How to sync contacts on Xiaomi Redmi: all ways with instructions

Synchronizing contacts on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones is a task that every user faces when buying a new device, resetting settings or switching to an account Google/Mi Account. Without the right setup, you risk losing important numbers when your phone breaks or accidentally deletes. In this article, we will discuss all the current sync methods, from standard (via Google account and Mi Cloud) to alternative (export to.vcf file, use of the Internet). SIM-maps and third-party services).

Redmi devices are uniquely MIUI-branded, which imposes restrictions on contact management, such as linking to Mi Accounts may conflict with Google synchronization, and some models (such as the Redmi Note 12 Pro+) require additional permissions to export data, and we have taken these nuances into account and prepared instructions relevant to MIUI 14-16 (including the latest updates for 2026).

1. synchronize contacts through a Google account

The most versatile method is Google Account binding, which works on all Redmi devices (from Redmi 9A to Redmi K70 Pro) and allows you to restore contacts even after you reset your phone to factory settings. The main advantage is cross-platform: numbers will be available on Android, iOS (via Gmail) and the web version of Google Contacts.

To enable synchronization:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Synchronization.
2. Select your Google account (if not, add it through Add Account).
3. Activate the slider opposite Contact.
4. Click More → Sync Now for Forced Update.

Google Account is displayed in "Settings" → Accounts"|Contact slider on.|In the web version of Google Contacts appeared numbers|On the phone in the "Contacts" application, the group "Google" is selected"-->

⚠️ Note: If contacts are duplicated after synchronization, check the group settings in the Contacts app (Settings) → Contact management → Disable unnecessary sources (e.g. Mi Account or Mi Account) SIM-map).

2. synchronization through Mi Account (Mi Cloud)

Mi Account is Xiaomi’s proprietary service that automatically backs up contacts, SMS and notes, and is convenient to use if you plan to stay in the Xiaomi ecosystem (for example, when switching from the Redmi Note 11 to the Redmi 13C).

• 🔒 Contacts are only stored on Xiaomi servers – they cannot be exported to Google or iCloud without manual transfer.
• 🌍 There is no web interface for managing contacts (unlike Google Contacts).
• 📱 When resetting your phone, you need to log in to your Mi Account to recover data.

How to turn on synchronization:

1. Go to Settings → Mi Account (or Settings → Accounts and Sync → Mi Account).
2. Sign in to your account (if not registered, create it).
3. Activate the option of synchronizing contacts.
4. For forced synchronization, click Sync in the upper right corner.

⚠️ Note: If you sell or transfer a phone, be sure to turn off sync with Mi Account and delete your account in Settings → Mi Account → Otherwise, the new owner will be able to restore your contacts through the Mi Cloud.

3. Export and import contacts via.vcf file

The method is suitable for one-time transfer of contacts between devices (for example, with Redmi on iPhone or vice versa)..vcf (vCard) is a universal format that supports all modern smartphones.

• 📁 You can save a backup copy to Google Drive, Yandex.Disk or flash drive.
• 🔄 Imports/exports are supported Windows/Mac Through Outlook or Google Contacts.
• 🛡️ Data is not dependent on cloud services – you control the file yourself.

Export instructions:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Press three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Contact Management → Import/Export of contacts → Export to file.
3. Select an account (such as Google or Device) and click Export.
4. The contacts.vcf file will be saved in the Download or Miui folder.

For importation to a new device:

1. Copy the.vcf file to your phone (for example, via Bluetooth, Telegram, or Google Drive).
2. In the Contacts app, select Import from the file and specify the path to contacts.vcf.
3. Select an account to save (Google recommends for cross-platform).

💡

If the.vcf file doesn’t open on a new phone, try renaming it contacts.vcf (sometimes the extension is hidden) or using the web version of Google Contacts for import.

4. synchronization of contacts with SIM-card

It's a legacy of old button phones, but it's still relevant to Redmi as a backup option, if you don't have access to the Internet or cloud services, restrictions:

• 📱 SIM-The card stores a limited number of contacts (usually up to 250-500).
• 📞 Only names and numbers are saved – no email, addresses or photos.
• ⚠️ When transferring to a new device, encoding errors are possible (Cyrillic is displayed by Krakozabras).

How to copy contacts to SIM:

1. Open Contacts. → ⋮ → Contact management → Import/Export of contacts → Exports to SIM-map.
2. Select contacts for export (you can mark everything) and click Ready.
3. Wait for the process to be completed (notification will appear on the screen).

For importing from SIM to new Redmi:

1. Put it in. SIM-phone-card.
2. Go to Contacts. → ⋮ → Import with SIM-map.
3. Select an account to save (such as Google or Device).

Google account|Mi Account (Mi Cloud)|File.vcf|SIM-map|Another way.-->

5. Synchronization through third-party services (Telegram, WhatsApp, SHAREit)

If the standard methods don't work, you can use third-party applications.

⚠️ Note: When using WhatsApp for backup, please note that the service only stores the numbers you have been chatting with. Non-chat contacts will not be rescheduled.

6. Solving common synchronization errors

If contacts are not synchronized, check the following points:

💡

90% of sync problems are due to account settings or lack of internet, and always start your diagnosis by checking these two points.

Error 1: Contacts don’t show up after syncing with Google.

• 🔍 Check if the Google group is selected in the Contacts app (Settings) → Contact management → Display contacts).
• 🔄 Reboot your phone and force sync to Settings → Accounts. → Google → Synchronize now.
• 📱 Delete and add a Google account again.

Error 2: Mi Cloud does not save contacts.

• 🌐 Check your internet connection (sync only works via Wi-Fi or mobile network).
• 🔧 Update. MIUI Up to the latest version (in old firmware, bugs with Mi Cloud are possible).
• 📋 Clear the Mi Cloud cache in Settings → Annexes → Mi Cloud → Warehouse → Clear the cache.

Error 3: Duplicate contacts after importation.

• 🧹 Use the built-in merger function in the Contacts app (⋮ → Contact management → Connecting contacts).
• 🔄 Turn off sync for unnecessary accounts (e.g. Mi Account if you use Google).
• 📂 Before importing, export contacts to.vcf, open a file on your PC, and manually delete duplicates (e.g. via Excel or Google Contacts).

FAQ: Frequent questions about synchronizing contacts on Xiaomi Redmi