How to transfer contacts with Xiaomi to Samsung: the complete guide

Changing your smartphone always causes a mild stress associated with the fear of losing important data, especially the phone book, which has been accumulating for years, the transfer of contacts from Xiaomi to Samsung is a procedure that can be performed in several ways, and the choice of method depends on whether you have previously switched on sync.

Modern Android systems, whether it be a shell MIUI one UI, They offer flexible tools for migration, and you can use Google's cloud services, branded vendor utilities, or even the good old-fashioned ones. SIM-It's important to understand that contacts are not just numbers, but also email addresses, photos and addresses associated with them, so it's important to choose a method that preserves the entire structure of the record.

In this article, we will discuss all the current options: from automatic synchronization through a Google account to manual export through the Internet. VCF-We're also going to look at a situation where an old phone is already sold or broken and access to it is restricted. Data backup is a skill that will keep you from losing information in the future.

Using a Google account to sync

The most reliable and standard way to migrate data in the Android ecosystem is to use Google cloud storage. If your Xiaomi has added a Google account and sync enabled, then all contacts are already in the cloud. You don't have to export anything manually.

To check this, go to your old phone's settings and look for Accounts and Sync. Make sure your inbox is ticked off the "Contacts" box. If sync was active, when you log in to the same account on the new Samsung, the phone book will automatically fill in within minutes of connecting to Wi-Fi.

• 📱 Open Settings on Xiaomi and go to the Accounts section.
• 🔄 Click on your Google account and make sure the Contacts switch is active.
• ☁️ Forced to start synchronization by clicking on the three-point menu and selecting "Sync".
• 📲 On the new Samsung, log in to the same account when you first set up or in the Settings menu. → Accounts.

However, if you have never synced or only saved contacts in your phone’s memory (“Device”), this method will require prior preparation. You will need to manually copy the records from your phone’s memory to your Google account. To do this, open the Contacts app on Xiaomi, select all numbers, and use the Move or Copy function, specifying your Google account as the target storage.

⚠️ Note: If you have two different Google accounts on different phones, just add a second account to the settings of the new Samsung.

Once the process is complete, the new device should check where the new numbers are stored. By default, One UI can offer to save to your phone memory or to your Samsung account. It is recommended to change this behavior so that new records immediately fly to the Google cloud.

Migration through Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud)

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphone owners often use Mi Cloud, a handy tool that is unique when switching to other brands, and the contacts stored in Mi Cloud are not synchronized directly with Samsung because the ecosystems are closed to each other.

To move data, you'll need a web version of the service. Go from your computer or any other device to i.mi.com and log in to your Mi-acca-unt. In the cloud storage interface, find the Contacts section. Here you'll see a complete list of your records.

Next, export. Select all the contacts (usually there is a "Select All" button at the bottom of the screen or in the list settings menu) and click "Export" button. The system will suggest saving the file in VCF (vCard) format. This universal format is supported by all smartphones, including Samsung.

Way to export: Mi Cloud → Contacts → Menu (three points) → Export of contacts → VCF format

The resulting file must be transferred to a new phone, which can be done via Bluetooth, messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp), or simply saving it to a new phone. USB-Once the file is in Samsung's memory, just open it. The system recognizes the format and suggests importing the entries into the phone book.

Transfer through SIM-Map: Old but working method

If you don’t have access to the internet or prefer offline methods, SIM-The map remains a universal intermediary, ideal if you want to move your contacts from Xiaomi to Samsung quickly and without unnecessary settings.

First, copy the numbers to the SIM. On Xiaomi, open the Contacts app, click on the settings menu (three dots or gear) and select Import/Export Contacts. From the menu, select Export to Contacts. SIM-The system will warn that some data (photos, multiple numbers per contact) may be lost.

• 💾 Make sure that SIM-The card is inserted into Xiaomi and has a free space.
• 📋 Select the contacts to copy (select "All").
• ⏳ Wait for the process to end, which can take time with a large list.
• 📲 Replace it. SIM-Map to Samsung, contact us and select "Import with" SIM".

Once the map is rearranged to Samsung, the import procedure will take a few more minutes.Contacts will appear in the general ledger, but most likely without photos and breaking the name and surname into separate fields if formatting has been broken.After importing, it is recommended to immediately copy them to a Google account to make room on the SIM card for future trips.

This method is good as a temporary solution or for very old models, but for a full migration to the modern Samsung Galaxy, it is better to use digital methods that preserve the rich structure of the contact card.

Samsung Smart Switch app: official solution

Samsung has developed a powerful migration tool called Smart Switch, which is pre-installed on all new phones of the brand, but it can also be downloaded from the Google Play Store to Xiaomi or through the Google Play Store. QR-code that will appear on the screen of the new phone at the start.

Smart Switch can transmit not only contacts, but also messages, call history, applications, Wi-Fi settings and even home screen layout. To transfer contacts, both phones must be unlocked and nearby. The connection can be via cable (USB-C on USB-C or via an OTG adapter) or Wi-Fi Direct.

Run the app on both devices. On Xiaomi, select Send Data, and on Samsung, Send Data. Choose the type of connection (wireless or cable), and the cable method is faster and more stable, especially if you want to flip gigabytes of photos, but Wi-Fi is also good for contacts alone.

When the connection is established, Xiaomi will offer to select the types of data to transfer. Be sure to tick the "Contacts" box. You can also deselect from heavy media files if your goal is only a phone book. Once confirmed, the copying process will begin, the progress of which is displayed as a percentage.

⚠️ Note: When using the Smart Switch wireless method, make sure both phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network or that both devices are enabled GPS Bluetooth to find devices. Don't leave the app while you're transferring.

Manual export and import via VCF file

If the clouds don’t work and Smart Switch refuses to see the devices, the gold standard of reliability is manually exporting to the file, which ensures that you get a physical file with all the data that can be stored anywhere.

On Xiaomi, open the standard Contacts app (not to be confused with Google Contacts, although the functionality is similar). Go to the settings and select Import/Export Contacts. Click Export to Storage. The phone will create a file, commonly called 00001.vcf or contacts.vcf, and save it in the root folder or in the MIUI/backup directory.

Now you have to send this file to Samsung, and the easiest way to send it to yourself is to Telegram ("Favorites"), via email, or to send it over Bluetooth. Once you get a file on Samsung, click on it in the file manager or notification.

System path to file on Xiaomi: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/backup/backup_all/.../contact.vcf

Samsung's Android system will ask where to save imported contacts, and it's critical to choose the right destination, so if you choose a Phone, your contacts will only be linked to that device, and if you want to be safe in the future, go with your Google account.

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If the VCF file doesn’t open or shows an error, try renaming it by removing the Russian letters from the title, or use another file manager, such as “Files by Google”.

Solutions (Frequent problems with transfer)

Even if you follow all the instructions, users can encounter difficulties, and one of the most common problems is duplicate contacts, which happens when you import data without deleting old ones, or when synchronization occurs from multiple sources at the same time (SIM, phone, Google, Mi Cloud).

Samsung has a built-in tool to address this problem: Go to the Contacts app, click on the menu (three bars) and select Contact Management, and then "Combine Repetitive Contacts." The system will automatically find the matches by name and number and prompt them to merge.

• 👻 Missing Contacts: Check which account is displayed. Click on the filter menu (usually at the top of the list) and select All Contacts".
• 🔒 Import error: If the file VCF damaged, try importing parts of it or use a PC to check file integrity.
• 📉 Bluetooth Limits: When transferring large files over Bluetooth, the connection may break. Use cable or Wi-Fi for files larger than 100MB.

Another problem is the encoding of names, and if you see Krakozyabr instead of Russian names, then the file was saved in the wrong encoding, and in such cases, re-exporting through the Google Contacts app helps, which automatically converts the data to the correct UTF-8 format.

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The most common reason for losing contacts is to store them in your device’s memory (Phone) instead of your cloud account. Always check the save point when you create a new record.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)