How to import contacts with SIM-cards on the Xiaomi phone

The switch to a new smartphone brand Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO often comes with the need to transfer all the accumulated information. The most important asset for most users is the phone numbers that accumulate in the notebook for years. Import contacts is the first procedure that you need to perform immediately after turning on the device, so as not to be left without communication at an important moment.

Fortunately, the Android operating system and proprietary shell MIUI (or HyperOS) offer built-in tools for quick data copying.You don't need to install third-party apps or plug in a computer if the numbers are physically stored on the operator's chip.The process takes only a few minutes, but requires attention to detail to avoid duplication of records.

In this article, we will analyze in detail all the stages of transferring the phone book, consider the nuances of working with different versions of firmware and answer frequent questions that arise from owners of Xiaomi smartphones. Proper implementation of the instructions guarantees the safety of your data and its availability at any time.

Preparation of SIM-card and data verification

Before you start transferring, you need to make sure that the data is actually on a plastic storage medium, not in the memory of an old phone or cloud storage. Often users mistakenly assume that the numbers are on a SIM card, although in reality they are stored in the device memory or Google account. Verifying the data source is a critical step that will save you time.

If you just got it out. SIM-A card from an old phone, make sure it has exported numbers. On old button phones or other brands, this feature can be called differently.

⚠️ Attention: SIM-The cards have a limited amount of memory and often only support text in encoding. GSM. This means that long names containing Cyrillic or special symbols may not be displayed correctly or may be cropped when imported.

It's also worth checking the chip's physical condition. If the gold-colored contacts have deep scratches or contamination, the smartphone may not be counting some of the information.

• 📱 Make sure that SIM-The card is correctly installed in the tray and is determined by the system.
• 📞 Check on the old device where the numbers are saved (on the phone or on the card).
• 🔒 Unlock. PIN-SIM card code immediately after switching on the new smartphone.
• 📶 Wait for the operator network icons to appear at the top of the screen.

Standard method of import through the Contacts app

The basic method of data transfer is built directly into the system application Contacts, which is standard for all Xiaomi devices. the interface may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI, but the logic of actions remains the same for all models.

Open the Contacts app and find the menu button, which is usually represented by three dots or stripes in the corner of the screen. In the list that opens, select Import/Export Contacts. The system automatically prompts you to select the source of data — in our case, this will be the case. SIM-map.

Once you have selected a source, it will suggest you specify your destination, and you need to choose your Google account or your phone's memory, but not the destination itself. SIM-Sync with Google is the most reliable option, as it will protect data from loss when changing devices in the future.

You can select individual entries or click the select all at the top of the list, and once you confirm the selection, you will start the copying process, which will take from a few seconds to a minute depending on the number of entries.

Import via system settings and Mi Cloud

An alternative way is through global smartphone settings, which is especially useful if the standard contact app is unstable or if you prefer to manage data through system menus, the path to the desired feature can vary, but most often it is in the Apps section.

Go to Settings → Applications → Application settings (or Application Management). Find Contacts or Contacts and phone in the list. There is often a separate tab or button inside the app menu to work with importing and exporting data.

Xiaomi smartphone owners can also use the Mi Cloud cloud service, if the old device was enabled sync with the Mi Account, contacts may already be in the cloud.

Using Xiaomi or Google cloud services is preferable to local storage, as it provides automatic backup. In case of loss or failure of the device, you can restore the phone book simply by logging into your account on any other gadget.

Solving problems with coding and duplicates

One of the most common problems with data transfer SIM-Because carrier chips often use outdated encoding standards, Russian letters can turn into question marks or unreadable characters. Text encoding is a technical limitation that must be considered.

If you see Krakozyabry instead of names after importing, don't panic. Often, re-importing with a different encoding option, if this option is available in your firmware version, helps, and in some cases, you have to manually edit the most important contacts.

Another common problem is the emergence of duplicates, which happens if you previously synced your contacts with Google, and now import them with Google. SIM-Android can combine similar records, but sometimes this process requires manual intervention.

To clear the list, use the duplicates' combination function. Open Contacts, click on the menu, and select Tools → Combine Duplicates. The system will analyze the database and suggest combining entries with the same numbers or names.

• 🧹 Check your phone book regularly for repeated records.
• ✏️ Manually correct names that were incorrectly counted from the SIM card.
• 💾 Immediately after import, make a backup copy to Google Contacts.
• 🔄 Use the "Combine Duplicates" function to clean the list.

Transfer contacts via VCF file (backup)

The most versatile and reliable way to transfer is to use a VCF file (vCard), which allows you to create a full picture of the phone book, which can be transmitted in any convenient way, whether via messenger, mail or Bluetooth. Unlike direct work with SIM, this method saves all the details, including photos and additional numbers.

To create a backup on an old device (or directly on a new one if the card is already inserted) go to Contacts → Import / Export → Export to.vcf. Save the received file to the phone memory.

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Keep the VCF file not only in your phone’s memory, but also send it to your email or cloud storage, which will create an additional copy in case your device is damaged.

Once the file is created, it must be transferred to the new Xiaomi if the export was made on another device. Open the file on the new smartphone, the system will automatically prompt you to import the contacts contained in it. Select a Google account to save, so that the data is synchronized.

This method is especially good because it is not subject to restrictions. SIM-All names, even very long ones with emojis, will be saved as they originally were. VCF It is the industry standard and can be read by almost any device, whether it’s an iPhone, Android or a computer.

Syncing with a Google account as an alternative

In today's world, linking a phone book to a Google account is the most efficient solution, eliminating the need to manually transfer contacts every time you change your phone, and just type in your username and password, and the entire notebook will automatically download from the cloud.

To enable this function, go to Settings. → Accounts and sync (or Google) Make sure the switch opposite Contacts is active.If you haven't previously synced data, do so on your old device or import it from your old device. SIM-Maps to Google Account as described in the previous sections.

The main advantage of this approach is the ability to manage contacts through the web interface contacts.google.com. From a computer you can edit numbers, add photos, create groups and send mass mailings. Any changes will instantly affect your smartphone with the Internet.

⚠️ Note: When syncing with Google, make sure you have enough free space in the cloud, even though the contacts themselves are negligible.

Using cloud sync also makes it easy to recover remote contacts, and Google Contacts has a shopping cart and a history of changes that allows you to roll back the state of the phone book by 30 days, which saves you from accidentally losing important data.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The most reliable way to keep contacts on Xiaomi is to import from the Internet. SIM-Maps are immediately in your Google account, which ensures their safety and availability on any device.