Transfer contacts from Android to Android via Bluetooth: instructions for Xiaomi Redmi

Transferring contacts between Xiaomi Redmi smartphones via Bluetooth seems like a simple task, but in practice users face sync errors, connection breaks or no option in the menu. In this article, we will discuss all the working ways of transferring contacts over a wireless channel, including hidden MIUI settings, circumvention of restrictions and alternative methods for cases when Bluetooth refuses to cooperate.

Many people mistakenly believe that it is enough to turn on Bluetooth on both devices and click "Send." In fact, the process depends on the version of MIUI, the smartphone model and even regional settings. For example, on the Redmi Note 10 Pro with MIUI 13, the option is hidden in the depth of the menu, but on the POCO X3 it does not exist at all - instead it works automatic synchronization through Mi Account. We tested all options and put together a universal instruction that will work even on budget models like the Redmi 9A.

If you need to migrate not only contacts, but also messages or photos, read our FAQ at the end of this article — there are solutions for full data migration.

1. Preparation of smartphones for the transfer of contacts

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

• 📱 Version. MIUI: Both smartphones should be installed. MIUI 12 or later, on older versions (e.g, MIUI 11) the option of transmitting contacts via Bluetooth may not be available.
• 🔋 Battery charge: Charge level on both devices is at least 30%. At low charge, Xiaomi automatically restricts background processes, which can interrupt transmission.
• 📶 Free space: The receiving device must have at least 50MB of free memory (even for 1000 contacts).
• 🔄 Sync Disabled: Check that contacts are not synced with Google Account or Mi Account – this may block manual transmission.

Pay special attention to the visibility of the devices. By default, Xiaomi hides the smartphone from other devices 2 minutes after turning on Bluetooth.

1. Open Settings → Bluetooth.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Bluetooth Settings.
3. Activate the option Always visible to all devices.

⚠️ Note: If one of the smartphones is enabled mode Save traffic (in Settings) → Battery, contact transfers may freeze during the connection phase.

2. Step-by-step instruction: Transfer of contacts via Bluetooth

Follow this guide if both smartphones are working on MIUI 12-14 They're all about sharing contacts. 5 minute.

Turn Bluetooth on both devices |

Turn off "Do Not Disturb" mode |

Make sure contacts are stored in your phone’s memory (not in SIM)|

Close all background applications (especially messengers)-->

Step 1: Device pairing

1. On the sending smartphone (Redmi, from which we copy contacts) open Contacts → click on three dots in the upper right corner → Import / Export → Send contacts.
2. Select Bluetooth in the list of available methods.
3. On the receiving smartphone, confirm the pairing request (the code must match on both screens).

Step 2: Contact selection

The system will suggest you select the contacts to transmit.

• 📇 Selective transmission: Check the necessary contacts (convenient if you need to transfer only work numbers).
• 📊 Transfer all contacts: Click Allocate from the top menu. Please note that if there are more than 500 contacts, the system will break them into 200 pieces.

Step 3: Confirmation and acceptance

The receiving smartphone will display a notification of the incoming contact file (usually in.vcf format). Click Accept and wait for the import to be completed. In MIUI 14, the contacts will automatically be saved to the phone book, and in MIUI 12, manual confirmation may be required.

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If the transmission is 99 percent dead, don't interrupt the process, wait for a timeout (3-5 minutes), and most often, the contacts will still be saved, just without final notification.

3.What to do if the option "Send contacts" is not available

On some Xiaomi Redmi models (e.g. Redmi A1 or POCO M4 Pro), the Bluetooth contact function can be hidden or removed. Here are 3 alternative ways to:

Method 1: Export to.vcf and transfer via Bluetooth

1. Open Contacts → Import / Export → Export to file.
2. Select a location (e.g., internal memory) and confirm the export.
3. Now send the resulting contact.vcf file via Bluetooth as a regular document.
4. On the receiving smartphone, open the file - the system will suggest importing contacts.

