How to Download Contacts with Xiaomi on Samsung: The Complete Guide

Changing a smartphone is always an exciting process, often accompanied by fear of losing important data. Owners of the MIUI ecosystem who decide to switch to Samsung devices with a One UI shell often face the issue of safe migration of user information. The most critical element here is the phone book, the loss of which can paralyze business and personal life.

Fortunately, modern technology offers many ways to move a list of numbers in just a few taps, no matter how much data you have, a dozen records or a few thousand numbers with photos and additional fields, and in this article we will examine all the current methods, from cloud synchronization to manual export through files.

We will look at the nuances of working with Google and Mi Account accounts, and also discuss specialized utilities for migration. Proper preparation before starting the procedure will help to avoid duplication of records and loss of formatting of numbers. Read carefully to choose the best option for your situation.

Preparing devices for data migration

Before any transfer procedure is started, make sure that both devices are in good condition and ready to go. First, check the battery level on both smartphones. If one of the devices is switched off during synchronization, the process may interrupt, leading to errors in the contact database.

Make sure both devices have up-to-date versions of the operating system. Xiaomi owners should go to the settings and check for updates for MIUI or HyperOS. Similar actions are required for Samsung, where it is important to have a fresh version of One UI for the correct operation of system synchronization services.

⚠️ Note: Before you start manipulating contacts, you should back up your current phone book on both devices, which will allow you to roll back changes in the event of a failure or error during importation.

Also critical is having a stable Wi-Fi connection. Data transfer, especially if the contacts have pictures of subscribers, can require significant traffic. Using a mobile network is possible, but not recommended due to the risk of connection breakdown and traffic charging.

Synchronization through Google account

The most versatile and reliable way to transfer contacts between any Android device is using Google Contacts cloud storage. Since both Xiaomi and Samsung are based on Android, this method is native and does not require the installation of third-party software.

On the original Xiaomi smartphone, you need to open the settings and find the account section, usually called Accounts and Syncs or Google, and make sure that the switch opposite the Contacts item is activated, and once turned on, the system will automatically start uploading numbers to the cloud.

To force the process, you can go to the Contacts app, click on the menu (three dots or bars) and select Settings → Account to Sync. Make sure your Google account is selected, not your local phone storage. Then click Sync.

After successful completion on Xiaomi, take a new Samsung. When you first set up, type the same Google login and password. The system will automatically tighten all saved numbers. If the phone is already set up, just add an account under Settings → Accounts and Archiving → Account Management.

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If contacts don’t appear immediately after sync, open the Contacts app on Samsung, click the menu and select Contact Management → Contact Sync.

Using the Mi Cloud to Export

Xiaomi owners often use the Mi Cloud, a branded service. If your phone book is already stored there, the process of transferring to Samsung becomes a matter of importing through the web interface, which is convenient in that it does not require the Xiaomi device to be on hand at the time of transfer.

Go from your computer or directly from your browser to Samsung to i.mi.com. Sign in using your Mi Account. In the cloud storage interface, select Contacts. Here you will see the entire list of your saved numbers.

At the bottom of the screen or in the settings menu, find the "Import/Export" button. Select the option to export all contacts. The system will suggest saving the file in.vcf (vCard) format, which is the de facto standard for contact information exchange and is supported by all modern smartphones.

The resulting file must be transferred to the new Samsung, which can be done via Bluetooth, messengers or simply by saving it to cloud storage available on both devices (e.g. Google Drive or Dropbox), and by opening the file on Samsung, the system will suggest importing the data into the phone book.

Samsung Smart Switch appendix

Samsung has developed a powerful proprietary solution called Smart Switch, a specialized application designed specifically to migrate users from other platforms (iOS, Android) to Samsung, which allows you to transfer not only contacts, but also messages, call logs, applications and even home screen layout.

Install the Smart Switch app on both devices. On Xiaomi, it can be pre-installed, if not, download from Google Play. Run the app on both smartphones. On the new Samsung, select Recipient and on Xiaomi, Sender.

Connect devices. The fastest way is to use a USB-C to USB-C cable (often bundled with new flagships) through an OTG adapter if the ports are different. Also, you can have a wireless connection via Wi-Fi Direct. The app will find the devices itself and suggest you choose the type of data.

In the list of information you're sending, tick "Contacts." You can deselect the rest of the items if you only need numbers. Click "Transfer" and wait until the process is over. The progress bar will show you the status of the operation.

Manual export and import via VCF file

If cloud-based methods are not available or you prefer complete control over data, use a manual method of creating a business card file, which ensures that you get a physical file with all the data that can be stored on a flash drive or sent by mail.

On your Xiaomi device, open the standard Contacts app. Click on the three dots in the corner of the screen or the menu button, then select Import/Export Contacts. From the menu that appears, select Export to Device Memory or Export to Storage.

The system will create a file with a.vcf extension, usually in a root directory or folder. MIUI/backup/AllBackup. Find this file through the file manager. Now you need to transfer this file to Samsung. Use any convenient channel: Bluetooth, Telegram (sending the file to your favorites), Email or USB-cable.

On Samsung, open the file you have transferred. The operating system recognizes the format and launches the import wizard. You will be asked to select the account to which the contacts will be saved (it is recommended to choose a Google account for future sync). Confirm the action and all the entries will be added to the phone book.

⚠️ Note: When importing a large number of contacts (more than 1000) through a file VCF It can take a few minutes. Do not open the contact app during importation to avoid the interface freezing.

Transfer of contacts through SIM-map

The least recommended, but sometimes the only possible method is the use of the SIM-And this is a very limited way of doing this, because it's a very limited way of doing this. SIM-The cards have a small amount of memory and outdated data storage structure.

The main problem is the encoding and length of the name field. Often long names saved on Xiaomi are cropped when written to SIM. In addition, it is usually impossible to save more than one number per subscriber on a SIM card, and email addresses, photos and links to social networks are lost.

To implement the method on Xiaomi, go to "Contacts" → "Imports/Exports" → "Exports to SIM-The system will warn you of possible data loss. SIM-Map in Samsung. In the contact app, select the menu → "Contact management" → "Import of contacts" → "SIM-map".

This method is only suitable as a temporary solution or for the transfer of reserve numbers. SIM-card for the storage of the main telephone book in 2026-2026 It's considered archaic and insecure in the years ahead. Always aim to store data in a digital cloud account.

Solving problems with duplicates and coding

After transferring contacts from Xiaomi to Samsung, users often face the problem of duplicate records, which occurs when the same contact is stored in both the phone’s memory and Google account, or when a file containing already existing numbers is imported.

To address this problem, Samsung smartphones have a built-in unification tool: Open the Contacts app, click on the menu (three bars) and select Contact Management. Find "Contacts Combine Repeated Contacts." The system will analyze the database and suggest combining records with the same numbers or names.

Another common problem is the incorrect display of Russian names (crankies instead of letters), which is rare with modern methods (Google, Smart Switch), but can happen when importing old files, in which case changing the encoding during export (choose UTF-8) or using third-party vCard editors will help.

If the numbers are saved without a country code (for example, +7 or 8), they may not be visible to WhatsApp or Viber. In the settings of Samsung contacts, you can set the default format for displaying the numbers to bring them to the international standard, which will ensure that the messengers work correctly.

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Regular sync with your Google account is the best protection against loss of contacts when you change your device.