The switch to a new Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone is often accompanied by the need to transfer important data, and the most valuable asset of the user is always the phone book. SIM-While this is the most reliable method, modern smartphones offer much more flexible and secure ways to manage contacts. MIUI HyperOS is simplified by developers, but has its own nuances that must be taken into account to correctly display names and photos.
Unlike older button phones, modern gadgets allow you not only to copy a list of names, but also integrate them into a single ecosystem of Google or the Mi Account cloud, ensuring the safety of data even when you lose your device. Contacts saved on the SIM card are technically limited in terms of information: usually it is only a name and number, without the possibility of adding an email, address or an additional number. That is why the first task when setting up the new Xiaomi becomes to transfer records to internal memory or a cloud account, which will open access to all the advanced functions of the phone book.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available ways to transfer data, look at typical encoding errors where names are displayed incomprehensible characters, and explain why storing numbers on a SIM card in 2026-2026 is considered an archaic and insecure method. You will learn how to properly configure synchronization so that the next time you change your phone you do not have to spend hours manually interrupting numbers or searching for data recovery utilities.
Before you start copying, you need to make sure that your SIM-Older SIM cards, especially those released more than 10 years ago, can have a limited memory capacity of just 250 contacts, and often use outdated character encoding. If you insert such a card into a modern Xiaomi, the system can correctly count numbers, but names may appear incorrectly or cropped.
It is important to understand the difference between storage formats. On a SIM card, the record usually takes a strictly allocated place, so long names can be cropped, and Cyrillic characters (Russian letters) sometimes turn into question marks or Krakozyabr because of the differences in encoding tables between the carrier and the Android operating system. Modern Xiaomi smartphones use UTF-8 encoding, which supports any language, but when reading from an old SIM card, you may need to manually correct the names after import.
⚠️ Before starting mass import, make sure that SIM-The card does not contain emergency numbers or important work contacts in a single copy. Although the copying process is usually safe, human error or software failure can theoretically cause data to be lost from the card.
It's also worth checking the physical condition of the SIM card chip.If metal contacts are contaminated or scratched, the phone may periodically lose communication with the data carrier during the reading process, leading to an import error.Wash the chip with a soft dry cloth before installing it in the Xiaomi slot. Make sure the card is inserted into the correct slot if your smartphone supports two SIM cards, as the import is usually made from the active card chosen by default for voice calls.
The easiest and most reliable way to transfer numbers is to use the built-in Contacts app, which is preinstalled on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones. This method does not require installing third-party software and works stably on all versions of the shell, from the old MIUI 10 to the latest HyperOS. The algorithm of actions is intuitive, but requires carefulness when choosing the target storage.
To start, open the Contacts or Phone app and go to the settings menu, which is usually hidden behind three dots in the top right corner or the gear icon. And this is where all the tools for working with the phone book are concentrated, and the system will offer several options, but we're interested in importing from the phone book specifically. SIM-map.
After selecting the item “Import with” SIM-If there are many records on the card, the process can take from seconds to minutes. Android will ask you to specify where copies of the numbers will be stored. It's either local phone storage or your Google account, and you're going to prefer a Google account because it's going to automatically sync and keep your data safe.
In some cases, if the SIM card has more than 500 numbers, the system may suggest breaking the import into several parts or warning about the possible duration of the operation. Do not interrupt the process or turn off the phone screen until the notification of successful completion appears. Once the operation is completed, all numbers will appear in the common, and you can edit them by adding photos and additional fields.
Import via system settings and Mi Cloud
An alternative path to the same feature is through the general settings of Xiaomi’s smartphone.This method can be useful if the Contacts app is not working properly or has been removed by the user.The path to the desired feature may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI, but the logic remains the same across the ecosystem.
Go to the Settings menu, then scroll down to System Apps, or simply search Contacts through the Settings search. The Import/Export option will also be available inside the Contact menu, and you can often find advanced display settings that allow you to filter duplicates, which is important when you transfer data from older devices.
The Mi Cloud is a special focus. If you are an active user of the Xiaomi ecosystem, you can use it as an intermediate storage. Go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud and make sure that contacts synchronization is enabled. While direct import of SIM-to-cloud with a single button is rare, standard import into the phone’s memory followed by instant sync with Mi Cloud works seamlessly.
What to do if the import is frozen?
