How to transfer numbers from your phone to Xiaomi: the complete guide

Changing your smartphone always causes a slight panic associated with losing important data, and the first thing that a user worries about is the phone book. Transferring contacts to Xiaomi or Redmi devices is much easier than on many other brands, thanks to the deeply integrated tools MIUI and HyperOS. You do not need to manually interrupt hundreds of numbers or look for complex solutions, since the system offers several automated ways to migrate data.

In this guide, we will take a look at all the current methods, from classic cloud sync to using specialized software so you can choose the most convenient option for yourself. Regardless of whether you had an old phone — iPhone, Samsung or an old button machine — you can quickly restore access to your records.

Preparation of devices for the transfer procedure

Before you start the active copying phase, you need to make sure that both devices are ready to exchange data. On the new Xiaomi, you should check the battery power, as the process can take time, especially if the data volume is large. It is also recommended to free up space in memory if you plan to transfer not only numbers, but also multimedia files, although the contacts themselves take up a minimum of space.

The critical step is to check accounts. Make sure you remember the password from your Google account or Mi Account account that will be used for sync. If you are switching from another Android smartphone, it is advisable to sync in advance on the old device to make sure that all numbers are saved in the cloud, not just in the phone's memory.

Don’t ignore the preparation stage, as interrupting the process halfway through battery drain can damage the contact database, and it’s better to spend five minutes connecting the chargers than restoring the system.

Synchronization through Google Account

The most reliable and versatile way that works on almost all versions of Android is to use Google’s built-in sync.This method is ideal if you are switching from any Android smartphone, as numbers are saved in the cloud and automatically uploaded to the new device. To start on your old phone, open settings, find the Accounts or Users and Accounts section.

Select your Google account and click on Sync. Make sure the switch opposite Contacts is activated. If sync is successful, the system will show you the time of the last update. Now pick up your new Xiaomi, log in to the same Google account when you first set up or through the settings menu.

⚠️ Warning: Make sure your old phone keeps your contacts in your Google account, not your memory. SIM-cards or locally in the device memory, otherwise synchronization will not see them.

Once you log in to your account on a new device, the upload process can take anywhere from minutes to an hour, depending on how many records you have, you can watch the progress in notifications or just open the Contacts app and wait for the list to appear, which is the most secure method, since it backs up in the cloud, protecting data from physical loss of the phone.

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If there are many contacts, turn on Wi-Fi only sync in Google settings to avoid wasting mobile traffic, as data transfer can be voluminous.

Using the Mi Mover app for migration

Xiaomi has developed its own Mi Mover app, which allows you to transfer data directly from your old phone to your new phone without using the Internet. This is a great option for those who do not have fast Wi-Fi or who want to transfer not only contacts, but also applications, photos and settings of the system.

Run the app on both devices. On the new phone, select Receiver (or I Accept) and on the old phone, Sender. QR-code or connect via Wi-Fi hotspot creation. Once the connection is established, select the Contacts category and press the Start Transfer button.

The speed of transmission through Mi Mover is usually higher than through cloud services, since the data goes through a direct communication channel. However, it is worth remembering that this method requires the physical presence of both phones nearby. Once the process is complete, check the phone book for duplicates that can sometimes occur when data from different sources are mixed.

Transfer of contacts from SIM-card

The classic method that is still relevant, especially when switching from push-button phones or very old smartphones. SIM-The card has limited memory and often trims long contact names, but for basic number transfer it is quite suitable: insert a SIM card from an old phone into a new Xiaomi or use an adapter if form factors differ.

Open the Contacts app on your new device. Click on the three dots in the corner of the screen or the menu button, then select Import/Export Contacts. From the list that appears, select Import with SIM-The system will suggest selecting a place to save: it is recommended to choose a Google account or phone memory, but not the phone itself. SIM-map to avoid creating confusion.

⚠️ Note: When importing with SIM-cards can be additional fields such as email, addresses and photos, as the format of storage on the SIM is very primitive.

Once confirmed, the phone will start reading records, which can take a while if there are many numbers, and when you complete the process, you will receive a notification of successful import, and now your numbers are available, but you'd better start syncing with Google immediately to keep the data safe in the future.

Import via VCF file

The universal VCF format (vCard) allows you to save all contacts in one file, which can be transferred in any convenient way: via Bluetooth, messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) or simply copying to a computer.

On an old phone, go to the contact app, select a menu, and click "Contact Export." Save the file in the device's memory. Now transfer this file to the new Xiaomi. Once you receive the file, just open it, the system will automatically prompt you to import the entries contained in it into the phone book.

The advantage of this method is that you can edit a VCF file on your computer, delete an excess one, or combine lists before downloading to a new phone, which gives you complete control over the process and allows you to clean the phone book of garbage even before it gets to the new device.

Switching from iPhone to Xiaomi

iPhone owners don't have to worry, because Apple's ecosystem makes it easy to retrieve contacts. The easiest way to do this is to log in to iCloud.com, log in and export all contacts in vCard format. The resulting file is then sent to Xiaomi and opened for import, as described in the previous section.

Alternatively, using the “Move to iOS” app** will not work as it only works one way (on iOS).However, if the iPhone has Google Contacts installed, you can enable sync there. Go to Settings → Contacts → iPhone Accounts, add a Google account and turn on the sync switch.

Once your iPhone gives your contacts to Google, they will instantly appear on your Xiaomi when you log in to the same account, the fastest way to migrate between different operating systems without losing the structure of your records.

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Using cloud services (Google/iCloud) is always preferable to local storage, as it ensures the safety of data in case of breakage or loss of the device.

Decision and duplicates

After the transfer, there is often a problem of duplicate records, when the same number is displayed several times from different sources (SIM, phone, Google). Xiaomi smartphones have a built-in tool to solve this problem. Open the Contacts app, click on the menu and select Contacts Organization or Combine Duplicates.

The system automatically finds the repeating records and prompts them to be combined, which is not to delete the information, but to bring the different records into one card with a complete set of data, and to clean the contacts regularly helps keep the phone book in order and speeds up the search for the right subscriber.

⚠️ Warning: Before mass merge or delete contacts, be sure to back up so you can roll back changes in case of an error.

If some numbers don't show, check the display settings in the contact app, and you can choose whether to show contacts only from your phone, from your phone. SIM-It's often the filter is wrong, and it creates the illusion of losing data.