Changing a mobile device or having to temporarily use an old device often poses a challenge for users to quickly migrate data. Owners of previous flagships such as the Xiaomi Mi 9 are well aware that standard MIUI procedures can differ from the usual Android, especially when working with a phone book, which is a critical element of communication.
Many users mistakenly believe that the process of copying numbers to physical media is an archaic method, but in situations of failure of cloud services or when moving to button phones, the SIM card remains the most reliable storage. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the nuances of the procedure for the Mi 9 model, taking into account the features of the shell and hardware.
It should be noted that the memory of the SIM card is limited, and modern smartphones store much more information about the contact than the chip can hold, so before you start manipulating it, it is important to understand what data will be stored and what can be lost during the transfer.
Preparation of the device and compatibility check
Before you start actively transferring data, you need to make sure that the physical storage medium is in good condition. the SIM card must be correctly installed in the tray of the Xiaomi Mi 9 device and recognized by the system. If the phone requires a pin code, it must be entered to unlock access to communication functions.
Make sure there is enough free space on the map to write new entries. Older SIM cards often have a limit of 250 contacts, whereas modern ones can accommodate up to 500 or more.
- 📱 Make sure that the SIM card is active and displayed in the status bar.
- 🔒 Unlock the device and remove the screen lock if it is installed.
- 💾 Free up space on the map by removing old unnecessary entries if necessary.
- 🔋 Charge the Xiaomi Mi 9 battery to at least 30% to avoid shutdown.
⚠️ Note: When you copy contacts from your phone to your SIM card, only the name and primary phone number are saved. All additional fields such as email, address, photo and second number will be irretrievably lost.
It is also recommended to back up your current phone book on your Google Account or Mi Cloud, which will be your insurance in case you experience a software failure during the import or export process.
Import contacts from the Google cloud to your phone’s memory
Often users store their contacts exclusively in the Google cloud to be accessed from any device. Before transferring numbers to a SIM card, they must first be uploaded to the local memory of the Xiaomi Mi 9 smartphone.
To start, open your system settings and find the account section. Depending on the version of MIUI, the path may vary slightly, but the logic remains the same, you need to select the right account and force the update to run.
Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync. Select your Google account from the list. Make sure the switch opposite Contacts is activated. Click on the Sync button or three dots in the corner of the screen to force the update.
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If contacts don't appear immediately after sync, try rebooting your smartphone, which will update the MIUI phonebook database.
Once the process is complete, all your records from the Internet will be stored in the device's internal memory, and they're now ready for further export to physical storage, and if you haven't used the cloud before, you can skip this step and move on to local data.
Step-by-step: copying to SIM card
The main stage of work is performed through the standard application “Contacts”, which is preinstalled in the shell of MIUI. The interface may look a little different depending on the regional version of the firmware, but the functionality remains identical.
Open the Contacts app and find the menu button, which is usually represented by three horizontal or vertical dots, and in the list that opens, select Import/Export Contacts, and the system will suggest selecting the source and recipient of the data.
☑️ Algorithm of action
As a source, specify “Phone” or “Device” and as a recipient your SIM card (it can be designated as SIM 1 or SIM 2). Once selected, the system will prompt you to mark contacts for transfer. You can select individual records or click “Select all”.
Press Copy or Export, and you will be warned that some data may be lost due to SIM card format limitations, confirm the action, and the process will go automatically.
⚠️ Warning: Interrupting the copying process (turning off the phone, removing the SIM card) can damage the contacts file on the chip and lose some of the records.
Working with a limited amount of SIM card memory
As mentioned, the SIM card has strict limits on the number of characters in the name and the number of records, and if you try to copy 1,000 contacts to a card with a limit of 250 cells, the system will prompt you to choose which entries to move, or warn you about the lack of space.
Contact names can be cropped when copied. The GSM standard used in SIM cards often supports only the first 10-15 characters of a name. Long surnames or compound names can be stripped down beyond recognition.
Consider the comparison of storage options:
| Parameter | Phone Memory / Google | SIM card |
|---|---|---|
| Number of rooms | No restrictions (thousands) | Usually 250-500. |
| Length of name | Up to 200+ characters | About 10-15 characters. |
| Photo of contact | Supported | Not supported |
| Additional numbers | Plenty | Only one major one. |
| Email/Address | Supported | Not supported |
You can see from the table that migrating to a SIM card is a compromise solution. To fully preserve the data structure (photos, addresses, multiple numbers), use export to a.vcf file rather than copying to a SIM, which will save all the information in one file.
Alternative methods of data transmission
If the purpose of transferring contacts is not to use them on an old SIM card, but to migrate to a new phone, then using a SIM card as an intermediary is ineffective. Xiaomi Mi 9 owners have more modern and faster methods.
The most convenient way is to use a Google account. Just log in to your profile on a new device and all contacts will load automatically. It takes a few seconds and does not require physical contact of the cards.
The second popular method is to create a backup file. In the Contacts app, select Import/Export and select Export to internal memory. The created.vcf file can be transferred via Mi Drop (now Xiaomi Share), Bluetooth or instant messengers.
What is a VCF file?
You can also use the Mi Mover app, which is pre-installed on the Xiaomi Mi 9. It allows you to transfer contacts, SMS, photos and applications to another Xiaomi or Android phone over Wi-Fi Direct at high speed.
Elimination and recovery of data
Sometimes users find that after copying the contacts on the SIM card do not appear or are displayed incorrectly, most often the problem lies in the encoding or format of saving numbers.
If numbers are displayed without country code or with extra zeros, try editing them on your phone before copying. Bring all numbers to a single international format, such as +79990000000, which will increase compatibility with other devices.
If you lose data, use the recovery function. If you're synced with Google, go to contacts.google.com, select Settings and click Cancel Changes, and you can roll back the status of the phone book by 10 minutes, an hour, or even 30 days.
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Regular sync with Google Account is the only reliable protection against complete loss of contacts when your phone or SIM card breaks.
If the SIM card stopped reading after trying to write, remove it, wipe the contacts with soft cloth and insert back. In rare cases, the chip may be damaged electrically, then you will need to replace the card with the carrier to save the number.