Changing a smartphone is always stressful, not so much with getting used to a new interface as with the risk of losing important data. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices often wonder how to quickly and safely move a phone book so as not to interrupt hundreds of numbers manually. Fortunately, the MIUI and HyperOS ecosystem offers several built-in tools for data migration that work more stable than third-party applications.
The copying process depends on where you plan to transfer information from: from an old Android device, iPhone or directly from the Internet. SIM-Modern methods allow you to save not only names and numbers, but also photos, email addresses and even binding to messengers. It is important to choose the right way to avoid duplication of records or loss of contact structure.
In this article, we will take a look at all the ways you can import a phone book, look at cloud technology, local file copying, and use standard system tools, and synchronize it properly in the initial phase of your phone book use, and save you hours of time in the future.
Import of contacts with SIM-maps and other devices
The most common scenario is to transfer data from an old phone that also runs Android. The standard MIUI phonebook can read data directly from a SIM card chip or receive it over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. This is a basic method that does not require an Internet connection if local transmission is used.
To get started, you need to open the Contacts or Phone app and go to settings. The interface may vary slightly depending on the firmware version, but the logic remains the same. Select Import/Export Contacts to see the available data sources.
If you copy numbers from another Android smartphone, the system will offer to create a new phone. QR-Local import is faster, as it does not depend on the speed of the Internet connection. Make sure that both devices are Bluetooth enabled and are in close proximity to each other.
When working with SIM-The process is different, the phone reads a limited amount of information written on the chip, usually only the name and number, without additional fields.
- 📲 Open the “Contacts” app on your new smartphone.
- 📲 Click on three dots in the corner or the menu button to call settings.
- 📲 Select "Import/Export Contacts» → «Import with SIM-map».
- 📲 Confirm the action and wait for the copying process to be completed.
⚠️ Attention: SIM-The card has a limited amount of memory and does not support the retention of long names or multiple numbers for a single contact.
Once the operation is complete, the system will automatically suggest combining duplicates if they are found, a useful feature that helps keep the call list in order, but always check the result manually, as the automatics sometimes get the names wrong.
Using Google Accounts to Sync
The most reliable and modern way to store a phone book is by linking it to a Google account, which ensures that your contacts are not lost even if your phone is lost or broken, and just enter your login and password on the new device so that all information is restored automatically.
To implement this method on an old phone, you need to make sure that sync is enabled. Go to Settings → Accounts → Google and check if the tick is next to Contacts. If there are no ticks, the data does not enter the cloud.
On the new Xiaomi device, when you first set up or in the account menu, you need to add the same Google account. After authorization, the system will pull up all the saved numbers. Cloud sync works in the background and updates data in real time.
The advantage of this is that it's cross-platform, you can manage your contacts through your browser on your computer, edit them and delete them, and any changes you make will be instantly reflected on your smartphone when you have the Internet.
- ☁️ Go to the account settings on the old device.
- ☁️ Activate sync for Google Contacts.
- ☁️ Sign in to the same account on the new Xiaomi.
- ☁️ Wait for the automatic update of the list in the phone book.
It's important to understand the difference between saving your phone to your account. When you select "Phone Memory," the data isn't copied remotely anywhere, only a Google or Mi Account provides real backup of data off-device.
Transferring the phone book from iPhone (iOS)
iPhone owners who choose to switch to Xiaomi don't have to worry about losing data. Apple's ecosystem is pretty closed, but there are migration tools available. The easiest way is to use the built-in Mi Mover app, which is pre-installed on all of the brand's smartphones.
The process starts with installing the Mi Mover app on the iPhone via the App Store, and after launching on both devices, you need to select a role: on the old phone, you specify “I send”, and on the new Xiaomi, you specify “I accept”, the system will create a temporary Wi-Fi network for data transfer.
Once the devices are connected, select Contacts to transmit. Copy speed depends on the number of records, but usually the process takes no more than a few minutes. Wireless transfer eliminates the need for cables and adapters.
Alternatively, use iCloud. If iCloud sync is enabled on your iPhone, you can export.vcf contacts through the iCloud.com web interface on your computer and then import that file to Xiaomi via the contacts menu.
☑️ iPhone portability
Note that when you migrate from iOS, not all fields may be saved if they are filled with Apple-specific data, but the main numbers, names and email addresses are transferred correctly 99% of the time.
Work with VCF files and local copying
The.vcf (vCard) format is the universal standard for storing contact information, ideal for transferring a database of numbers from a computer or sending it via a messenger, and a file can contain one record or thousands of contacts in a single archive.
To create a file like this on an old phone, go to contacts, select Export, and specify where to save it. USB-You can either send it to the cloud or you can send it to the cable, and Xiaomi just opens this file, and the system will suggest importing the data it contains.
For advanced users, import via computer is available. Connect your phone in file transfer mode (MTP), copy the contacts.vcf file to internal memory. Then, on your phone in the Contacts app, select Import from.vcf file.
⚠️ Note: When importing from the file VCF Keep a close eye on the source of the save, and if you re-import the data, duplicate records can be created.
And the good thing about this is that it creates a physical copy of your phone book that you can store on a flash drive or hard drive, and it's a kind of cold backup that doesn't depend on corporate servers.
Synchronization with Mi Cloud (Mi Account)
Xiaomi device owners have access to their own cloud service, Mi Cloud, which is a handy tool that is integrated directly into the system, and requires a Mi Account that is created when the smartphone is first activated.
In the Settings → Mi Account → Synchronization, you need to activate the contact switch, after which all new numbers will automatically fly to the cloud. When you change your phone, just log into your account, and the data will pull up.
Contact management is also available through the web version of i.mi.com, where you can edit posts, delete redundant and restore deleted contacts from the shopping cart within 30 days. Mi Account provides deep integration with the system, allowing you to synchronize notes, photos and desktop settings.
| Method | Speed. | We need the Internet. | Saves a photo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Synchronization | Tall. | Yes. | Yes. |
| SIM-map | Low. | No. | No. |
| Mi Mover | Very high. | No (locally) | Yes. |
| VCF File | Medium | No. | Yes. |
Using native Mi cloud is especially relevant for users who are deeply immersed in the brand ecosystem, making it easy to recover data even after completely resetting to factory settings.
Duplicate cleaning and contact management
After transferring data from different sources (e.g., part SIM, part Google), there is often a problem of duplication. The same person can be recorded twice: "Ivan" and "Ivan Ivanov." MIUI has a built-in tool to solve this problem.
Open the Contacts app, click on the menu and select Clean Duplicate or Combine Repeated Contacts. The system will analyze the database and suggest merger options. You can combine contacts one by one or use the Unite All feature.