How to transfer contacts to the new smartphone Xiaomi Redmi: all the ways 2026

The switch to a new Xiaomi Redmi smartphone is always an exciting event, but the transfer of contacts can be a real headache if you do not know the proven methods.In 2026, owners of the Redmi Note 13, Redmi 12 or the Redmi 12 can become a real headache. POCO X6 There are at least 5 reliable ways to migrate a phone book – from classic synchronization through a Google account to proprietary tools MIUI. The main rule is never to delete contacts from an old device before the transfer is complete – even if they appear duplicated.

In this article, we will discuss each method with nuances in mind: for example, why synchronization via Mi Cloud may not work on firmware. MIUI 14+ We're going to focus on the iPhone transfer, which is a real challenge, and for those who are afraid of losing data, we're going to give you a checklist of preliminary actions.

Preparation for transfer: what to do before the start

Before you start migrating contacts, follow 3 mandatory steps, which will take no more than 5 minutes, but will eliminate the risk of data loss or failure.

• 📱 Check the version. MIUI On the new Redmi: go to Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI. On firmware older MIUI 12.5 Some synchronization methods may not work.
• 🔄 Update your old device if it’s on Android: Go to Settings → System system → Update the system, eliminate the bugs with the export of contacts.
• 📡 Connect to Wi-Fi or make sure the stability of mobile Internet – to sync through the cloud will require data transfer.
• 🔋 Charge both smartphones to at least 50%.Transfer over Mi Mover or Bluetooth drains the battery faster than usual.

If your old phone has a phone book filled with repetitive entries (for example, due to synchronization with multiple accounts), use a built-in cleanup:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner → Contact management → Combine and fix.
3. Select Find duplicates and follow the system prompts.

Verification of the version MIUI on the new Redmi|Update on the old device|Connecting to a stable Wi-Fi|Charging both smartphones up to 50%+|Clearing duplicate contacts-->

⚠️ Note: If you are transferring contacts from your iPhone, turn off iCloud to sync contacts on your old device (Settings) → Apple ID → iCloud → Otherwise, records may be duplicated or lost after migration.

2. Method 1: Synchronization through Google account (universal method)

It is the most reliable transfer method that works on any device – from Redmi. A2 The main condition is that the old phone must be linked to a Google account, and the contacts must be stored in it (not only in the memory of the device).

How to check where the contacts are stored on your old phone:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Press three points. → Settings → Accounts.
3. Make sure that there is a tick in the Contacts section next to your Google account.

If you have your contacts saved to your account, follow the following steps on the new Xiaomi Redmi:

1. Turn on your smartphone and connect to the Internet.
2. When you first start, select Sign in to Google and enter the same data as on your old phone.
3. If the device is already configured, go to Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Google and enable contact sync.
4. Wait until the process is completed (it can take up to 10 minutes).

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

• 🔄 Is synchronization enabled in the settings of the Google account.
• 📶 Internet connection stability (switch from mobile data to Wi-Fi).
• 🕒 Wait 15-20 minutes – sometimes Google servers take time to process.

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If you use two Google accounts, make sure that contacts are synced with the right one. To do this, in your account settings, turn off contact sync for an unnecessary profile.

Method 3: Transfer via Mi Account (branded Xiaomi solution)

Xiaomi and Redmi owners have a proprietary tool called Mi Cloud, which allows not only to transfer contacts, but also to back up messages, notes and even system settings.

• 🌍 On the global versions MIUI (Redmi Note 12 Global Mi Cloud is stable.
• 🇨🇳 On Chinese firmware (Redmi) K60 for the domestic market, it may be necessary VPN service-access.
• 📧 The cloud provides only 5 GB for free – if there are a lot of contacts (with photos, call histories), there may not be enough space.

Instructions for transferring via Mi Account:

1. On your old phone: Go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud. Enable Contact Sync (and other data if needed) Wait for download to complete (progress is displayed at the top of the screen).

new Redmi

• When you first turn on, select Sign in to Mi Account and specify the same account.
• If the device is already configured, go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud and enable contact synchronization.
• Wait 5-10 minutes – the contacts will appear automatically.

⚠️ Note: If you use Redmi with firmware for the Chinese market (CN ROM), Before entering Mi Account, change the device region to India or Global in the settings (Settings) → Additionally. → This will eliminate synchronization errors.

The advantage of this method is to transfer all contact fields, including notes, groups and even call history (if the appropriate option is enabled).

• ❌ It doesn't work without the Internet.
• ❌ On some models (e.g. Redmi) 10A) Mi Cloud may not support backup contacts due to firmware limitations.
• ❌ When you change your Mi Account, the data is not transferred – only when you log in to the same profile.

Synchronization through Google|Mi Cloud (Xiaomi)|Exports via vCard|Bluetooth portability|Another way.-->

Method 3: Export/import via vCard file (for advanced users)

If you prefer manual control or want to back up contacts on your computer, use.vcf (vCard) export, a method that is suitable for porting from an iPhone, Samsung or even a feature-phone (button phones with vCard support).

On Android devices (including old Redmis):

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Click on three points → Contact Management → Import / Export → Export to file.
3. Choose where to save the file (e.g., device memory or SD-map).
4. Check all contacts and click Export.

