Changing your smartphone is always accompanied by a desire to quickly and painlessly transfer all important data to a new device. A special place in this list is occupied by contacts, because the loss of even one important number can lead to serious inconvenience in work or personal life. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices can use several proven methods for data migration, each of which has its own characteristics.
The transfer process depends on what operating system your previous gadget had and where the records are physically stored. SIM-Maps, Google account, old phone's internal storage, or manufacturer's cloud services. MIUI HyperOS offers built-in tools that make this task much easier, making it accessible even to inexperienced users.
In this article, we will take a look at all the current ways to save and import a phone book, how to properly configure sync so that numbers don’t disappear when you change your device, and what nuances exist when you switch from an iPhone or button phones. A competent approach to this issue will save you time and avoid the stress associated with manually entering dozens of records.
Before you start actively copying data, you need to clearly identify where your numbers are right now. Often users do not even suspect that their contacts may be scattered in different places: part is stored on the SIM card, part is stored in the phone memory, and another is in the profile of the social network or messenger. Consolidation of data before transfer is a key step to ensure the integrity of your phone book.
If you plan to use cloud services, make sure that both devices (old and new) have a stable Wi-Fi connection. Transferring large amounts of data over the mobile Internet can be slow and costly. It is also recommended to check the battery level, as the process of synchronizing or running a migratory application can consume a significant amount of power.
It's important to understand that different formats of contact storage can be displayed differently after transfer. SIM-The cards often have a limit on the length of the name and the absence of additional fields, such as email or address. When importing such data into a Xiaomi smartphone, the system will automatically prompt you to expand the information, but it is better to be prepared for the fact that some fields will remain empty.
⚠️ Note: Before you start any manipulation of contacts, we strongly advise you to back up your current phone book, even if you change your device, and this will protect you from accidental data loss in the event of a process failure.
The most common and versatile method that is suitable for switching from any phone, including push-button models, is to transfer through the phone. SIM-It's a nice way to do this, but it's a little bit of a technical problem, because SIM cards have a small amount of memory, and they don't support the preservation of complex contact structures, so they often cut off long names and lose extra numbers.
To get started, you need to physically move your SIM card from your old device to your new Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone. After turning your phone on and registering with the network, open the standard Contacts app. In the program interface, find the settings menu, which is usually hidden under three dots in the upper right corner or indicated by a gear.
In the menu that opens, select Import/Export contacts and then click Import with SIM-The system will suggest you choose an account to which the data will be stored. The best choice is your Google account, as this will ensure automatic synchronization and data security in the cloud, which will allow you to easily restore it in the future on any device.
What to do if your phone can’t see SIM-map?
If after installing the SIM card, the phone says "No network" or "SIM not detected", try to gently wipe the contacts on the map itself with a soft cloth. Also make sure that the card is installed on the correct side. If the problem persists, check the card's performance on another phone - it may be physically damaged. Once you select the target storage, the copying process will start. When you complete, you will see a notification of successful import. Now all the numbers that were on the SIM will appear in your Xiaomi's general phone book. It is recommended to check several entries for errors immediately, since the encoducting of the characters on the old SIM cards may be physically damaged. This is a different way to start using the Google account. The whole point is that on the old device you need to force synchronize contacts with Google servers, and on the new Xiaomi just log in to the same account1unt. → Accounts and sync (the path may vary slightly depending on the model) Find your Google account and make sure that there is a tick in front of the Contact item. Click on the menu (three dots) and select Sync. Wait until the process is complete, and then all the numbers are uploaded to the cloud. Now, pick up the new Xiaomi. When you first set up or through the Settings menu. → Accounts and sync add the same Google account. The system automatically prompts you to sync your data. If that doesn't happen automatically, go to your account settings on your phone, select Google, and turn on the contact sync slider. In a few minutes, depending on the number of records and the speed of the Internet, the phone book will fill up. The advantage of this method is