How to transfer contacts from phone to phone Xiaomi: the complete guide

Moving to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always an exciting process, with the expectation and desire to start using all the features of the gadget faster. However, before you dive into testing the functions of the camera or setting up the MIUI interface, one of the most pressing tasks is to move the phone book. Losing important numbers can be a serious problem, so the question of how to transfer contacts from phone to phone android Xiaomi requires a careful and professional approach. Modern methods allow you to do this in minutes, saving not only names, but also photos, email addresses and job positions associated with them.

Owners of Redmi and Poco devices often face situations where the previous gadget runs on a different operating system or has custom software. In such cases, standard methods may not work the first time, requiring more in-depth intervention in system settings. It is important to understand that the process of data migration depends on the original device: whether it is another Android smartphone, iPhone or even a button caller. We will consider all the options available so that you can choose the most suitable for your situation and avoid typical errors.

Preparing both devices for data transfer

Before you start transmitting information directly, you need to make sure that both devices are ready to work. Synchronization requires a stable connection and sufficient battery power. If you plan to use wireless methods, make sure that the Wi-Fi module on both devices is functioning correctly. USB-cable, preferably original, as cheap analogues often support only charging, but not data transmission.

Special attention should be paid to cleaning up memory. If the new Xiaomi already has some data, it is better to delete or move it to avoid duplication of entries. Duplicate contacts can create chaos in the phone book, and then you have to spend time manually deleting them. Also check that both devices have Bluetooth visibility enabled if you plan to use this protocol, although it is the least effective for large amounts of data.

Don’t forget to check the operating system version. Older versions of Android may not have the necessary drivers or export features that newer MIUI firmware has. Software updates often resolve hidden file format compatibility conflicts. In some cases, it’s helpful to install Google Contacts from Play Market beforehand, unless it’s the default system, as it provides better cross-platform compatibility.

An important step is to back up the current phone book on the old device, even if it seems to be working, no one is immune to accidental failure during transmission, and have a backup on the old device. SD-This is especially true for corporate SIM card holders, where losing a manager or client number can have serious consequences.

Using the Mi Mover app for quick migration

The most effective and native way for owners of Xiaomi equipment is to use the built-in Mi Mover application. This tool is designed specifically for the ecosystem of the Chinese manufacturer and allows you to transfer not only contacts, but also photos, applications, system settings and even placement of icons on the desktop. To get started, open the application on a new phone through the settings menu or find it in the Tools folder.

On an older device, if it’s also Xiaomi, Redmi or Poco, the app is already pre-installed. If you’re switching from another Android brand, you’ll need to download Mi Mover from Google Play or scan it. QR-Once the devices have installed and given the necessary permissions to access contacts and storage, they will find each other through a local Wi-Fi network that they will automatically create.

• 📲 Select the new phone as “Receiver” (New Phone), and on the old one – “Sender” (Old Phone).
• 🔗 Connect your old device to the Wi-Fi network created by the new phone by scanning it. QR-camera-code.
• 📂 In the data selection menu, be sure to tick the item "Contacts" and, if necessary, "Messages" or "Calls".
• 🚀 Press the “Send” button and wait until the process is over without turning off the device screens.

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When you transfer a large amount of data (more than 10 GB) through the Mi Mover, phones can heat up – this is normal Wi-Fi modules work at high speed.

Mi Mover transfers are much faster than Bluetooth, and can reach tens of megabytes per second, allowing you to download thousands of contacts with attached high-resolution photos in just a few minutes, but remember that the default contact saving format will be tied to your Mi Account unless you change the settings before you start.

⚠️ Warning: If communication is interrupted during the transmission, don't panic.The Mi Mover app supports restarting downloads, but in rare cases, it may be necessary to start the process anew to avoid broken files.

Syncing through Google Account: The Cloud Method

The most versatile way, which works regardless of the smartphone brand, is synchronization through Google cloud services, which is ideal if you switch from any Android device to Xiaomi, the essence of the method is that all contacts are not stored in the phone’s memory, but are tied to your Gmail account, and when you log in to this account on a new device, the entire phone book will load automatically.

