How to transfer contacts to another Xiaomi phone: all the ways 2026

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, especially when it comes to the preservation of important data. Contacts accumulated over the years can disappear in an instant if you do not approach the transfer process responsibly. In 2026, Redmi, Poco and Mi owners have at least 5 reliable ways to migrate a phone book – from cloud services to manual copying through the Internet. SIM-But which one to choose?

In this article, we will analyze all the current methods of transferring contacts between Xiaomi phones, including nuances for different versions. MIUI (You will learn how to avoid duplicate records, why some contacts may not be copied, and what to do if the new phone does not see the old one. SIM-And also a unique life hack for transferring contacts from a blocked Xiaomi without losing data.

1. Transfer contacts via MI Cloud (official way from Xiaomi)

MI Cloud is Xiaomi’s proprietary cloud storage that automatically synchronizes contacts, notes and even SMS. This method is suitable for owners of phones with MIUI 10 and later (including Redmi Note 12, Poco X5, Mi 13).

To move contacts through MI Cloud, follow the following steps:

• 📱 On your old phone: Open the settings → Xiaomi Account → MI Cloud. Make sure the switch opposite Contact is active (green). If not, turn on sync and wait until the process is complete (may take up to 5 minutes with a large number of recordings).
• 🔄 On new phone: Sign in to the same Xiaomi account (if you haven't already done so when you first switch on). → Xiaomi Account → MI Cloud and enable contact sync. The system will suggest that you drain data from the cloud, confirm the action.
• ⏳ Waiting: Depending on the speed of the Internet and the number of contacts, the process can take from 2 to 10 minutes!

⚠️ Note: If the old phone is switched off MI Cloud or you have forgotten your Xiaomi account password, restore access before the transfer begins. Otherwise, the contacts will only remain in the device memory and may be lost when reset.

Enable Wi-Fi or mobile internet on both phones

Check the space available in MI Cloud (minimum 5 MB)

Make sure both devices have the same MIUI version (or no more than 1 version)

Record the username and password from the Xiaomi account-->

Advantages of the method:

• 🔒 Security: Data is encrypted and stored on Xiaomi servers.
• 🔄 Automatic Update: Any changes to contacts on one device are synced with all others.
• 📱 Cross-platform: Works even if the new phone is not Xiaomi (like Samsung or iPhone) but requires manual export.

MI Cloud

Google Account

SIM-map

Bluetooth or QR-code

Another option-->

2. Synchronization through Google Account (universal method)

If you use Google services (like Gmail or YouTube), your contacts can already be saved in the cloud, a way to transfer data not only between Xiaomi phones, but also to devices of other brands, the main thing is to use the same Google account on both smartphones.

Instructions for transfer:

1. Sync check on your old phone: Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google. Select your account and make sure the Contacts slider is on. Click Sync Now (may be in the three-dot menu in the top right corner).

Set up a new phone:

• When you first turn on, enter the same Google account as on your old device.
• If the phone is already set up, add an account through Settings → Accounts and Sync → Add an account.
• Turn on the synchronization of contacts and wait for the process to be completed.

⚠️ Note: If the old phone only has the contacts saved SIM-The map will not be synced via Google or MI Cloud. First, transfer them to your phone's memory: open the Contacts app, click three dots. → «Contact management» → «Imports/Exports» → «Import with SIM-map».

Advantages of Google Account:

• 🌍 Cross-platform: Works on Android, iOS and even through the web version of contacts.google.com.
• 🔍 Search and filtering: You can search for contacts by any parameters (name, number, email) and create groups.
• 📅 Integration with other services: Contacts are automatically pulled up in Gmail, Google Meet and Calendar.

💡

If after synchronization, part of the contacts is duplicated, use the built-in merger function in the Contacts app: click on three points → Contact Management → Combine and Fix.

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

method SIM-The card is one of the oldest, but still relevant for owners of Xiaomi Redmi. 4A, Redmi 5 or other low-end models without access to cloud services, the main advantage is that you do not need Internet: SIM-The card stores a limited number of contacts (usually up to 250) and no fields for additional information (such as email or address) are saved.

Step-by-step:

• 📲 Exports to SIM-Map: Open the Contacts app on your old phone. Click on three dots (menu) → «Contact management» → «Import/Export. Select "Export to Export" SIM-map" and mark the contacts you want (or click "Select all"). Confirm export. 1-2 minute.

Transfer SIM-map:

SIM-map

Xiaomi

Imports to the new phone:

1. Open Contacts on the new device.
2. Go to “Contact Management» → «Imports/Exports» → «Import with SIM-map».
3. Choose where to save your contacts (Google account, MI Cloud or phone memory).
4. Save to your new phone: Once you have the file, open it, the system will suggest importing contacts. Select an account to save (Google, MI Cloud or phone memory).

The advantages of Bluetooth:

• 🌐 No Internet: It works on or without an airplane SIM-map.
• 🔒 Security: Data is transferred directly between devices without intermediate servers.
• 📱 Support for older models: It even works on Xiaomi Mi A1 or Redmi 3S.

⚠️ Note: When sending a large number of contacts (more than one) 500) Bluetooth can freeze. In this case, break the list into parts by 100-200 Contacts and send them separately.

💡

Bluetooth is the only way to transfer contacts that works even if the phone has a broken screen, but the sensor is working (you can control gestures or voice).

5. Transfer of contacts through QR-code (the fastest way)

method QR-code appeared MIUI 12, and it was a real lifeline for those who don't want to mess with the settings, and in just 30 seconds, you can transfer all contacts just by scanning the code, and the main condition is that both phones must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network (or at least to the Internet).

How it works:

• 📱 On an old phone: Open the Contacts app. Click on three dots. → «Contact management» → «Send contacts. Choose «QR-code" (may be called "Transfer through code"). Mark the contacts to transfer (or click "Select all") and confirm the code generation.

On the new phone:

1. Open Contacts → Three Points → Contact Management → Import Contacts.
2. Choose «QR-code and scan the code from your old phone.
3. Confirm the import – the contacts will appear in the phone book in a few seconds.

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Speed: The entire process takes less than a minute.
• 🔗 No Account Reference: No need to remember passwords MI Cloud or Google.
• 📲 Support for all data: Not only numbers are transferred, but also photos, email, addresses.
• 🛠️ If the phone is physically broken (screen is broken, does not respond to charging): Contact Xiaomi service center - they can extract data from internal memory (service cost from 1000 to 3000 rubles). If the phone turns on but the screen does not work, connect it to the TV through the TV USB-C → HDMI Adapter and control with mouse (connected via OTG).

Important:

• If the phone has enabled data encryption (in MIUI 12+), it is almost impossible to extract contacts without unlocking.
• Xiaomi service centers may require proof of ownership of the device (checks, box, tied account).