How to move contacts from phone to phone SIM-map

Owners of smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO Often, the phone book needs to be moved when changing devices or formatting memory. Standard procedure requires moving stored records to internal memory. SIM-This is especially true when switching to push-button phones or devices from other manufacturers where cloud synchronization may not be available.

The process of copying data to plastic media has its own technical limitations, which you need to know in advance. Unlike cloud storage, a physical memory card has a strictly fixed amount that does not depend on your subscription or Internet presence. Contacts saved on SIM take up minimal space, but do not support storing additional fields like photos or email addresses.

In this guide, we will discuss the algorithm for current versions of the MIUI shell and HyperOS. You will learn how to avoid data loss and why some numbers may not appear after the procedure.

Technical limitations SIM-importation

Before you start manipulating a phone book, it's important to understand the storage architecture on a SIM card chip. It's not a full-fledged storage device, but a dedicated security module with limited memory for basic subscriber identification, so the storage format here is much simplified compared to today's smartphones.

The main problem is encoding and record length. Old card standards only support ASCII, which leads to the loss of Cyrillic characters or their replacement with question marks. Even newer Unicode-enabled cards have a limit on the number of characters in a single name field.

⚠️ Note: When copying long names (more than one) 20-30 part of the text can be cut automatically by the system without additional notice.

Also, it is worth considering that one memory cell can often write only one number. If the contact on the phone is listed several phones (mobile, work, home), only the main number will get to the SIM card, and the rest will be ignored when transferring.

Preparation of the device for data transfer

To successfully perform the operation, make sure that SIM-The card is correctly installed in the slot and is determined by the system. Check the connection status in the Settings menu → The phone. → General information: If the map is not displayed, the transfer will not be possible.

It is recommended to check in advance where your numbers are stored right now, they can be in the Google account, in the memory of the device itself or in the Xiaomi Cloud. To transfer to the SIM, the source data must be available in the local store of the Contacts application.

  • 📱 Make sure the battery is at least 20% so that the phone doesn’t turn off at a critical moment.
  • 💾 Free up some space in internal memory for temporary operation files, although the amount is minimal.
  • 🔒 Back up important numbers just in case by exporting them to.vcf.

If you use a dual-sim machine, the system will suggest you choose a target card, and decide in advance which slot (SIM 1 or SIM 2) you plan to write data to avoid confusion in the future.

📊 Where do you currently keep your contacts?
In the memory of the phone
Google account
The old one. SIM-map
In the cloud Xiaomi

Step-by-step: moving through a standard application

The main method of transfer is through the built-in system application, which is preinstalled on all devices of the brand. the interface may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI, but the logic of actions remains the same for all models.

Open the Contacts app (an icon with a human silhouette) and go to the Contacts tab at the bottom of the screen. Click on the menu icon, which is usually represented by three dots or stripes in the upper or lower right corner of the interface.

☑️ Algorithm of action

Done: 0 / 4

In the list that opens, select Import/Export contacts. The system will prompt you to select the data direction. SIM-map (or “Export to” SIM-The map will then be followed by a list of contacts available for transfer.

You can select individual records manually, or you can click the "Select All" button to mass-copy. Confirm the action, and the recording process begins. The execution time depends on the number of records and the speed of the memory controller.

Alternative method through system settings

If a standard application is not working properly or you can’t find the menu you want, you can use deep system settings, which is especially useful if the contact interface has been changed by third-party launchers or themes.

Go to Settings → Applications → All apps. Find Contacts and open their properties. You can try clearing the cache if there are crashes, or run the application again to reset temporary interface errors.

Also, in some versions of the firmware, the path may look different: Settings → System → Import and export. Here the functionality duplicates the capabilities of the application, but is presented in a more rigorous, textual form without unnecessary graphic elements.

What to do if there is no export item?
If you don’t see an export option, you may be SIM-The card is full or doesn't support the phone book record (found on old corporate cards). Try to remove the card and paste it into another slot or other phone for verification. Also, the lack of function may be due to the application access rights to the device’s memory.” Compatibility table and storage limits Different types of memory cards have different storage capacity for records. Below is a comparison table showing the approximate limitations you may face when trying to move a large amount of data.Max card type. Number of contacts Limit symbols in the name Support Cyrillic Standard SIM ~250 14-20 Partial Micro-SIM ~250 14-20 Partial Nano-SIM (New) ~500 before 40 Complete. USIM (4G/5G) before 1000 before 60 As you can see from the table, modern maps type USIM But even these are not as powerful as cloud storage, where the limits are thousands of records with a full set of fields «SIM-This means that the empty memory cells are out, in which case you have to delete old, unnecessary entries directly from the card or transfer contacts selectively, another common problem is the appearance of "crackers" instead of letters. This indicates the incompatibility of the coding. Unfortunately, it is difficult to correct this post facto on the map itself, it is easier to edit the names after the transfer, if the device allows you to edit. SIM-Contacts or leave them in this form for emergency calls. ⚠️ Attention: Duplicate numbers can occur if the SIM card has already saved entries. Before exporting, check the contact list on the card and clean it if necessary. If the process is hanging in the middle, do not rush to take out the card. Wait for the system to report an error or a successful termination. Forced interruption can damage the file system of the security module. Synchronization as a modern alternative in the digital age, storing numbers on plastic is a relic of the past. Google Account provides unlimited space for the phone book, saving not only numbers, but also addresses, birthdays and photos. To activate sync, go to Settings → Accounts and syncs. Select your Google account and make sure the slider opposite Contacts is activated. All new records will be automatically saved to the cloud. When you buy a new smartphone, just enter your username and password from your account, and the entire phone book will recover in a matter of minutes. SIM, easily lost or physically damaged. 💡Keeping contacts in the Google or Xiaomi Cloud is safer and more functional than on the cloud SIM-the card, because it protects the data from loss when the device breaks. SIM Yes, unless you chose the option to "delete from" SIM» during the process. However, if the contacts were only on the map and you deleted them, recovery is almost impossible without special equipment, because the contact is not available. SIM-The cards don't have a basket. Why don't all contacts copy to the SIM card? It's related to the character limit. If the contact name is too long or contains special characters that don't support the standard. GSM, The system may miss this entry when exporting. SIM? Yes, messengers read the phone number regardless of where it is stored – in the memory of the phone, on the phone. SIM-The key is to have the contact displayed in the general phone book of the device. SIM? Technical specification SIM-The cards do not store graphic files. Contact photos are stored only in the memory of the phone or associated account (Google/iCloud).