On the iPhone:

1. Go to Settings. → Contacts → Export contacts (if you don’t have an option, use iCloud.com on your computer).
2. Select the vCard format and save the file.

Now transfer the.vcf file to the new Redmi in any convenient way:

• 📁 Through USB-cable (connect your phone to your PC as a storage device).
• ☁️ Using cloud storage (Google Drive, Yandex Disk).
• 📲 Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct.

Import contacts on the new device:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Press three points. → Contact management → Imports/Exports → File-based import.
3. Select the.vcf file and confirm the import.

Limitations of the method:

• 📌 The vCard file can’t contain more than 3,000 contacts – if you have more, break up exports into pieces.
• 📌 Not all special characters (such as emoticons in names) are correctly displayed after importation.
• 📌 On some versions MIUI importing via vCard may not work – in this case, use third-party apps (e.g. Contacts Backup).

5. Method 4: Transfer through SIM-map (for older models)

This method is suitable if you have:

• 📱 Old Redmi (e.g. Redmi) 4A Redmi 5) without access to cloud services.
• 📞 Phone buttons where you need to move contacts.
• 🚫 No access to the Internet or computer.

Method limitations:

• ❌ SIM-The card only stores names and numbers – photos, email and other fields will be lost.
• ❌ Maximum number of contacts: 250-500 (depending on operator and type) SIM).
• ❌ Nano-SIM (which is used in the new Redmi) often lacks memory for contacts.

Instructions:

1. On the old phone: Contact us → Settings → Contact management → Copy on SIM. Select contacts for export (or click Select All).

SIM-map

Redmi

new phone

• Contact us. → Settings → Contact management → Copy with SIM.
• Choose where to save your contacts (for example, in Google Account or Device Memory).

⚠️ Note: If you are using eSIM (virtual) SIM-map) on the new Redmi, transfer contacts through SIM In this case, use vCard or cloud synchronization.

Advice for owners of Redmi Note 11/12/13: if SIM-The card doesn't support the storage of contacts, but you have a micro-SIM adapter, try inserting an older card of a larger format (if it's left), often with memory for the phone book.

6. Method 5: Using Mi Mover (Official Xiaomi Software)

Mi Mover is a proprietary application from Xiaomi for transferring data from one device to another via Wi-Fi Direct. It is pre-installed on all Redmi devices with Wi-Fi Direct. MIUI 9 and newer. Advantages of the method:

• 🚀 High speed – transfer takes 2-5 minutes.
• 📲 Supports not only contacts, but also messages, photos, applications.
• 🔒 It works without the Internet (local network is used).

How to transfer contacts via Mi Mover:

1. On the new Redmi, select Data Transfer when you first turn on (or find the Mi Mover app in the menu).
2. On an old phone: Install Mi Mover from Google Play (for Android) or App Store (for iPhone). Open the app and select I sender.

Redmi

I'm the recipient.

Confirm the connection on both devices.

Contacts

Move over

Important nuances:

• 🔋 Make sure both phones have power saving turned off – it can interrupt transmission.
• 📶 Turn off mobile data on both devices, which will speed up the process.
• 🚫 Do not lock screens during transfer.

⚠️ Note: When transferring from your iPhone via Mi Mover, contacts may be duplicated if iCloud has been synced. Before starting, turn it off in iCloud settings on your iPhone.

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Mi Mover is the fastest way to transfer data between Xiaomi devices, but requires prior preparation (disable power saving, stable Wi-Fi Direct connection).

7. Transfer contacts from iPhone to Xiaomi Redmi: separate instructions

The way you move your contacts from your iPhone to your Redmi is because of the closedness of the Apple ecosystem, and here's a step-by-step algorithm.

1. Turn off iCloud sync: Go to Settings → Apple ID → iCloud. disable Contacts slider. select Remove from iPhone (contacts will remain in iCloud but will not be duplicated).
2. Export contacts to a file: Go to iCloud.com from your computer. Log in and select Contacts. Click on the gear in the lower left corner. → Choose all. → Exports vCard.

Transfer the file to Redmi

• Copy the contacts.vcf file to your new smartphone USB, Google Drive or AirDrop (if supported).
• Import contacts through the Contacts app (see Method 3).

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If after transferring from iPhone to Redmi, the contacts display characters instead of Cyrillic, change the encoding of the vCard file to UTF-8 using a text editor (for example, Notepad)++).

8. Frequent problems and their solutions

Even if you follow the instructions, you can have a problem, and let's look at the typical mistakes and how to fix them.

Problem 1: Contacts are not synced through Google

Causes and solutions:

• 🔄 Sync is disabled: Go to Settings → Accounts. → Google → Sync your account and enable Contacts.
• 📶 No Internet: Connect to Wi-Fi or check your mobile internet.
• 🕒 Google server delay: Wait 15-30 minutes or restart your device.
• 🔧 Cache failure: Go to Settings → Annexes → Contacts → Warehouse → Clear the cache.

Problem 2: Mi Mover can't find old device

What to do:

• 📶 Make sure that both phones have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled.
• 🔄 Restart the Mi Mover app on both devices.
• 📱 On an old phone in Wi-Fi settings, select a network with a name Redmi_XXXX (new-produced).
• 🔋 Turn off power saving and battery optimization for Mi Mover.

The most reliable option without the Internet is Mi Mover, as it transfers data directly between devices.