Changing a smartphone is always fraught with difficulties, and one of the first tasks for the user is to save the phone book. - Owners of the Xiaomi Redmi Note device 9S, Those that are switching from push-button phones or older Android models often have to move numbers stored on the SIM card, SIM-The card has limited functionality and does not allow you to save additional contact data.
The MIUI Import Procedure is quite convenient, but it has its own nuances that must be considered to correctly display names. Mistakes in the transfer can lead to the number remaining invisible or duplicated. It is important to understand where you save data so that you do not lose it when you change the tariff plan.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all the stages of transfer, look at possible problems with name encoding, and explain why storing contacts in your phone’s memory or Google’s cloud is preferable to using SIM card plastic. 9S.
Preparation of SIM card and device for transfer
Before you start any data manipulation, you need to make sure that the original storage medium is correct and correctly installed. If you just inserted a SIM card into the new Xiaomi, it takes some time for the system to recognize the network and read the data.
Make sure the device is activated in flight mode or stable connection if you plan to sync. Although the import process itself is local, the subsequent saving to the account will require Internet. Check the battery power, as memory operations should not be interrupted by a sudden shutdown.
It's also worth checking in advance if the SIM card is full on the old device. Sometimes old SIMs have a limit of 250 contacts, and if there are more, some of them may not show up, in which case it's better to transfer them to an intermediate phone first.
⚠️ Note: If the SIM card is non-standard size (micro or mini) and has been hand-cut, make sure it sits tightly in the Redmi Note tray. 9S. Poor contact can lead to reading error during importation.
It is not superfluous to back up contacts on the old device, if it is still functional, this will create an additional restore point in case there are software failures when reading.
Import contacts through the standard application
The basic method of data transfer on Android based on MIUI is built directly into the application Contacts. You do not need to download third-party software, which reduces the risk of personal data leakage. The algorithm of actions is simple, but requires careful choice of the target storage.
Open the Contacts app or Phone app and go to the settings. They're usually hidden behind three dots in the corner of the screen or the gear icon. Find a item called Import and Export Contacts. That's where the key feature for working with the user interface is. SIM-card.
Once you select the import option, the system will suggest you select a source: specify your SIM card (it can be designated as SIM1 or SIM2), then choose your destination, and here lies the most important point: do not choose the Phone if you plan to change your device in the future.
☑️ Pre-import checks
It is recommended to immediately choose import to your Google account.This will ensure automatic synchronization and data security even if you completely lose or break your Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S smartphone.
Configuring import and coding parameters
One of the common problems with moving contacts is the misrepresentation of names, and instead of Cyrillic letters, the user may see a set of incomprehensible characters, due to differences in the encoding used by older SIM cards and the modern Android operating system.
Some versions of the MIUI shell add an additional settings menu when you import it, so you can choose the manual encoding here, and if the automatic definition didn't work, try going through the UTF-8 or Unicode variants, which often solves the Krakozyak problem.
Also worth paying attention to is the format of number saving: SIM cards often store numbers in international format or without a country code. When importing, the system may suggest bringing them to a single standard.
Why can names be cut off?
If you see duplicates after importing, don't rush to remove them manually. Xiaomi's system has a built-in tool to combine duplicates that works much more efficiently. It analyzes numbers and suggests combining records with the same digital values.
Working with Google Contacts for Synchronization
Once you successfully import data into your smartphone memory, the smartest step is to transfer it to Google’s cloud service, which will turn your phone book from a local file into a secure cloud asset. For Xiaomi, the Redmi Note 9S is the standard and most reliable procedure.
Open the Contacts app and log in to the Import and Export menu again. Now, choose Phone (or Device) as your source and Google account as your recipient. The system will alert you to copy the data. Confirm the action.
The advantage of this approach is that contacts are linked to an email address, and even if you lose your phone, break the screen, or buy another model, just enter your username and password on the new device and all the numbers will appear automatically.
- 📱 Autonomy: Contacts are available from any device via browser.
- 🔄 Sync: Changes made from your computer will instantly appear on the Redmi Note 9S.
- 🛡️ Security: Data is protected by Google’s two-factor authorization.
- 🗑️ Recovery: The ability to roll back changes from the last 30 days in case of an error.
Remember to check sync status in your account settings regularly, sometimes auto sync is turned off to save traffic and new numbers are not saved to the cloud.
Removal and duplication
During the transfer process, users often encounter a situation where contacts appear but are displayed incorrectly or duplicated, which can be caused by the same number being stored on the SIM card, in the phone’s memory, and in the Google account.
To address this problem, Google's Contacts app (which is often pre-installed or available in the GetApps store) has a "Fix and Manage" feature that automatically finds duplicate records and suggests combining them, which is a secure operation, the data is not lost, but only structured.
If some contacts are not visible at all, check the display filter, and in the app settings, you can choose whether to show contacts only from your phone, only from your SIM card, or from all sources at once, often solved by simply switching this setting.
If you have numbers but they don't get through, check the format of the record. Sometimes there's an extra plus, an eight, or a city code in front of the number that conflicts with the operator's settings. It takes time to manually edit those records, but it will provide a stable connection.
Comparison of data storage methods
Users often wonder why modern smartphones like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S are discouraged from storing contacts on a SIM card, a method that has its historical roots, but in the era of cloud technology, it is becoming less relevant.
SIM cards have strict limits on the amount of memory and length of the contact name, and it is almost impossible to recover data when a SIM card breaks or plastic is lost, and cloud services and internal smartphone memory provide much more options.
| Parameter | SIM-map | Phone memory | Google Account |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memory capacity | Limited (250-500) | Depends on the device. | Almost unlimited. |
| Length of name | Up to 15 characters | No restrictions. | No restrictions. |
| Supplementary fields | Only number and name. | Photo, email, address | All fields + notes |
| Security | Low (physical carrier) | Medium (depending on the phone) | High (cloud) |
From the table, it becomes clear that using a Google Account is the most rational choice for the modern user, providing flexibility and data security.
Advice on organizing a telephone book
Once all contacts are migrated to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S, it is recommended to clean up the list. Chaotic storage of numbers makes it difficult to find and use smart smartphone features such as voice search or integration with instant messengers.
Add photos to your frequently used contacts. This not only graces the interface, but also helps to instantly identify the caller, especially if the name is saved in a non-standard format. MIUI supports displaying the photo to the full screen when an incoming call is made.
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Use contact groups to sort. Create job, family, service categories to quickly filter the list or send out group messages.
Remove old, irrelevant numbers regularly, and not only will this free up space, but it will also speed up the Contacts app, because the system won't have to index any extra entries when searching, and the purity of the database affects the system's response rate.
⚠️ Attention: When you delete your contacts from your Google account, they are deleted everywhere! Be careful and check which source you delete the record from so you don't lose important data forever.
Concluding recommendations
Transferring contacts from the SIM card to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S is a simple but important procedure that sets the tone for further use of the smartphone.
The main rule to remember is that a SIM card is a tool to access the operator’s network, not a reliable store of personal information. Always strive to duplicate important data in the cloud.
If you have followed all the steps described above, your phone book is now safe and fully ready to go. Enjoy the usability of a modern smartphone and all the power of the Xiaomi ecosystem.
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The golden rule of security: Keep your contacts in your Google Account, and use the SIM card only as a key to access your mobile network.