How to transfer the blacklist of Xiaomi to another phone: all the working ways

Switching to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, especially if the old device has accumulated a list of blocked contacts, and losing it means again receiving intrusive calls from spammers, collectors or unwanted interlocutors. Fortunately, you can transfer the blacklist to another phone in several ways – like through built-in features. MIUI, and with the help of third-party tools.

Many users mistakenly believe that the contact locks are tied exclusively to the SIM-Xiaomi actually offers flexible synchronization mechanisms, but they don’t always work automatically. In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven methods, from the simplest (via Mi Account) to the most versatile (export to file). You will also learn why locks are sometimes “reset” after transfer and how to avoid it.

If you've tried to move the blacklist before and you've run into problems -- like contacts don't show up on a new phone or locks don't work -- there's a section at the end of this article that addresses common bugs, and for those who want to save time, we've prepared a quick way with minimal action.

Important: Before starting the procedure, make sure that both phones have the latest version installed. MIUI. In the old firmware (below) MIUI 12) some synchronization functions may not work properly.

Method 1: Sync with Mi Account (fastest)

This method is suitable if both phones are Xiaomi (or Redmi/POCO) You have an active Mi Account, and blacklist syncs are automatic, but sometimes you need to manually run it.

To move the locks:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Make sure the Contact Sync switch is on (it is also responsible for the blacklist).
3. Click Sync Now and wait until it is completed.
4. On the new phone, log in to the same Mi Account and repeat the sync.

After that, the blocked contacts will appear in the lock list of the new device. If the sync does not work, check if the option "Blacklist Sync" is disabled in the cloud settings (it is hidden in additional settings).

Check the MIUI version (should be at least 12)

Make sure both phones have the same Mi Account.

Turn on mobile internet or Wi-Fi

Run manual synchronization on both devices-->

Advantages of the method:

• 🔹 Does not require connection to PC or third-party programs
• 🔹 It saves not only the numbers but also the reasons for the lock (if they were specified)
• 🔹 It works even if it does. SIM-map changed

Disadvantages:

• ⚠️ Cannot tolerate blocking from third-party applications (e.g. Truecaller)
• ⚠️ It may not work if the new phone is custom firmware

⚠️ Note: If you use two Mi Accounts (e.g. personal and work), the locks will only sync with the one you signed in at the time of setting up.

Method 2: Exporting a blacklist to a file (universally)

If cloud sync doesn't work, or you're switching to a different brand of phone, you can export the blacklist to a file and then import it to a new device, which requires a little more action, but it's guaranteed to work.

Instructions for Xiaomi:

1. Open the Contacts (or Phone) application.
2. Go to the Blacklist section (usually under the "More" or "Settings" menu).
3. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Export/Import. → Export to file.
4. Save a file (usually.vcf or.csv) to your internal memory or to your computer. SD-map.
5. Transfer the file to a new phone (e.g., via Bluetooth, Google Drive, or cable).
6. On the new device, import the file through the same Blacklist section.

If the new phone does not have the function of importing locks (relevant to the new phone)-Xiaomi You can use third-party applications like Blacklist Plus or Call Blocker, which can read.vcf files and add numbers to the blacklist automatically.

File formats and their features:

⚠️ Note: When exported to.csv, phone numbers are stored in an international format (e.g., in a.csv, +If your contacts are recorded without a country code, add it manually before importing, otherwise the locks may not work.

Method 3: Backup with MIUI Backup

Local backup function in the MIUI Not only does it save contacts, but it also saves system settings, including a blacklist, which is a good way to transfer data to another system. Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO.

Step-by-step:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Select Create a Backup and tick the Contacts item (the blacklist is included in this section).
3. Wait until the process is complete (the file is saved in the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder).
4. Copy the backup file (with the.mbk extension) to the new phone.
5. On the new device, in the same menu, select Restore and specify the copied file.

After recovery, check the blacklist in the Contacts app. If no locks appear, try restarting your phone - sometimes MIUI not apply the settings immediately.

💡

If the backup weighs more than 2GB, break it down with an archiver (e.g., ZArchiver). MIUI Sometimes you can’t recover large files.