To make sure that contacts are saved, on the old phone, go to the Google account settings and click Sync. Make sure the slider opposite Contacts is active. If you see an update icon or arrows, the process is underway. After that, on the new Xiaomi, you just need to enter the same username and password when you initially set up or add the account manually through the Settings → Accounts and Sync menu.

The advantage of this method is the ability to manage contacts through the web interface contacts.google.com. There you can conveniently delete duplicates, combine records and restore the phone book for up to 30 days ago in the case of accidental deletion. Recovery from the cloud is in the background and does not require constant screen activation.

Importantly, this method requires a stable Internet connection to work, and if you have thousands of contacts, it can take a while to boot up the initial download, and in MIUI sync settings, you can select the refresh rate so that changes made from your computer or tablet are instantly displayed on your smartphone.

Import and export via vCard file (CSV)

The method of manual export via vCard (.vcf) is the gold standard for transferring data between different ecosystems, for example, from an iPhone to Android or from a button phone. vCard file is a universal format that contains structured contact information: name, number, address, email and even a ringtone.

On the old device, select Export Contacts or Share Contacts. The system will suggest saving the file to the device's memory or sending it via messenger, email or Bluetooth. The resulting file with the.vcf extension must be transferred to the new Xiaomi. Once you receive the file, just click on it - the system will automatically prompt you to import the found entries into the phone book or selected akka.

The good thing about this is that it doesn't depend on the speed of the Internet or the availability of accounts. You just transfer the data file. However, if the file is very large (for example, it contains more than 2,000 contacts with a photo), the import process can take several minutes, and the phone can temporarily "hang up," interrupting the process at this point can lead to partial data loss.

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The vCard file (.vcf) is the most reliable way to move contacts with photos and additional fields without being tied to cloud services.

Transfer of contacts from SIM-card

Despite the development of technology, many users still keep numbers on the Internet. SIM-This is a convenient but limited method, and the main limitation is the number of characters for a name (usually up to the limit of the number of characters). 15-20 The method of saving more than one number per subscriber or adding an email is not possible.

First, insert SIM-Go to the Contacts app, click on the menu (three dots or gears) and select Import/Export Contacts. From the menu that appears, select Import with SIM-The system will suggest you to choose a destination: it is recommended to choose a Google account or phone memory, but not the phone itself. SIM-map to make room and get advanced features.

The copying process is almost instantaneous. Once completed, be sure to check the list: long names can be cropped, and Russian letters in some older SIM formats can appear as question marks or Krakozabras, in which case you will need to manually edit the most important entries.

⚠️ Attention: SIM-The card is not a reliable storage. It has a limited overwriting resource and can fail at any time. Always keep a backup in the cloud or on your phone.

If you have a two-sim Xiaomi, the system will ask which one is the one you want. SIM-You need to import the cards, be careful not to import the same numbers twice, and after you import them successfully, you can remove the contacts from the simki to avoid confusion in the future.

Solution: duplicates and coding

Once the contacts are transferred, users often face the problem of duplication of records, which occurs when the same contact is stored simultaneously in the phone's memory, on the phone. SIM-map and Google account. MIUI It has a built-in tool to solve this problem. Go to the Contacts app, open the menu, and find "Clean Duplicates" or "Combine Repetitive Contacts".

The system will automatically analyze the phone book, find matches by phone number or name, and suggest combining them into a single card, which is a secure operation that does not delete information, but only structures it, and you can also remove empty contacts that sometimes occur when synchronization failures.

• 🧹 Open the contact menu and select "Duplicate Cleanup".
• 🔍 The system will show a list of found pairs for the combination.
• ✅ Confirm the “Combine All” action or select specific cases manually.
• 🗑️ Remove unnecessary copies by leaving the primary source (better Google Account).

Another common problem is that you don't encode incorrectly when you import files from CSVs that you're creating on your computer. If you see a set of characters instead of Russian letters, try changing the file encoding to UTF-8 before importing, you can do this in the Notepad++ text editor or through online encoding converters.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)