Changing a mobile device is often stressful for fear of losing important data, especially a phone book. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro owners face this issue immediately after unpacking the gadget, wanting to set up the device as quickly as possible for everyday work. Modern smartphones offer several effective ways to migrate data, each of which has its own nuances and implementation features.
The main difficulty is that older phones often store records exclusively on a physical medium, a SIM card, while Android is focused on cloud services and internal memory. The wrong approach to copying can lead to the loss of some numbers or their incorrect display. In this guide, we will discuss in detail how to safely and quickly move all records to the new MIUI interface.
Preparation for data migration and verification SIM-map
Before you start taking action, you need to make sure that the physical health of the media. Old SIM cards sometimes have worn contacts or micro-damages that can make it difficult for the new device to read the records. Carefully remove the tray with a paper clip, wipe the chip with a soft cloth without pile and install the module in the appropriate Redmi Note 9 Pro slot.
After the apparatus is turned on and entered PIN-If you have the code, wait until the operating system is fully loaded. It is important that the phone has time to register with the operator's network, as evidenced by the signal level and communication type icons that appear (4G/LTE) Only then will the system gain access to the SIM card file structure.
Check if the phone sees the SIM card itself by opening the standard Phone app and trying to make a test call or send an SMS. If there is a connection but the contacts are not displayed on the list, this confirms that they are stored on the SIM card, not in the memory of the old device or the cloud. The memory of the standard SIM is limited to 250 records, so long names can be cut off.
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Before you start importing, make sure that the Redmi Note 9 Pro has a minimum battery charge of 30% to avoid accidentally turning off during the data reading process.
Import contacts through the standard application
The MIUI operating system on the Redmi Note 9 Pro has a powerful phone book management tool built in. To start the transfer, look for an app called Contacts on your desktop or in the Tools folder, which has a distinctive human silhouette icon and is usually painted in the company's shell colors.
Inside the application, you need to open the settings menu, which is often hidden behind three dots in the upper right corner or in the sidebar. Select "Import / export contacts." The system will offer several options for the data source, among which you need to select "Import from the top right corner." SIM-Once the source is selected, the phone will indicate the destination location.
It is critical to choose the right target folder to save. Options available: "Phone», «SIM-Google account (no sense in this case) or Google account, it is recommended to choose a Google account, as this will ensure automatic synchronization and data security even if the device is lost or broken.
☑️ Import algorithm
Using the Mi Mover app to migrate fully
For users who switch to Xiaomi from another Android smartphone, the company has developed a specialized utility Mi Mover, which allows you to transfer not only contacts, but also photos, applications and system settings over Wi-Fi Direct, without using Internet traffic. You can find the program in the Tools folder or download from Google Play.
Run the app on both devices. On the new Redmi Note 9 Pro, select Receiver and on the old one, Sender. Devices will find each other, and then you will need to scan. QR-In the list of transmitted data, be sure to tick the item "Contacts" and make sure that all the necessary categories are selected.
Transfer speeds depend on the amount of data and the stability of the wireless connection. During the process, it is not recommended to switch between applications or block the smartphone screen, as this can break the connection.
⚠️ Note: When using Mi Mover, make sure both phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network or use the access point mode created by one of the devices for maximum transfer speeds.
Synchronization through Google Account
The most reliable and modern way to store a phone book is by linking it to Google’s cloud storage. If your contacts were previously saved on an old Android smartphone, they may already be in the cloud.
Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync. Click Add Account and enter your details. Once logged in, the system will prompt you to select the sync items. Make sure the switch opposite Contacts is activated. Data will be downloaded automatically when you have the Internet.
The advantage of this method is that any changes made from a computer or other device will instantly appear on your Redmi Note 9 Pro. This creates a single ecosystem where loss of physical media is no longer scary.
What to do if your contacts are not synchronized?
Working with duplicates and sorting records
Once the data is transferred from the SIM card, users often face the problem of duplicate records, which occurs when the same number is stored in the phone’s memory, on the SIM card, or when multiple imports are made. The Contacts app on MIUI has a built-in feature to solve this problem.
Open the app, click three dots in the corner, and select "Clean Duplicate Contacts," and the system will analyze the database and suggest combining similar records or removing duplicates, making the phonebook neat and easy to find.
Also worth paying attention to is the formatting of names. When importing from a SIM card, names are often written in uppercase or cropped. You can edit the contact card by adding a photo, email address and additional numbers, which will make communication management more efficient.
| Parameter | SIM-map | Phone memory | Google Account |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limit of records | ~250 pcs. | Depends on memory. | No restrictions. |
| Photo preservation | No. | Yes. | Yes. |
| Access to PC | No. | No (no exports) | Yes (via browser) |
| Risk of loss | High-pitched | Medium. | Minimum |
Possible errors and ways to eliminate them
Technical failures can occur in the data transfer process, and one of the common problems is the message “Cannot import contacts”, which can be caused by overflowing of the SIM card memory (if you tried to export to it) or damage to the database file on the media itself.
If the phone doesn’t see the SIM card after rebooting, try clearing the Contacts app cache through the Settings menu. → Annexes → All applications → Contacts → Memory. → It's also worth checking if the SIM card has a lock on the record that sometimes occurs on corporate rates.
In rare cases, contacts can be displayed but not called. Check the format of the number: it should start with the country code (for example, +7 for Russia). If the numbers are written without a code, use the "Replace prefix" function in the contact display settings to add the missing numbers automatically.
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The most reliable method is to pre-export the old phone’s contacts to Google, then sync the new Redmi Note 9 Pro with the same account.