How to transfer numbers to the Xiaomi SIM: step-by-step instructions

Changing your smartphone or losing your device is always stressful, primarily with the risk of losing important information, and keeping a phone book is especially critical, as without contact, communication with business partners, relatives and services becomes impossible. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices often face the need to quickly transfer records from an old device or restore them from a backup directly to the physical. SIM-map.

The process of migrating data in the MIUI or HyperOS ecosystem is flexible, but has its own nuances: users can choose between cloud synchronization through a Mi Account, local copying or direct export to the operator’s chip, understanding the differences between these methods will avoid duplication of records and loss of numbers when changing devices.

In this article, we will discuss in detail the algorithms of actions for different scenarios, you will learn how to safely move the database of contacts, what file formats are supported and what to do if the system writes about a recording error.

Preparation for the transfer of contacts and data verification

Before you start actively copying, you need to make sure that the original data is intact. Often users try to move numbers without checking where they are stored at the moment. The records can be scattered across multiple sources: in the phone's memory, on Google's account, in the messenger app or on the old phone's SIM card itself. Data consolidation is the first and most important step.

It is recommended to open the standard Contacts app and filter out the records you see. If you only see numbers from certain accounts, make sure they are synchronized. Xiaomi devices are characterized by local storage and cloud storage. If you plan to transfer data to the SIM of a new device, you should first collect all the numbers in a single list in the memory of the phone.

⚠️ Warning: Before mass copying or deleting duplicates, make sure to back up.Exporting to.vcf will take less than a minute, but save you from losing your entire phone book in the event of a system failure.

It is also worth checking the free space for SIM-Older carrier chips often have a limit on the number of characters in the contact name (usually up to the point of contact). 10-15 by the total number of records (often no more than 250-500 If your phone book is large, a full transfer to the SIM card may not be technically possible without losing some information.

Import contacts from the cloud Mi Cloud and Google

The most modern and reliable way to restore numbers on the new Xiaomi smartphone is through synchronization through cloud services. The Android ecosystem allows you to link contacts to a Google account, making them independent of a particular device. Xiaomi equipment owners also have their own Mi Cloud service, which is often used by default in Chinese firmware versions.

To recover data from Mi Cloud, you need to log into your phone's settings under the same Mi Account that was used on the previous device. After authorization, you need to activate the contact sync slider. The system will automatically tighten all saved records. The same principle works with Google services: just add an account in the Users and Accounts section and allow synchronization.

If automatic sync didn't work, you can use the web interface. Go to i.mi.com or contacts.google.com from your computer, export contacts in vCard (.vcf) format and send this file to your phone. Then, through the Contacts app, select imports from the file.

• 📲 Open Settings and go to the Mi Account section.
• ☁️ Select Sync and make sure the Contacts switch is active.
• 🔄 Click on the “Sync” button or update the contact app page with a swipe down.
• ✅ Check the number appearance in the general phone book.

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Use vCard (.vcf) to transfer contacts between different operating systems, such as from iPhone to Xiaomi. This is a universal standard that saves photos and additional fields.

Direct copying of numbers to SIM-card

Transferring contacts directly to the physical SIM-A card is often required when switching from button phones or when using devices without the ability to cloud sync. MIUI This feature is built into a standard contact management application, and it's simple, but it requires careful consideration when choosing the source and the recipient of the data.

To start, open the Contacts app and click on the menu icon (usually three dots or a gear). In the options list, find the item "Import and export contacts." Here, the system will prompt you to select the direction of operation. We are interested in the option “Import from the device” (if you need to download to the SIM from memory) or “Export to the device” SIM-map" (depending on the version of the translation of the firmware wording may differ, but the essence is one - moving to the chip).

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

Once you select a source (such as a “Phone” or a “Google Account”), the system will prompt you to mark specific numbers to transfer or copy everything at once. When confirming the transaction, a warning may appear that some data (long names, email addresses, photos) will be cropped or deleted, as SIM-The card has a limited storage format.

Using the Mi Mover app to change your phone

When you buy a new Xiaomi smartphone, the most convenient tool is the regular Mi Mover app, which allows you to transfer not only contacts, but also photos, applications and system settings from your old device to a new one, which is ideal if both phones are in your hands and connected to the same Wi-Fi network or connected via an access point.

Run Mi Mover on both devices. Select Receiver on the new phone and Sendr on the old one. QR-Select the category "Contacts" for your code or Wi-Fi Direct connection, the utility will determine where the numbers are stored and will prompt you to transfer them to the internal memory of the new device. SIM-mapping.

The main advantage of the method is the speed and no need for Internet traffic. Data is transmitted over a local communication channel. However, it is worth remembering that Mi Mover does not always work correctly with devices based on iOS or very old versions of Android, so in such cases it is better to use export to the file.

Working with vCard and Bluetooth files

The universal contact-sharing language is vCard..vcf files contain structured contact information and are supported by almost all phones, from Nokia buttons to Xiaomi 14 flagships. This method is especially relevant when you need to transfer contacts from a device on which it is impossible to install sync applications.

You can create this file through the import/export menu in the contact app. Select the option “Export to internal storage” or “Share contacts.” The system will create a file that can be transferred via Bluetooth, messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) or email. On the receiving device, just open the received file, and the system will suggest adding all the numbers contained in it to the phone book.

When dealing with large amounts of data (over 1,000 contacts), it is recommended to split it into several smaller files, which is because some versions of Android may not properly handle overly large vCard files, leading to a stalled import process or partial data loss.

• 📂 Open contacts and select “All contacts».
• 💾 Click Export and save the file in memory.
• 📤 Transfer the contacts.vcf file to the new device in any convenient way.
• 📥 Open the file on your new phone and confirm the import.

⚠️ Note: When importing from a file, carefully monitor where the numbers are saved. select "Phone" or "Google Account" but not «SIM-map" if you are not sure of the compatibility of the encoding of names, otherwise instead of "Alexander" you can get «Àëåêñàíäð».

Removal: Duplicates and Recording Errors

During the transfer process, users often encounter duplicates, situations where the same contact is displayed twice or three times, this occurs when sources are mixed (for example, Google sync plus import from the Internet). SIM-In the maps. MIUI There is a built-in tool to solve this problem.

Go to the Contacts app, open the menu, and select “Clean Duplicates” (or “Combine Repeated Contacts”). The system will analyze the database, find matches by phone number or name, and suggest combining them into a single card, a critical procedure for keeping order in the phone book.

Another common problem is the error “failed to save” SIM-The main reason for this error is overflowing memory of the chip or using names containing special characters or emoji that are not supported by the standard. GSM. In this case, you need to reduce the contact name to Latin or save it only in the memory of the phone.

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Regularly cleaning duplicates and storing the main database in the cloud (Google/Mi Cloud) eliminates the problems with data loss when changing devices in the future.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)