Switching to a new smartphone, especially with a popular shell MIUI The most valuable information for most gadget owners is the phone numbers of friends, colleagues and delivery services that have been stored in the memory of the old device for years or stored on the phone. SIM-Unlike some other manufacturers, Xiaomi provides built-in and flexible tools for data migration without requiring the use of third-party applications.
The process of copying numbers on devices of this brand, as a rule, takes only a few minutes and does not require the presence of the Internet or complex software. However, many users encounter non-obvious menus or confuse import with synchronization, which leads to a waste of time. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to transfer numbers from a SIM card to a Xiaomi phone, consider the nuances of working with different versions of the Android operating system, and suggest alternative, more reliable methods for saving your phone book.
Before we get started, it’s worth noting that modern Xiaomi smartphones offer defaults to save contacts to a Google or Mi Account.This provides automatic backup that saves data even when the device is completely broken.However, physical transfer from a plastic card remains relevant for those who have just bought a device or restore data after resetting to factory settings.
Preparation of SIM-card and compatibility check
The first step before any data transfer operation is to physically check the storage medium. SIM-If you use a very old plan or a SIM card that was released more than 10 years ago, it may have a limited amount of memory (usually up to 250 records) and not support long names or additional numbers in a single record.
Make sure the card is properly installed in your Xiaomi tray. Current models use the Nano-SIM format, and if you use an adapter or a cropped card, the contact may be unstable. Once the card is installed, wait for the network icon to appear at the top of the screen. If a 4G or 5G icon appears but the phone does not see the contacts, the problem may lie not in the physical connection, but in a software read failure.
⚠️ Attention: Some old SIM-The cards use a name encoding other than UTF-8. When migrating to the new Xiaomi, Krakozabras or question marks may appear instead of names, in which case it is recommended to first copy the contacts to an intermediate Android smartphone for transcoding, and then transfer them to the cloud.
It is also worth checking if it is blocked. SIM-map PIN-Although the system MIUI If you request a code when you download, some import features may require re-authorization, make sure you know the code so that you don't block the card permanently after three incorrect attempts to enter.
Standard method of import through the Contacts app
The easiest and most reliable way to transfer numbers from a SIM card to a Xiaomi phone is to use the regular Contacts app. The interface may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI (12, 13, 14) or HyperOS, but the logic of actions remains the same for all devices of the brand.
To start, open the Contacts app (usually an orange icon with a human silhouette). In the upper right corner or at the bottom of the screen (depending on the navigation settings), find the menu button marked with three dots or a gear, and clicking on it, you will see a drop-down list of actions.
In the menu that opens, you have to select Settings or Import contacts right away, and the system will tell you to select a data source. SIM-If the phone has two SIM cards, Xiaomi will offer to choose a specific one (SIM 1 SIM 2), which the data are to be considered.
☑️ Algorithm for Importing Contacts
Once the source is selected, the system will scan the card memory, which takes 5 to 30 seconds depending on the number of records, and when the scan is completed, a list of the numbers found will appear, and you can deselect from contacts you don't need, or click "Select all."
The critical point is the choice of destination. Xiaomi will offer to save contacts in the memory of the phone, on the phone. SIM-You should choose a Google account (which is meaningless when transferring) or a Google account, as this ensures the safety of data even if the smartphone itself is lost or stolen.
Import through Android system settings
If you can’t find access to the import function through the Contacts app (which happens when you use third-party launchers or stripped-down versions of firmware), you can use the deep Android settings. This method is universal and works even in safe mode.
Go along the path: Settings → Apps → All apps. In the list, find the Contact System App or Contact Store. When you click on it, select the Permissions and make sure that contacts and phone are allowed. Then go back and look for Import/Export inside the app menu.
In some versions MIUI The path looks different: Settings → System applications → Contacts. Here, the functionality duplicates the main menu, but sometimes it works more stable if the main interface is frozen. SIM-map.
The system can request a copy confirmation. Confirm the action. If the process is stuck in the copying phase, try restarting the device and repeating the procedure. MIUI They can block access to memory. SIM-Cards immediately after switching on the phone.
| Method of import | Speed of operation | Photo preservation | Risk of data loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through the Contacts app | Tall. | No (names only) | Low. |
| Through Mi Mover | Medium | Yeah (full profile) | Minimum |
| Synchronization of Google | Depends on the network. | Yes. | Absent. |
| Manual input | Very low. | Yes. | High (human factor) |
What to do if the import is interrupted?
Using Mi Mover to migrate to the fullest
Xiaomi has developed a great own solution called Mi Mover. This application is preinstalled on all new smartphones of the brand and allows you to transfer not just contacts with SIM, but all the data from the old phone (regardless of its brand) to the new Xiaomi.
If your old phone is also Android-based, install Mi Mover from the Play Market or via the Android phone. QR-A code that shows the new phone. Run the app on both devices. On the new phone, select "I'm the recipient," on the old one, "I'm the sender».
The app will create a local Wi-Fi network for data transfer. In the list of selected data, be sure to tick the contact point. The advantage of this method is that Mi Mover can pull contacts not only from the memory of the phone, but also offers to count them from the installed device. SIM-maps of the old device, if it allows the OS.
Once the transfer is complete on the new Xiaomi, all contacts will appear in the address book, a method preferred because it retains the name structure, additional numbers, and messenger binding if such information was contained in the contact profile.
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Use the flight mode on both phones while the Mi Mover is running if the transmission is slow, this will turn off the background traffic of applications and speed up the copying of data over the local channel.
Alternative ways and working with vCard
Sometimes direct copying of the SIM-Xiaomi phone cards are not possible due to software errors or format incompatibility. In such cases, the universal format vCard (.vcf) comes to the rescue.
You can export your contacts with SIM-The old phone card (if it is still functional) can be transferred to the file.vcf. Then this file can be transferred to the new Xiaomi via Bluetooth, Telegram, WhatsApp or USB-To import, you just need to open a file on a new device, and the system will suggest adding the contacts found to the phone book.
Another option is to use vendor cloud services, such as Samsung Cloud or Huawei Cloud, if you are switching from these brands. However, the most reliable is the “gold standard” – synchronization via Google Contacts. Go to contacts.google.com from your computer, select the “Import” function and download the file.csv or.vcf, pre-exporting it from the old device.
⚠️ Note: When importing a vCard file, be careful of the source. Files received from unknown senders could theoretically contain malicious links in the "Organization" or "Notes" fields, which will lead to phishing sites when you click on them.
Removal: Duplicates and missing numbers
Once you have managed to transfer numbers from your SIM card to your Xiaomi phone, you may encounter a common problem: duplicate records, which occurs if contacts have already been stored in your phone’s memory or synced with your account before, and you have added them again with SIM.
To solve this problem, MIUI has a built-in cleaning tool: Open the Contacts app, click on the menu (three dots) and select Package Operations or Contact Management. Find Combine Repeated Contacts. The system will automatically find the same names and numbers, suggesting that they be combined into one card.
If the numbers are missing after rebooting, check the display filter. In the Contacts app, click three points → Display settings (or Contacts to display). Make sure you tick the box against All Contacts and select the correct acca-unt (such as Google or Phone) where the import was made.
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Regular sync with your Google account is the only guarantee that you won’t lose numbers when your phone breaks, theft or accidentally resets. SIM-The card is a temporary and unreliable storage.
It's also worth checking if the contacts are hidden, and in some cases, when importing from old ones, it's worth checking. SIM-In the contact display settings, make sure that the hidden number option is active if you suspect such a situation.