Method 2: Using Mi Mover (for new models)

The Mi Mover app is pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 10+ and is designed to migrate data, and it works even if Bluetooth transmission is blocked:

1. Open Mi Mover on both devices.
2. Select I sender on an old smartphone and I receive on a new one.
3. Connect via Wi-Fi Direct (not Bluetooth!) and select Contacts in the data list to transfer.

Method 3: Synchronization with Mi Account

If both smartphones are linked to the same Mi Account, the contacts are synced automatically:

1. On the sending smartphone: Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Contact Synchronization (enable).
2. On the receiving smartphone, log in to the same account and wait for synchronization (it can take up to 10 minutes).

⚠️ Note: When synchronized via Mi Account, old contacts on the receiving smartphone can be replaced by new ones. → Memory. → Backup.

4. Common mistakes and their solutions

Even if you follow the instructions correctly, users face problems, and we have collected TOP-5 errors and ways to fix them:

A critical feature for Xiaomi Redmi: if the smartphone has global firmware (e.g. MIUI Global) installed rather than Chinese, the Bluetooth contact feature may be limited by Google policies.

5 How to transfer contacts from iPhone to Xiaomi Redmi via Bluetooth

Although this article is about transferring between Android devices, many users ask how to transfer contacts from the iPhone to Xiaomi Redmi. Unfortunately, direct transfer via Bluetooth between iOS and Android is not possible due to Apple's limitations.

Method 1: Using iCloud and.vcf file

1. On iPhone, open Settings → [Your name] → iCloud and enable Contact Sync.
2. Go to iCloud.com, log in to your account and export your contacts to.vcf.
3. Send this file to Xiaomi via email, Telegram or Bluetooth (if you pre-convert to another format).

Method 2: Appendix "Move to Android"

Google’s official app allows you to transfer contacts, photos and other data from your iPhone to Android:

1. Install the app Move to Android from the App Store to iPhone.
2. On Xiaomi Redmi, when you first turn on, select Copy Data from your iPhone (or reset if the phone is already configured).
3. Follow the instructions on the screen – the data will be transferred via Wi-Fi Direct.

⚠️ Note: When transferring contacts from iPhone to Xiaomi, notas (contact notes) and categories (e.g., "Work", "Home") may be lost!

6 Security: How to protect contacts during transmission

Bluetooth is not the most secure method, especially if you're in a public place. Here are 4 safety rules:

• 🔒 Turn off Bluetooth after transmission. MIUI There is a vulnerability that allows you to connect to a device without confirmation if Bluetooth was turned on for more than 10 minutes.
• 📴 Use "Flight Mode" when transferring to cafes, airports or other places with a large number of devices.
• 🔑 Encrypt the.vcf file. Archive it with a password before sending it (for example, through ES Conductor or ZArchiver).
• 🧹 Clear Bluetooth history. After transfer, delete the associated device from the list in Settings → Bluetooth.

Additional protection: If you are transferring contacts from your work phone, remove confidential information (such as password notes or addresses) from them first. MIUI It can be done in large numbers:

1. Open Contacts → Click on three points → Contact Management.
2. Choose Edit fields and delete unnecessary data (such as Notes or Address).

7. Alternative methods of contact transmission

If Bluetooth is not working, consider these 5 ways:

• 📧 Email: Send the.vcf file to your email and open it on your second smartphone.
• ☁️ Cloud Services: Upload contacts to Google Contacts, Yandex Drive or Mi Cloud and sync on the second device.
• 📱 NFC: Some models (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Pro)+) Supported contact transmission via touching the back panels (must include) NFC Android Beam).
• 💻 Computer: Connect both smartphones to a PC, copy the.vcf file from one to the other through the Explorer.
• 🔗 QR-Code: Applications like Contact Transfer allow you to generate QR-code with contacts and scan it with a second smartphone.

The most reliable method for large amounts of data is to use a Google Account:

1. On the sending smartphone: Settings → Accounts → Google → Contact Sync (enable).
2. On the receiving smartphone, log in to the same Google account and wait for sync.

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If you need to move not only contacts, but also SMS, photos or apps, use Mi Mover or third-party utilities like Huawei’s Clone Phone, which are faster than Bluetooth and support Wi-Fi transmission.

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring contacts to Xiaomi