How to transfer phone numbers from iPhone to Xiaomi

Changing mobile devices, especially the transition from a closed iOS ecosystem to a more flexible Android platform, is always accompanied by the question of the safety of personal data. The most valuable information for most users is the phone book, the loss of which can paralyze business and personal life. Fortunately, modern technology allows you to transfer contacts from iPhone to Xiomi as quickly as possible and without losing the structure of records.

There are several proven ways to migrate data, each with its own advantages depending on the number of numbers and the quality of the internet connection. Synchronization through a Google account is considered the most reliable method, since it provides not just copying, but permanent backup in the cloud. However, if you do not have Wi-Fi at hand or you need to transfer data here and now, options using the use of the Internet are suitable. SIM-maps or specialized transmitter applications.

In this article, we will take a look at all the current methods, evaluate their pros and cons, and provide step-by-step algorithms for actions. You will learn how to avoid duplication of records and what to do if numbers do not appear after transfer. The procedure does not require deep technical knowledge, but attention to detail will help avoid typical errors during migration.

Device preparation and data backup

Before you start actively transferring information, you need to properly prepare both smartphones. On iPhone, you should make sure that all contacts are actually stored in the device memory or in iCloud, not just in the local messenger cache. Open the Contacts or Phone app and check if the numbers are available for viewing and editing.

On the Xiaomi side (or any other Android-based smartphone) you need to make sure you remember data from your Google account.This account will become the main storage of your phone book after the transition. It is also recommended to free up some storage space, although the contacts themselves weigh negligible little, the system may require space for temporary files when using third-party utilities.

It is important to check the battery power on both devices. The synchronization process, especially if the contacts are thousands, can take time and energy. Backing up before any manipulation is the golden rule of digital hygiene, which will prevent accidental data loss in the event of a software failure.

⚠️ Note: If you use two-factor authentication for Apple ID or Google, make sure you have access to the second device to receive the confirmation code, or your account login may be blocked.

Often, older versions of iOS or MIUI/HyperOS shells may have bugs that prevent data protocols from working properly. Check for updates in both phones' system settings.

Method 1: Sync through your Google account (Recommended)

The most intelligent and modern way to switch phone numbers from iPhone to Xiomi is to use Google cloud services, which is good because your contacts will be linked to a mailbox, not to a particular hardware. If you lose your phone or break it, just enter your username and password on the new device, and the entire phone book will be restored automatically.

To start, you need to download the Google Contacts or Gmail app from the App Store to your iPhone if it isn’t already installed. Most of the time, it’s already in the basic iOS bundle. Once installed, open the app and log in to your Google account that you plan to use on your Xiaomi smartphone.

Then you activate the sync function. In the application settings, find "Contact Sync" or "Backup." The system will ask where to save new contacts - select your Google account, not "On iPhone" or "iCloud." Once you turn on sync, the process of uploading numbers to the cloud will begin.

• 📲 Open your iPhone settings and go to Contacts".
• ☁️ Select "Accounts" or "Default Account".
• 🔐 Add a Google account and turn on the "Contact" switch".
• ✅ Wait for the synchronization to end (status Synchronized").

Now, on the Xiaomi smartphone, when you first turn on or through the settings in Accounts and Sync, add the same Google account. The system automatically prompts you to sync the data. Once the process is complete, all the numbers will appear in the phone book.

Method 2: Use the "Move to iOS" and Mi Mover app

Xiaomi has developed its own Mi Mover app, which is a powerful migration tool, but it often requires pre-training or intermediate communication to communicate with the iPhone, as direct transfers from iOS to MIUI via Wi-Fi Direct may be limited by Apple’s security policies.

The alternative is Apple’s official app, “Move to iOS,” which, oddly enough, is sometimes used in reverse or to prepare data, but for the iPhone-Xiaomi bundle, a link via file export is more efficient. However, if you just reset Xiaomi to factory settings, the system will suggest that you transfer data from the iPhone using a temporary Wi-Fi network when you first set up.

If the phone is already configured, use the Mi Mover app built into the shell. Some versions of the software have a data reception mode from iOS. Run the app on Xiaomi, select "I'm the recipient", then "Other Android" or "iOS." Follow the on-screen instructions. You may need to scan. QR-code or connect to a Wi-Fi network created by the phone.

The process of transmitting data over the air can be unstable with a large amount of information. If the transfer is interrupted, try to turn off the VPN on both devices and make sure that the screens of smartphones do not go out during the process.

