Transferring contacts from phone to phone SIM-map is a task that seems simple until you encounter the features of the firmware MIUI. Owners of Xiaomi smartphones (from the budget Redmi Note 12 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra) often find that the standard function of exporting contacts is either hidden or works with restrictions. SIM, including workarounds for cases where the option is not available on the menu.
Important nuance: modern SIM-cards (especially nano-SIM) support only 250-500 character-restricted contacts in each field (e.g. no more than 14 characters in a name.
Complicating the problem is that Xiaomi is actively promoting cloud services (Mi Cloud) and synchronization with Google Account, paying minimal attention to classic exports to SIM. However, there are ways to do this, from built-in tools to third-party applications. Next, letโs look at them in steps, taking into account versions MIUI 14/15 and Android 13/14.
Standard export of contacts through โContactsโ (MIUI 14/15)
The most obvious method is to use the built-in Contacts app (also known as com.android.contacts), but in recent versions of MIUI, this feature may be hidden or unavailable for some regions.
Open the "Contact" appยป โ three-point (โฎ) top-right โ Select Contact Management โ Import/Export contacts. If the export points are SIM-There is no card, so your firmware version does not support it (often found on models for the European market, for example, Xiaomi). 13T Pro).
- ๐ฑ Supported models: most devices on MIUI 12โ14 (except for global firmware for the EU).
- โก Restrictions: only telephone numbers are exported (without email, addresses, notes).
- โณ Time: ~2-5 minutes for 200 contacts.
If you don't have an option, try changing your phone region to India or Russia in settings (Settings โ Additional โ Region). Sometimes this returns hidden features. But remember, changing your region can affect some services (like Google Pay).
โ ๏ธ Note: When exporting to SIM All existing contacts on the map will be deleted before you write new ones! SIM-Contacts in advance (if any).
2. Alternative method: via the "Settings" of the phone
If the Contacts app doesn't offer SIM export, try to do without it. In some versions of MIUI, the function is hidden in the system settings:
- Go to Settings โ Applications โ Application Management.
- Find the โContactsโ list (or com.android.contacts) and open it.
- Slip it on the vault. โ Data management.
- Choose Contact Exports โ specify SIM-goal-card.
This path works on Redmi 10/11, POCO X5 and other devices with a โcleanโ Android 12/13 under the hood. If there is no point, then the manufacturer has blocked it at the firmware level.
Backup your contacts in Google Account|Check the vacant space for SIM (Team #4636##)|Remove old contacts from SIM (if they don't need them)|Connect your phone to charge (in case of a long process)-->
3. Use of third-party applications
When standard methods don't work, Google Play apps come to the rescue.
- ๐ฒ Sim Contacts Backup: simple interface, supports mass export/import.
- ๐ Copy to SIM Card: allows you to selectively copy contacts, saves the formatting of names.
- ๐ ๏ธ Contacts Optimizer: In addition to exporting, it cleans duplicates and optimizes the phone book.
Example of Sim Contacts Backup:
- Install the app and give access to contacts.
- Choose Export to SIM.
- Check the contacts you want (or click Select All).
- Confirm the export and wait until it is completed.
Third-party apps bypass the limitations of MIUI, but require caution: only allow access to proven programs with a high rating (4.5+).
| Annex | Support for MIUI 15 | Max. Contacts at a time. | Keeping notes? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sim Contacts Backup | Yes. | 500 | No. |
| Copy to SIM Card | Yes. | 300 | Partially. |
| Contacts Optimizer | Yeah (mistakes) | 250 | Yes. |
| My Contacts Backup | No. | โ | โ |
โ ๏ธ Note: Some applications (such as Super Backup) save contacts to a.vcf file but are unable to write them directly to the user. SIM. Please specify this detail before installation!
4. Manual copying through USSD-Teams (for advanced teams)
A little-known method - the use of USSD-code-in SIM-It's suitable for devices where software methods don't work, but it requires accuracy.
Enter the following command in the phone application:
##7465625##This code opens the test menu SIM (SIM Toolkit, where Copy Contacts to is sometimes available SIM. However, on new firmware Xiaomi this method rarely works โ more often it is relevant for older models (Redmi). 4X, Mi A1).
Alternative code for checking the status of the SIM:
##4636##In the Usage statistics section, you can see how many contacts are already saved on the map and how much space is left.
What to do if USSD-codes don't work?
5. Export via computer (ADB or Mi PC Suite)
For users familiar with ADB (Android Debug Bridge), there is a way to transfer contacts to SIM over the command line, a method that is more complex but more reliable than applications.
Steps:
- Enable USB debugging in the developer settings (Settings โ About Phone โ MIUI version โ 7 taps to unlock).
- Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the trusted device.
- Open the command line and type: adb shell content query --uri content://com.android.contacts/contacts This will display a list of all contacts.
- For export to SIM Use specialized services ADB-scripts (e.g., scripts, SIM Contact Exporter on GitHub).
The simpler option is the official Mi PC Suite utility:
- Download the program from the Xiaomi website and connect the phone.
- In the Contact section, select Export. โ Nana SIM-map.
- Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
Mi PC Suite often ignores the limitations of MIUI, but requires driver installation and can conflict with antivirus software (for example, Kaspersky blocks it as โpotentially dangerousโ).
๐ก
Before using ADB, make a full backup of contacts to a.vcf file through the Contacts โ Export to File app, which will save data if something goes wrong.
6. Features of working with different types SIM-map
Not all. SIM-And these cards are equally good at keeping contacts:
- ๐ Standard. SIM: Supports up to 250 contacts, the fields "Name" and "Number" are limited to 14 and 20 characters, respectively.
- ๐ข Micro-SIM/nano-SIM: Often have a reduced limit (up to the 100โ150 contact) due to memory savings.
- ๐ eSIM: does not support the storage of contacts at all (only operator identification data).
Problems also arise with dual-sim phones (Xiaomi 12 Pro, Redmi Note 12 Pro+).
- Export is only possible for the main SIM (slot 1).
- Contacts to the second SIM will have to be transferred manually or via PC.
To check your SIM type and its capabilities, type:
#4636### โ Phone Information โ SIM StatusSearch for SIM Phonebook Capacity, which will show the maximum number of contacts.
๐ก
If you SIM-card older than 5 years, before exporting contacts, replace it with a new one in the operator's cabin.
7. Frequent errors and their solutions
When migrating contacts to SIM, Xiaomi users face typical problems. Here's how to solve them:
| Mistake. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| โWe were unable to export contacts.โ | SIM-card blocked PUK-code | Unlock the card through the operator menu (*100# for Beeline, *111# for MTS) |
| Exports interrupted by 50% | Lack of memory on the SIM | Remove old contacts from the card or use a new SIM |
| No option "Export to SIM" | Restricting global firmware | Install Sim Contacts Backup or change region to India |
| Contacts were exported but not displayed | Incompatibility of encoding | Check the SIM language settings (should match the phone language) |
If none of these methods work, the last option is manual input.
- Open the phone app.
- Go to Contacts. โ SIM-contact.
- Click Add and enter data manually.
It's long, but it's reliable. To speed up the process, use the copy function from the main contacts and paste it into the fields. SIM-contact.