Owning a modern smartphone Xiaomi Redmi range involves the active use of cloud services, but situations requiring physical storage occur regularly. Often when changing the device or resetting to the factory settings, it becomes necessary to store important information on an external medium, which is the role of the communication module. Many users mistakenly believe that in the MIUI ecosystem this process is hidden or inaccessible, but in fact it is built into the basic functionality of the system.
Moving records from the phone’s internal memory to the carrier’s chip is a time-tested way of backing up. Despite the limited memory capacity of the card itself, it allows you to quickly transfer the main list of numbers to any other gadget without using the Internet or Google account. In this guide, we will discuss all the steps of the procedure, consider possible errors and nuances of working with the MIUI shell.
It is worth noting that the format of data storage on SIM-The card is significantly outdated compared to digital profiles, and you can only keep the contact name and the primary phone number, while photos, email addresses, birthdays and additional numbers will be irretrievably lost when exported. Before you start manipulating, make sure you have a full copy of your data in the cloud or on your computer.
Technical limitations and features of storage on SIM
Before you start taking action, you need to understand the architectural limitations you will face: the subscriber identification module inserted into the smartphone slot was not originally designed to store large amounts of user data; its main function is authentication in the operator’s network, and the phone book appeared there as a secondary, auxiliary option.
When you initiate a SIM card transfer to Xiaomi, the system forcibly cuts off the extra fields. If the Contact record listed three different numbers, home address, social network profile link and photo, you will only get one name and one primary number at the output, and all other data will be ignored by the export process.
⚠️ Note: Old encoding is used when copying names, so long names or names with rare characters may be cropped or displayed incorrectly (for example, instead of "Alexander" there may be "Alexander" or a set of characters).
And there's a tight limit on the number of records, which varies depending on the generation and capacity of the chip. Usually, modern cards can hold 250 to 500 records. If your phone book has a thousand numbers, the system will suggest selecting only a part of them or will complete the process halfway through the memory overflow error message.
It is important to consider the encoding of characters. Cyrillic names can be interpreted differently when transferred to devices from other manufacturers, especially if the target phone was released long ago or has a specific firmware. In some cases, letters can turn into question marks or Krakozabras.
Preparation of the device and compatibility check
The success of the operation depends on the correct preparation of the software and the physical health of the module. In Xiaomi smartphones, the Contacts system application is responsible for managing the phone book, which can have different versions depending on the firmware region (Global, China, EEA).
The first step is to check if the SIM card is defined by the system, and then go to the settings menu and select About phone, then Status. If it shows the operator name and signal level, then the module is active and ready to write. SIM-The procedure, the card, is meaningless.
Also make sure that the Contacts app has the necessary permissions. With newer versions of Android and MIUI, the security system can block the recording of data to external media without the user's explicit permission. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Contacts → Permits and make sure that access to the phone and storage is activated.
If the card has deep scratches on the contact pad or was cut by hand from the Mini/Micro format in Nano with a violation of geometry, the recording process may be interrupted, in such cases it is better to copy the data to the computer first, and then insert the card into a more reliable device, try to complete the transfer.
The basic method of importing and exporting in the MIUI shell is implemented through the built-in Contacts application. The interface may vary slightly depending on the version of the system, but the logic of actions remains the same for all Redmi models.
Open the Contacts app on the home screen or in the Tools folder. In the upper right corner, you'll see a three-dot icon or menu button. Click on it to reveal the list of available actions. We're interested in a item that could be called Import/Export Contacts or just Settings with a sub-export.
Once you select the export function, the system will suggest you select a data source, usually the default is "All Contacts" or "Phone", and make sure you choose the right source, especially if you have multiple accounts synced (Google, Mi Account, Exchange). Then, as the target storage must be selected. SIM-map.
Path to function: Contacts → Menu (three dots) → Import/Export contacts → Export to SIM- card
In the next step, the system will ask you to confirm the selection of numbers to copy, you can tick specific entries or select the option "Select all." SIM-There is no space for the map, the process will stop, and some of the data will remain unwritten.
Start the process by pressing the Export or OK button, which takes between seconds and a couple of minutes, depending on the number of recordings, and it is not recommended to switch between applications or lock the screen so as not to interrupt the background recording process.
What to do if the export button is inactive?
