How to sync contacts with Google on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones: full instruction 2026

Synchronizing your Google account on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones is not just a convenience, it’s a necessity for those who value data security and cross-platform accessibility. Even if you lose your phone or move to a new device, all numbers, email addresses and contact notes will remain intact. However, Redmi owners often face nuances due to the features of the MIUI shell: duplicate contacts, synchronization errors or the sudden disappearance of numbers after a system update.

In this article, we will look at all the current synchronization methods, from the standard method through MIUI settings to manual export/import via.vcf files. We will focus on the typical problems: why contacts do not sync automatically, how to resolve the conflict between local and cloud data, and what to do if all numbers are lost after resetting, and you will find unique process optimization recommendations for the Redmi Note 12/13 and Redmi 10/11 models with the latest versions of MIUI 14 and Android 13/14.

Why it’s important to sync your contacts with Google on Xiaomi Redmi

Many Xiaomi users have been keeping their contacts in their phone’s memory for years without realizing the risks, and here are three key reasons why syncing with Google Contacts is critical:

• 🔄 Automatic backup: Google Account-linked contacts are updated in real time. Even if the phone is stolen or broken, you can restore all data in 5 minutes on a new device.
• 📱 Cross-platform access: synchronized contacts are available not only on Redmi, but also on tablets, laptops (via contacts.google.com) and even on iPhone (when setting up a Google account in iOS).
• ⚡ Time savings: no need to manually transfer contacts when changing phones, just log in to your Google account, and all numbers will be automatically loaded.

Google Contacts also offers advanced features that are not available in the standard MIUI app:

• 🔍 Keyword search (e.g., find all contacts marked “work").
• 📅 Integration with Google Calendar for birthday reminders.
• 🧹 Automatic combination of duplicates (relevant after import from different sources).

⚠️ Note: If you use Xiaomi Cloud to back up contacts, this is not a substitute for syncing with Google. MIUI Xiaomi only stores data in the ecosystem, while Google provides universal access.

Preparation for synchronization: checking the account and settings

Before you start syncing, make sure your Xiaomi Redmi is configured correctly. Skipping this step often leads to errors like "Syncs stopped" or "Can't update contacts."

First, check:

1. Google account added to system: Go to Settings → Accounts & Sync → Accounts. If your Google account is not there, click Add Account and follow the instructions. Make sure you use the primary account, not the secondary one (sync only works with the main one!).
2. Contact sync enabled: In the same account section, tap your Google, then select Account Sync. Find Contacts and enable the slider. If you don't have the option, update Google Play services to Settings → Apps → App Management → Google Play Services.
3. Stable Internet connection: Synchronization requires access to the network. If you use mobile Internet, check that in Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Data transfer enabled traffic for Google Contacts.

For Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and later with MIUI 14, an additional item has been added: Settings → Privacy → Special Permissions → AutoRun. You need to allow autoruption for the Contacts app, otherwise sync may be interrupted after restarting.

Method 1: Standard synchronization through MIUI settings

This is the simplest method that works on all Xiaomi Redmi smartphones regardless of the MIUI version.

1. Open Settings and go to Accounts and Sync (some firmware may call passwords and accounts).
2. Select your Google account. If there are multiple accounts, make sure you choose the one you want to sync your contacts with.
3. Tapping on "Sync Account" will show you a list of Google services that you can sync.
4. Turn on the slider opposite Contacts, and if it's already active, turn it off and on again, it will force you to start syncing.
5. Wait until it's finished. In the upper right corner, a sync icon (a spinning circle) will appear, and it can take anywhere from a few seconds to a minute depending on the number of contacts.

To check the result, open the Contacts app, tap the three dots in the top right corner and select Contact Management. → Make sure you select the Google option (not Phone or Phone) SIM-map).

