Transferring contacts from one Xiaomi to another via Bluetooth: the complete guide

Transferring contacts from one Xiaomi smartphone to another via Bluetooth seems like a simple task, but in practice users face nuances from the lack of an option in the menu to synchronization errors. Unlike transferring files (photos, music), contacts require a special approach – they can not simply be “submitted” as a media file. In this article, we will analyze the step-by-step algorithm for all modern models of Redmi, POCO and Mi, including bypassing typical problems.

It’s important to understand that Xiaomi restricts direct Bluetooth contact transfers in newer versions of MIUI 12+, offering instead to use Mi Cloud or third-party apps. However, there are legal ways to circumvent this restriction, as we’ll discuss below.

Preparation of telephones for the transfer of contacts

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

• 📱 Version. MIUI: Both phones should be installed. MIUI 10 or newer (check in Settings) → Older versions (e.g., telephone, MIUI 9) may not support modern exchange protocols.
• 🔋 Battery charge: Minimum 30% on both devices – contact transfer can be interrupted when low charge.
• 📶 Free space: The receiving phone must have at least 50MB of free memory (contacts take up little space, but the system backs up the phone).
• 🔒 Permissions: Enable access to Contacts and Storage for Bluetooth (in Settings) → Annexes → Permits).

Pay special attention to visibility settings: the receiving phone must be detectable for other devices. Activate this mode in Settings → Bluetooth → Visibility or through the Quick Settings Panel. On some models (for example, Redmi Note 11), visibility automatically turns off after 2 minutes - watch the timer.

Step-by-step: Transfer of contacts via Bluetooth

If both phones are running MIUI 10-12, use the built-in Bluetooth contact export feature. Importantly, this method doesn't work on MIUI 13+ - for newer versions, move to the alternatives section.

Open Contacts on the original phone | Turn on Bluetooth on both devices | Make the receiving phone detectable | Check the free space

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1. On the original phone (from which we copy contacts), open the Contacts application.
2. Press three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Contact Management → Imports/Exports → Send via Bluetooth.
3. Select the contacts you need (or click Select All) and confirm the action.
4. On the receiving phone, select the name of the original phone in the list of available Bluetooth devices and confirm the reception of the.vcf file (virtual business card).
5. After downloading, open the.vcf file and click Import – the contacts will be added to the phone book.

On models with MIUI 13+, the Send via Bluetooth option may not be available in the Contacts menu, in which case use the vCard export method (described below).

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If contacts don’t show up after importing, restart your phone – sometimes you need to restart the Contacts app to update your database.

Solving Typical Transmission Errors

Even with the right settings, users face problems, and here's a table of the most common errors and how to fix them:

⚠️ Warning: If you see a "failed to send contact" error during transmission, check if the power saving mode is on. POCO F3 redmi K40 This mode blocks background data transmission via Bluetooth.

Alternative methods of communication

If the Bluetooth method doesn’t work, use one of the proven alternative methods:

1. Through the vCard file (.vcf)

This method is universal and works on all versions of MIUI:

1. Export contacts to the file: Contacts → Management → Export to storage (save to the Download folder).
2. Send the.vcf file via Bluetooth, Mi Share or messenger (Telegram, WhatsApp).
3. On the receiving phone, open the file and import contacts.

2. synchronization through Google account

Suitable for users who already have contacts linked to Google:

1. On the source phone: Settings → Accounts → Google → Contact Sync (enable if disabled).
2. On the receiving phone, add the same Google account and enable sync.
3. Wait until the synchronization is complete (it can take up to 10 minutes).

3. Data portability applications

Specialized utilities simplify the process:

• 📲 Mi Mover (official application from Xiaomi for transferring data between devices via Wi-Fi Direct).
• 📲 CLONEit – supports the transfer of contacts, messages and multimedia without the Internet.
• 📲 Send Anywhere – generates a new QR-code for fast file transfer.vcf.

Features of transmission on different models Xiaomi

The manufacturer makes changes to MIUI functionality depending on the model and the firmware region, and the key differences are as follows:

On devices with MIUI for Russia (e.g. Redmi 10C) there may be no option to export contacts due to local restrictions, in which case use third-party applications or sync via Mi Cloud (Xiaomi account is required).

⚠️ Attention: POCO F5 New models with HyperOS (replacement) MIUI) The contact algorithm has changed, and for these devices, we recommend using Mi Mover or cloud services.

Security and confidentiality in the transfer

Transferring contacts via Bluetooth or third-party applications carries risks of data leakage.

• 🔒 Turn off automatic sync with Mi Cloud or Google before transfer if you use.vcf files.
• 🗑️ Delete temporary files after import (they may contain duplicate contacts).
• 🚫 Do not use public Wi-Fi to transmit via Mi Mover or similar services.
• 🔍 Check the permissions of data transfer applications (e.g., CLONEit requests access to the data transfer application). SMS and call logs - refuse if you do not need to).

If you're sending contacts over a.vcf file, encrypt it before you send it.

1. Install an archiver (such as RAR or 7-Zip).
2. Add the.vcf file to the password archive.
3. Send the archive via Bluetooth and unpack on the receiving phone.

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Never transfer contacts over open channels (such as unsecured Wi-Fi networks or public cloud folders), use only direct connections (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct) or encrypted messengers.

Frequently asked questions