Xiaomi Redmi smartphone owners often face the need to move their phone book, which may be due to changing their device, selling an old gadget, or simply wanting to protect important data from accidental deletion. Although modern cloud services offer convenient synchronization, a physical medium such as SIM-The card remains a reliable way to store numbers.
The MIUI or HyperOS data backup procedure has features that are not always obvious to beginners. The standard contact menu hides several important features that allow you to manage records. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to correctly perform the transfer, which formats are supported and what to do if contacts are not displayed.
Note that the SIM card is limited in memory, unlike the internal memory of a phone or cloud storage, which is usually about 250 records, and each of them has restrictions on the length of the name and number of numbers, so before starting the procedure, it is recommended to audit the phone book and remove duplicates.
Preparation for transfer and compatibility check
Before you start active, you need to make sure that the communication module used is healthy. If the SIM card is too old or has mechanical damage, the recording process may be interrupted, and it is also important to check whether it is filled with existing records left over from the previous operator or device.
Modern Xiaomi smartphones use hybrid slots, where the space under the second SIM card can be combined with a memory card slot. Make sure that the SIM card is installed correctly and determined by the system. → The phone. → All parameters. → SIM-maps and check the connection status.
If you plan to transfer a large number of contacts, it is worthwhile to back up your Google Account or Mi Cloud in advance, which will avoid data loss in the event of an unexpected failure during the copying procedure.
⚠️ Note: When copying the SIM-The card long names can be cropped and additional fields (email, address) will be lost as the standard GSM Supports only the basic dataset.
Import contacts from internal memory SIM-map
The basic transfer method is built into the standard Contacts app. The interface may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI, but the logic of the action remains the same. First, open the phonebook app, which usually has a green icon with a human silhouette.
In the menu that opens, you need to find the settings button, which is usually represented by three dots in the upper right or lower corner of the screen, and after clicking, you will see a drop-down menu where you want to select "Import / export contacts", and this is where the key transfer function lies.
The system will suggest you choose a data source, in this case, it's "phone memory" or "Google account" if the contacts are synchronized with it, and after selecting the source, the device will request confirmation to copy all the records found or allow you to select specific numbers manually.
- 📱 Open the Contacts app on the home screen.
- ⚙️ Click on three points and select “Import/Export Contacts».
- 💾 Select the option "Export to the SIM-map».
- ✅ Confirm the action and wait for the process to end.
Once the operation is complete, the system will give a notification of successful copying. If there are many contacts, the process may take some time, so you should not lock the screen or switch to other heavy applications at this point.
Using the Mi Mover app for migration
For users who completely change the device, Xiaomi has developed a utility Mi Mover, which allows you to transfer not only contacts, but also photos, applications and system settings. SIM-It is used less frequently by the card, but can be useful for pre-sorting.
The app automatically analyzes the contents of the old phone and suggests transferring the data to the new Redmi. If your target is a SIM card, then after transferring all the data to the new phone, you can use the standard export function described above on the new device, which is especially true if the old phone had non-standard firmware.
It is important to note that Mi Mover requires installation on both devices, unless they are part of the Xiaomi ecosystem. APK-file or find an application in Google Play. the connection process occurs through the creation of a local Wi-Fi network.
⚠️ Note: Do not interrupt the data transfer process via Mi Mover, as this may cause file damage or partial loss of the phone book.
Working with Google Contacts and Synchronization
The most modern and reliable way to manage a contact book is to use Google services. SIM-maps, cloud storage doesn't have any strict limits on name length and number of fields. To use this method, make sure that your phone's settings are synchronized.
Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google. There should be a checkbox next to Contacts. If sync is active, all your numbers are automatically saved to the cloud, and from there you can upload them to any device, including your computer, at any time.
For export from the cloud to SIM-The card is used via the Google Contacts web interface to import the vCard file first if the contacts are lost, and then use the phone’s features to write to the SIM card. This creates an additional layer of security: even if the phone is lost, the numbers will remain in the ka.
Settings → Accounts → Google → Synchronization → ContactsGoogle Account also makes it easy to recover deleted numbers, and the web version of the service has a shopping cart that stores deleted records for 30 days, a critical feature that is not available in the usual version. SIM-map.
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Before a mass export operation, take a screenshot of your contact list or send yourself an important number to the messenger as a backup.
Solution: Contacts are not copied or visible
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where after exporting numbers do not appear when calling or in the list of subscribers. Most often the problem lies in the display settings. SIM-cards, ignoring the memory of the device or vice versa.
To fix this, open the Contacts app, click three dots, and select Display Settings (or Contacts to Display) to make sure you tick the "All Contacts" box or select multiple storage sources at once, which will combine the lists into a single database.
Another common problem is the storage format: If the number is written in an international format (+7...) and the SIM card is waiting for a local one (8...), there may be display conflicts, and the SIM card may become crowded even if the phone says that there is a place (due to memory fragmentation).
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| No contact visible. | Incorrect display filter | Select “All Contacts” in the settings |
| Recording error | Overflowing. SIM-map | Remove old unnecessary numbers |
| Crooked names | Limitation of the GSM format | Accept as is or stored in the cloud |
| Duplicate numbers | Re-importation | Use the function "Combine duplicates" |
If the problem persists, try to remove the SIM card, wipe the contacts with soft cloth and paste back. Physical contact plays an important role in the stability of reading and writing data.
Removing duplicates and cleaning the phone book
After several cycles of data transfer between devices, duplicates inevitably accumulate in the phone book. The same person can be listed twice: once with a mobile number, another with a city number, or with different names. Xiaomi offers a built-in tool to solve this problem.
Go to the contact settings and find the item "Combine Repetitive Contacts," and the system automatically analyzes the database, finds matches by number or name, and suggests combining them into one card, which will make it much easier to search and free up space.
You also have to manually go through the list and delete the "Unknown" or blank fields, and often when you import from old phones or SIM cards, you create broken records that occupy memory cells but don't carry useful information.
- 🧹 Open “Contacts” and go to the settings menu.
- 🔍 Select the item “Contact organization” or similar.
- 🤝 Click on "Combine Repeated».
- 🗑️ Manually delete records without names or with erroneous data.
Cleaning your phone book regularly not only frees up space, it speeds up the search algorithm, making it easier for a smartphone to index a neat list than a database with thousands of takes.
☑️ Checklist before selling the phone
Alternative ways to save data
If SIM-The map is not enough, and cloud services are not available for some reason, you can use export to the file. Redmi phone book allows you to save all contacts in.vcf format. This file can be sent to yourself by email, saved in the messenger or transferred to your computer.
The vCard file is universal and opens on almost any device, including iPhone, Android of other brands and PC. To restore, just open this file on a new phone, and the system will prompt you to import the numbers contained in it.
Another option is to use third-party backup apps from Google Play, but be careful with the permissions they ask for, and access to the entire phone book is critical data, and only trusted developers should trust it.
⚠️ Note: Contact Export Files (.vcf) may contain personal information. Do not store them in public folders or send them through open communication channels without a password.
In conclusion, the combination of methods is the best result. Keep your main contacts on Google, duplicate important work numbers on the Internet. SIM-You can write a full backup file to your computer periodically, and this approach ensures that you never get out of touch.
Can I restore contact with the damaged SIM-map?
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Regularly exporting contacts to the cloud or.vcf file is the only guarantee that you will not lose numbers if your smartphone breaks down or loses.