Changing a mobile device or switching to an Android platform often comes with the need to quickly move the phone book. Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners face this issue immediately after turning on a new gadget. The standard data import procedure takes only a few minutes, but requires careful choice of location.
Many users habitually store numbers directly on the SIM-And moving records to a device's internal memory or Google account guarantees that they're safe even if the SIM is lost or broken. MIUI or hyperos.
Before you start, make sure that the SIM card is properly installed and defined by the system. If you just inserted a chip into a new device, the phone can automatically suggest importing data - this is the normal behavior of the system. However, the manual method through the contact settings gives more control over the process and avoids duplication of records.
Preparation for data portability
Before you start manipulating the phone book, you need to make sure that the card is stable and that the device is connected. SIM-card to the appropriate slot and wait for the network signal to appear. If the device supports two SIMs, select the one on which the numbers are stored as the main one for data transfer.
Modern Xiaomi smartphones are equipped with powerful contact management tools hidden in the standard Contacts app. To successfully complete the operation, you will need access to this system application. Make sure that the device has enough free memory, although text data is negligible.
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Before starting mass import, back up your current phone book if your phone already has important numbers on it so you don’t lose them in the event of a crash.
It is important to understand the difference between storage formats. SIM cards are limited to the number of characters in the contact name and often do not store additional fields such as email or address, so after transfer, it may be necessary to manually edit some records to add lost information.
Import of contacts through the “Contacts” application
The basic method of data transfer is built directly into the call management interface. Open the standard Contacts app on the home screen or in the Tools folder. At the bottom of the screen or in the upper corner (depending on the MIUI version), find the menu button marked with three dots or stripes.
In the list that opens, select Import/Export contacts. The system will offer several options. You need to select the option Import from SIM-If you have two SIM cards installed, the phone will ask you to specify which one. SIM data should be considered.
☑️ Import algorithm
Then the system will ask where exactly you want to save the numbers. You should choose a Google account or internal phone memory, but not the SIM card itself. Once you select the storage location, a list of all the numbers found will appear on the screen, you can select individual records or click "Select all" for mass copying.
⚠️ Note: When importing a large number of records (more than 500), the process can take up to several minutes.
Selecting a storage location: Google or Phone Memory
The critical step is to identify the target storage, and when migrating to Xiaomi, the system will offer to save the data to one of the available profiles, and choosing a Google account is the preferred option for most users.
Save to the Google cloud allows you to sync data across all your devices, so if you lose your phone or buy a new one, just log in to your account and the entire phonebook will recover automatically, eliminating the need to repeat the import procedure from the SIM card every time.
The option of saving in Memory phone is also valid, especially if you do not use cloud services, but in this case, when you reset your settings to factory (Hard Reset) or break the device, the data will be lost irrevocably unless you make a separate export to the file.
| Criteria | Google Account | Phone memory | SIM-map |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security | High (cloud) | Medium (locally) | Low (physical carrier) |
| Data volume | No restrictions. | Depends on memory. | Limited (usually 250-500) |
| Details | Full (photo, email) | Complete. | Name and number only |
| Synchronization | Automatic. | Absent. | Only when physical. |
Work with VCF files and external sources
Sometimes direct import from the SIM card is not possible due to technical limitations or chip damage. VCF (vCard is a universal file containing contact information that can be transmitted via Bluetooth, instant messengers or USB-cable.
If you have a file with a.vcf extension, just find it through the File Manager Explorer and click on it. The system automatically recognizes the format and suggests importing the contents into the phone book, a method often used when switching from iPhones or button phones that support export.
Owners of older Nokia or Samsung devices may need to pre-convert files. Use customized converter apps on PC to convert CSV or NBF formats to a universal VCF. Once converted, the file is easily transferred to Xiaomi and opened by standard means.
What to do if the names are displayed by the Krakozabras?
Removal of duplicates and sorting
Once the transfer from the SIM card is completed, users often face the problem of duplication of records, which occurs if the numbers have previously been stored in the cloud or memory, and the SIM card contained copies of them. MIUI It has a built-in tool to solve this problem.
Go to your contacts and find the Duplicate Cleanup, and the system will analyze the database and suggest combining repeating entries or removing redundant ones, which is an important step in keeping the phone book in order and speeding up the search for the right subscriber.
It's also worth checking the correctness of the name selection. Since SIM cards have name length restrictions, some contacts may be cropped. Go through the list and add the missing information: add surnames, email addresses, and link social media profiles if the feature is supported by the region.
⚠️ Note: The duplicates can irreversibly change the structure of the records. If you have unique numbers with the same names (e.g. two Alexanders), check the merger process manually so you don't confuse the data.
Synchronization for the future
To never again wonder how to move contacts, set up automatic sync. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google. Make sure the switch opposite the Contacts item is activated.
Now, every new save will happen right into the cloud, and when you buy your next smartphone, whether it's a Xiaomi 14 or a different brand's Android model, your phone book will recover in seconds, which is the modern standard for dealing with personal data.
Check sync status regularly. Sometimes the system may turn off background data transmission to save battery life, then add the Contacts app to the battery optimization exception list so that the update process doesn't get interrupted.
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Automatic synchronization with Google accounts completely eliminates the need for manually transferring contacts from your account. SIM-future cards and protects data from loss.