How to transfer contacts from SIM-card to Xiaomi phone: 5 working ways

Why contact with the SIM-The cards are not automatically synchronized?

You just bought the new Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ or POCO F6, paste SIM-And the contacts didn't appear in the phone book? That's normal. MIUI do not import numbers from SIM The reasons are simple:

First of all, SIM-The cards have strict restrictions: they only store the name and number (maximum 255 characters per contact), whereas the Xiaomi phone book supports photos, email, birthdays and other fields. Second, manufacturers are refusing to import automatically because of the risk of data duplication – imagine what you have on your website. SIM Google accounts have the same contacts, but with different numbers.

Also, since MIUI 12, Xiaomi has simplified the settings interface by hiding some features (including SIM imports) deep into the menu. If you've been using a 5-year-old smartphone, the new algorithm may seem counterintuitive. But don't worry, it takes no more than 3 minutes to move contacts, if you know the exact path.

Method 1: Standard import through "Contacts" (MIUI 14/15)

This is the official method that works on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models with current firmware versions. Instructions are universal for MIUI 14 and MIUI 15, but in older versions (MIUI 12 and below), the path may be slightly different.

Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person's silhouette on a green background). In the upper right corner, click three dots. ⋮ → Select Settings. Scroll down to Contact Management and tap on Import/Export Contacts. Here you will see the Import with option. SIM-maps -- pick her.

SIM card inserted into slot 1 (main)

SIM has enough free space (minimum 1 free slot)

Phone's not in "Airplane" mode.

Contacts to SIM not blocked PIN2-code (if used)

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The system will suggest choosing which SIM to import data from (if you have two cards), and the copying process will begin after confirmation. Importantly, if the SIM has more than 200 contacts, the import can take up to 5 minutes - do not interrupt it, even if the screen goes out.

⚠️ Note: If only numbers without names are displayed in the phone book after import, check the encoding SIM-Older cards (issued before 2010) can use older encoding GSM 7-bit, which MIUI It doesn't always recognize correctly. Solution -- call the operator for a replacement. SIM new.

Method 2: Import via “Phone Settings”

The alternative is through system settings, which is useful if the Contacts app doesn't open or doesn't work properly for some reason.

Settings → Applications → Contacts → Storage → Imports from SIM- cards

Here, the algorithm is similar to the first method, but with one caveat: in some Xiaomi firmware, this path may lead to the export of contacts to SIM, not from it. If you see only the export option, go back to Method 1.

The advantage of this method is that it allows you to choose which account to save imported contacts:

• 📱 Locally on the phone – contacts will only be stored in the device memory (risk of loss when resetting).
• ☁️ Google Accounts – synced to the cloud (recommended).
• 🔄 Xiaomi Account – synchronization through Mi Cloud services (suitable for users of the Xiaomi ecosystem).

Standard import via the "Contacts" app

Through the system settings of the phone

With third-party applications

Manual input (not imported)

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Method 3: Transfer contacts using third-party applications

If standard methods fail (e.g., because of a corrupted SIM or outdated firmware), third-party utilities will come to the rescue, and we tested 5 popular apps from Google Play and selected the two most reliable ones:

We recommend SIM Contacts Backup, which works well even with damaged SIMs and allows you to back up in.vcf format, which you can then download to Google Contacts. Install the application, open it and follow the instructions:

1. Press Import from SIM.
2. Choose. SIM-card (if two of them).
3. Check the contacts for import (or click Select All).
4. Select the save format (Phone Storage or Google Account).

⚠️ Note: Some applications (such as Super Backup) require permission to access the app. SMS If you don't plan to reserve messages, manually opt out of those permissions through Settings. → Annexes → Permits.

Method 4: Manual transfer via export to VCF file

This method is suitable for users who want to have full control of the process or plan to transfer contacts to multiple devices. The algorithm consists of two stages: first export the contacts with the SIM to the file, then import it into the phone book.

For export:

1. Open Contacts. → ⋮ → Settings → Imports/Exports → Exports to SIM-card (yes, export first to create backup copy).
2. Select all contacts and confirm the export.
3. Return to the Import/Export menu and select Export to the file (.vcf format).
4. Save the file to your internal memory or SD-map.

Now we import:

1. Go to Contacts. → ⋮ → Settings → Imports/Exports → Import from the file.
2. Select the previously saved.vcf file.
3. Please provide an account to save (we recommend Google).

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You can send your VCF file to email or save it to the cloud (Google Drive, Mi Cloud), which will protect your contacts even if your phone is lost or dropped.

Method 5: Transfer contacts via PC (for advanced users)

If you have access to a computer, you can use it. ADB-Teams or specialized programs like MyPhoneExplorer. This method is relevant for owners of Xiaomi with a damaged screen or a broken touchscreen.

To work through ADB:

1. Install Platform Tools on your PC.
2. Turn on USB Debugging on your phone (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – press 7 times, then go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers).
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/contacts2.db This will back up your contact database.

For beginners, it is easier to use MyPhoneExplorer:

• 🖥️ Download the program from the official website.
• 📱 Put the phone on. USB (file transfer).
• 🔄 In the program, select the file. → Imports → S SIM-map.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even when following instructions, users face problems, and we've collected some of the most common errors and ways to fix them:

If none of these methods helped, check:

• 🔌 Physical condition SIM-cards - clean contacts with a swallow or alcohol.
• 📶 Slot for SIM — Try to insert the card into another slot (if there are two of them).
• 🔄 Network mode - switch from 4G on 3G In Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks.

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If SIM contacts are critically important but your phone doesn’t see them, remove the SIM and read it through the card reader on your PC using the SIM Card Reader program.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions