi: all ways + solving problems with saving

Adding a contact on a Xiaomi smartphone seems like a simple task — until you get nuanced. Why isn't the new number saved to the phone book? Where did contacts go after resetting? How do you move numbers from the phone book? SIM-These questions come up to Redmi users, POCO Xiaomi and other products, regardless of the version MIUI.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to add contacts, from basic manual input to automatic sync through Google and Mi Account. We will focus on the typical errors that cause numbers to disappear or duplicate. And for owners of older models (for example, Redmi Note 4X or Mi A1), we will give alternative methods that work even without updates.

Important: The instructions are tested on MIUI 14 and HyperOS, but most of the ways will work for earlier versions of the firmware. If your smartphone runs on a “pure” Android One (like the Mi A2 or Mi A3), some menu items may differ, which we will mention too.

1. Classic method: Adding contact through phone book

The most obvious method is to save the number directly in the Contacts app (or Phone), a universal method that works on all Xiaomi models, including the budget Redmi 9A and the flagship Xiaomi 13 Pro.

To add a new contact:

1. Open the Contacts app** (a human silhouette icon).
2. Click the + button (usually in the lower right corner) or select New Contact from the menu.

• 📱 Device - only in the memory of the phone (not synchronized).
• ☁️ Google – syncs with your account (recommended).
• 📶 SIM-map - retained SIM (limiting the number of symbols!).
• Click "Save"** in the upper right corner.

⚠️ Note: When importing with SIM-The cards may have problems encoding names (e.g., Cyrillic characters will appear as???). SIM. Decision:

1. Before importing, check the names of contacts on the old phone - replace the Cyrillic alphabet with the Latin alphabet (for example, "Ivan» → «If the contacts are already imported with errors, delete them and repeat the import after editing on the SIM-map.

4. synchronize contacts through Google account

The most reliable way to save contacts is to link them to a Google account, which will allow you to:

• 🔄 Automatically sync numbers between devices (e.g., between Xiaomi and tablet).
• ☁️ Restore contacts after resetting the phone to factory settings.
• 📱 View and edit contacts through the web version of Google Contacts.

How to turn on synchronization:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Select your account (if not added, click Add Account**).
3. Activate the switch next to Contacts**.
4. Click on Sync (or wait for automatic sync).

If contacts are duplicated after synchronization, check the settings in the Contacts app: go to Contact Management → Merger of Duplicates and follow the system prompts.

5. Additional methods: Mi Account, VCF-files and third-party applications

In addition to standard methods, alternative options for adding contacts are available on Xiaomi, which can be useful in specific situations, such as when transferring data from an iPhone or recovering from a backup.

Method 1: Synchronization with Mi Account

Mi Account is a Xiaomi branded account that allows you to synchronize contacts between the brand’s devices (for example, between the Redmi Note 11 and Xiaomi Pad 6).

1. Activate the "Contacts" switch**.

⚠️ Note: Mi Account sync only works between Xiaomi devices. If you use smartphones from other brands, this method will not work.

Method 2: Import from the VCF-file

Files with the.vcf extension (or.vcard) are the standard format for storing contacts, and can be exported from another phone or downloaded from a backup. VCF Xiaomi:

1. Copy the.vcf file to your phone (for example, via Telegram, email or email). USB-cable).

Method 3: Third-party applications

If standard methods do not work (for example, due to a failure in MIUI), alternative contact management applications can be used:

• 🔄 Copy My Data – to transfer contacts from iPhone or other Android device.

💡

If you often lose contacts after resetting your phone, set up an automatic backup to Google Drive. To do this, go to Settings → System → Backup and enable the Automatic Backup option (Google Account Required).

6. Problem Solving: Contacts are not saved, lost or not displayed

Even after adding contacts correctly, Xiaomi users sometimes face their disappearance or display errors. Consider typical scenarios and ways to eliminate them.

Problem 1: Contacts are not maintained

If the contact does not appear in the list after clicking “Save”**, check:

• 📶 Selected account to save (sometimes default is SIM-map).
• 🛠️ Permissions for the Contacts application (Settings) → Annexes → Contacts → Permits – must include “Storage” and “Contacts»**).

Problem 2: Contacts are lost after MIUI update

After major updates (e.g., from MIUI 12 to MIUI 13), the sync settings are sometimes reset to restore contacts:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts and Synchronization.
2. Delete your Google account (click on it) → «Delete the account»**).
3. Add the account again and enable contact synchronization.
4. Wait 5-10 minutes – contact should be made.

Problem 3: Contacts from a particular account are not displayed

If the phone book doesn't show all contacts, it may have disabled the mapping for a particular account to fix:

1. Open the "Contact» → press on ⋮ (three-point) → «Settings».

💡

If your contacts are lost after you reset your phone, check your sync with Google first, and 90 percent of the time, your numbers are automatically restored when you re-enter your account.

7. Features for different Xiaomi models

Depending on the smartphone model and the version of MIUI (or HyperOS), the process of adding contacts may be slightly different.

Redmi Note 10/11/12 and other budget models

On budget smartphones (such as the Redmi 10A or POCO M4 Pro), the Contacts interface is simplified.

• 🔍 Duplication merging function (only available in manual mode).
• ☁️ Automatic synchronization with Mi Account (must be manually enabled).

Solution: Use Google Contacts for advanced features.

Xiaomi 12/13/14 and flagship models

On flagships (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra) are available additional chips:

• 🔒 Contact protection: you can hide individual numbers from prying eyes (in contact settings) → «Hide»**).

Mi A1/A2/A3 (Android One)

The Mi A series of smartphones run on pure Android without a MIUI shell.

• ☁️ Sync only works through a Google account (no Mi Account).
• 📱 Contacts app** – standard from Google (without Xiaomi chips).

POCO F1/F3/F5

POCO devices often have custom firmware with stripped down functionality, for example, on POCO F1 may not have:

• 🔄 Automatic synchronization with Mi Account (you need to manually configure).

Solution: Use Google Contacts or third-party apps (such as Simpler Contacts).

FAQ: Frequent questions about contacts on Xiaomi

Manually via VCF:

• Open the "Contact»** → ⋮ → Contact management → Exports.
• Select the.vcf format and save the file to a safe location (e.g. Google Drive).