Contacts are displayed in the web version of Google Contacts (contacts.google.com)|

Contact sync is enabled in Google account settings |

The Contacts app selects the display of Google contacts |

No duplicates (check through the “Combine and Fix” menu in Google Contacts)-->

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi firmware (especially Redmi) 9A/9C s MIUI 12) Once synchronized, contacts can be displayed twice: once as local, once as cloud. To fix this, export all contacts to.vcf, delete local, then import back (instruction in the next section).

Method 2: Manual export and import of contacts via.vcf file

If automatic sync doesn’t work, or you want to transfer contacts from another phone (like an iPhone or an old Samsung), use the manual method via a.vcf (vCard) file.

Export of contacts with Xiaomi Redmi:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select Contact Management → Import/Export Contacts → Export to File.
3. Choose which contacts to export: Phone, SIM-Map or Google (if they are already partially synced).
4. Specify the folder to save (we recommend choosing Internal Memory → Download for convenience).
5. Name the file (for example, contacts_backup.vcf) and press Save.

Import contacts to Google:

1. Open contacts.google.com on your computer or in your phone browser.
2. On the left menu, select Import.
3. Click Select File and download the previously saved.vcf.
4. Confirm import. Contacts will appear in your Google account and automatically sync with Redmi.

Alternative way to import directly on the phone:

1. Download the.vcf file to Redmi (for example, via Telegram or email).
2. Open the file – the system will prompt you to import contacts to Google Contacts.
3. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.

Solving common synchronization problems

Even with the right settings, synchronizing contacts on Xiaomi Redmi can fail. Let’s look at common errors and how to fix them.

If none of these methods worked, try resetting your sync settings:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts and Synchronization.
2. Tap your Google account and select Delete your account (data will not be deleted from the cloud!).
3. Add the account again and enable contact synchronization.

💡

If contacts are lost after resetting, don’t panic! They are saved to Google – just log in to your contacts.google.com account and check for them.

Synchronization optimization for MIUI 14 and Android 14

The latest versions of MIUI 14 (Redmi Note 12/13, Redmi K60) have new settings that affect synchronization.

• 🔋 Battery Optimization: By Default MIUI 14 limits application background activity. To keep sync running without delay, add Contacts and Google Play Services to the exception list: Path: Settings → Battery → Optimizing the battery → All applications → Find the right one and choose without restrictions.
• 🔒 Permissions for Google Contacts: Android 14 tightened its contact access rules. Check that Google Contacts has all the necessary permissions: Path: Settings → Annexes → Application management → Google Contacts → Permits → Enable Contacts, Warehouse and Phone.
• 🌐 Regional settings: If you use Redmi with global firmware (e.g, MIUI Global, but you are in a region with Google restrictions (e.g. China), sync may be blocked. VPN.

For Android 14 Redmi owners, the Automatic Backup feature in Google One is also available, which creates an additional copy of contacts (along with synchronization), which doubles the reliability of storage, to enable:

1. Open Settings → Google → Backup.
2. Enable backup slider in Google One.
3. Make sure that there are Contacts in the backup data list.

💡

On Xiaomi Redmi with MIUI 14, contact synchronization may conflict with App Cloning. If you use a duplicate of the Contacts app, disable it before setting up Google Sync.

How to transfer contacts with SIM-Maps on Google on Xiaomi Redmi

Many users still keep their contacts on the SIM-map, although this is the most unreliable way: a limited number of records (often up to 250), no fields for email and addresses, the risk of losing them when changing the map:

1. Import contacts with SIM Phone: Open Contacts → Three points. → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Import with SIM-Choose which to save: Phone or Google (we recommend the second option).
2. Check the imported contacts: Open the contact list and make sure all numbers are moved correctly. Pay attention to the format: sometimes the names are saved as numbers (for example, "+79123456789" instead of "Ivan Ivanov").
3. Sync with Google: If you chose to save to Phone in step 1, now export them to.vcf and import them to Google (see Method 2).

If contacts are SIM-maps are written in incorrect encoding (for example, instead of Cyrillic signs are displayed "??"), use third-party applications like SIM Card Contacts for Correct Imports.

FAQ: Frequent questions about synchronizing contacts on Xiaomi Redmi