How to transfer contacts to Xiaomi SIM-map: all ways and nuances

Maintaining contacts SIM-The map in Xiaomi smartphones is a task that seems simple only at first glance. Many users are faced with the fact that the standard settings are not the same. MIUI Some models (especially newer ones) do not always offer an obvious way to export, and some models (especially new ones) do not have this feature at all, due to the transition of manufacturers to cloud services and the limitations of data storage formats to the cloud. SIM.

In this article, we will discuss all current methods of transferring contacts to the SIM-map, POCO And Mi, including workarounds for models without built-in options, you'll learn how to prepare the phone for export, what formats are supported (and why.vcf isn't always suitable), and how to avoid the typical mistakes, from cropping names to losing numbers. MIUI, which allow the preservation function to be returned to SIM Even when it was “removed” in the updates.

Why Xiaomi is hiding the option of saving contacts on SIM?

Starting with MIUI 12 and later, many users noticed the disappearance of the item “Export to SIM” in the contact menu.

• 📱 Limited capacity SIM: Modern cards (especially nano-SIMs) often have only 250-500 contacts of memory, whereas a phone book can have thousands of records.
• ☁️ Priority of cloud services: The company is actively promoting Mi Cloud and synchronization with Google Contacts, where data is stored in encrypted form and accessible from any device.
• 🔄 Compatibility issues: The format of the contact storage SIM (obsolete ETSI) It does not support fields such as email, address, or additional numbers, making it ineffective.

However, SIM still has a lot of demand for saving, such as when you switch to a new phone without internet access, or if you need to quickly transfer numbers to a spare, and we'll show you how to get that option back or bypass it.

Preparing Xiaomi phone for export contacts

Before you move contacts, follow the mandatory steps to avoid mistakes:

1. Check the type SIM-Cards: Make sure your card supports contact storage (usually specified in operator specifications.
2. Clean it up. SIM from old data: If the card already contains contacts, the export may end with an error. → Contact management → SIM-map.
3. Sync accounts: Open Settings → Accounts and make sure all contacts are uploaded to your device (not just in the cloud). To do this, turn off sync with Google or Mi Cloud, then turn it on again.

Pay special attention to the format of the numbers. SIM-cards of many operators (for example, MTS or Beeline) do not support:

• 📞 Numbers with spaces, brackets or dashes (e.g, (495) 123-45-67).
• 🌍 International format with +7 (better to use 8 or 7 without a sign).
• 🏢 Additional fields like “Worker”, “Home” will be saved only the main number.

Method 1: Standard export via contact menu (for MIUI 11 and older)

If your Xiaomi is running MIUI 11 or earlier, the chance of finding the built-in export feature is higher.

1. Open the Contacts app (a icon with a person's silhouette).
2. Press three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Contact Management.
3. Go to the Import/Export Contacts section.
4. Select Export on Export SIM-map (if no item, see alternative methods).
5. Tick the necessary contacts or click Allocate.
6. Confirm the export and wait until the completion (can take up to 1-2 minutes for 200+ contacts).

Important nuance: In some firmware items "Export to the SIM» It only appears if a physical device is inserted into the phone. SIM-If you have a card (not an eSIM) and it has free space, if you have a gray option, try restarting your device.

Method 2: Use of an engineering menu (for MIUI 12-14)

In newer versions of MIUI, the export function on the SIM is often hidden, but it can be returned via the engineering menu, which works on most models of Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO X3/F4 and Mi 11/12:

1. Open the Phone app and type the combination: ##3646633## (some models may require ##4636##).
2. In the engineering menu, select Connectivity → SIM Management.
3. Find SIM Contacts and activate the Enable SIM Contact Export option.
4. Return to the standard contact menu, and now there should be an export point.

⚠️ Note: The engineering menu is designed for testing and may contain parameters that affect the stability of the phone!

Method 3: Export via vCard and manual transfer

If none of the above methods worked, use the.vcf (vCard) workaround, which is universal but requires additional steps:

1. Export contacts to the file: Open Contacts → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Export to file. Select vCard (.vcf) and save the file to your phone's memory.

.vcf

converter

VCF to SIM

Transfer the resulting file back to your phone and import it through the contact menu.

⚠️ Note: Online converters may request access to your data. Check reviews about the service before using it or use offline programs like Outlook for Windows.

Alternatively, manually add contacts to the SIM via the phone menu:

1. Open Contacts. → SIM-map.
2. Click Add Contact and enter data manually (limit – 1 contact at a time).

For maximum reliability, use a combination of methods.

1. Sync your contacts with Google (the main way).
2. Once a month, export a backup to.vcf.
3. Critical numbers (relatives, doctors) duplicate on the SIM-card.

FAQ: Frequent questions about SIM contacts in Xiaomi