How to transfer contacts from one Xiaomi phone to another: all ways

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always an exciting moment, especially when it comes to saving important data. Contacts accumulated over the years cannot be lost: business correspondence, personal connections and even archival numbers that may be needed at the most unexpected moment. Fortunately, the MIUI ecosystem offers several reliable ways to transfer contacts between devices, from classic synchronization through Google Account to Xiaomi branded solutions such as Mi Cloud or the built-in feature Cloning apps.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven methods that work on all current models, from the budget Redmi Note 12 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra. You’ll learn how to move contacts without loss, even if you don’t have access to the Internet or one of the phones is dead. And we’ll reveal the hidden MIUI feature, which allows you to transfer contacts directly over Wi-Fi without using cloud services, which is relevant for users concerned about privacy.

1. Sync through Google Account (universal method)

The most reliable and cross-platform method is to use Google Contacts, which is not only suitable for Xiaomi phones, but also for any Android device, as well as iPhone (via iCloud), the main advantage is that contacts are automatically updated on all associated devices, and you do not have to repeat the transfer the next time you upgrade your smartphone.

To move your contacts through Google, follow the following steps:

• 📱 On your old phone: Open the settings → Google accounts → Sync your account and make sure the switch opposite Contact is active. If sync is disabled, turn it on and wait for the process to complete (may take a few minutes with a lot of contacts).
• 🔄 On the new phone: Sign in to the same Google Account in Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Add an account. After you log in, enable contact sync.
• ⏳ Waiting: Contacts will start appearing on the new device within 5-15 minutes, and you can speed up the process by opening the Contacts app and pulling the screen down for an update.

⚠️ Note: If the old phone only has the contacts saved SIM-In your card or device memory (not Google), you need to export them first. → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Export to.vcf, then import this file to Google Contacts via the web version of contacts.google.com.

2.Move over Mi Cloud (branded Xiaomi cloud)

Mi Cloud is Xiaomi’s own cloud storage that automatically backs up contacts, messages, photos and even notes, and the advantage of this method is that it’s MIUI optimized and often runs faster than Google, especially on budget models with limited memory.

Instructions for transfer:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud and enable Contact Sync. Make sure the device is connected to Wi-Fi – this will speed up the data loading.
2. Sign in to the new phone under the same Mi Account (if not, register in Settings → Mi Account).
3. Enable contact sync in Mi Cloud on the new device, and the data will start to load automatically.

If contacts don’t appear on the new phone, check:

• 🔌 Internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data).
• 🔄 Free space in Mi Cloud (when the limit is exceeded, synchronization is blocked).
• 📱 Update MIUI Up to the latest version (older versions may have cloud bugs).

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Before transferring via Mi Cloud, clear duplicate contacts: Open Contacts → ⋮ → Contact management → Combine and fix. This will save space in the cloud and speed up synchronization.

3. Contacts over Bluetooth (without the Internet)

If you don't have Wi-Fi or mobile internet, Bluetooth is a lifeline, a method that can carry a small number of contacts (up to 1,000) and doesn't require you to sign up for a cloud service, but keep in mind that it can take a long time if you have a lot of contacts.

Step-by-step:

Turn on Bluetooth on both phones

Hide the devices (introduce the same one) PIN-code)

Open the Contacts app on your old phone

Select contacts for transfer-->

1. On the old phone, open Contacts, press ⋮ → Imports/Exports → Send.
2. Select contacts (you can mark everything) and click Ready → Bluetooth.
3. Select a new Xiaomi phone from the list of connected devices.
4. On the new phone, confirm the file acceptance (usually a file with the.vcf extension).
5. After downloading, open the file – the contacts will be automatically added to the phone book.

⚠️ Note: Contact photos and additional fields (such as addresses or birthdays) are lost when transmitted over Bluetooth. If this information is important, use cloud services or export to.vcf via the Internet. USB-cable.

4. Copying of contacts on SIM-map (for older models)

The method is “from the last century”, but still relevant for owners of Xiaomi with limited features (for example, Redmi 7A or Poco C3). SIM-card can store up to 250-500 contacts (depending on the operator), but only names and phone numbers are stored – all other information (email, addresses, photos) will be lost.

How to transfer contacts via SIM:

• 📇 On your old phone, open your contacts. → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Exports to SIM-map.
• 🔄 Select contacts for export (or click Select All) and confirm the action.
• 📱 Move it. SIM-map to the new Xiaomi phone.
• 📥 On the new device, go to Contacts → ⋮ → Contact management → Import with SIM-map.

This method is convenient in two cases:

1. You do not have access to the Internet or cloud services.
2. You transfer contacts to a device without Google Play (for example, the Chinese version of Xiaomi without Google services).

5. Direct transmission via Application Cloning (hidden MIUI function)

A little-known, but the fastest way for Xiaomi phones is to use the built-in App Cloner feature, which allows you to transfer not only contacts, but also messages, photos, apps and even system settings over a direct Wi-Fi connection, the main condition: both phones must work on MIUI 12 or later.

Instructions:

• 🔗 On both phones, turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
• 📱 On your old phone, open Settings. → The phone. → Application cloning (on some models the path: Settings) → Additionally. → Cloning of data).
• 🔄 Choose I am the source (on the old phone) and I am the receiver (on the new phone).
• 📲 Scan it. QR-code from a new phone on an old one (or confirm pairing over Bluetooth).
• ✅ Select Contacts in the Data List to Transfer and wait for the process to be completed.

Advantages of this method:

• ⚡ Speed: Transmission takes 1-3 minutes (even 3000 minutes)+ contact).
• 🔒 Security: Data is transmitted over a local network without being uploaded to the cloud.
• 📎 Completeness: All contact fields, including photos and notes, are preserved.

⚠️ Warning: If a new phone already has contacts, they will not be replaced, but will be merged with new ones, which can create duplicates. To avoid chaos, export existing contacts to a.vcf file before transferring and clear the phone book.

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The app cloning function only works between Xiaomi phones on MIUI. To transfer to other brands (Samsung, iPhone) use Google Account or Bluetooth.

6. Computer Transfer (for advanced users)

If you prefer manual control or want to back up contacts on a PC, this method is for you. USB-cable and a few minutes of time. The method is versatile and suitable for any Android device, including Xiaomi.

Algorithm of action:

1. Connect your old phone to your computer via USB and select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Open the phone folder on your PC and find the contact file (usually it is in Internal Storage → Contacts or created when exported manually).
3. Copy the.vcf file to your computer.
4. Connect a new Xiaomi phone and move the file to its memory.
5. Open the.vcf file on your new phone – contacts are automatically imported.

Alternative option for Windows users:

• 🖥️ Install Coolmuster Android Assistant or Mobikin Assistant.
• 📲 Connect both phones to your PC and follow the instructions of the contact transfer program.

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If the.vcf file doesn't open on the new phone, rename it to contacts.vcf and place it in the root folder of internal memory. → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Import from the device.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even when following instructions, users encounter problems, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to fix them:

If none of these methods worked, try:

• 🔄 Reset network settings on both phones (Settings) → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings).
• 📲 Update the Contacts app via Google Play.
• 🔧 Clear the cache of the Contacts application (Settings) → Annexes → Application management → Contacts → Clear the cache).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions