How to transfer contacts from Xiaomi to iPhone: all methods with detailed instructions

Why is it so difficult to transfer contacts from Xiaomi to iPhone?

The transition from Xiaomi (or Redmi/POCO) to iPhone is not just a change of gadget, but a transition between two different ecosystems: Android and iOS. The main problem is that these systems use different formats of contact storage:.vcf (business cards) for Android and the proprietary iCloud format for Apple. Without proper preparation, you risk losing not only phone numbers, but also contact-bound photos, notes or birthdays.

The second nuance is that Xiaomi defaults to sync contacts with Mi Account, not Google, which makes them difficult to export. Many users face a situation when after switching to the iPhone, only a part of contacts are displayed in the phone book or they are duplicated. In this article, we will discuss 4 working methods of portability, including nuances for different Xiaomi models (from Redmi Note 10 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra) and iOS versions (including iOS 17).

Important: If you are using a double SIM-map to Xiaomi, before transfer check which SIM Contacts are tied – this affects the choice of export method.

Method 1: Transferring contacts through Google Account (most reliable)

This method is suitable if your contacts on Xiaomi are already synced with Google Account. If not, first sync.

Instructions:

• 📱 On Xiaomi, open Settings → Google accounts → Sync your account and turn on the switch opposite Contacts.
• ⚙️ Wait for the synchronization to be completed (check in Contacts) → Settings → Import/Export: The number of contacts is the same as Google).
• 🍎 On iPhone go to Settings → Contacts → Accounts. → Add an account → Google.
• 🔄 Enter your Google Account and enable contact sync, and in 5-10 minutes it will appear in your phone book.

If the contacts are not displayed:

1. Check that in Settings → Contacts → The default iPhone account is Google’s chosen, not iCloud’s.
2. Update the Contacts app in the App Store.
3. Reboot your iPhone (sometimes helps when syncing freezes).

Contact sync enabled on Xiaomi|The number of contacts on Google and on the phone is the same|There is plenty of room for new contacts on iPhone|Google Account password saved (required when added to iPhone)-->

⚠️ Note: If you used Mi Account to store contacts, export them to Google first. → Settings → Imports/Exports → Export to a.vcf file and then import that file to Google Contacts via the web version.

Method 2: Use the Move to iOS app (the official method from Apple)

The Move to iOS app is designed by Apple specifically to transfer data from Android to iPhone, and it only works during the initial setup of the iPhone (if the device is already configured, you will have to reset it to factory settings).

Step-by-step:

1. On Xiaomi, download Move to iOS from Google Play.
2. On iPhone, when setting up, select Data Transfer from Android.
3. On Xiaomi, open the app, accept the terms and enter a 6-digit code that will appear on the iPhone.
4. Select Contacts (you can also transfer messages, photos and accounts).
5. Wait until the process is complete (it can take up to 30 minutes depending on the amount of data).

Features of the method:

• ✅ Not only numbers are transferred, but also the history of calls (if selected).
• ❌ It doesn’t work if your iPhone is already configured (reset required).
• ⚠️ Xiaomi should have at least 50% charge – the discharge process will be interrupted.

💡

If Move to iOS is stuck in the “Data Preparation” phase, try turning off Wi-Fi on Xiaomi and turn on mobile Internet.

Method 3: Transfer through SIM-Card (for a small number of contacts)

This method is suitable if you have few contacts (up to 250) and no access to the Internet. Cons: photos, email and additional fields are not portable, only names and numbers.

How to move:

1. On Xiaomi, open Contacts → Settings → Import / Export → Export to SIM-card.
2. Select contacts for export (or click Allocate).
3. Wait for the copy to be completed (SIM-The card must be inserted into the slot SIM1).
4. Move it. SIM-iPhone-card.
5. On iPhone go to Settings → Contacts → Imports SIM-contact.

Limitations:

• 📵 One on one. SIM-The card contains a limited number of contacts (depending on operator, usually 200-250).
• 📇 Names longer than 14 characters can be cut off.
• 🔢 Numbers are kept in an international format (e.g, +79XXXXXXXXX), Which could cause problems with the number number identification.

⚠️ Note: If you use eSIM on your iPhone, this method will not work – physical SIM-You need a card, and you need to check that SIM-map formatted in standard GSM (not CDMA).

Method 4: Export contacts to.vcf and import to iCloud

This is a universal tool that works even if you don’t have access to a Google Account, and is suitable for transferring full contact information, including notes and additional fields.

Steps:

1. On Xiaomi, export contacts to: Contacts → Settings → Import / Export → Export to.vcf file The file will be saved in internal memory (usually in the Download or MIUI folder).
2. Send.vcf file to iPhone in any convenient way: 📧 By email (to yourself by mail). ☁️ Google Drive (Yandex.Disk). 🔗 By AirDrop (if you have a Mac or other Apple device).

.vcf

Add all contacts

1. Go to iCloud.com from your computer.
2. Select Contacts → Settings (⚙️) → Import vCard.
3. Download the.vcf file and wait for synchronization.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔄 The complete structure of contacts (including groups and tags) is maintained).
• 📲 No iPhone reset or additional apps required.
• 🛡️ The.vcf file can be saved as a backup.

💡

If you import contacts into iCloud, delete all existing contacts in iCloud before downloading the.vcf file or combine duplicates via the web version.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even when following the instructions, users face problems, and consider common mistakes and their solutions:

1.Contacts moved, but no photos

Reason: Contact photos are kept separate from the main data.

• Use Google Contacts (photos are synced with numbers).
• Export contacts via.vcf – photos are saved in this format.
• If the photos are missing after the transfer, try to restore them from the backup of the Mi Cloud (if it was created on Xiaomi).

2.The iPhone does not display all contacts

Possible causes:

• The contacts were tied to Mi Account, not Google.
• The iPhone has a group filter enabled (check Contacts → Groups).
• Limitation SIM-Cards (if you use this method).

Solution: Check the number of contacts in your original account (Google or Mi) and on your iPhone. If the difference is significant, repeat the transfer in another way.

3. Contacts are duplicated

This happens if:

• You have used several methods of transfer (for example, through Google, and through Google). SIM-map).
• The iPhone already had contacts linked to another account (iCloud or Exchange).

Solution: Combine duplicates manually or use contact cleaning apps like Contacts Cleanup (available on the App Store).

💡

Before transferring contacts, turn off sync from iCloud to iPhone (in Settings → [Your name] → iCloud → Contacts). Once the transfer is complete, turn it back on, which will help avoid duplicates.

Additional tips for different Xiaomi models

Depending on the Xiaomi model and MIUI version, additional steps may be required:

For Xiaomi owners with global firmware (not Chinese), porting is usually easier — they have Google sync enabled by default. If you have a Chinese version of MIUI, first:

1. Install Google Play Services (if not available).
2. Add Google Account to Settings → Accounts.
3. Turn on the contacts synchronization manually.

On the iPhone after the transfer check:

• 🔍 Correctness of display of Cyrillic names (sometimes there are problems with encoding).
• 📞 Telephone number format (should be) +7 for Russia, not 8).
• 👥 Linking contacts to the account (c Settings) → Contacts → Default account).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions