How to Transfer Contacts to Shaomi: A Complete Transfer Guide

Buying a new Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone is always accompanied by the question of data migration, and the most critical element here is the phone book. Losing numbers can be a real disaster, so the process of their recovery should be as fast and reliable as possible. Fortunately, the MIUI and HyperOS ecosystem offers many built-in tools to solve this problem without third-party software.

There are several proven methods to migrate records depending on which device you are accessing and how much data you need to process. You can use cloud services, local transmission over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, and classic import from the Internet. SIM-The choice of the particular method depends on your preferences and technical literacy.

In this article, we will take a look at each of the options available so you can choose the most suitable one for your situation, we will look at the nuances of working with Google Contacts, the features of synchronizing your Mi Account, and using the specialized Mi Mover application for migration from other platforms.

Import of contacts through SIM-map and Bluetooth

The most traditional and universal way that works even without an internet connection is to use physical SIM-This is ideal if you have an old button phone or a smartphone with a stripped-down functionality that does not have access to cloud storage: SIM-The card usually holds no more than 250 entries, and long names may be cut off.

To start the transfer, insert your SIM card with saved numbers into a new Xiaomi smartphone. After booting, go to the Contacts app and select the import menu item. The system will automatically detect the entries on the card and prompt you to copy them to the device's internal memory or to your Google account.

⚠️ Note: Before importing, make sure that SIM-There is enough free space for the card if you plan to back up, as the storage format on the SIM card often does not support additional fields like email or addresses.

An alternative is to transfer via Bluetooth if the old device has the function of exporting to the vCard file (.vcf). You create a file with all the contacts on the old gadget, send it on the blue tooth to Xiaomi and open the resulting file.

• 📱 Put it in. SIM-card in the slot of the new smartphone and wait for the definition of the network.
• 📂 Open the Contacts app, click on three dots in the corner and select Import Contacts».
• ☁️ Select the source «SIM-Map and destination “Phone” or “Google account».
• 📤 For Bluetooth: export contacts to a.vcf file on an old device and send the file.

Synchronization through Google account

The most civilized and modern way to get rid of the need to mess with files and cables, and if your previous device was running Android, you have a 99% chance that all your contacts are already saved in the Google cloud, and you just have to log in to make sure that the magic happens automatically.

When you first turn on the new Xiaomi, the system will prompt you to sign in to your existing Google account. If you missed this step, don’t worry: go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google. Make sure the slider opposite Contacts is activated. After that, the phone will pull up all the records from the cloud.

This is a good way to keep your phone backed up, and even if you lose your phone, the numbers will stay in the cloud and be accessed from any device that logs in to your profile, a key data security mechanism in the Android ecosystem.

It is important to check where the new numbers are saved. In the Contacts app settings, there is a “Save by Default” option. It is best to choose your Google account rather than your Phone so that if your device breaks, the data will not disappear.

• 🔑 Log in to the same Google account that was used on the previous device.
• 🔄 Enable synchronization in the “Accounts and Sync” section in the settings.
• 💾 Make sure that your contacts are auto-save in Google, not in your device memory.
• ⏳ Wait until the initial synchronization is complete, which can take a few minutes with a large amount of data.

Using the Mi Cloud

Xiaomi device owners have access to their own Mi Cloud storage, which is deeply integrated into the MIUI and HyperOS shell. This is a great alternative to Google services, especially if you are actively using other features of the Xiaomi ecosystem, such as device search or gallery sync.

To move contacts through this service, you first need to create a Mi Account (if it doesn't already exist) and log in on a new device. On an old phone, if it's also Xiaomi, just turn on the sync of contacts in the profile. If the old phone is of a different brand, you can upload contacts to i.mi.com through the browser, and then sync the new device.

The advantage of this method is the high speed of work within the ecosystem and the ability to recover data even from reset devices, if they were tied to an account.

⚠️ Warning: Free storage capacity of the Mi Cloud is limited (usually 5GB).If you plan to store not only contacts but also backup photos, the space can quickly run out of space.

The setup process is simple: go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud. In the sync list, find Contacts and activate the switch. The system will suggest combining the data with the device or replacing it with data from the cloud - choose the desired option.

• 🆔 Create or log in to Mi Account through your smartphone settings.
• ☁️ Go to the “Mi Cloud” section and find the “Contacts” item».
• 🔁 Click Sync to upload data from the server or send it there.
• 🌐 For cross-platform transition, use the i.mi.com cloud web version.

Data transfer with the Mi Mover application

The official Mi Mover app is perhaps the most powerful migration tool designed specifically for Xiaomi users, which allows you to transfer not only contacts, but also photos, apps, system settings and messages.

The process starts with installing the app on both devices (if the old one doesn’t, download from Google Play or GetApps). Once you run the program, you choose the role of the device: “I send” on the old one and “I receive” on the new Xiaomi. Communication between gadgets is established through the creation of a temporary Wi-Fi network.

The main advantage of Mi Mover is the ability to transfer folder structure and even place icons on the desktop, which makes it feel like you haven’t changed your phone, but just updated it. For contacts, this means saving all the anchors, groups and tags.

Once you select the type of data (in this case, Contacts), you start copying, and the speed of the transfer depends on the number of records and the quality of the wireless connection, but usually the entire process takes no more than a few minutes.

• 📲 Open the Mi Mover app on both smartphones.
• 🔗 Scan it. QR-code for a new phone to establish a connection.
• 📂 In the data list, select Contacts and click Send».
• ⏱ Wait until the process is over and check for all numbers in the phone book.

How to transfer contacts from iPhone to Xiaomi

Switching from iOS to Android often seems difficult due to the closed Apple ecosystem, but for contacts, this procedure has long been standardized. The easiest way is to use the already mentioned Mi Mover, which has an iPhone version and is able to “pull” data from the iOS address book.

The second reliable option is to use iCloud. On your iPhone, go to Settings → [Your name] → iCloud and make sure the Contacts switch is green. Then on your computer, go to iCloud.com, select contacts, highlight everything (Cmd+A or Ctrl+A) and export them in vCard format.

Send the resulting.vcf file to your email or messenger, open it on the new Xiaomi. The system automatically recognizes the format and suggests importing all the records. It's a universal method that works both ways.

There’s also the option of syncing by adding an iCloud account directly to Android. From the Accounts and Sync menu, select Add Account → Exchange and Office 365 (yes, this works for iCloud) or use third-party contact launchers that support CardDAV, but the.vcf method remains the most stable.

• 🍎 On iPhone, enable synchronization of contacts with iCloud in the settings.
• 💻 Export all contacts to.vcf via iCloud.com.
• 📥 Transfer the file to Xiaomi and open it for automatic import.
• 🔄 Alternatively: Use the Mi Mover app for iOS.

Management, cleaning and consolidation of duplicates

After transferring data from different sources, the problem of duplicates often arises: the same contact can persist and the same contact can be maintained with the data. SIM-And the result is that the phone book has entries like "Mom (Mobile)" and "Mom (Other)." MIUI There is a built-in tool for merging.

Go to the Contacts app, click on the menu (three dots or bars) and select Contact Management or Contact Management, and it will be "Connect Repeated Contacts" and the system will analyze the database, find matches by phone number or name, and suggest combining them into a single card.

This is an important maintenance step that should be done periodically, not only to remove visual noise, but also to make it easier to find the right subscriber, and it is recommended to check if there are contacts stored in the phone's memory and move them to the cloud for security.

⚠️ Attention: Automatically merge contacts, the system may fail if different people have the same names and matching parts of numbers.

For advanced users, cleaning is also available through the Google Contacts web interface (contacts.google.com), which has a “Combine and Fix” feature that works even more accurately than on the phone itself, and allows you to massively edit cards.

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Export contacts to a.vcf file regularly and save them to your computer or flash drive, which will create an additional cold backup independent of cloud services and the Internet.

After all the procedures are completed, be sure to check if the attached avatars and ringtones are working. Sometimes when transferring between different versions of Android, graphics files can “unconnect” and have to be assigned again manually.

Comparison of transfer methods

To make it easier for you to choose the best migration path, we have prepared a summary table comparing the main characteristics of the methods examined, each of which has its own strengths depending on your specific situation.

When you choose a method, you need to be more reliable than speed. Google Account sync is the gold standard, because it ensures that your data is safe even if you lose your device completely, and the rest are good tools for one-off operations.

Don’t be afraid to combine methods: for example, keep your main contacts in Google, and save the archive of old numbers in a file on your computer. Proper management of digital information is the key to a comfortable use of your smartphone in the long run.

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The ideal strategy is to have a constant background sync with Google, which makes the process of changing the phone almost invisible to the user.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)