If the import process is stuck in the middle, try restarting your phone. SIM-Hand-held cards until the check is complete, and in rare cases, re-inserting and re-inserting the SIM card when the phone is off helps.> Using Xiaomi system tools ensures that all special characters and number formats are processed correctly. Unlike third-party applications, system import is able to correctly allocate numbers by field if they were written in a non-standard format on the SIM card. After the procedure is completed, it is recommended to check several random records for errors immediately. When switching from an old phone to a new Xiaomi, users often face the task of transferring not only contacts, but also the rest of digital life. For this purpose, the company has developed a special application “Mi Mover” (Data Transfer), which is available pre-installed on new devices or downloaded from the GetApps / Google Play store to an old phone. The main advantage of Mi Mover over simple copying from a SIM card is the ability to transfer not only names and numbers, but also photos, email addresses, notes and call history associated with them. The app creates a direct Wi-Fi connection between devices, which allows high speed transfer of large amounts of data without the consumption of mobile traffic.The process starts automatically when you first set up a new Xiaomi smartphone, but can also be started manually through the settings menu. You need to select the device role ("I send" or "I accept"), scan QR-code and select the data type to transfer. Make sure the check box opposite the Contacts item is active. The app will determine where the contacts are stored on the old device (in memory, on a SIM card or in an account), and will suggest transferring them to the appropriate storage on the new Xiaomi. It is worth noting that Mi Mover can also work with data read from the old phone's SIM card if they were not stored in its memory. This makes the utility a universal migration tool that is often ignored in favor of simpler, but less functional methods. Once the transfer is completed, all contacts will be automatically distributed to a Google or Mi Account account on the new device. The solution with a copy of the coded card, instead of the empty coded or the user sees from the boxes. This is due to a conflict of encoding: the SIM card can use the standard. GSM 7-bit or UCS2, which is not fully compatible with UTF-8, If you are faced with this situation, do not rush to delete contacts. Often it helps to re-import with a choice of other coding, if such an option is available in your firmware version, or using an intermediate format. VCF. To do this, you can first export contacts from the SIM card to a file on your phone, open this file with a text editor (if possible), or use a third-party contact converter application that forcibly recodes the text into a text-based file. UTF-8 Another common problem is the appearance of duplicates, and when transferring from a SIM card, it often happens that the same number is written several times with different formatting (for example, the same number is written several times, +7 and 8). Xiaomi has a built-in tool to combine duplicates. Go to the Contacts menu, select Contacts Organization, and click Combine Duplicates. The system will prompt you to automatically find and drain duplicate entries. Problem Probable Cause Name solution method displayed as "????" Incompatibility of encoding (GSM vs UTF-8) Import through VCF file or use Google Contact Numbers without country code Storage format on SIM Manually rectify or use the dial mask in settings Many duplicates Re-import or synchronize Use the function "Combine duplicates" in the contact menu No photos Restriction format SIM Upload photos manually after importing numbers Also worth mentioning is the problem of long names. SIM card often crops the name to 10-15 symbolism. Once imported to Xiaomi, you can find contacts with names like "Mom slave" instead of "Mom's job." In this case, only manual editing or mass renaming through the Google Web interface Contacts on your computer, which is much more convenient. SIM-After successfully copying numbers from a SIM card to a Xiaomi phone, it is strongly recommended that you immediately activate sync with your Google account, which takes contact management to a whole new level of reliability and functionality. Unlike a physical SIM card that can be lost, broken or forgotten at home, a cloud account is available from any device in the world. → Accounts and synchronization → Google. Make sure the switch opposite the Contacts item is activated. From now on, any change in the phone book (addition of a new number, change of name) will be instantly reflected in the cloud. If you lose your phone or buy a new one, you just need to enter your login and password to recover the entire phone book in seconds. 📊 Where do you keep your contacts? SIM-In the cloud Xiaomi Written in a notebook In addition, Google account allows you to manage contacts from your computer through the site contacts.google.com. There is a powerful editor that allows you to quickly correct encoding errors, massively delete spam contacts, restore deleted records over the past 30 days and export the database in various formats. This makes cloud storage the de facto standard for today’s smartphone users. Importantly, when synchronization is enabled, new contacts will default to a Google account, not a phone memory or a SIM card. This eliminates the need to manually copy data in the future. For Xiaomi users, this also means that contacts will be available on both tablets and the Mi Cloud web interface, if the corresponding bundle is configured. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Can I copy contacts from an iPhone to Xiaomi? Yes, this is possible. The easiest way is to log into your iCloud account on an iPhone, enable contact synch, and then go to the computer on the iCloud version of the iCloud application, if you can also use them for your contacts to export to the Wi-com version (you can use them). What if the phone doesn't see the SIM card? Check if it's inserted correctly (gold contacts should look down). Try to wipe the SIM chip with a stripe or alcohol. If the problem doesn't work, check the SIM card's performance on another phone. Maybe the tray itself or the communication module in the Xiaomi smartphone is damaged. How many contacts can you store on the SIM? Standard SIM capacity varies from 250 to 500 records depending on the operator and the year of the card's release. Modern cards can support more, but the storage format remains limited: usually only one name and one number without damage, you can physically store it, or you can easily keep it on the contacts. Also, when a phone breaks down or switches to a new model (especially from a different type of SIM, such as a nano to a micro via an adapter), you can have reading problems. Cloud storage in Google or Mi Cloud is much safer. How to restore contacts if I accidentally deleted them? If you synced with Google, go to contacts.google.com from your computer, click on the gear (Settings) and select “Cance Changes.” You can roll back the state of the phone book from 10 minutes to 30 days ago. If sync was not enabled, restore data from Google from your computer, click on the computer, and special SIM cards are required after dele is extremely difficult.