How to transfer contacts to SIM-Xiaomi Redmi 8 map: full guide

Owners of the popular Xiaomi Redmi 8 budget smartphone often face the need to change their device or SIM card, which requires the rapid transfer of saved numbers. Unlike modern cloud services that offer automatic synchronization, old methods of copying data to a physical medium remain relevant for many users, this is especially important if you plan to temporarily use a button phone or just want to back up numbers on the card’s plastic.

The process of saving the phone book on SIM-shell-card MIUI It has its own features that can confuse an inexperienced user. The standard procedure may differ from the usual Android interface, and some default options are hidden. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to safely and quickly transfer all important data, avoiding loss of information.

It’s worth noting that SIM card capacity is limited, and it’s not designed to store multimedia data or long contact names. However, for basic numbers and names, this remains one of the most reliable ways to quickly migrate between devices without using the Internet. Let’s look at all the available ways and nuances of working with contacts on your Redmi 8.

Preparation of the smartphone and checking data before transfer

Before you start taking active copying actions, you need to make sure that the original data is in order. Often users try to copy numbers that are physically located on an old SIM card inserted into a new smartphone, which creates confusion. First open the Contacts app and go to the display settings to select the source of the Phone or Google.

Make sure that the screen displays exactly the entries you plan to transfer. If some of the numbers are lost after buying Xiaomi Redmi 8, they may have remained on the previous device or in the account of another manufacturer, in which case, import from the.vcf file or restore data from the cloud, and then start exporting to the SIM card.

⚠️ Attention: Before mass copying, we strongly advise you to check duplicates. In the contact menu, select the "Combine duplicates" function so as not to fill the SIM card memory with the same entries.

It is also important to check if the SIM card is properly installed in the device tray. Redmi 8 supports two cards, but transfer is only possible to the one that is active for voice communication. → SIM-maps and mobile networks and make sure the card is defined by the system and has a signal.

• 📱 Open the Contacts app on the home screen.
• 🔍 Check the “All Contacts” tab or select a specific account.
• 💾 Make sure that the numbers are stored in the phone’s memory, not on the phone. SIM.
• 📶 Check the status of the SIM card in the network settings.

After the initial check, you can go to the technical settings. Make sure that the Xiaomi Redmi 8 battery is at least 20-30% so that the device does not turn off at a critical time of data recording. Although the process is not energy intensive, the stability of the system is important for the correct completion of the operation.

Direct Export of Contacts from Phone Memory to SIM

The most common scenario is to transfer numbers that are already stored in the smartphone’s internal memory, with a built-in import and export tool in the standard MIUI shell. Open the Contacts app, tap three dots in the corner of the screen or menu button, and select Import/Export contacts.

In the menu that opens, you will be offered several options for action. SIM-card (or export to the SIM-map 1/2, The system will automatically scan the phone book and show the number of records available for transfer. Press the select all button or manually mark the numbers you need.

Path to function: Contacts → Menu (three dots) → Import/export → Export to SIM- card

Once the selection is confirmed, the system will warn you that some data, such as additional numbers, email addresses and photos, will be lost when you copy it. This is a standard restriction on the format of data storage on the SIM card.

Wait for the process to be completed. A progress bar will appear on the screen showing how many contacts have already been copied. Do not remove the SIM card or restart Redmi 8 at this point, as interrupting the recording can damage the file system of the map and lose some data.

Once the operation is complete, it is recommended to remove the SIM card and insert it into another device to check the result, if all the numbers are in place and read correctly, the procedure can be considered successful, otherwise you may need to repeat the operation or check the compatibility of the card format.

Import contacts from SIM-cards in memory of Xiaomi Redmi 8

The reverse is also common: you inserted a SIM card with saved numbers into the new Xiaomi Redmi 8 and want to rewrite them into your smartphone memory for ease of use.This action allows you to unlock the full functionality of the phone book, including adding photos and additional numbers.

The procedure is performed through the same Import/Export Contact menu. This time, select the Import with option. SIM-The system will suggest you select a destination folder where the data will be uploaded, and the best choice is your Google account or device memory if the sync is not configured.

⚠️ Note: When importing from a SIM card, names may be cropped or displayed incorrectly if they contain special characters or are too long.Be prepared to edit them manually after copying them.

Select a SIM card if you have two, and press OK. The smartphone will start reading data. Unlike export, this process is usually faster, because the amount of information being written is smaller and the reading from the card is quick.

• 📥 Select the item "Import with" SIM-maps in the contact menu.
• 📂 Please specify the location of the save (Phone or Google Account).
• ✅ Confirm the action and wait for the loading to end.
• ✏️ Check the imported records for errors.

Once successfully imported, all contacts will appear on the shared list. If you choose to save to a Google account, they will automatically sync to the server, and you can see them on any device by logging in. This is a modern and more reliable way of storing than a SIM card.

Using Google Cloud Storage as an Alternative

Xiaomi Redmi 8 owners should consider switching to cloud-based contact storage, as it eliminates the need to physically port data every time they change their card. The Google account you enter when you first set up your phone automatically offers contact sync.

To activate this feature, go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google. Make sure the switch opposite Contact is activated. From now on, all new numbers will be saved in the cloud, not on the SIM card or in the phone’s memory.

The advantage of this approach is data security, so even if you lose your phone or your SIM card goes down, all the numbers will remain safe, and you just need to log in to your account on any new device to restore it.

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Use contacts.google.com to manage contacts from your computer, and it’s convenient to delete duplicates, edit names, and create groups that are then synced with Redmi 8.

If you still want to have a copy on your SIM card, you can import contacts from the cloud to your phone first and then export them to the map, as described in the previous sections.

It’s important to understand that synchronization requires an internet connection. Make sure your Redmi 8 has Wi-Fi or mobile traffic active. Otherwise, changes made to other devices won’t show up on your smartphone.

Common mistakes and limitations when working with SIM-card

When transferring contacts, users often face technical limitations that are not a phone malfunction. The main limitation is the amount of memory of the SIM card itself. Old cards can only hold 250 contacts, new ones can hold up to 500, but this is still negligible compared to the memory of a smartphone.

Another common problem is name encoding. SIM cards often use standard GSM encoding, which may not properly display Cyrillic characters or special characters, and as a result, instead of "Alexander," you may see a set of incomprehensible characters.

⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to record contacts with names longer than 22 characters on the SIM card. The system will either crop the name or refuse to save, which can lead to an error in the recording of the entire batch of data.

It is also worth mentioning that you can't save the second number for a single contact: If you have a mobile, work and home phone, it will be three different contacts on the SIM card with the same name and name (2), (3), etc.

• ❌ The memory overflow error when trying to copy too many records.
• ❌ Distortion of Russian letters and special symbols in the names of subscribers.
• ❌ Loss of additional fields (address, company, notes).
• ❌ Inability to assign contact to a melody or photo.

To avoid these problems, use the SIM card only as a temporary transport medium. For constant storage and daily use of the capabilities of the Xiaomi Redmi 8, internal memory in conjunction with cloud services is better suited.

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A SIM card is an outdated storage format, limited in technical terms, and for full security and functionality, switch to cloud accounts.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions on Contact Transfer