How to Transfer a Phone Book from Xiaomi to Xiaomi

Changing your smartphone is not only a pleasant experience, but also a certain stress caused by the need to migrate data. Owners of the Xiaomi ecosystem are in a better position, as the MIUI shell (or HyperOS) provides powerful built-in tools for cloning information. The process of transitioning from one Xiaofoni to another is as simple as possible by developers, which avoids manual input of hundreds of numbers.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available methods for saving and transferring a phone book, including cloud services, local backup and third-party utilities. Correct contact synchronization is to ensure that you do not lose important connections even when you completely restart the system. We will look at both the classic ways and nuances of working with new versions of the operating system.

Before you start taking action, you need to make sure that both devices are charged and have a stable connection to the Wi-Fi network. This is critical for cloud methods, as the transfer of large amounts of data over the mobile Internet can be unstable or consume traffic. Modern smartphones Redmi and POCO support high-speed file transfer, which makes the process almost instantaneous.

Using Mi Cloud account to sync

The most organic way for devices from this manufacturer is to use the proprietary Mi Cloud, which allows you not only to copy the list of numbers, but also to keep them up-to-date on all devices associated with a single identifier. To get started, you will need a Mi Account account that you can create directly in the phone settings.

On an older smartphone, you need to go to the settings menu and find the section responsible for the Xiaomi account, usually located at the top of the settings list or in the password and security subsection. Here you should activate the Sync switch opposite to Contacts. Once turned on, the system will automatically upload all records to the cloud storage.

On a new device, the algorithm is mirrored, so when you log in to the same account, you have to enable contact sync, the system will determine if you have a backup in the cloud, and it will suggest that you combine data or replace current records, and this method allows you to restore contacts even if your old phone has already been sold or lost, provided that the sync has been enabled in advance.

• 📱 Automatically update the list of numbers on all devices in real time.
• ☁️ The ability to recover data after a complete reset (Hard Reset).
• 🔒 Encryption of data during transmission and storage on the manufacturer's servers.

⚠️ Warning: Free storage in Mi Cloud is limited to 5 GB. If you plan to store photos or videos there, there may not be enough space for contacts, although text data takes up a minimum of space.

Importantly, when synchronized via Mi Account, numbers are stored in the cloud profile, not just in the phone’s memory, which means accidentally deleting a contact on one device will remove it on all others, unless Recycle Bin or Restore Remote is enabled. Always check the cloud web interface before mass-cleaning the list.

Transfer through Google Account

The Google ecosystem, which is the base for any Android operating system, is an alternative to the branded service. Many users save numbers in Google profile by default without even thinking about it. You can check where your contacts are stored in the Contacts app by opening the display settings.

To transfer data, you just need to add the same Google account to the new Xiaomi smartphone. When you first log in, the system will ask what data to sync. Make sure that the slider opposite the Contacts item is activated. After that, the phone automatically pulls up all the records from the searcher cloud.

This method is especially useful for those who in the future plan to switch to a smartphone of another brand, such as Samsung or Pixel. the versatility of a Google account ensures that your data is not tied tightly to the ecosystem of one manufacturer.

If automatic synchronization didn't work, you can use manual export. To do this, on the old phone in the contact app, select the control menu and the function Export. Save the file in.vcf format to internal memory or on the contact app. SD-The card, then transfer it to a new device and open it for import.

Application of Mi Mover Application

The Mi Mover app is designed to quickly migrate data between Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, and it not only transfers the phone book, but also apps, photos, system settings and messages, and is the most comprehensive tool for initial configuration of the new gadget.

Run the app on both smartphones. On the new device, select "I'm the recipient" and on the old one, "I'm the sender." Devices will create a temporary Wi-Fi network to transmit data directly without using Internet traffic. QR-code or select a device from the list of available.

Once you have established the connection, you will be asked to select the types of data to transmit. In the list, be sure to check "Contacts." You can also select specific groups or individual records if you do not plan to carry the entire list.

Mi Mover is preferable in situations where you need to transfer data from an old but still working phone to a new one immediately after purchase. The app can clone even the placement of icons on the desktop, creating a full copy of the user experience.

Local backup and import

There's a built-in feature in MIUI that creates local backups for the system, which is useful for users who don't trust cloud storage or have access to the Internet, and the created copy is a file that can be transferred to a computer or directly to a new phone.

To create a backup, go to your phone's settings, select About Phone and click on the firmware version several times to activate the extended menu, or look for the "Additional" -> Reset and Restore section. Select to create a new backup and only tick the contacts so as not to inflate the file size.

The file you get with the.bak extension needs to be copied to a new device. The path to the file usually looks like MIUI/backup/AllBackup. On a new phone in the same recovery menu, select the file and click "Restore." The system unpacks the archive and integrates the numbers into the phone book.

• 💾 Complete independence from the Internet connection and third party servers.
• 📂 Ability to store multiple versions of backup copies for different dates.
• ⚡ High speed data recovery directly from the device memory.

Keep in mind that local backups take up space in internal memory. If you decide to use this method, make sure that both devices have enough free space, and it is also important not to delete the backup file until the integrity of the recovered data is successfully verified on the new device.

⚠️ Attention: Local backups are not as securely encrypted as cloud data. Do not transfer backup files over open channels or store them on public computers.

Comparison of data transfer methods

The best way to choose depends on your specific conditions: the availability of the Internet, the number of contacts and the model of the device. Below is a table that will help you quickly navigate the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

As you can see from the comparison, Mi Mover is the best way to switch between two physically present phones, but if you change devices periodically or fear losing your phone, the combination of Mi Cloud and Google will ensure maximum security of information. Local method is good as an additional measure of insurance.

You can also use the combination of methods, for example, to keep the basic sync enabled through Google, and to make a full local backup through the built-in MIUI before selling the old phone, which will give a double guarantee that no number will be lost during the migration process.

Solving problems in synchronization

Despite the fact that processes are fine, users can encounter errors, often due to an unstable Internet connection or an outdated version of the application. If sync is stalled, try switching from Wi-Fi to mobile or vice versa, and updating Google Play services and system components.

Another common problem is the incorrect encoding when exporting/importing via the.vcf file. In this case, the names may appear as unreadable characters. The solution is to choose the UTF-8 encoding when creating an export file on the old device.

If your contacts are gone after you update your firmware, don't panic. Go to the web version of Mi Cloud or Google Contacts from your computer. Most likely, the data is intact and in the cloud. You just need to re-sign in to your phone and force your account to sync.

💡

Before you upgrade or change your phone, always export your contacts to a.vcf file and save them to your computer, which is the “gold standard” of security that will save you in case of any software failure.

In rare cases, a conflict of Android versions can prevent the database from being read correctly. Make sure both devices have the latest available security updates installed. Xiaomi developers regularly release patches that fix bugs in system applications, including Contacts and Phone.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

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The most reliable way is a double insurance: constant synchronization with a Google account, plus periodic export to the file.vcf to the computer.