Transferring contacts with Xiaomi Redmi to another phone via Bluetooth: the complete guide

Transferring contacts between smartphones via Bluetooth seems like an easy solution, especially when there is no cable or Internet at hand, POCO And Redmi A, this process often raises questions about why not all contacts are transmitted, how to turn on the visibility of the device, and what to do if Bluetooth "can't see" the second phone. In this article, we will discuss the unique features of transferring contacts to Xiaomi via Bluetooth, including hidden settings. MIUI and bypassing typical errors.

Many users are faced with the fact that the standard function "Send contact" via Bluetooth in the Internet. MIUI It's either not available or it's not running smoothly, and it's because of Xiaomi's security policy. MIUI 12, the company has restricted the transmission of personal data via wireless protocols to protect users from accidental leaks. But that doesn't mean that the transfer is impossible - it just requires workarounds or alternative methods.

In this instruction, we will consider:

  • πŸ”Ή Transfer contacts through built-in tools MIUI (Yes, they are, but hidden!).
  • πŸ”Ή Bluetooth Limits on Xiaomi Redmi and Why Not All Contacts Are Transferred.
  • πŸ”Ή Alternative ways (including hidden β€œMi Mover” feature and Xiaomi cloud).
  • πŸ”Ή Solving problems when devices don’t see each other or the transmission is interrupted.
πŸ“Š What kind of contact transfer you use more often?
Bluetooth
USB cable
Cloud (Google/Xiaomi)
Apps like Shareit
Another way.

1. Preparation of Xiaomi Redmi phones for the transfer of contacts

Before you start transferring, make sure that both devices meet the following key requirements:

  • πŸ“± Version. MIUI: Both phones should be installed. MIUI 10 or later, on older versions (e.g, MIUI 9) the function of transmitting contacts via Bluetooth may not be available.
  • πŸ”‹ Battery charge: Charge level should be at least 30%.When low, Xiaomi automatically limits background processes, including Bluetooth.
  • πŸ“‘ Device visibility: Enable detection mode on both phones (on how to do this below).

On Xiaomi Redmi, Bluetooth visibility is non-standard. Here's how to do this:

  1. Open Settings β†’ Bluetooth.
  2. Activate the Bluetooth slider.
  3. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select "Device visibility".
  4. Set a visibility timer for 2-5 minutes (this is enough to transfer contacts).

⚠️ Note: If the Bluetooth menu does not have the item "Visibility of the device", update MIUI Up to the latest version or use an alternative method in Section 4.

Also check that both phones have power saving mode turned off for Bluetooth.

  1. Go to Settings β†’ Battery and Performance β†’ Battery Consumption Management.
  2. Find the "Bluetooth" list and select "No Limits".

2. Standard method: transfer of contacts through "Share" in MIUI

The most obvious method is to use the built-in β€œSend Contact” feature via the Contact menu, but on Xiaomi Redmi, this method works with limitations:

  • 🚫 No contacts synced with Google or Mi Account (local only) are transferred).
  • πŸ“Œ You can send only one contact at a time (package is not available).
  • ⏳ The process can take up to 1-2 minutes per contact (depending on the model).

Step instructions:

  1. Open the Contacts app on the sender phone.
  2. Select the right contact and click on it.
  3. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner and select "Share".
  4. In the list of options, select "Bluetooth".
  5. On the second phone, confirm the file reception (.vcf format).

Bluetooth enabled on both phones|The devices are paired with each other.|Contact is not synced with Google|There is enough memory on the receiving phone-->

If there is no β€œBluetooth” item in the Share menu, it means that:

  • πŸ”Ή Contact linked to the account Google/Mi (Solution – export contacts to local memory, see section 3).
  • πŸ”Ή The phone has custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience) where the function is disabled.

3. Export contacts to.vcf file and transfer via Bluetooth

If the standard method doesn’t work, export all contacts to a.vcf file and send it via Bluetooth.This method is suitable for batch transfer and works even on older versions. MIUI.