that it stores not only names and numbers, but also photos, addresses, emails and notes. In addition, Google automatically combines duplicates if it finds the same records, which makes the contact list clean and structured. Using the Mi Mover app to transition from Android. For owners of Xiaomi smartphones, developers have created a special application Mi Mover that greatly simplifies the transition from another Android device. This utility allows you to transfer not only contacts, but also applications, photos, music and settings of the system. The process of transferring the Mi Mover application over the mobile channel requires high traffic. To get started, install the Mi Mover app on both smartphones. On a Xiaomi device, it's often already built in and in the Tools folder. Run the app on both phones. On the new device, select Recipient, and on the old device, Sender. The recipient smartphone will create a Wi-Fi hotspot, and you'll need to connect to it from the sender by scanning it. QR-Once you have established the connection, select the Contact category (and any other data you want to transfer) and click Send. The process will be quick and user-free. Mi Mover automatically recognizes the structure of contacts on the old device and correctly transfers them to the phone book. MIUI. Once the transfer is complete, the data will be available immediately, and this method is especially good because it saves the history of calls and SMS, if necessary. Transferring contacts from iPhone to Xiaomi has been difficult before, but now it’s as automated as possible. The most effective way is to use the same Mi Mover app that has an iOS version, or use an iCloud account in conjunction with Google. If you choose a path through Mi Mover, download the application to your iPhone from the App Store. Launch it and select the Sendor. On Xiaomi, launch the application and select the Recipient. Follow the instructions on the screen to connect the devices. Select Contacts and start transfer. The application will recode the data into a format that is understandable for Android Mover, then click on the website. Select all records (usually Ctrl)+A or Cmd+A), click on the gear at the bottom left and select Export vCard. The resulting.vcf file must be uploaded to contacts.google.com (Import section). Once Google syncs with Xiaomi phone, all numbers will appear on the device. ⚠️ Note: When transferring from your iPhone, contact photos may not be saved if you use the method via vCard file. For full migration with photos, it is better to use a direct connection through Mi Mover or third-party sync applications. After transferring contacts, users often face the problem of duplication of records. This occurs when the same number is saved and on the Internet. SIM-map, and in the memory of the phone, and in the Google account. MIUI It has a built-in tool to solve this problem, which allows you to quickly clean up the phone book. Open the Contacts app, click three dots in the corner, and select Contact Organization (or Contact Management). Find Combine Duplicates. The system will analyze the list and suggest combining entries with the same names or numbers. This action is safe and reversible within the session, but it's better to double-check the result. | Problem. | Possible cause | Decision-making | |:--- |:--- |:--- | | Contacts are not displayed | Display filter disabled | In the contact menu, select the Filter and mark all sources. | | No photos. | Out of sync avatars | Check your sync settings for Google Photos or Mi Cloud | | Cracosabre instead of letters | Incorrect coding during importation | Try importing through Google Contacts, not directly from SIM | | Lost numbers after dumping | The synchronization was off. | Log in to Google account and enable contact sync | Also worth paying attention to is the display settings. The contact menu has a Filter function. Make sure it ticks All contacts. Sometimes users accidentally install a Contacts Only from Phone filter, which creates the illusion of data loss, even though it is simply hidden. FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions: Is it safe to use the Mi Mover app to transfer personal data? Yes, the Mi Mover app is secure. The data is transmitted over a local Wi-Fi Direct connection between two devices. Data is not sent to third-party servers or left the perimeter of your gadgets, which guarantees the confidentiality of information. What to do if contacts are transferred, but without photos? Contact photos are often stored separately from text data, especially when exported through the Internet. SIM-Map or old file formats. Try syncing your Google account with the photo upload option enabled, or use Google Contacts to manually add missing images? Yes, when using the Mi Mover app or when you switch from another Android smartphone through a Google account (if the appropriate backup option is enabled), the call history can be transferred. SIM-Call history is not portable because the SIM card does not store this information. Where are the contacts stored after the transfer to Xiaomi? By default, if you choose to sync with Google, the contacts are stored in the Google cloud and displayed on the phone. A copy can also be stored in the phone's internal storage as a database, and the source of a particular record can be verified by opening the contact and seeing which account it is linked to (both are listed at the bottom of the contact card).