How to transfer contacts with SIM-Xiaomi phone cards: a detailed guide

Transfer of contacts with SIM-Xiaomi smartphone cards seem like a simple task, but in practice users face nuances from the absence of a menu item to import errors. MIUI 12–14, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 And other devices of the brand, and we'll focus on the hidden settings. MIUI, which the manufacturer does not advertise, but which simplify the process.

The problem is that modern SIM-cards (especially nano-SIM) often have a limit on the number of entries — usually 250-500 contacts. Xiaomi defaults to hide the import point in new versions of the firmware, considering it outdated.

Preparation: What to do before the transfer

Before you start importing, follow the 3 mandatory steps:

• 📱 Check the model. SIM-Old Mini-SIM cards (2FF) and micro-sim (3FF) It supports more contacts than Nano-SIM (4FF). If you have the last one, some of the numbers may not be moved.
• 🔋 Charge your phone at least 30%. The import process can take up to 5-10 minutes with a lot of data.
• 📡 Disconnect mobile Internet. This will prevent conflicts when syncing with Google Contacts or Mi Account.

Also, make sure that the phone has enough free memory. Contacts take up little space, but if there are thousands, the system can slow down. The optimal is to have 1-2 GB of free space.

Method 1: Standard import via MIUI settings

This is the easiest method, but it doesn't work on all versions of MIUI. If you have MIUI 13/14, the menu item may be hidden, you'll have to manually activate it.

1. Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person’s silhouette).
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner and select Settings.
3. Scroll down to Contact Management and click Import/Export Contacts.
4. Select Import with SIM-If this item is not available, proceed to Method 2.
5. Check the necessary contacts (or click Allocate) and confirm the import.

Once completed, check if the contacts appear in the phone book. If some numbers are not moved, the reason may be:

• 🚫 Damaged records on SIM-card (for example, with incorrect symbols in the names).
• 📵 Limitation SIM — certain operators (e.g, Tele2) block out reading contacts.
• 🔄 Cloud conflict – if sync with Google or Mi Account is enabled.

Method 2: Import through the engineering menu (if the item is not in the settings)

Since MIUI 12, Xiaomi has hidden the import point from the SIM to “simplify the interface,” and to return it, you’ll have to use an engineering menu.

⚠️ Warning: Don't change other options in the engineering menu - this could disrupt the phone. We'll only work with secure settings.

1. Open the Phone app and type the combination: ##4636## Some models (POCO F4, Redmi K50) may need to type: ##36446337###
2. In the menu that opens, select Phone Information (or Phone Information).
3. Scroll down to the SIM Management section and tap on it.
4. Press Import from SIM and follow the instructions on the screen.

If after importing the contacts are displayed without names (numbers only), this means that the data on the SIM was stored in an incorrect format.

⚠️ Note: If old contacts from the phone book are missing after import, check the Archive folder in the Contacts app. MIUI Sometimes it automatically archives duplicates.

Method 3: Transfer through Google Account (for backup)

This method is suitable if you want to not only transfer your SIM contacts to Xiaomi, but also back them up in the cloud.

1. Open Settings → Google Accounts.
2. Select your account and enable Contact Sync.
3. Return to Contacts, click on three points → Settings → Import/Export.
4. Select Import with SIM-Maps and then Save to Google.
5. Wait until the process is complete and check that the contacts have appeared in Google Contacts.

The advantage of this method:

• ☁️ Contacts are automatically synced between all your devices.
• 🔄 You can restore them even after resetting the phone to factory settings.
• 📱 Supports additional fields (email, addresses, birthdays) that are not on the SIM.

💡

If the SIM contacts are written in Cyrillic, change the system language to English before importing (Settings → Additional → Language and input).

What to do if contacts are not transferred?

If none of these methods worked, the problem may be the problem. SIM-A card or a phone firmware. Here's the diagnostic manual:

1. Check the SIM on another phone. paste the card into an old device (like the Nokia 105 or Samsung Galaxy J2) and try exporting contacts from there.
2. Update MIUI. Go to Settings → About Phone → System Update and install the latest version.
3. Use third-party software. Install applications from Google Play like SIM Card or Copy to SIM Card.
4. You can talk to the operator. SIM-Cards (e.g. MTS SuperSIM) block access to contacts. Call support on 0890 (for MTS) or 611 (for Beeline).

If the contacts are still not portable, they may have been saved in an incompatible format, such as old Siemens or Ericsson phones that recorded numbers in a VDF format that modern smartphones don't read.

How to transfer contacts with SIM to Xiaomi without loss: expert advice

To avoid common mistakes, follow these guidelines:

• 🔄 Sync in stages. First, import contacts to your phone, then export them to Google or Mi Account. This will create a double backup.
• 📝 Check duplicates. After import, open Contacts. → Settings → Combine duplicates.
• 🛡️ Encrypt backups. If you export contacts to a.vcf file, save it to an encrypted archive (e.g., via an encrypted file). 7-Zip password-wise).
• 📱 Use two slots. SIM. If your Xiaomi has two slots (like the Redmi Note 11 Pro), insert the second one. SIM Slot 2 and repeat the import – sometimes it works.

If you are planning to completely abandon SIM-cards (for example, switch to eSIM), must be:

1. Export contacts to a.vcf file (Settings → Import / Export → Export to the device).
2. Save the file to Google Drive or to your computer.
3. Delete contacts with SIM via the menu SIM-Card (to make room for eSIM).

💡

Never keep your contacts only on the SIM-It can fail, get lost, or be blocked by the operator. Always duplicate data to the cloud or to the device.

FAQ: Frequent questions about moving contacts to Xiaomi