Instructions:

  1. Open Contacts. β†’ Settings (βš™) β†’ Contact management β†’ Import/Export of contacts.
  2. Select "Export to the vault".
  3. Tick the necessary contacts (or click "Select all").
  4. Click Export – the file will be saved in the Download folder or MIUI/backup/Contacts.
  5. Open the Explorer, find the contacts.vcf file and send it via Bluetooth (long press). β†’ "Share").

On the receiving phone:

  1. Take the.vcf file.
  2. Open it – the system will suggest importing contacts into the phone book.
  3. Select an account to save (local, Google or Mi Account).

⚠️ Note: A.vcf file can weigh up to 10-15 MB with a large number of contacts. Make sure that the receiving phone has enough memory in the section "Internal drive".

What happens if the.vcf file is not opened?
If the phone doesn’t recognize the.vcf file, try 1. Rename the file to contacts.vcf (sometimes helps). 2. Open it through the Contacts app" β†’ "Import/Export.” 3. Use third-party software, such as Contacts+ (available on Google Play).

4.Alternative ways: Mi Mover and Xiaomi cloud

If Bluetooth refuses to work, use the built-in tools of Xiaomi:

Method 1: Mi Mover (Hidden Function) MIUI)

  • πŸ”Ή It works without the Internet (via Wi-Fi Direct).
  • πŸ”Ή Transferring Contacts, Messages, Photos and Apps.
  • πŸ”Ή Available on all Redmi C MIUI 11+.

How to use:

  1. On both phones, open Settings β†’ About Phone β†’ Mi Mover.
  2. On the old phone, select β€œI am the sender” and on the new one, β€œI am the receiver.”
  3. Scan it. QR-screencode.
  4. Select "Contacts" in the data list for transfer.
  5. Confirm the transfer (it will take 2-10 minutes depending on the volume).

Method 2: Xiaomi Cloud

If you have a Mi Account, sync your contacts through the cloud:

  1. On an old phone: Settings β†’ Accounts. β†’ Mi Account β†’ Synchronization β†’ Contacts (turn on the slider).
  2. On the new phone, log in to the same Mi Account and enable contact sync.
  3. Wait until it is completed (it can take up to 30 minutes with a lot of contacts).
MethodSpeed.LimitationsNeed the Internet?
Bluetooth (one at a time)Slowly (1–2 min/contact)Only local contactsNo.
Bluetooth (.vcf)Average (5-10 minutes for all)The file may not open.No.
Mi MoverQuickly (2-10 minutes)Requires MIUI 11+No.
Xiaomi's CloudDepends on the Internet.Registration in Mi Account is requiredYes.

5. Problem Solving: Bluetooth doesn't see the device or the transmission is cut off

If Xiaomi Redmi phones don’t pair or the contact transfer is interrupted, check out the following points:

Problem 1: Devices can't find each other

  • πŸ”Ή Make sure that both phones are in visibility mode (see section 1).
  • πŸ”Ή Reboot Bluetooth: Turn it off and on again on both devices.
  • πŸ”Ή Check if the phones are connected to other devices (e.g. headphones or smart watches.

Problem 2: Transmission is cut off in the middle

  • πŸ”Ή Reduce the distance between phones to 1-2 meters (walls and interference can interrupt the connection).
  • πŸ”Ή Turn off the power saving mode (see Section 1).
  • πŸ”Ή Try to send contacts one by one, not a packet.

Problem 3: The receiving phone does not keep contact

  • πŸ”Ή Check if there is enough memory in the Contacts section (open Settings). β†’ Memory).
  • πŸ”Ή Make sure the.vcf file is not corrupted (try opening it on the sending phone).
  • πŸ”Ή Update the Contacts app via Google Play or App Store MIUI.

πŸ’‘

If Bluetooth is not working hard, try resetting it: go to Settings β†’ Bluetooth β†’ Settings (βš™) β†’ Reset Bluetooth. Then pair the devices again.