What exactly is stored in the backup:

• 📞 Blocked numbers (including history of blocking)
• 📇 All contacts and groups
• ⚙️ Call settings (for example, redirecting to voice mail)
• 🔔 Lockdown rules SMS

Limitations of the method:

• It does not work on phones with custom firmware (for example, LineageOS).
• Cannot tolerate blocking from third-party apps (such as WhatsApp or Viber).
• Requires the same or compatible version MIUI both-device.

Method 4: Transfer through Google Account (for Android)

If you use Google Contacts as your primary storage, you can sync the blacklist through it. But here's the caveat: Xiaomi defaults to locking numbers at the system level, not through Google. So you have to do a workaround.

Algorithm of action:

1. On your old phone, open your contacts. → Blacklist.
2. Add all blocked numbers to Google Contacts as a separate group (e.g., call it “Blocking”).
3. Make sure your contacts are synced with Google (check in Settings). → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization of contacts).
4. On the new phone, log in to the same Google account and wait for sync.
5. Use the Google Contacts app or a third-party blocker (such as Should I Answer?) to block the entire Block group.

This method is universal and works on any Android-devices, but has a disadvantage: the lock will be carried out not at the system level, but through third-party software.

• 🔋 The locking application must be constantly active (consumes battery).
• 📱 Some calls may slip if the app fails to respond.

How to check if the synchronization has been done:

1. Open contacts.google.com on PC.
2. In the left menu, select the "Block" group (or your name).
3. Make sure all the rooms are in place.

Method 5: Using Third-Party Applications

If built-in methods don’t work, you can use specialized applications to block calls, they can export and import blacklists, and also offer advanced features (for example, blocking by keywords in the Internet). SMS).

Top.-3 blacklist:

Example of transfer via Truecaller:

1. Install Truecaller on your old phone and sign up.
2. In the application settings, find the Blocking section → Imports/Exports.
3. Export the blacklist to your Truecaller account.
4. Install the app on your new phone and log in to the same account.
5. Synchronize the data – the locks will be automatically tightened.

The advantages of third-party applications:

• 🌍 It works on all Android devices, not just Xiaomi.
• 🛡️ Additional protection against spam (number databases are updated daily).
• 📊 Statistics of blocked calls and SMS.

Cons:

• 🔋 Increased battery consumption (background work).
• 📥 Requires access to contacts and call logs.
• 💰 Some applications have paid functions (for example, geolocation locking).

⚠️ Note: When using Truecaller or similar services, your blacklist is stored on their servers. If privacy is critical, export the data to a file and delete it from the cloud after transferring it.

⚡ Quick method: transfer in 2 minutes

If you need to urgently move the blacklist and do not have time to set up, use this express method:

Conditions:

• Both phones — Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO.
• There's a Mi Account.
• Both devices have Mi Cloud enabled.

Action:

1. On an old phone: Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Synchronization of contacts → Synchronize now.
2. On a new phone: log in to the same Mi Account and wait for automatic sync (usually takes 1-2 minutes).
3. Check the blacklist in the Contacts app → Blacklist.

💡

If the blacklist doesn’t show up, reboot the new phone — sometimes MIUI Apply the settings only after the reboot.

Typical problems and their solutions

Even if the blacklist is properly moved, there can be failures, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to correct them:

Problem 1: Blacklist is empty after synchronization

• 🔹 Reason: New phone has Mi Cloud sync disabled.
• 🔹 Solution: Go to Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud and enable Contact Synchronization.

Problem 2: Numbers moved, but locking doesn't work

• 🔹 Reason: The new phone is custom firmware without support for system lock.
• 🔹 Solution: Use a third-party app (such as Blacklist Plus) to block.

Problem 3: The.vcf file is not imported

• 🔹 Reason: The file is corrupted or has an incorrect format.
• 🔹 Solution: Open the file in the text editor and check that the numbers are written in the format TEL;TYPE=CELL:+79123456789.

Problem 4: Google syncs didn’t move the block

• 🔹 Xiaomi is blocking numbers at the system level, not through Google Contacts.
• 🔹 Solution: Use the method with export to file or Mi Account.

Problem 5: Some numbers are missing after the transfer

• 🔹 Reason: Synchronization limit is exceeded (for example, up to 5,000 contacts can be stored in Mi Cloud).
• 🔹 Solution: Break the blacklist into parts and move it in parts.

❓ Frequently asked questions