How to copy contacts on SIM in Xiaomi: the complete guide

Switching to a new smartphone or replacing it SIM-The cards often become stressful because of the risk of losing important phone numbers. - Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and other devices POCO The problem is the transfer of data, as modern versions of the shell MIUI And HyperOS, by default, offers you to save your records to the cloud or to the device's memory, which is a good thing from a security perspective, but sometimes you have to load your subscriber list onto a physical chip.

Unlike older push-button phones, modern Android smartphones have limits on the number of characters in a contact name when written to SIM. Usually it is 16-20 characters, and long Russian names can be cropped or displayed incorrectly, which is why it is important to understand how to properly export data from the Google cloud or internal memory to avoid loss of information during transfer.

In this article, we will explore all the available ways to copy numbers, including standard system tools, manufacturer utilities and third-party applications, and learn how to bypass the limitations of the file system and safely transfer the entire phone book without distorting names and losing additional fields such as email or addresses.

Features of storing contacts in Android and MIUI

The modern Android operating system uses a single database for all numbers, but physically they can be in different places. Xiaomi smartphones by default activated synchronization with a Google account or Mi Account. This ensures the safety of the data even if the phone is completely broken, but SIM-The card remains a universal media compatible with any device that does not even have access to the Internet.

The main problem when recording SIM-If a smartphone's memory can contain a photo, multiple numbers, social networks and notes, the chip SIM-The card supports only one name and one number, and when you copy all the additional data will be permanently deleted, and the name will be cropped.

⚠️ Note: Before mass copying, we strongly advise you to back up contacts in.vcf format. This will allow you to restore the full version of records with long names and additional fields in the event of a failure.

Users should be aware that SIM-Cards from different operators may have different storage capacity, and older cards can hold up to 250 records, whereas modern standards can be used to record the same. USIM It allows you to store more data, but the limitations of the phone interface may still apply.

• 📱 Memory. SIM-The card is limited to the number of characters (usually up to 20).
• ☁️ Google and Mi Cloud services keep full contact information.
• 🔄 Synchronization happens automatically when the Internet is available.
• ⚠️ When copying on SIM Photos and second numbers are deleted.

Preparation of the device and SIM-card for transfer

Before proceeding with the copying procedure, it is necessary to make sure that SIM-The card is correctly defined by the system and has a free space.Put the card into the slot, wait for the network to appear and check if the operator's name is displayed in the status bar.If the card is new or just removed from another device, you may need to enter PIN-code.

Then you should check where your numbers are stored right now. Open the Contacts app and look at the All Contacts tab or display filter. If it says Phone or Google, it means the data is not on the SIM yet. To successfully transfer, make sure that the battery of the smartphone is at least 30% so that the process does not stop suddenly.

An important step is to clean up the duplicates, so if you've changed your phones a lot, there may be repeating notes in your book. MIUI It has a built-in tool for combining them, which will allow you not to take a precious place on the SIM-map.

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Use the “Combine Duplicates” function in the contact menu before transferring to save space for the user. SIM-map and avoid confusion.

Standard way to copy through contact settings

The simplest and most reliable method does not require the installation of additional software, it is built into the standard call and contact management application, which is part of the shell. MIUI. The algorithm is universal for most models Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO.

To start, open the Contacts app (usually an orange icon with a human silhouette) and in the upper right corner of the screen, find the menu button represented by three dots or horizontal bars. Click on it to reveal the list of available transactions.

In the menu that opens, the system will suggest selecting the transfer direction. SIM-Once you have selected a source (usually an All Contacts or a particular account), the system will show you a list of numbers available for transfer. You can select individual records or mark everything at once.

Path to menu: Contacts → Menu (three dots) → Import/Export → Export to SIM- card

Once the selection is confirmed, the copying process will begin. The speed depends on the number of records. Upon completion, you will receive a notification of successful completion of the operation. If some contacts have not been copied, the system usually reports this separately, indicating the reason (for example, lack of space).

• 📂 Open the "Contact" application".
• ⚙️ Go to the menu "Import / Export".
• 📲 Select the option "Export to" SIM-map".
• ✅ Confirm the action and wait for the end.

Using Mi Mover for Migration

If you're switching from an old smartphone to a new Xiaomi, it's more convenient to use the Mi Mover utility, which is a full data port, but allows you to manage contacts flexibly. However, for direct writing to SIM, this method is less suitable, since it focuses on the cloud and internal memory of the new device.

However, if your goal is to simply keep contacts when you change your phone, Mi Mover will create a complete cast of data, and after transferring to the new device, you can use the standard export method described above, which is true if the old phone contacts were scattered around different acca!am or hidden.

Run the Mi Mover app on both devices. On the new phone, select "I'm the recipient"; on the old one, select "I'm the sender." Scan. QR-In the data transfer list, make sure that (check) is opposite to the "Contact" item".

⚠️ Note: Mi Mover does not copy the contacts directly to the SIM-It transfers them to internal memory or cloud account, and it takes an extra step through the settings to write to the SIM.

The good thing about this method is that it preserves the group structure and additional fields that can then be selectively exported, and it is also useful if the standard contact menu on the old phone is damaged or not opened.

Alternative methods and third-party applications

In some cases, standard tools may not work properly or be available (for example, when using custom launchers or stripped down versions of firmware), then third-party solutions from the Google Play store come to the rescue. Popular applications like Copy My Data or SIM Card Manager can take over this task.

When using third-party software, you need to carefully monitor the permissions requested. The contact application should not require access to your geolocation or microphone. Choose programs with high ratings and a large number of downloads.

Another method is to use Google Contacts via the web interface: go to contacts.google.com from your computer, export contacts to.csv (for Google). CSV or outlook CSV). This file can then be edited in Excel, shortening the names to 15-16 symbols, and import back, choosing when importing on the phone SIM-map.

Solution: Copying errors and their elimination

Users often experience errors during the transfer process, the most common being "Memory". SIM-This means that the limit of the recordings on the chip has been exhausted, in which case you need to delete the old, unnecessary numbers directly through the control menu. SIM-select or select only the most important contacts.

Another common problem is the encoding of names, and Russian letters can turn into question marks or Krakozabras, because of the differences in the coding standards between the phone and the phone. SIM-And the solution is to transliterate names (in Latin) before export, although it's inconvenient.

If the phone says "Export Error," check if the contact is edit-proof. Some corporate Exchange accounts or synchronization with work servers may prevent copying to external media, which means you need to disable synchronization of a particular account before trying to copy.

• 🚫 Error "Memory is full" - delete the extra numbers.
• 🔤 Problems with encoding - use Latin.
• 🔒 Editing ban – check account rights.
• 📉 Interrupt the process – check the battery charge.

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If the standard export does not work, try to copy the contacts first to the file.vcf, and then import this file by selecting the source. SIM-card (if the phone allows).

Questions and Answers (FAQ)