How to import contacts from Xiaomi: A complete guide

Changing your smartphone is often stressful, as a new device needs to recreate a familiar digital environment, it is especially critical to restore access to the phone book quickly so as not to be cut off from colleagues and friends, and importing contacts to Xiaomi is a process that can be done in several ways, and each has its own characteristics depending on the source of the data.

Owners of Mi and Redmi devices may encounter different source file formats or media types. SIM-map, file format VCF from the cloud or direct transfer from an old Android smartphone, the system MIUI It offers built-in tools to do this, and the key is to choose the right method to avoid duplication of records or loss of important numbers.

In this article, we will take a look at all the current ways to restore a phone book, learn how to properly sync data through Google Account, how to work with backup files and what nuances exist when transferring from an iPhone. Proper organization of data at the start will save you hours of manual editing in the future.

Preparation for data portability and format verification

Before any number recovery operation is initiated, you need to ensure the integrity of the original data. If you plan to use cloud services, check the stability of the Internet connection, as synchronizing large amounts of data can take time. If you work with physical media or files, make sure that they are not corrupted.

Modern Xiaomi smartphones support work with several formats of storage of contacts. The most common is vCard (extension.vcf), which saves not only the number, but also the name, photo, email and address. SIM-A card that often has restrictions on the length of the name and number of records.

⚠️ Warning: Before mass import, always back up your current phone book, even if it’s empty, to avoid synchronization conflicts.

You can also choose where to store your numbers after the transfer, you can choose local storage in your phone, Google account or Mi Cloud. Local storage is faster but riskier when your device breaks, whereas cloud services ensure that data is safe under all circumstances.

Import contacts from SIM-cards on Xiaomi

The most common scenario is the transfer of numbers directly from the installed SIM-This is ideal for anyone who has just inserted their old chip into a new Redmi or Poco smartphone, and the standard procedure takes only a few minutes and doesn't require an internet connection.

To start, open the Contacts or Phone app and go to the settings, and you'll need to find the data management item, which is usually hidden under the import/export menu in the MIUI shell, and the system automatically reads the available entries on the chip.

• 📱 Open the Contacts app and click on three dots or menu icons.
• 📥 Select "Import/Export Contacts" and then "Import with" SIM-map».
• 💾 Enter the destination folder: “To your phone”, “Google” or “Mi Account».
• ✅ Confirm the action and wait for the copying process to end.

Once the operation is complete, it is recommended to check several random entries, sometimes when transferring from the SIM, long names may be cropped or additional numbers will not be transferred if there are more than one, in which case you will have to manually edit the contact card, adding the missing information.

💡

If you have two. SIM-The system will tell you to choose which numbers to copy from.

Transferring Contacts from Google Account

For most Android users, syncing through a Google profile is the most convenient way.This is an automatic method that does not require manual intervention if you have previously used a phone based on this OS. When you first turn on a new Xiaomi, you just need to enter the same username and password.

However, if the phone is already set up and no contacts have appeared, check your sync settings. Go to the device settings section, find Accounts and Sync, and select your Google account. Make sure the switch opposite Contacts is active.

If the automatic download does not occur, you can force the process through the import menu. Select the option “Import from Google account” in the contact menu. The system will contact the server and download all the records stored there to the memory of the current device.

It's important to understand the difference between copying and syncing, and when you sync, any number change on your phone will automatically be reflected in the cloud and other devices where you have that account, making it the most efficient method for everyday use.

Import contacts from the VCF (vCard) file

VCF is the universal standard for sharing contact information, often created when exported from other phones, instant messengers, or services like Yandex.Disk. Importing from a VCF file to Xiaomi allows you to quickly transfer thousands of numbers at a time.

The file can be stored in a phone's memory, on an SD card, or uploaded to a cloud storage, and if the file is in the Downloads folder, the system will often prompt you to open it with the Contacts app, and if that doesn't happen, you need to manually initiate the action through the import menu.

From the import menu, select the option “Import from a file.vcf.” You will be asked to select a specific file if there are more than one. Once selected, the system will request confirmation and specify the location of the save.

⚠️ Note: When importing a large file VCF Make sure the battery is at least 20% so that the phone doesn’t turn off at the critical time of data recording.

Once the operation is complete, the file can be deleted, since all data is already in the phone book, but experienced users advise to save this file as an archived copy on your computer or flash drive in case of unforeseen disruptions to cloud services.

Using the Mi Mover app for migration

Xiaomi has developed its own Mi Mover app, which makes it much easier to move from an old device, which allows you to transfer not only contacts, but also photos, applications and system settings, a complete solution for those who want to clone their old phone.

The app is pre-installed on the new Mi and Redmi models. If the old device is Android, the app can be downloaded from Google Play or through the Internet. QR-code that will appear on the screen of the new phone. iPhone owners also have a version for iOS.

The process starts with pairing devices, one phone as the sender, the other as the receiver, and after connecting over Wi-Fi Direct, you select the Contact category and you start the transfer, and the data rate is very high and mobile traffic is not consumed.

The main advantage of Mi Mover is to preserve the data structure, and if you have contact groups or specific fields, they are likely to be transferred correctly, as opposed to simply copying with SIM, which is the best choice for a full migration.

Solution: duplicates and import errors

A common problem after importation is the appearance of duplicates, which happens when you use multiple methods at the same time, for example, synced Google, and then imported a VCF file with the same numbers. MIUI has a built-in tool to combat this.

Go to your contacts and find the "Joint Duplicate Contacts" feature, and the phone will prompt you to automatically find matches by number or name and combine them into one card, which allows you to clean the phone book and make it tidy.

• 🔍 Open “Contacts” and click on the settings menu.
• 🧹 Select “Contact Management” or “Contact Management».
• 🤝 Click on “Combine duplicates” and confirm the action.
• 🗑️ Check the result and manually remove the remaining errors.

If the import was made with errors (for example, instead of names, squares or unknown characters are displayed), the problem may be in the encoding of the VCF file. In this case, try to open the file on your computer and resave it in the UTF-8 encoding, then repeat the import procedure.

💡

Regularly cleaning duplicates and using one primary sync source (Google or Mi Cloud) will prevent chaos in the phone book.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)