How to move contacts from SIM Xiaomi Redmi 9

The transition to a new smartphone is always accompanied by the desire to quickly configure the device for yourself, and the first task for most users is to transfer the phone book. Xiaomi Redmi 9, being a popular budget device, has a powerful shell MIUI, which offers flexible tools for working with data, but the menu interface can confuse the beginner. Many owners still store numbers directly on the SIM card, which is a relic of the past and carries certain risks of losing information when changing the operator or damaging the chip.

Unlike older push-button phones, modern Android smartphones prefer cloud storage or internal memory, where the amount of data is almost unlimited. The process of importing numbers in Xiaomi does not require a connection to a computer or installing third-party software, all the necessary functions are built into the standard Contacts application. It is critical to back up before any manipulation, since an accidental interruption of the process can lead to duplication of records. We will analyze all the nuances of the procedure to ensure that your data remains safe and secure.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the algorithm that is relevant not only for the Redmi 9 model, but also for most Redmi Note and Mi devices with the latest firmware version. You will learn how to avoid common errors, such as creating duplicates or losing names during transfer.

Preparation of the device and checking the SIM card

Before you start moving data, you need to make sure the hardware is working properly. Make sure the SIM card is properly installed in the tray and is determined by the system, because without this step, the import menu will be inaccessible or inactive. Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the phone sees the network but does not read contacts due to a software failure to read the chip memory.

Go to the settings and check the status of the SIM card. If you have a dual SIM card device, the system may ask you to specify which slot to copy from, a standard security procedure that prevents confusion between personal and work numbers if they are physically separated.

⚠️ Note: If the SIM card is very old and has a non-standard size (cut by hand), it may not contact well. In this case, before starting the transfer, wipe the contacts with a soft eraser to avoid reading errors at the most inopportune time.

It’s also worth checking if there’s space in the phone’s internal memory, although contacts take up negligible space. However, if the device’s memory is full of media, the synchronization process may not be correct or take longer.

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Before starting the transfer, make sure that the battery is at least 20% so that the sudden shutdown of the device does not interrupt the recording process.

Import contacts through the standard application

The main and most reliable way to move numbers is to use the built-in MIUI shell functionality. To do this, open the standard Contacts app, which usually has an orange or blue icon with a human silhouette. Don't confuse it with a Phone (green handset), although access to settings is often duplicated in both apps.

In the app interface, find a menu that can be hidden under three dots in the corner of the screen or under the Settings button. Depending on the firmware version, the path may be slightly different, but the logic remains the same: we need the Import/Export Contacts section. This is where all the data migration tools are concentrated.

Once you have selected the importation point, the system will suggest that you select the source of the data «SIM-Next, you will choose your destination: internal device memory or Google account. It is recommended to choose a Google account, as this will ensure automatic synchronization and data retention even if the phone’s settings are completely reset in the future.

Start the copying process. Depending on the number of entries on the SIM card, it can take from a few seconds to a couple of minutes. During the process, do not switch to other heavy applications or lock the screen so as not to interrupt the background service.

Working with duplicates and combining records

A common problem with data porting is the appearance of duplicates. This happens if you previously saved some numbers in your phone’s memory, and now import them again from the SIM card. Xiaomi Redmi 9 has built-in tools to solve this problem, but sometimes manual intervention is required.

In the Contacts app, go to the settings menu and find the option “Combine duplicates.” The system will automatically analyze the phone book, find entries with the same names or numbers, and suggest combining them, which will clear the list of visual noise and make navigation by contacts more convenient.

If the automatic connection didn't work correctly, you can use manual mode. Select a few cards from one person and select the merge function. It is important to carefully check which fields (number, email, address) will be saved in the final record so that important information is not lost.

Display settings and contact filters

After the successful transfer, you may notice that the call list has added extra records or that some numbers have gone missing, because of the filtering settings, and in MIUI you can flexibly set up which contacts to show up with in the general list.

Open your contact settings. Here you will see a list of all available storage facilities: phone, SIM card, Google accounts, WhatsApp, Viber and other instant messengers. For ease of use, it is recommended to check only on your Google account and phone, removing the SIM card from the visible list, since the data from there has already been copied.

Using filters helps not only remove the extra, but also structure the phone book, for example, you can create a separate widget on the desktop for Favorites or set up quick access to frequently used numbers, which makes using Redmi 9 more comfortable in everyday life.

• 📱 Source filter: Allows you to hide contacts from the SIM card after they are transferred so you don’t see them twice.
• 🔍 Search by database: Built-in search instantly finds a number even by a partial coincidence of the name or numbers.
• 👥 Grouping: Automatic distribution of contacts by company or city based on the data in the card.

Sync with Google Account and Cloud

The most modern and secure way to store a phone book is to sync with the cloud. The Android ecosystem is dominated by Google Contacts, which allows you to instantly restore the entire book when you lose or break a smartphone.

To activate sync on Xiaomi Redmi 9, go to the phone’s general settings, select Accounts and Sync and click on your Google account. Make sure the switch opposite Contacts is activated. After that, the phone will automatically upload all numbers to the cloud and keep them up to date.

⚠️ Note: When syncing is enabled, make sure you are using a stable Wi-Fi connection. Mobile internet can be unstable and the process of downloading a large number of contacts may be interrupted, which will lead to data dissynchronization.

The advantage of cloud storage is that you can edit contacts from your computer, and you can go to contacts.google.com, easily type in the keyboard, add photos, birthdays, and other details, and in a few minutes, all the changes will appear on your Redmi 9.

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Cloud synchronization is the only way to guarantee 100% safety of contacts in case of physical breakage or loss of a smartphone.

Solving problems in transfer

Despite the simplicity of the procedure, users sometimes face technical difficulties, and text encoding is a common problem. If you display incomprehensible characters or characters instead of names after transfer, it means that the SIM card uses old encoding that is incompatible with modern Android.

In this case, it is recommended to export the contacts from the SIM card to the.vcf file (business card), save it to the phone memory, and then import it from the file. This method often helps to correctly encode the names in Cyrillic. The file can be found in the file manager in the folder where the export was made.

Another problem is the character limit: SIM cards often have a limit on the length of the name (usually up to 20 characters) and number, and when you transfer to the phone, these restrictions are removed, but if the name was cropped on the SIM, you can't restore it completely automatically - you have to manually write it.

• ⚠️ Memory Error: If the phone writes “Not enough space,” clear the Contacts app cache in the app settings.
• 🔄 Process freeze: Restart the device and try to start the import again by selecting another SIM card as the source if there are two of them.
• ❌ Contacts not read: Check if the SIM card is blocked PIN-code that you need to enter when downloading.