Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face a situation where after changing the device or resetting the settings, the numbers saved directly to the user are not available. SIM-The maps stop showing up in the general list, and that's because the shell is MIUI By default, prioritizes Google cloud or Mi Account entries, ignoring the local memory of the communication chip. The user sees a void or incomplete list, which causes panic and thoughts about data loss.
Fortunately, the numbers are physically there, they're stored securely in the SIM's memory, and the problem is that the software settings for display and filtering in the standard Contacts or Phone app are the only ones that can be solved, and to get those records back, you have to do a few simple manipulations in the settings menu that take you a few minutes or less.
In this article, we will look at all the possible ways to find and display hidden numbers, we will look at both standard methods through the phone menu, and deeper settings through the Contacts app, and also touch on the issues of importing data into internal memory for safe storage.
Checking the display settings in the Phone application
The first and most likely source of the problem is the display filter: MIUI-based Android allows you to flexibly configure which data sources should be visible in the phone book, and often activates Phone Only or Account Only mode by default, which hides the contents of the SIM card.
To correct this, open the standard Phone app and go to the Contacts tab. The top right corner of the screen usually has a three-dot icon or gear that indicates the settings menu. Clicking on it will take you to the settings section where you need to find the "Display Settings" or "Contact Filter".
⚠️ Note: If you don’t see the settings in the Phone app, try opening a separate Contacts app (yellow icon with a human silhouette) as in the newer versions. MIUI The functionality is often split between the two programs, and the menu that opens will show you a list of available sources, which may include your Google account, your Mi Account, your device memory, and your Google account. SIM-map (SIM 1, SIM Make sure that the opposite of the paragraph SIM If you tick or switch activated, it's also useful to select the "All Contacts" option, so that the system compulsorily combines lists from all sources into a single tape. 📊 Where do you keep your main numbers? SIM-MapIn Google accountIn the memory of the phoneIn the messenger app After activating the display of the SIM card, the list may not be updated instantly. Sometimes you need to completely close the application and open it again. If numbers appear but look like "Unknown Number" or are displayed incorrectly, further editing or importing them may be necessary.Import contacts from the SIM card to the device's memory Storage of numbers directly to the device SIM-The chip has limitations on the length of the name (often cropping long names) and the number of characters in the room, and if you lose the SIM card, you lose all the numbers. So experts recommend that you transfer them to internal memory or the cloud immediately after you find the records, and to do this, you will need the Contacts app again. Click on the menu (three dots) and select Import/Export contacts. In the window that appears, the system will ask where to import data from. SIM-map (SIM 1 SIM 2). ☑️ Checklist of import contacts Open the Contacts app:Select Import/Export:Specify source (SIM):Select a destination (Google/Phone: Confirm the operation Completed: 0 / 1 The next step is to choose your destination, and it's best to choose your Google account, because it will keep you synced with other devices and secure even when your smartphone breaks, so if you don't have access to the Internet, you can choose "Device Memory" or "Phone." The system will suggest selecting contacts to move, and you can mark specific numbers manually or click on the "Select All" button in the top corner, and once confirmed, the copying process will begin. Once it is completed, it is recommended to check the list again to make sure that all numbers have been copied correctly and without errors. If you can’t find the right settings through the application, you can use the deep contact management menu, which is in the general settings of the Xiaomi smartphone. This method is especially effective when the standard application is not working correctly or “glues” after the update. Go to the main menu of the phone settings, scroll down to the “Apps” section and select “App Management” from the list of installed programs, find “Contacts” or “Phone.” Once inside, select “Perations” or “Data” where the button may be located after the phone is cleaned, however, the system will help with the search for the associated items from the search boxes. Select the item Import from SIM-The recommended value is the source from which we copy the data SIM-Map Purpose Where we save a copy of Google account Duplicates Action when match Do not import the format Type of stored data vCard / Google Using system search settings allows you to bypass complex menus and immediately get to the desired tool. This is especially true for users who rarely use deep interface settings. MIUI. Working with duplicates and combining records A common problem after importing contacts from the SIM card is the appearance of duplicates. The same subscriber can be displayed twice: once as a record with a SIM card. SIM, And for the second time, it's a cloud or memory record with a fuller name and a photo, and Xiaomi has a built-in unification feature to solve this problem. Open a contact that has a duplicate. At the bottom of the screen or in the menu (three dots), a plaque or button "Combine with another contact" may appear. ⚠️ Attention: When you combine contacts, information is added up, and if you have only a number in one record and a number, email and photo in the other, you end up with one full card, and the old data is not lost, but added, and you can also start the automatic connection en masse. In the Contacts app, click on three dots and select Contact Management and then Combine Duplicates. The system will analyze the entire phone book and suggest a list of pairs to merge, which will clear the list of visual noise and make it easy to search. If the automatic connection does not work, you can do it manually. Open the SIM contact, click Change, then select the menu and select Combine, and you will be asked to select the second contact you want to merge with, and once confirmed, both will merge into one. Standard Xiaomi apps sometimes run unstable or have a stripped-down functionality. In such cases, the official Google Contacts app, which can be downloaded from the Play Market or found in system applications, comes to the rescue. It has more powerful controls and syncs. When you start the app, click on the profile icon or menu on the top left. Make sure that all sources are selected in the display settings, including the ones you use. SIM-Google's interface often shows more than where each particular number is loaded from. Google’s app provides instant sync with the cloud, has an improved search and spam protection algorithm, and automatically backs up, which is critical when changing devices. To import numbers to Google Contacts, open the Settings menu» -> «Import. Select SIM-The card and Google account you want to save your data to is faster and more reliable than standard means. MIUI. The advantage of using the Google ecosystem is that your contacts will be accessible from any device, whether it's a tablet, a computer or a new smartphone, regardless of brand. There are cases when none of the above methods did not help to find contacts on the SIM card. This may indicate damage to the SIM chip, software failure or incompatibility of storage formats (for example, old Unicode contacts may not be read by new smartphones). First of all, try to remove the SIM card and paste it into another, preferably older phone. If contacts are displayed there, then the problem is in your Xiaomi software. Try to copy them to a donor phone, and then export them in.vcf format to a memory card or to the cloud, then import back to Xiaomi. If contacts are not visible anywhere, they may have been accidentally deleted or the SIM card is a problem, then the phone is in the same way, if the operator can physically restore the phone number in this case, or the phone number in the same way. 💡Export contacts to the file.vcf regularly and save them to your computer or send them to your messenger. It is the most reliable backup that does not depend on servers and synchronization. In extreme cases, if data is critical, there are special readers. SIM-You can use these cards to try to read the raw data from the chip, bypassing the limitations of the smartphone operating system. Frequently asked questions (FAQ) Where are the contacts physically stored on Xiaomi SIM card? contacts are stored in non-volatile memory of the chip itself SIM-This memory doesn't erase when you turn off your phone, but it's very small, so it only holds numbers and short names without additional fields? If the SIM card is physically damaged (sliced, scratched on the chip), it is almost impossible to recover the data yourself. It requires specialized equipment. If the SIM card is intact but not readable, try gently erasing the contacts with a wiper. Why after updating MIUI Often, after updating, the display filter settings are reset or the account is desynchronized. Check the contact display settings and make sure you are logged in to your Google account. Also check the Recycle Bin folder in the Contacts app. How to transfer contacts from iPhone to Xiaomi? The easiest way to log into an iCloud account on your computer, export contacts in vCard format, and then upload this file to your Google account. Once synced to Xiaomi, all numbers will automatically appear. 💡The main conclusion: Never keep important numbers only on the SIM-map. Always use synchronization with your Google account to ensure data is safe.