How to Move Contacts from Samsung to Xiaomi: A Complete Guide to Pictures and Tips

Why moving contacts between Android smartphones can be a problem

The transition from Samsung to Xiaomi is not just a brand change, but a transition between two different ecosystems with unique branded shells: One UI and MIUI. Even though both smartphones run on Android, the data synchronization between them does not always go smoothly. The main difficulty lies in the fact that manufacturers use different approaches to maintaining contacts: Samsung actively promotes its Samsung Account, and Xiaomi relies on Mi Account and close integration with Google services.

In our experience, about 30 percent of users experience problems migrating contacts precisely because they don't take these nuances into account, for example, if you previously synced contacts only with a Samsung account, then the new Xiaomi just won't show them - they need to be exported to a universal format first. Another common mistake is trying to migrate contacts over Bluetooth without pre-preparedness, which leads to loss of profile photos or incorrect display of names.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to transfer contacts, taking into account the features of MIUI 14/15 and One UI 5.1/6.0, including hidden nuances that are not written in the official instructions, you will learn how to avoid duplication of records, why some contacts may not be transferred, and what to do if phone numbers are lost after switching to Xiaomi.

Method 1: Sync through Google Account (the most reliable method)

This method works on 100% of Samsung and Xiaomi devices, because it uses built-in Android tools. The main advantage is that contacts automatically update on both devices if you make changes later. However, there is an important caveat: if you never set up sync with Google on an old phone, contacts can only be stored in the device's memory or in your Samsung account.

To check if your contacts are synced with Google, open the Contacts app on Samsung, tap three dots in the top right corner, and select Contact Management → Settings → Import / Export → Export to.vcf. If the contact list is empty, then they are not tied to Google.

• 📱 Step 1. On Samsung, go to Settings → Accounts and archiving → Manage your accounts and select your Google Account.
• 🔄 Step 2. Activate the slider opposite Contact and wait until the synchronization is complete (may take up to 10 minutes with a large number of records).
• 📲 Step 3: On Xiaomi, when you first enable, sign in to the same Google Account or add it to Settings → Accounts. → Add an account.
• ✅ Step 4: Open the Contacts app on Xiaomi and check if the recordings are up. If not, restart your phone.

⚠️ Note: If you have both Google and Samsung Account sync enabled on Samsung, duplicates may occur during the transfer. To avoid this, disable Samsung Account in the settings before syncing.

Make sure Xiaomi has enough memory for contacts | Check the stability of the Internet connection (better use Wi-Fi) | Turn off sync with Samsung Account if it was active | Backup contacts in case of a crash-->

Method 2: Transfer through SIM-Card (if there is no access to the Internet)

This is a method that is suitable for those who do not want to use cloud services or are in an area without the Internet: SIM-The card only stores names and phone numbers (without photos, email addresses, or additional fields) and modern nano-SIMs have a limit on the number of records, usually no more than 250 contacts.

If you have a Samsung Galaxy S23 or, more recently, the export function of SIM It may be hidden. To find it, open Contact. → Three points. → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Exports to SIM-Some models may have different paths: Settings → Contacts → Additionally. → Contact management.

⚠️ Note: If you are using eSIM (virtual) SIM-This method will not work. Then choose one of the other ways from this article.

Method 3: Bluetooth Transfer (Fast but with limitations)

Bluetooth is a universal protocol that all smartphones support, including the old Samsung Galaxy J and Redmi models. However, when transferring contacts over Bluetooth, there is a risk of data loss: some Xiaomi models (especially on MIUI 12 and below) do not correctly process.vcf files if they have Cyrillic characters or special signs (for example, hyphens in phone numbers).

To minimize the risks, follow the following steps before transferring:

1. On Samsung, open your contacts. → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Export to.vcf file.
2. Select internal memory and save the file (for example, contacts_backup.vcf).
3. Open Files, find the saved file and send it via Bluetooth.
4. On Xiaomi, accept the file, then open it and confirm the import of contacts.

If contacts are not automatically imported, open the Contacts app. → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Import from a.vcf file and select the file you receive.

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If you are duplicating contacts when transferring via Bluetooth, open the.vcf file on your computer (for example, via Excel) before importing to Xiaomi and delete the duplicate entries.

Method 4: Using the Mi Mover app (official solution from Xiaomi)

Mi Mover is a proprietary application from Xiaomi that is designed to transfer data from other smartphones (including Samsung, iPhone and even Huawei), it works on the point-to-point principle over Wi-Fi Direct, which provides high transfer speeds.

• 🚫 The app does not support transferring contacts with Samsung on Xiaomi models older than 2019 (for example, Redmi Note 7 or Mi 9).
• 🔌 On some Samsung devices (especially with One) UI 4.0 and below: Mi Mover may not detect phone due to protocol conflict.

If your devices are compatible, follow the instructions:

1. Download Mi Mover on both phones from Google Play (on Xiaomi it can be preinstalled).
2. On Xiaomi, choose I am a new user, and on Samsung, I am an old user.
3. Scan it. QR-code from the Xiaomi screen on Samsung or connect via Wi-Fi Direct.
4. In the data list for transfer, mark only Contacts (so as not to clog up memory with unnecessary files).
5. Wait until the process is complete (it can take up to 15 minutes with a large amount of data).

Method 5: Backup via Smart Switch (for Samsung users)

Samsung Smart Switch is the official app for backing up and transferring data from Samsung devices. While it is primarily designed to migrate to new Galaxy models, it can also be used to export contacts to a universal format. The main advantage of this method is to save all contact information, including photos, notes and additional fields.

Export instructions:

1. Install Smart Switch on Samsung (if it is not by default).
2. Connect your phone to your computer through USB-cable and run the Smart Switch program on PC.
3. Choose Backup and only tick Contacts (uncheck other data to save time).
4. Once you have completed the backup, find the file on your computer (usually in the Samsung Smart Switch folder) and send it to Xiaomi via Google Drive, Bluetooth, or USB.
5. On Xiaomi, import contacts from the.spb file (this may require conversion to.vcf via online services).

⚠️ Note: Smart Switch backup files have.spb format, which is not supported on Xiaomi by default. To open them, use the Total Contact Converter service to convert to.vcf.

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Smart Switch is the only way to transfer contacts from Samsung to Xiaomi, along with profile photos and a full call history.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even if you follow instructions correctly, users often encounter common errors, and we've collected some of the most common ones and ways to fix them:

• 🔍 Problem: Contacts have been moved, but no names (numbers only). Solution: This is due to the encoding of the.vcf file. Before importing, open the file in a text editor (for example, Notepad).++) And save it in encoding. UTF-8.
• 📵 Problem: Xiaomi doesn't display contacts from Google after sync.Solution: Go to Settings → Accounts. → Google → Sync your account and manually enable contact sync. If it doesn't work, delete your account and add it again.
• 🔄 Problem: Duplicate contacts after transfer.Solution: In the Contacts app on Xiaomi, select ⋮ → Contact management → If the feature is not available, use the Contacts Optimizer app from Google Play.

If none of these methods worked, try resetting your network settings to Xiaomi (in Settings). → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Network resets. Sometimes synchronization problems are due to incorrect settings. APN or conflict of network protocols.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions