Switching to a new smartphone is often a real challenge, especially when you need to transfer important data accumulated over the years of using the previous device. Xiaomi Redmi owners often face the need to import a phone book if they previously used push-button phones or simply did not make backups to the cloud services. SIM-A card that still stores basic subscriber data from millions of users.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all the nuances of the transfer procedure, explain why numbers may not be displayed, and help avoid common errors that lead to data loss. SIM-The map is limited to about 250 entries, so with a large amount of contacts, this method may not be effective without first sorting. MIUI or hyperos.
Number recovery is a critical element of settings, and it should be taken seriously. Wrong actions can lead to contacts being duplicated or, worse, irretrievably lost when resetting. Let's look at a step-by-step algorithm that is guaranteed to help you reconnect.
Preparation of SIM-card and compatibility check
Before you start moving data, make sure that the SIM card itself is properly defined and correctly defined by the system.Put it into your Xiaomi slot and wait for the network icon to appear at the top of the screen. If the device supports dual SIM cards, make sure you use the slot where the contact card is installed, since import is often done alternately.
It is important to understand that older SIM cards may have limited storage and do not support storing modern name formats or additional fields such as email or address. USIM technology used in modern cards allows for more data to be stored, but the standard SIM still has tight limits. If you carry data from a very old device, some characters in the names may not display correctly.
Why can't contacts be read?
To get started, make sure you have access to the Internet, although the import process itself can be offline, but for subsequent synchronization with a Google or Mi Account account, a Wi-Fi connection will be necessary, which will allow you to create a reliable backup immediately after the transfer.
- 📱 Make sure that SIM-The card is inserted into the correct slot and is determined by the system.
- 🔋 Check the battery charge of the device, it should be at least 30-40%.
- 📶 Make sure the card is not blocked. PIN-code, or enter it when requested.
- 📂 Estimate the approximate number of contacts to see if they all fit in.
If you see scratches or dirt on the gold contacts, gently wipe them with a soft dry cloth, a trivial action that often solves the problem when the phone can't see the card or the data on it.
Import contacts through the standard “Contacts” application
The main and most reliable way to transfer records is to use the built-in functionality of the Android system, adapted to the MIUI shell. You do not need to download third-party applications that may request unnecessary permissions. All the necessary tools are already built into the system and work stably.
Open the Contacts app (usually an orange icon with a human silhouette) and in the interface, find the settings menu, which is often hidden under three dots in the upper right corner or three horizontal bars, and this is where the key phone book management functions are located.
☑️ Import algorithm
In the menu that opens, select Import/Export Contacts. The system will offer several options: import from the Internet. SIM-maps, exports SIM-Import from internal memory or transfer via Bluetooth. We are interested in the first option - Import with the Internet. SIM-map.
Once you've selected the source, the phone will tell you to choose where the numbers are stored, and it's critical to make no mistake. If you choose "Phone," if you lose or break your device, the data will disappear. The best choice is your Google account or your Mi Cloud account.
⚠️ Note: When choosing to save your phone, make sure you have regular sync set up, otherwise when you reset the settings to factory all numbers will be lost without the possibility of recovery.
Once the save location is confirmed, the copying process will begin, which usually takes a few seconds, but if there are many records, it can take longer, and do not interrupt the process or turn off the screen until the successful completion notification appears.
Display setting and duplicate filtering
Once you have completed the import, you may have a situation where the numbers seem to be copied, but you can't see them on the list. This is a common problem with display filtering settings. The system can only show contacts from certain sources, ignoring the ones that have just been imported.
To fix this, go back to the Contacts settings and find Displayed Contacts, make sure it ticks the "All Contacts" box or the account you saved to, so you can see the full picture of your phone book.
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Use the function of combining duplicates in the contact settings if after importing the same people are displayed twice - with SIM and from the cloud.
Another common problem is duplication of records, and if you've synced numbers with Google before and now added them from a SIM card, one person can have two cards. Modern versions of MIUI can automatically suggest that you combine those records, but sometimes you have to do it manually.
For manual cleaning, open the contact card and see if there is a merge icon or suggestion to associate with another profile, and you can also use the Cleanup of Doubles feature if it is available in your firmware version, which will make the list neat and easy to use.
- 👁️ Check the display filter in the application settings.
- 🔗 Use the Contacts Uniting function to eliminate duplicates.
- 🗑️ Remove empty or incorrect recordings from old phones.
- 🔄 Perform Forced Synchronization of Google Account.
Remember that once imported and cleaned, it makes sense to check the key numbers again by calling them or sending a message, which ensures that the recording format is correct and the call goes well.
Alternative methods of copying through Google Account
If the standard method doesn't work for some reason or you find it uncomfortable, you can take advantage of the power of the Google ecosystem, which is considered more modern and reliable, because it doesn't depend on the physical limitations of the SIM card, and it's ideal if you have access to a computer or another smartphone.
The method is to first upload contacts from the SIM card of any device (even the old button, if there is an adapter, or another smartphone) to the Google Contacts service.
All data will be automatically pulled up over the Internet, eliminating the risk of data loss when a SIM card is physically broken, and Google Contacts’ web interface also makes it easy to edit names, add photos, and sort people into groups.
To implement this method on your new phone, go to Settings → Accounts and Sync. Add your Google account if it hasn’t already been added, and make sure the Contacts switch is activated.
| Method | Reliability | Speed. | Network dependency |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIM-map | Low. | Tall. | Not required |
| Google Account | Tall. | Medium | Required. |
| Bluetooth | Medium | Low. | Not required |
| VCF file | Tall. | Tall. | Not required |
Using cloud technology is a step into the future that frees you from being tied to a plastic storage medium, and if you lose your phone, you can restore your contact book in a few minutes on any other device by simply entering your username and password.
Solving problems with encoding and name format
Users often experience contact names appearing as a set of incomprehensible characters or question marks after transfer, a problem of encoding that arises from differences in text encoding standards between old and new devices.
The GSM standard used by SIM cards has limitations on the length of the name and character set. If the name was written in Cyrillic on a device that used non-standard encoding, the new Xiaomi smartphone may misinterpret this data. Unfortunately, it is massively difficult to fix this.
⚠️ Note: Do not try to edit names with Krakozabra en masse through third-party programs without a backup - there is a risk of damaging the contact database file completely.
The most effective solution in this situation is to manually comb through the most important contacts and correct their names, for the less important ones, you can leave them as is or delete them, and change the language of the phone system to English, then back to Russian, sometimes helping the system to re-index the records.
If the problem affects all contacts, you can try exporting them to a.vcf file via the import/export menu and then importing them back by selecting a different encoding if the importing app allows it. However, standard Android tools rarely give you this choice, so you often have to rely on third-party utilities from the Play Market specializing in reconnection.
Backup after successful transfer
Once you've made sure that all numbers are in place, names are readable and duplicates are deleted, the most important step is to back up. This is your insurance for the future. Never leave contacts only on the SIM card or only in the device's memory.
The best way is to sync with Google. Go to Settings → Google → Setup and Restore and click Google Contact Sync. Make sure the switch is active. Now every change in the phone book will be instantly saved to the cloud.
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Regular sync with Google or Mi Cloud is the only way to ensure the safety of contacts in case of loss or breakage of a smartphone.
You can also create a local copy. In Contacts, select Import/Export → Export to your device memory. You will receive a contact.vcf file that you can mail to yourself, save to the cloud or transfer to your computer. This file contains your entire phone book in a universal format.
Check regularly that synchronization is successful, sometimes the system may shut it down to save traffic or battery, and periodic data security monitoring is a habit that can save you a lot of nerves and time at a critical moment.