6 Security: Why Xiaomi is limiting contact transfer over Bluetooth

Starting with MIUI 12, Xiaomi tightened its policy of transferring personal data via wireless protocols:

  • πŸ›‘οΈ Leakage protection: Contacts often contain sensitive information (addresses, phone numbers) that can be accidentally sent to the wrong recipient.
  • πŸ“± Optimization MIUI: In new versions of firmware, priority is given to cloud services (Mi Cloud, Google Contacts) as more reliable.
  • πŸ”„ Account Sync: Xiaomi Encourages Users to Use Mi Account for Backup.

What does this mean for you:

  • πŸ”Ή Local contacts (not linked to an account) are freely transferred.
  • πŸ”Ή Contacts synced to Google or Mi Account are blocked for Bluetooth transmission (they can only be exported to a.vcf file).
  • πŸ”Ή On the phones with MIUI 13+ The β€œShare via Bluetooth” function may not be available at all.

⚠️ Note: If you are transferring contacts via Bluetooth to a phone of another brand (such as Samsung or iPhone), check format compatibility. Some brands do not support Xiaomi.vcf - in this case, use Google Contacts to sync.

7.The Best Third-Party Contact Transfer Applications

If embedded tools MIUI Not working, install one of the proven applications:

1.SHAREit (from Xiaomi)

  • πŸ”Ή It was developed by the same company as MIUI β€” maximum compatibility.
  • πŸ”Ή Transmit contacts, photos, videos and applications at speeds up to 20 MB/s.
  • πŸ”Ή It works via Wi-Fi Direct (no internet required).

How to use:

  1. Install Shareit on both phones from Google Play or App Store MIUI.
  2. On the sending phone, select "Send" β†’ "Contacts".
  3. In the receiving – β€œGet” and scan. QR-code.

2. Send Anywhere

  • πŸ”Ή Transmits data via six-digit code (no need to pair devices).
  • πŸ”Ή Supports.vcf and other formats.
  • πŸ”Ή It works even between Android and iOS.

3. Contacts Backup & Restore

  • πŸ”Ή Creates a backup of contacts in.vcf or.xml.
  • πŸ”Ή You can send a file via Bluetooth, email or cloud.
  • πŸ”Ή Supports backup encryption.

πŸ’‘

The side of the application often works more stable than the built-in tools. MIUI, Especially if you have a custom firmware or an older version of Android.

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring contacts to Xiaomi Redmi

❓ Can I transfer contacts to Xiaomi Redmi on iPhone via Bluetooth?
No, the iPhone does not support receiving.vcf files via Bluetooth from Android: πŸ”Ή iCloud: Export contacts to.vcf on Redmi, then import them via iCloud.com. πŸ”Ή Google Contacts: Sync your contacts with Google on Redmi, then add that account to your iPhone.
❓ Why do photos of contacts disappear when transmitting via Bluetooth?
This is a limitation of the Bluetooth protocol in MIUI: It only transmits text data (name, number), not media files: πŸ”Ή Use Mi Mover or Shareit. πŸ”Ή Export contacts to.vcf via Google Contacts (there are photos saved).
❓ How to transfer contacts from SIM card to Xiaomi Redmi?
Open Contacts. β†’ Settings (βš™) β†’ Contact management β†’ Imports/Exports β†’ Import with SIM-Choose where to save contacts (on your phone or account) Google/Mi). ⚠️ Note: Only the name and number are stored on the SIM card (without additional fields such as email or address).
❓ Can I transfer contacts to Xiaomi Redmi via Bluetooth?
Yes, but with limitations: Export contacts to a.vcf file (see section 3). Send the file to your PC via Bluetooth (select your Redmi and accept the file from Windows Devices and Printers menu). Macs may require additional software such as Android File Transfer.
❓ Why are the contacts duplicated after the transfer?
This happens if: πŸ”Ή Contacts have already been synced with Google or Mi Account. πŸ”Ή You imported the same.vcf file several times. To delete duplicates: Open Contacts β†’ Settings (βš™) β†’ Combining and correcting β†’ Remove duplicates. or use the Contacts Optimizer app from Google Play.