⚠️ Note: When transferring data via Wi-Fi Direct, do not switch to mobile Internet and do not leave the Mi Mover application, otherwise the session will be terminated and the process will have to start again.

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If Mi Mover doesn’t see an iPhone, try temporarily disabling Private Wi-Fi Address in your iPhone’s Wi-Fi settings for the specific network to which both devices are connected.

Method 3: Transfer through SIM-map (For small lists)

This method is considered “classic” and is suitable for those who do not have access to a stable Internet or do not want to use cloud services: SIM-The card has a limited amount of memory and often crops long contact names or does not save additional fields (email, addresses, photos).

First you need to export contacts from the iPhone to the SIM-In modern versions of iOS, this feature is hidden or absent in the standard interface directly SIM". Therefore, it is often necessary to export contacts to a.vcf file first, and then import them through a third-party application or computer, or use an old Android smartphone as an intermediate link.

If your iPhone allows (depending on the carrier and iOS version), go to Settings → Contacts → Import SIM contacts. If this option is not available, use any vCard SIM converter through your computer. Once the numbers are on the SIM, paste it into your Xiaomi phone.

On Xiaomi, go to the Contacts app, click on the menu (three dots or bars) and select Settings. Find Import/Export Contacts and select Import with SIM-The system will prompt you to choose a place to save — be sure to specify your Google account or phone memory, but not the phone itself. SIM-map to avoid creating duplicates.

Method 4: Export and import via vCard (.vcf)

A universal method that works almost always, regardless of the operating system version, the essence of the method is to create a single file with all contacts and transfer it to a new device.

On iPhone, open the Contacts app. To highlight all numbers at once, go to icloud.com via your browser (in full site mode) from your computer or use the Share Contact feature for groups. The easiest way on the iPhone itself is to go to iCloud settings, enable contact sync, then on your computer in your browser log in to iCloud, select all contacts (Ctrl+A or Cmd+A) and click export.

The resulting contacts.vcf file must be transferred to Xiaomi, which can be done via email, messenger (Telegram, WhatsApp), Bluetooth or cloud storage (Google Drive, Yandex.Disk). Open the file on Xiaomi, the system will automatically prompt you to import the entries contained in it.

The way to check imports on Xiaomi:


App Contacts → Settings (three points) → Import/Export → Import from Storage

When importing, the system will ask where to save contacts, and it is critical to choose a Google account, not a phone or a phone memory. SIM-card so that in the future when changing the device do not face the need to re-transfer manually.

Solving problems: duplicates and missing numbers

After the transfer, users often face the problem of duplication of records, which happens if Xiaomi has already had some contacts, or if the sync has been done several times from different sources, and there is a built-in tool in the MIUI and HyperOS shell to solve this problem.

Open the Contacts app, go to the settings and find Merge duplicates, and the system will analyze the list, find the entries with the same numbers or names, and suggest combining them into one card, which is safe and does not cause loss of information if the numbers match.

If numbers are missing or are not displayed correctly (for example, instead of numbers), check the display filter. In the contact app, click on the filter menu and make sure that checks the "All contacts" box and selects the correct account to display. Sometimes contacts "hang" in the sync status.

⚠️ Note: If important data (second numbers, addresses) is missing after combining duplicates, check the web version of Google contacts (contacts.google.com) immediately – there is a function “Cancel Changes” for the last 24 hours or week.

It’s also worth checking if contacts are hidden. In some cases, when migrating from iOS, contacts may be marked as “Favorites” or in drafts if the formatting of fields was violated during the conversion.

Display and sorting after migration

Once the transfer is successful, you should take the time to set up a convenient display of the phone book on the new device. Android has more flexibility than iOS, and you can choose how to sort your contacts by name or last name, and in which order to display them.

Go to the Contacts app settings on Xiaomi. Find the Sort or Display section. You can prioritize first first, then last name, or vice versa. It is also recommended to enable the display of callers photos if they are not automatically loaded.

For ease of dialing, you can turn on the function "Smart dial" or T9, which allows you to find contacts by letters corresponding to the numbers on the keyboard. On Xiaomi, this feature works very well and supports searching by Russian letters corresponding to the numbers (for example, 2 - A, B, B, G).

Remember to set up a signature for messages and calls if you use it. SIM-A map that supports these functions, even though in the age of messengers, it's not relevant (ICE) Also ported and accessible from the locked screen.

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The most reliable result is a combination of methods: basic transfer through Google-synchronization and final verification / cleaning of duplicates with built-in MIUI tools.