How to write a phone number on Xiaomi: all the ways and nuances

Owning a Xiaomi smartphone involves regularly interacting with a phone book — whether it’s saving a new number, editing an existing one, or moving contacts between devices. However, even in such a simple procedure, there are nuances, from choosing the right number format to synchronizing with the Mi Account cloud. Errors here can cause dialing problems, SMS- mailings, or even loss of data when you reset your phone.

In this article, we will look at all the current ways to work with numbers on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO — from manual input to import from other sources. Particular attention will be paid to the formats of numbers (international, local, country code), storage of contacts (SIM- card vs. phone memory vs. cloud) and common errors that interfere with the correct operation of the phone book. If you ever come across a number saved is “not allowed” or duplicated here, you will find a solution.

1.Where to save a number on Xiaomi: 3 storage options

Before you enter a number, decide where it will be stored. This depends on the availability of contact after a phone reset, changing the SIM- card or switching to a new device. Xiaomi has three main places to save:

• 📱 Phone memory — contacts are tied to the device, and when you reset or replace your smartphone, they will be deleted if you don't back up.
• 📶 SIM- Card - numbers are stored on the operator's chip. Limit: usually no more than 250 contacts, without the ability to add photos or additional fields.
• ☁️ Mi Account cloud syncs with Xiaomi account, and the most reliable option is that contacts are available on any device after authorization.

By default, modern Xiaomi smartphones (starting with the MIUI 12) offer to save contacts to the cloud. However, if you use two SIM- cards or change devices often, you should set the priority storage location in advance.

1. Open Contacts. → press three points (⋮) top-right.
2. Select Settings → Contact Management.
3. In the section Save contacts by default specify the preferred option.

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If you travel frequently, choose the Mi Account cloud, so numbers will be available even when changing your SIM- card abroad.

2. Proper number formats: how to enter so that there are no errors

One of the most common problems is the incorrect format of the number, which makes it impossible to make a call or send an SMS. Xiaomi supports several input options, but not all of them are universal.

A critical nuance: if you save the number in the international format (c+) but forget to specify the country code, the call may go to another number or not take place at all. For example, +380501234567 (Ukraine) and +780501234567 (Russia, non-existent code) are two different numbers.

To avoid mistakes:

• 🌍 For international numbers, always use + and country code (e.g. +1 for the US, +44 for the UK).
• 📞 For local calls, the format with the operator code is sufficient (for example, 9123456789 in Russia).
• ⚠️ Avoid spaces and special characters at the beginning of the number (e.g., 8 912 345-67-89 may not be recognized).

3. Step-by-step instructions: how to save the number in contacts

The process of adding a number to a Xiaomi phone book depends on whether you get it from a call log, SMS or manually type it in.

Method 1: Save from the call log

1. Open the phone application (pipe icon).
2. Go to the magazine tab and find the desired number.
3. Click on the number → select Save (or Add to Contacts).
4. Please specify the name, edit the number if necessary (for example, add +7).
5. Select a save location (SIM, phone, or cloud) and click Ready.

Method 2: Manually enter a new contact

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Click on the + icon (bottom of the screen).
3. Fill in the fields: 👤 Name (required). 📞 Phone (enter the number in one of the formats from the previous section). 🏷️ Tag (e.g., "Worker", "Home", "WhatsApp").

Save.

Method 3: Import contacts from a file or other device

If you have a backup of contacts in.vcf format (for example, from the previous phone), it can be imported:

1. Open Contacts. → Settings (⋮) → Imports/Exports.
2. Select Import from the file and specify the path to.vcf (e.g., from Download or cloud).
3. Confirm the import and wait until it is completed.

🔹 Important: when importing from.vcf, all contacts will be stored in the phone's memory. To transfer them to the cloud, export to Mi Account after import.

4.Editing and managing contacts: how to change or delete a number

Over time, the numbers in the phone book become obsolete, or you need to add additional information (for example, a second phone or email). In MIUI, editing contacts is intuitive, but there are a few pitfalls.

How to edit an existing contact

1. Open Contacts and find the profile you want.
2. Click on Contact → Select Edit (Pencil icon).
3. Change the number, name or other fields. To add a second phone, click Add Field → Phone.
4. Save the changes.

⚠️ Warning: If the contact is saved on the SIM- card, editing is limited, you can't add a photo or additional fields (e.g. email). To expand the experience, transfer the contact to the phone's memory or the cloud.

How to delete a number or contact

The removal can be complete (from all devices if synced to the cloud) or local.

1. Open contact → click Remove (basket icon).
2. If the contact is synced to Mi Account, it will disappear from all devices.

🔹 Nuance: When you remove the contact from the SIM- card, it will only disappear from the chip, but it will remain in the memory of the phone if it was duplicated. To clear everything, remove the contact from both the phone and the SIM.

5. synchronization of contacts with Mi Account: how not to lose data

The Mi Account cloud is the most reliable way to save contacts, but only when you set them up correctly, and if you're out of sync, you risk losing all the numbers when you reset your phone or switch to a new device, and then you'll figure out how to set up and check the sync.

How to turn on synchronization

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Mi Account.
2. Make sure that the contact slider is active (blue).
3. Click Sync to start the process manually.

📌 Note: If you have multiple Xiaomi accounts (for example, personal and work), contacts will only sync with the one selected as the primary in the settings.

How to check if your contacts are synchronized

To ensure that the numbers are saved in the cloud:

1. Go to account.xiaomi.com and log in.
2. In the Services section, select Contacts.
3. Check if your numbers are displayed in the web version.

🔹 Tip: To avoid data loss, set up automatic contacts export to Settings → Contacts → Import/Export → Export to a memory card (do once a month).

7 Additional Features: Groups, Selected and Quick Recruitment

Xiaomi's phone book offers tools to streamline contacts and speed dial-ups. Let's take a look at the most useful ones.

Contact groups

Groups help to categorize contacts (e.g., Work, Family, Friends) to form a group:

1. Open Contacts → Press Groups (in the tab below).
2. Choose to Create a Group, specify a name (e.g., “Colleagues”).
3. Add contacts to the group by ticking them.

Selected (fast access)

To add contact to your favorites:

1. Open contact → click on the asterisk (⭐) in the upper right corner.
2. Now it will appear in the Favorites tab for a quick dial.

Voice set

If you are more comfortable with your voice:

1. Activate Google Assistant or Xiaomi Assistant (depending on the model).
2. Say, "Call [the contact name]."
3. If the contact is not recognized, check the correct pronunciation of the name in his card.

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To speed up the dialing of frequently used numbers, assign them shortcuts on the home screen. To do this, press the Contact icon → select Shortcut → specify the contact you want.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions