How to transfer contacts with SD-Xiaomi phone cards: all working methods

Why are contacts not imported from SD-Xiaomi maps and how to fix them

Transfer of contacts with SD-Xiaomi cards seem like a simple task, so long as you don't have errors like "File is not supported" or "No memory access." MIUI It restricts the default external drives, and contact file formats (.vcf,.csv,.xls) often require preprocessing.+ The contact may contain incompatible fields that MIUI just ignore.

In this article, we will analyze 4 proven methods of importing – from standard tools MIUI We're going to use this as a workaround for stubborn files. MIUI, lock-in SD-You will also learn how to convert.csv to.vcf without losing data and what to do if the phone does not see a file on the memory card.

Before you start, make sure that:

• 📁 The contact file is in the root directory. SD-Maps (not embedded in folders like Download or Documents).
• 🔄 SD-map FAT32 exFAT (MIUI supportive NTFS externally).
• 🔒 There is no write protection on the card (check the physical switch on the adapter if you use it).

Method 1: Standard import through the Contacts app

The most obvious method is to use the built-in Contacts app (or Google Contacts if installed).There are pitfalls here, however: MIUI may not show the import option if the file has the "wrong" extension or is in the wrong place.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person’s silhouette).
2. Tap it on three points (⋮) top-right → Select Contact Management.
3. Go to Import/Export Contacts → Import from the drive.
4. In the list, select yours. SD-map (usually marked as SD card).
5. Find a file with the.vcf extension (such as contacts.vcf) and tap it.
6. Select a save account (such as Phone or Google) and confirm the import.

If the option Import from the drive is not:

It's important: MIUI You may not show files if they're in folders with Cyrillic names or special characters. SD-Rename it to the Latin alphabet (for example, my_contacts.vcf).

Method 2: Import via Google Contacts (for.csv and other formats)

If your file is.csv or.xls, the standard Xiaomi app won’t read it, in which case Google Contacts will help – the service supports import from Excel and other tabular formats, and then syncs the data with the phone.

Instructions:

1. On your computer, open contacts.google.com and log in under the same account as you do on your phone.
2. In the left menu, select Import → Select a file and download your.csv or.xls.
3. Compare columns (for example, indicate that column A is “Name” and B is “Phone”).
4. Press Import and wait until it is completed.
5. On your phone, open Settings → Accounts → Google and enable contact synchronization.

The advantage of this method is that it automatically backs up to the cloud, but there are some nuances:

• ⚠️ If.csv has more than 3,000 contacts, Google can break them down.
• ⚠️ Cyrillic characters in a file are sometimes converted to Krakozabras – check the encoding (should be the case). UTF-8).

Method 3: Using a file manager and manually copying

If MIUI persistently fails to see the file on SD-And you can do a decoy, you can copy a file into the phone's internal memory, and then import it from there. MIUI (for example, MIUI 10) where access to external drives is severely limited.

Action:

1. Install a file manager (e.g., Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).
2. Open up. SD-map, find the contact file (e.g. contacts.vcf).
3. Copy it into the Download or Documents folder of internal memory.
4. Go to Contacts → Management → Import / Export and select the file from internal memory.

Why does it work: MIUI By default, you block access to SD-card for most applications (including Contacts), but internal memory is always available:

• 🔌 SD-map connected through OTG-adapter (MIUI It may not be recognized as a “standard” storage device).
• 🛡️ The map has encryption on (MIUI Cannot work with encrypted external disks).

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If the file weighs more than 10 MB, break it down using VCF Splitter, which will speed up import and reduce the risk of errors.

Method 4: Convert formats and fix errors in the file

Sometimes the problem isn't with the phone, but with the contact file itself, like.vcf exported from the iPhone may contain incompatible fields, and.csv from Outlook may contain extra separators, and preprocessing the file will help.

Tools for conversion:

Example of common errors in files:

• 📛 Duplicate contacts: if there are multiple entries with the same name in.vcf, MIUI You can only import the first one.
• 📞 Incorrect numbers: format +7(999)123-45-67 Sometimes it is not recognized - replace it with +79991234567.
• 🌐 Extra symbols: In.csv, invisible dividers may occur (for example,; instead of.csv;).

After processing the file, repeat importing in any of the above methods.

Solving Common Mistakes in Importation

Even after the file is properly prepared, MIUI can still produce errors, and here are the most common ones and how to fix them:

Error: “File not found” or “No access”

⚠️ Attention: MIUI 12+ block access SD-App card if the settings do not enable Portable Drive. Go to Settings → Memory. → SD-map → Settings (⋮) → Format it as portable. It will delete all the data from the card! Backup in advance.

Error: "Unsupported format" (when selecting.vcf)

• Check that the file is indeed in.vcf format (sometimes the extension is hidden and the file is actually.txt).
• Open the file in the text editor – the first line should start with BEGIN:VCARD.
• If the file is corrupted, use VCF Repair.

Error: “Contacts are not imported” (process hangs by 0%)

• Reboot your phone and try again.
• If the file is large (more than 5,000 contacts), break it down into 1,000 entries.
• Try importing through Google Contacts (method 2).

Error: “Insufficient memory” (when imported into internal memory)

⚠️ Note: If you import contacts into your Phone account (not Google), MIUI backs up a folder /data/com.android.providers.contacts. If internal memory is full, clear the cache in Settings → Annexes → Contacts → Memory.

How to Avoid Losing Contacts After Importing

Import is only half the story. To avoid losing contacts when you drop your phone or change your device, set up automatic backups. There are two reliable ways to do this in MIUI:

1. Synchronization with Google

1. Open Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Select your account → turn on the Contacts switch.
3. Press Sync (or wait for automatic sync).

2. Local backup in MIUI

1. Go to Contacts → Management → Import / Export → Export to the drive.
2. Select an account (such as a phone) and confirm the export.
3. Contacts.vcf file will be saved in internal memory (folder) MIUI/backup/Contacts). Copy it on. SD-map.

Tip: Check backups once a month, export your contacts and open the resulting.vcf in the text editor — if the data is readable, the copy is good.

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Always import contacts into your Google account, not your phone’s memory, and this will protect your data when your system crashes or your device changes.

FAQ: Frequent questions about importing contacts on Xiaomi