How to Transfer All Contacts from One Xiaomi Phone to Another: The Complete Guide

Moving to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always an exciting event, but moving contacts can become a real headache if you do not know the proven ways. Many users lose important numbers, encounter duplicates or can not synchronize data between devices at all. This article will help avoid typical mistakes and choose the best method depending on your situation.

We’ll look at 5 working ways to transfer contacts – from standard tools MIUI We'll focus on the synchronization nuances of Mi Account that even experienced users often miss. And for those who prefer offline methods, we'll take a look at the transfer of data through the cloud. SIM-Map and Bluetooth with detailed screenshots of the processes.

Important: If you use smartphones from different brands (e.g. Xiaomi and Samsung), some of the methods in this article may not work – in this case, look at universal cloud services in the last section.

1. Transfer contacts via Mi Account (the most reliable way)

Syncing through a Xiaomi account is not only the fastest, but also the most reliable way to transfer contacts, all data is stored in the cloud and automatically uploaded to a new phone when you first sign in, the main advantage is that you are not dependent on physical media and can restore contacts even after resetting.

To use this method, it is necessary:

• 📱 Make sure your old phone has Mi Account contacts synchronized
• 🔄 On the new phone, log into the same Xiaomi account when you first turn on
• ☁️ Wait for the synchronization to be completed (usually takes a long time) 1-2 minute)

If synchronization is not started automatically, check the settings:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Mi Account
2. Make sure the switch opposite the Contact is active.
3. Click Sync manually if the data is not updated

Both phones have a single Xiaomi account.

On the old phone, contact synchronization is enabled

New phone connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile data)

MIUI version on both devices is not lower than 12 (for stable operation)

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The critical detail is that if you delete contacts from your old phone before syncing with your new phone, they will disappear from the Mi Account cloud. Always move data first, then clean the old device.

2. Export/import contacts via VCF file (for advanced users)

The.vcf (vCard) format is the universal standard for storing contacts that all modern smartphones support, a technique that is suitable if you want to back up or transfer contacts to a device of another brand, a process that consists of two stages: exporting data from the old phone and importing it to the new one.

Export instructions:

1. Open the Contacts app on the old Xiaomi
2. Click on three dots in the upper right corner → Contact management
3. Select Import/Export Contacts → Export to File
4. Specify the location of the storage (recommended internal memory or SD-map)
5. Confirm export – a contact.vcf file will be created

For import on a new phone:

• 📁 Transfer the contacts.vcf file to your new smartphone (via Bluetooth, USB-cable)
• 📱 Open the Contacts app → Contact management → File-based import
• 🔍 Select the transferred file and confirm the import

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If you have a file corrupted error when you import, try opening it on your computer through Excel or specialized programs like Thunderbird to help you identify broken records.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Works between any smartphone (including iPhone and Android of other brands)
• ✅ You can edit the file before importing (remove unnecessary contacts)
• ✅ No Internet connection required after file transfer

3. Transfer of contacts through SIM-map (for older models)

If your Xiaomi is in a budget lineup (e.g. Redmi) 9A POCO C31) Or you prefer offline methods, transfer through SIM-The map can be an easy solution, but there are limitations to this: SIM-Cards store a limited number of contacts (usually up to 250) and do not support profile photos or additional fields.

Step-by-step:

1. On your old phone: Open your contacts → Contact management → Import/Export Select Exports to Export SIM-Card Mark the contacts you need (or click Allow) Confirm export – the process may take 1-2 minute

new phone

new phone

• Go to Contacts → Contact Management → Import from SIM-card
• Choose where to import (usually a Device or Google Account)
• Wait for the process to be completed

Important nuances:

• 📵 Not all contact fields are carried over (e.g. email addresses or birthdays)
• 🔄 Duplicates may be created when importing if contacts already exist on the phone.
• 📶 SIM-eSIM cards do not support the storage of contacts

4. Synchronization through Google account (universal method)

If you use Google services on your Xiaomi, syncing through a Google account can be a great alternative to Mi Account, a method that is especially useful if you are planning to switch to a smartphone of another brand in the future or are already using Gmail to store contacts.

How to set up synchronization:

1. On old phone: Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google → [your account] → Contact Sync (enable) Wait for sync to complete (check in Contacts → Settings → Accounts)
2. On New Phone: Settings → Accounts and Sync → Add Account → Google Log in to the same account and enable Contact Sync

Advantages of this method:

MI Account

Google account

Both options

I do not use cloud synchronization.

Other services (iCloud, Yahoo, etc.)

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⚠️ Note: If you are syncing through Mi Account and Google at the same time, there may be duplicate contact conflicts, and we recommend choosing one primary method and disabling the second one to avoid chaos in the phone book.

5. Transfer contacts via Bluetooth (without the Internet)

Bluetooth is a good way to handle emergencies where there is no internet or cable available, but both phones are available, and this is not the fastest way (500 contacts can take 10-15 minutes to transfer), but does not require additional accounts or files.

Step instructions:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on both phones: Settings → Connections and Sharing → Bluetooth
2. Pair devices (click Device Search on your new phone and confirm the connection on your old one)
3. On old phone: Open Contacts → Select More (three dots) → Send Specify Bluetooth Transfer Method Select the contacts you want (or all) and click Send Confirm Transfer on the new phone in the notification

Limitations of the method:

• 🐢 Slow transmission speed (especially with a large number of contacts)
• 📵 Can be interrupted by weak Bluetooth signal
• 🔄 Not all contact fields are transmitted correctly (e.g. photos)

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If the transfer is frozen, try to break the connection and repeat the process with fewer contacts at a time (e.g., 50-100 entries).

6. Use of third-party applications (alternative solutions)

If standard methods do not work (for example, when transferring between Xiaomi and iPhone), you can use specialized applications.

• 📱 Mi Mover (official app from Xiaomi): Designed to fully transfer data between Xiaomi devices, including contacts, messages and photos. Works over Wi-Fi Direct without an Internet connection: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.xiaomi.mimover
• ☁️ CLONEit (Universal Solution): Supports cross-brand transfer (including iOS) and can transfer contacts, calendars, notes and even app settings.
• 🔄 Copy My Data (for cross-platform transfer): Ideal for switching from Android to iPhone or back. Uses Wi-Fi for direct data transfer.

Warnings when using third-party applications:

⚠️ Note: Apps like SHAREit or Xender, despite their popularity, often contain aggressive advertising and may request excessive permissions. Check reviews from the past 3 months before installing – many of these services have become less reliable due to frequent privacy policy updates.

How to choose the best app:

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even when following instructions, users often encounter problems when transferring contacts, and consider typical situations and ways to solve them:

• 🔄 Contacts are duplicated: Reason: Simultaneous sync via Mi Account and Google Solution: disable sync in one of the accounts and manually combine duplicates through Contacts → Contact management → Unite.
• 📵 Not all contacts were transferred: Reason: format limitations (e.g. when exporting to the United States) SIM-Solution: use it. VCF-file or cloud synchronization for full transfer.
• ❌ Import error VCF-File: Cause: file corruption or encoding incompatibility Solution: Open the file on your PC via Excel or Notepad++, Make sure it is not broken and keep it in format. UTF-8.
• 🔌 Bluetooth connection cuts off: Reason: weak signal or Conflict with other connections Solution: disable other Bluetooth devices, reduce the distance between phones and try again.

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Before perenosom contacts, always back up your old phone, and even if the process is successful, backup will save you stress in case of a crash.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions