How to transfer contacts from one Xiaomi to another: all ways of 2026

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, especially when it comes to keeping important data safe. Contacts are the information you can't lose: your colleagues', loved ones', customers' numbers, dates of birth and your associated accounts. Fortunately, the MIUI ecosystem offers several reliable ways to transfer, and we'll take each of them into account the nuances of 2026.

Many users mistakenly believe that it is enough to insert SIM-card to a new phone, and all contacts will automatically appear. SIM, Others face the problem of duplicate recordings or losing photos of contacts. In this article, you will find current methods for any model from the Redmi Note 12 to the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, as well as tips for avoiding typical errors.

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1. Transfer contacts through the Mi Account (the fastest way)

If both Xiaomi phones are linked to the same Mi Account, sync will take no more than 5 minutes, which is suitable for most models on MIUI 12-14 and does not require additional programs, the main condition is a stable Internet connection (preferably over Wi-Fi).

On an old phone:

1. Open Settings → Xiaomi account.
2. Make sure the contact sync switch is active (green).
3. Slip on Contact and wait for the synchronization to complete (the cloud icon should stop rotating).

On the new phone:

1. Sign in with the same Mi Account.
2. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Synchronization.
3. Turn on the synchronization of contacts and wait 1-2 minutes.

Contacts will appear in the Contacts app automatically. If some records are not transferred, check:

• 🔄 Update MIUI: The old phone should have a version no lower. MIUI 11 (otherwise, synchronization may not work properly).
• 📶 Internet connection: turn off VPN And check the network speed.
• 🔒 Permits: c Settings → Annexes → Application management → Contacts must be included with all permissions.

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If contacts are duplicated after synchronization, use the built-in merge function: open the Contacts app, click ⋮ → Contact management → Combine duplicates

2. Use of Google Account (universal method)

Google Contact Sync is a reliable way to do this, even if you’re switching from Xiaomi to a smartphone of a different brand, and the advantage is that contacts are saved in the cloud and accessible from any device, and the disadvantage is that photos of contacts may not be transferred (depending on the version of MIUI).

Instructions:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Google Accounts → Account Sync.
2. Make sure the slider opposite Contact is on.
3. Press More. → Synchronize now.
4. On the new phone, add the same Google account and enable contact sync.

If no contact appears:

• 🔍 Check if the synchronization is disabled in Settings → Accounts. → Google → Delete your account (sometimes reset after updating).
• 📱 Make sure that on the new phone in Settings → Annexes → Contacts → Contact Warehouse is Google’s choice of device, not device.

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3. Contacts over Bluetooth (without the Internet)

If you don't have Wi-Fi or mobile internet, you can transfer contacts over Bluetooth, which is suitable for older models (e.g. Redmi 4X or Mi A1), but has limitations: only numbers and names are transmitted, with no photos or additional fields.

Step-by-step:

1. On both phones, turn on Bluetooth (Settings → Connections → Bluetooth).
2. On your old phone, open the Contacts app, click ⋮ → Imports/Exports → Send.
3. Select contacts to transfer (or click Select All).
4. In the transfer method, specify Bluetooth and select a new phone from the list of devices.
5. Confirm the file on the new phone (usually a file with the.vcf extension).
6. After transfer, open the file on the new phone and import contacts.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models limit the transfer of more than 500 contacts at a time over Bluetooth.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔋 It does not require an internet connection.
• 📱 It works even on phones with an outdated version. MIUI.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ No contact photos.
• ⏳ Slower than cloud-based methods (about 10-15 contacts per minute).

4.Export and import via VCF file (for backup)

The.vcf (vCard) file is a universal contact storage format that all Xiaomi smartphones support, and it’s useful if you want to back up or transfer contacts to a different brand.

How to export contacts:

1. Open the Contacts app on your old phone.
2. Press. ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Export to device.
3. Choose where to save the file (e.g., Internal Memory → Download).
4. Name the file (for example, contacts_backup.vcf) and confirm the export.

How to import on a new phone:

1. Transfer the.vcf file to your new phone (via Bluetooth, USB-cable).
2. Open the file through the Explorer or Contacts app.
3. Confirm the import (contacts will be added to the phone book automatically).

Make sure your phone has enough memory for a.vcf file.

Check that all contacts are displayed in the app (sometimes hidden ones are not exported)

Turn off energy saving modes during export

Save the file to the cloud (Google Drive, Mi Cloud) in case of loss

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5.Move over Xiaomi Cloud (alternative to Mi Account)

Xiaomi Cloud is a cloud storage that automatically backs up contacts, messages and photos. If you haven't used Mi Account before, but have backed up, contacts can be restored through the cloud.

How to check backup copy:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Make sure that the contact backup is enabled and the latest copy is fresh (the date of creation is no older than 1-2 days).

How to restore on a new phone:

1. Sign in to the same Mi Account.
2. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Data Recovery.
3. Select the latest backup and click Restore Contacts.

⚠️ Note: When you recover from the cloud, all current contacts on the new phone will be replaced by backup data. If the new device already has important contacts, export them to the.vcf file first.

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6. Special applications for portability (for advanced users)

If standard methods don’t work (e.g., you need to move contacts selectively or with additional tags), you can use third-party apps. We tested several and selected the most reliable ones for Xiaomi:

• 📱 Copy My Data (from Media Mushroom) – transfers contacts, calendars and photos over Wi-Fi. MIUI 12+.
• 🔄 CLONEit – clones all data (including contacts) from one Xiaomi to another. USB-OTG or Wi-Fi Direct.
• ☁️ Super Backup & Restore – Creates backups of contacts to the cloud or memory card.

How to use CLONEit:

1. Install the app on both phones from Google Play.
2. On the old phone, select the sender, on the new one, the receiver.
3. Connect devices via Wi-Fi Direct or USB-OTG cable.
4. Select Contacts in the data list for transfer and confirm the transfer.

Important: When using third-party apps, turn off battery optimization for them (Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization → Select an app → Without restrictions), or the transfer may be interrupted.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even when following instructions, users face problems, and we've collected some of the most common mistakes and solutions.

• 🚫 Contacts are not synced with Mi Account: – Check if Traffic Saving is enabled (Settings) → Connections → Save traffic. – Update the Contacts app on Google Play.
• 🔄 Duplicate contacts after transfer: – Use the merger function in the Contacts app (⋮ → Contact management → Combine duplicates. – Before the penos, turn off sync with Google and Mi Account on your new phone.
• 📵 Not all contacts were exported to.vcf: – Check if some contacts are hidden → ⋮ → Settings → Show contacts should be selected item All contacts. – Export contacts in parts (for example, 200 entries each).

If none of the methods worked, try resetting the Contacts app settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Contacts.
2. Press Warehouse. → Clear the data.
3. Reboot the phone and repeat the sync.

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Before any contacts are transferred, back up your old phone to protect you from data loss if you crash.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions