How to quickly and safely transfer contacts from Xiaomi to Samsung: all the ways to 2026

The transition from Xiaomi to Samsung is always an exciting moment, especially when it comes to the safety of important data. Contacts accumulated over the years of using a smartphone can be in danger of losing if they are not approached responsibly. Many users mistakenly believe that it is enough to insert SIM-card to a new device – but this method does not always work, especially if the contacts were stored in the memory of the phone or Mi Account.

In this article, we will discuss 5 current ways to transfer contacts from any Xiaomi device (including Redmi, POCO, Black Shark) to Samsung Galaxy smartphones (S, A, Z, Note, etc.). Each method has its own nuances: somewhere you will need a stable Internet connection, somewhere – additional applications, and in some cases, standard Android features are enough. We will explain in detail how to avoid typical errors, such as duplicate contacts or loss of profile photos, and also give recommendations for choosing the optimal method depending on your situation.

1. Transfer contacts through a Google account (the most reliable way)

Google Account Sync is a one-stop method that works on 99% of Android devices, including all Xiaomi and Samsung models, and its main advantage is automatic backup of contacts to the cloud, which protects data even when your phone is lost or broken, and it does not require additional apps or cables.

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

• 📱 On Xiaomi: Open the Contacts app, click on three dots (menu) → Contact management → Import/Export of contacts → Export to file. Select the.vcf format and save the file to your phone or cloud memory (e.g. Google Drive).
• ☁️ On Xiaomi: Go to Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Google and make sure the Contact option is enabled. wait until sync is complete (may take up to 10 minutes).
• 🔄 On Samsung: Sign in to the same Google Account as on Xiaomi when you first turn on. If the phone is already set up, add the account to Settings → Accounts and archiving → Account management → Add an account.
• 📥 On Samsung: Open the Contacts app, wait for automatic sync. If contacts don't show up, go to Contact Settings → Imports/Exports → Imports from Google.

This method is suitable even for large phone books (10,000+ contacts), but there is a caveat: if on Xiaomi contacts were tied to Mi Account, they must first be exported to a.vcf file or manually transferred to Google.

⚠️ Note: If you used the “Duplicate Contacts” function on Xiaomi, clear them through Contacts before transferring them. → Management → Combine and fix. Otherwise, Samsung may have repetitive records.

2. Transfer of contacts through SIM-Card (for small telephone books)

Transfer of contacts through SIM-A card is one of the oldest but still working methods, perfect if you have fewer than 250 contacts (limiting most of the world’s most vulnerable people). SIM-However, there are serious disadvantages to this method: profile photos, contact notes and additional fields (for example, dates of birth) are not saved).

Instructions for transfer:

1. On Xiaomi, open contacts → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Exports to SIM-Select contacts for export (you can note everything).
2. Wait until the process is completed (may take a while). 1-2 Take it out. SIM-Map from Xiaomi and paste it into Samsung.
3. On Samsung, go to Contacts → Settings (three points) → Contact management → Import with SIM-map.
4. Choose where to save contacts (recommended Device or Google Account).

This method is convenient for emergencies, but not suitable for full-fledged transfer. For example, if you used the Mi Cloud function on Xiaomi to store contacts, they must first be exported to the phone memory and then to the phone memory. SIM-Also note that some operators (for example, MTS or Beeline) may block the recording of contacts on the Internet. SIM-In this case, the error "Can not be exported" will appear".

3.Use of Bluetooth for contact transfer (without internet)

Bluetooth is a compromise where you don’t have Wi-Fi but you have to transfer more than 250 contacts, and works on all devices, including the older Redmi 4A or Samsung Galaxy J2 models, but has a limitation: you can send only one contact or a packet of several (depending on the model) in a single transfer.

Step-by-step:

• 🔵 On both phones, turn on Bluetooth (in the notification panel or in Settings). → Connections → Bluetooth).
• 📱 On Xiaomi, open Contacts, select the contact you want (or multiple, holding your finger on the first) → Press Share. → Bluetooth.
• 🔍 Select your Samsung device list (e.g., Galaxy) S23). On Samsung, confirm the file acceptance.
• 📥 On Samsung, open the.vcf file after you receive it and the system will prompt you to add contact(s) to your phone book.

To speed up the process, you can use the Send Multiple Contacts feature (available on most Xiaomi under MIUI 12+). However, there is an important caveat: some Samsung models (such as the Galaxy A54) may not accept contact packets via Bluetooth, offering to accept them one at a time, in which case the process will take much longer.

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If Bluetooth doesn’t see the second phone, try restarting both devices or temporarily turning off power saving mode. On Xiaomi, this is done in Settings → Battery → Power Saving Mode

4. Transfer contacts using third-party applications (for advanced users)

If standard methods don’t fit (for example, due to large amounts of data or specific fields in contacts), specialized applications can be used.They offer additional features such as cleaning duplicates, backing up to the cloud or transferring call history.

• 📱 My Contacts Backup (free, export to.vcf and send by email)
• ☁️ Super Backup & Restore (Contact Backup, SMS applications)
• 🔄 Copy My Data (Swire-Fi data transfer between devices)
• 📧 Contacts Transfer (transfer) QR-code)

Take a look at Super Backup & Restore:

1. Install the app on Xiaomi from Google Play.
2. Open it and select Contacts → Backup. The file will be saved in the phone's memory.
3. Transfer the file to Samsung (e.g., via Google Drive or USB-OTG cable).
4. Install Super Backup & Restore on Samsung, select Contacts → Restore and specify the path to the file.

The advantage of this method is to save all data, including photos, notes and user fields. However, there are risks: some applications may request unnecessary permissions (for example, access to SMS or geolocation).

5. USB cable transfer (for tech-savvy)

If you have USB-cable (preferably original from Samsung with support) OTG), You can transfer contacts directly over a wired connection, and this is a method that works for large amounts of data (e.g., if you have 5,000 people).+ It's not a photo contact, but it's a little bit more complicated and requires a lot of care.

Instructions:

1. On Xiaomi, export your contacts to a.vcf file (as described in the first method).
2. Connect Xiaomi to your computer via USB and copy the file to any folder.
3. Disable Xiaomi and connect Samsung to your computer. Move the.vcf file to your phone’s memory (like the Download folder).
4. On Samsung, open any file manager (like My Files), find the copied file and open it.

Alternatively, use OTG mode to connect Xiaomi directly to Samsung via an adapter.

1. Buy a OTG- cable (e.g. USB-C to USB-C).


2. Connect them to Xiaomi Samsung.




3. On Xiaomi, select File Transfer Mode in the notification panel.




4.On Samsung, open "My Files" → "USB- Storage" and copy the.vcf file.

⚠️ Note: When connecting through OTG Avoid formatting Xiaomi memory on Samsung, which will result in the loss of all data on the first phone, and do not remove the cable during file transfer, so as not to damage contacts.

Comparison of methods: which way to choose?

The best method depends on several factors: the number of contacts, the availability of the Internet, the need to save additional data (photos, notes) and your level of technical training.

For most users, syncing through Google Account is the best solution, which is fast, reliable and requires no additional devices. SIM-It's better to use a map or Bluetooth to carry large amounts of data while saving all the details. USB-cable.

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Before you move contacts, always back up to Xiaomi via Settings → About Phone → Backup. This will protect your data in the event of a crash.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even when following the instructions, users sometimes face difficulties, and consider the most common errors and ways to fix them:

• 🔄 Contacts are not synced with Google: Check if sync is enabled in Settings → Accounts. → Google → Contact sync. Make sure there is enough sync space on the device (sometimes up to 100MB required).Reset the phone and try again.
• 📵 Bluetooth won't find the second phone: Turn off power saving mode on both devices. Make sure the distance between the phones is less than 10 meters. Reboot the Bluetooth module: turn it off and turn it on again.
• 📱 Samsung has duplicated contacts: Use the Contacts app → Contact management → Combine duplicates. Before transferring, clear duplicates on Xiaomi.
• 🔌 USB-Undetectable: Try another cable (preferably original) Enable File Transfer mode in the notification panel when connected. Update the drivers on your computer (if you use a PC to port).

If none of the methods worked, check to see if the antivirus or firewall blocks data transfer. Some MIUI firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.eu) may have the contact export function disabled, in which case only manual input or use of third-party applications will help.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions