Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face the need to transfer the phone book to a SIM card, which may be required when switching to a new device, selling an old device, or simply backing up important numbers in a format compatible with any phone. Despite the fact that modern Android smartphones offer synchronization through Google Account, physical media remains the most reliable way to store data.
The MIUI or HyperOS shell copying procedure has its own features that differ from pure Android. Users often look for the Export button in the general system settings, but it is not there. All manipulations are done exclusively through the built-in Contacts application. It is important to understand that the SIM memory capacity is limited, and modern smartphones can store more data than the carrier chip can hold.
In this article, we will take a look at the algorithms for different firmware versions, discuss format limitations, and answer frequent questions. You will learn how to safely transfer data without losing additional fields like email addresses or photos. Follow the step-by-step instructions to avoid common mistakes when migrating data.
Preparation for data transfer and compatibility check
Before you start the procedure, make sure your SIM card is ready to record information. Old samples of Mini-SIM cards or damaged chips may not support recording of modern business card formats. Put the card in the smartphone slot and wait for the network icon to appear. Make sure there is free space in the card memory, although when transferred, the system usually automatically deletes old records or warns about overflow.
Note the storage structure of your current phone. If contacts are scattered across multiple sources (e.g., part in Google, part in phone memory, part in Viber or WhatsApp), they must first be combined or selected for export. MIUI allows you to filter the contacts displayed, which makes it easier to work with large lists. However, for mass copying on SIM, it is better to work with the full database of the device.
⚠️ Attention: Standard SIM It does not support storage of additional fields such as photos, email addresses, dates of birth or second numbers. When you copy this data to a card, this data will be permanently lost. 10-15 symbols) and the main telephone number.
It is recommended to check in advance where the new numbers are saved by default. To do this, open the application settings and find the option Display Settings or Default Memory. If you plan to use synchronization in the future, it is better to keep the main contacts in Google, and to the SIM card to transfer only favorite or service numbers.
Step-by-step: copying through the Contacts app
The basic transfer method is implemented through the standard Contacts app (yellow tube or icon with a human silhouette). The interface may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI (12, 13, 14) or HyperOS, but the logic of actions remains the same. Open the application and go to the Contacts tab if you are in another section, for example, in Favorites or Call History.
To start the process, you need to open the control menu. In older versions of the shell, you need to click on three dots in the top corner of the screen, in new ones, you sometimes need to press one of the contacts for a long time or use the "More" button. Your task is to find the Import / Export contacts or just Export. In some localizations, this section is hidden inside the Settings menu of the application itself, which is called through the gear.
☑️ Checklist before copying
Once you log into the import/export menu, the system will prompt you to select a data source. Select Export from your phone or Copy from your phone memory. Next, you will request destination device selection - specify your SIM card (may be displayed as SIM 1 or by the operator name). Confirm the action, and the copying process will begin. Do not remove the card or turn off the screen until the operation is completed.
If you have a dual-sim device, be careful which card you are recording on, and if you choose a slot, the contacts will not be on the card you plan to move to another phone, and when the process is complete, the system will notify you that a certain number of records have been successfully copied.
Working with a limited amount of SIM card memory
One of the biggest problems with portability is that there's a strict entries limit: Standard SIM cards can hold 250 to 500 numbers. If you have 1,000 contacts in your phone book, the system will suggest copying only a fraction of them or require you to delete old records, a critical point that users often overlook when switching from modern smartphones to button-based callers or budget models.
To get around this, you can use a selective copying strategy. Instead of exporting all the data, sort the contacts by group or alphabet. Select the most important numbers (relatives, work, emergency services) and copy them. For other contacts, you'd better use cloud services or export to a.vcf file, which you can save to a memory card or send yourself to the mail.
| Parameter | Phone Memory / Google | SIM card (Standard) | File vCard (.vcf) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limit of records | Thousands / Unlimited | 250 to 500. | No limit (depending on location) |
| Length of name | Up to 100+ characters | 10 - 15 characters | Complete. |
| Supplementary fields | Photo, Email, Address | Only a number. | All fields are supported |
| Compatibility | Smartphones | Any phone. | Smartphones, PCs |
If you try to copy more contacts than the card allows, Xiaomi can give an error or simply stop the process. In this case, free up space by removing unnecessary old entries directly from the SIM card through the contact management menu. Select the Contacts display filter on the SIM, select the extra one and click Delete.
Why are contact names cut?
Alternative methods: vCard files and Google Account
If direct transfer to the SIM card is impossible due to space shortage or you want to save full contact information (photos, addresses), use the vCard format. This is a universal digital business card format. In the Contacts app, select Import/Export contacts and specify Export to storage. The system will create a contact.vcf file that will be stored in the phone's memory.
This file can be copied to a computer, sent via messenger or saved to the cloud. On a new device, just open this file, and all contacts are automatically added to the phone book, saving all fields, and this is a much more modern and reliable way of migrating than using a SIM card, which completely eliminates data loss and name circumcision.
Another effective method is synchronization via Google, which is to make sure that your old phone has contact sync in your account settings. On the new Xiaomi device, just type in the same username and password and the phonebook will load automatically, a method preferred by users who change smartphones frequently.
⚠️ Note: When exporting to a.vcf file, carefully monitor the ways of saving. The file can be saved to a hidden system folder. Use a file manager (for example, Explorer from Xiaomi) and enable the display of hidden files if you can not find the export result.
Solving problems and mistakes in export
Xiaomi users sometimes experience a situation where the export button is inactive or the process ends in an error. Most often this is due to application access rights. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Contacts → Permissions. Make sure the application is allowed to read and write contacts, as well as access to storage (if exporting to the file is used).
Another common problem is the presence of duplicates. Before transferring to the SIM card, it is recommended to combine duplicate entries. The Contacts app has a function to Combine duplicates (usually in a three-point menu), which will save precious space on the map and avoid confusion. If the system says "SIM card memory is full", although you see free slots, try formatting the card through the contact management menu (pre-saving important numbers!).
In rare cases, the problem lies in the carrier’s chip itself, and if the card is very old, it may not work properly with modern Xiaomi recording protocols, in which case the only way out is to replace the SIM card from the carrier with a new one, while maintaining the number.
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Keep your contacts backed up in the Google or Mi Cloud cloud regularly, which will take a couple of seconds, but save you from losing numbers in the event of a phone being stolen or broken when accessing your SIM card may be difficult.
Contact Impor back to the smartphone after replacement
Once you have moved the SIM card with contacts to the new Xiaomi phone, the numbers need to be rewritten from the card to the device memory. The process is mirrored to export. Open Contacts, go to the Import / Export Contacts menu and select Import from the SIM card. The system will suggest choosing destination - specify Phone or Google (recommended).
Google's choice of saving is preferable because it provides instant synchronization and loss protection. If you choose Phone, contacts will be stored locally. After importing, be sure to check if all numbers are correctly displayed. Sometimes due to differences in storage formats, some numbers may lose the country prefix (e.g. +7), which can cause problems with the number's identifier.
Once you successfully transfer all the data to your smartphone, the SIM card can be cleared, which will speed up your phone’s contact search and free up space for new records if you decide to use it as a backup in the future.
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The golden rule of migration: Always copy the contacts from the SIM card to the Google cloud or to the memory of the phone immediately after installing the card in the new smartphone. Do not store the contacts only on the SIM card, as this is a risk of losing them and limiting functionality.