If you see the export button on the SIM-The card is grey or absent, this may mean that there is no free space in the card memory, or the card is blocked. PIN-Try to delete some old entries directly from the SIM card through the control menu. SIM. If the standard interface of Xiaomi for some reason does not allow you to perform the transfer (for example, in stripped-down versions of firmware for the Chinese market), you can use the Google ecosystem. This method is more reliable and allows you to pre-filter the data, removing duplicates and unnecessary fields, the essence of the method is to use the Google Contacts web interface. You need to log in to contacts.google.com from your computer or mobile browser, log in under the same account as on your phone. Here you can manage your entire phone book in a convenient format. On the left menu, select Export. The system will suggest you choose the file format. To write to a SIM card through your phone, you need to choose the vCard format (to import contacts), although direct recording from the web to the SIM card is impossible, this step is necessary to create a clean file that the phone correctly recognizes. After downloading the file to the device (or if you are working immediately from the phone), open the Contacts application, select the My.vcf file import, and then export again, but this step is already possible to the SIM Store, this is used by the system, "SIM-bypasses the same way" or the SIM-market-control system, "Double-control system, which is used bypasses the device. These applications have advanced functionality for working with chip memory and often allow you to edit names just before writing, cropping them to the desired length to avoid encoding errors. So that you can choose the most appropriate backup method for your situation, we have prepared a comparative table. SIM, In the memory of the phone and in the cloud. SIM-Google Phone Memory Map Memory Account Memory Limited (250-500 Depends on the model (thousands) Unlimited (up to) 15 GB) Save photo Not supported Supported Supported Dop. Fields (email, address) Not saved Preserve Network Dependence Not required No Internet Compatibility Required Universal Only Android/iOS Any device as seen from the table, SIM-The card is the most versatile, but the most limited, medium, and it's ideal for fast-moving a database of numbers to a button phone or temporary storage when flashing a smartphone. But for continuous use in the age of multimedia, this is a way of losing out to cloud technology. SIM irrevocably lost connection between the number and additional data of the owner, if they are not stored elsewhere. Solving common errors and problems During the transfer process, users of Xiaomi Redmi may encounter various system errors. One of the most common problems is the message "Memory" SIM-The card is full, even if you're trying to write down a few numbers, because of memory fragmentation or hidden system records. SIM-Go to the Contacts app, select the settings menu, and find Contact Management. SIM-maps" or "Contacts to SIM-Select all the records there and delete them. Once the space is cleared, try repeating the export procedure. ⚠️ Note: Removal of contacts with SIM-The card in the phone is instantaneous and can't be recovered through the cart. Make sure that the original numbers are stored in the device's memory before clearing the card. Another common mistake is "Can't copy contacts." Often this is due to the name format. If the contact name uses emoji, special symbols or exceeds 20-30 symbols, the old standard SIM-If you want to rename the problem contacts, just letters and numbers, and try again, you can also mention the problem with two-symbol models. SIM-And you'll always ask which one you want to write data to, and you'll be careful about this dialog box, so you don't confuse the cards, especially if one of them is a corporate or a work card. 💡Tip: Before mass recording, try copying one test contact. If it is successfully recorded and displayed correctly, feel free to launch a batch export of the entire list. Importing data back to your smartphone after contacts have been successfully transferred to SIM-card (for example, for use in a new phone), they must be returned to the device's internal memory for full use. The import process in Xiaomi is as automated as possible and takes seconds. SIM-Open the Contacts app and go back to the settings menu through three dots. Select Import/Export Contacts, and then click Import with SIM-The system will suggest you choose your destination, you should choose your phone or, better yet, your Google account, and when you choose Google, all the numbers will be synced to the cloud immediately after import, which will ensure that they are safe in the future. The phone quickly reads data from the chip and creates new entries in the phone book. Once the process is complete, it can be cleaned again. SIM-card to free up space, as now all data is securely stored in the device memory. 💡Import with SIM-Maps to Google accounts are the best way to turn a dead list of numbers into a full database with the ability to restore (FAQ) How many contacts can hold the maximum SIM-Usually modern maps of the Nano-SIM format can accommodate from 250 before 500 The exact number depends on the operator and the year of issue of the card. 100-150 Can I transfer the contact photos to the SIM? No, the technical standard. SIM-The cards do not support storing graphic files. When exporting photos are automatically deleted, only text information (name and number) is left. What if contact names become cracosyabra after transfer. Try renaming contacts using only Latin or simple Cyrillic letters without special characters before exporting, and updating the Contacts app via the Play Market store may help. SIM, If I take it out of my phone, no, SIM-The card is non-volatile memory, and it's stored on it even without power, so you can safely extract the card and paste it into other devices. How do you copy contacts if the phone's screen is broken and not working? If the sensor is not working, but the image is, you can plug in. USB-mouse-over OTG. This will allow you to manage the interface and conduct the procedure of exporting contacts using standard methods.