Transfer contacts to the new Xiaomi: a complete guide with step-by-step instructions

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always an exciting moment: fresh firmware, improved camera, fast processor. But along with the joy of updating the gadget comes a headache: how to transfer all contacts from an old device without losing a single number? This issue is especially acute for users who have been saving up a phone book for years, adding not only numbers, but also birthdays, addresses, notes.

In this article, we will analyze the 5 working methods for transferring contacts to the new Xiaomi, from classic (via Google Account or SIM- card) to specific (for example, from an iPhone to Redmi/POCO). Each method is illustrated with screenshots (for current versions of MIUI 14/15) and contains unique nuances that are not written in the standard instructions, for example, why photos of contacts can disappear when transferred via Bluetooth or how to restore duplicates after synchronization with the Cloud.

Whether you’re changing the Xiaomi Mi 11 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra or switching from iPhone 12 to POCO F6, there’s a solution to your situation. And if you’re afraid of losing data, there’s a backup checklist at the end of the article and answers to frequent questions (like what to do if contacts don’t show up after the transfer).

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

Google sync is the gold standard for transferring contacts between devices on Android, which works even if you switch from Samsung, Huawei or another brand to Xiaomi, the main condition: on an old phone, contacts must be linked to a Google Account (rather than saved only on the device or SIM- card).

How to check if your contacts are synced with Google?

1. Open the Contacts app on your old phone.
2. Tap on three points (⋮) → Settings → Contact management.
3. If there is a Google item with the number of contacts on the list, then the data is already in the cloud.

If the synchronization is not configured, follow these steps:

Add Google Account to your old phone settings (Settings → Accounts)

Enable Contact Synchronization (Settings → Accounts → Google → Contact Synchronization)

Wait for sync to complete (check the time of the last update in the contact settings)

Make sure that the same Google Account is added to the new Xiaomi-->

Now we will move the contacts to the new Xiaomi:

1. Turn on your new smartphone and connect to Wi-Fi.
2. When you first start up, the system will prompt you to add a Google Account – use the same one as on your old phone.
3. If your device is already set up, go to Settings → Accounts → Google and enable Contact Sync.
4. Open the Contacts app and wait for all the records to appear (it can take up to 10 minutes).

⚠️ Warning: If duplicates appear in contacts after synchronization, use the built-in merging function in MIUI. To do this, open Contacts → ⋮ → Contact Management → Combine duplicates.

💡

If contacts don’t appear on the new Xiaomi, check if traffic savings for the Contacts app are turned off in the settings (Settings → Apps → App Management → Contacts → Mobile Data).

2. Transfer contacts with SIM- card (if no Google Account)

If you have never used a Google Account or contacts are only saved on a SIM- card, this method is for you. Note that the SIM- card only stores numbers and names - photos, birthdays and other details will be lost. In addition, modern nano-SIM often does not support maintaining contacts (unlike older mini-SIMs).

Instructions for old phone (export to SIM):

1. Open Contacts → ⋮ → Settings → Import/Export → Export to SIM- card.
2. Select contacts for export (or click Select All).
3. Please note that no more than SIM- contacts are usually placed on a 250 card.

Instructions for the new Xiaomi (import with SIM):

1. Put it in. SIM-card.
2. Open Contacts → ⋮ → Settings → Import/Export → Import from SIM- card.
3. Choose where to save contacts: on the device or in Google Account (we recommend the second option).

⚠️ Warning: If you use eSIM in the new Xiaomi, importing contacts from a physical SIM- card is not possible, in which case you will have to use another method (for example, via Bluetooth or.vcf file).

3. Move contacts from iPhone to Xiaomi (via iCloud or Move to iOS)

The transition from iPhone to Xiaomi is a separate story. Apple is not interested in making it easier to migrate to Android, so standard methods (like syncing with Google) often don’t work here. We’ll look at two reliable ways: through iCloud and the official Move to iOS app (yes, it works the other way around!).

Method 1: iCloud (saves photos of contacts)

1. On iPhone, go to Settings → [Your name] → iCloud and enable Contact Sync.
2. On PC, open iCloud.com, log in to your account and export contacts to.vcf (Contacts → ⚙️ → Export vCard).
3. Flip the file to the new Xiaomi (via Telegram, email or USB) and import it: Contacts → ⋮ → Import/Export → Import from the.vcf file.

Method 2: Move to iOS (Official Method from Apple)

This app is designed to transfer data from Android to iPhone, but it works in the opposite direction with some limitations:

1. On the new Xiaomi download Move to iOS from Google Play.
2. On iPhone, reset your settings to factory settings (Settings → Basic → Move or Reset → Erase content and settings).
3. When setting up your iPhone, select Data Transfer from Android and follow the instructions (enter the code that will appear on Xiaomi).
4. On Xiaomi, select data to transfer (including contacts) and wait until it is completed.

4.Contact transfer via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct

If you don’t have access to the internet or prefer “direct” data sharing, you can use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct, a method that is suitable for transferring contacts between two Android devices (for example, from the old Redmi Note 8 to the new Xiaomi 13T).

Instructions for Bluetooth:

1. On both phones, turn on Bluetooth and make them visible to other devices.
2. On your old phone, open Contacts, select the entries you want (or click Select All).
3. Slip on Share → Bluetooth and select a new Xiaomi from the list.
4. On the new phone, confirm the file acceptance and import contacts from the received.vcf.

Instructions for Wi-Fi Direct:

1. Enable Wi-Fi Direct on both phones (Settings → Wi-Fi → Wi-Fi Direct).
2. Connect the devices to each other (click on the name of the second phone in the list).
3. On an old phone, export contacts to a.vcf file (as described in the iCloud section).
4. Transfer the file via Wi-Fi Direct (for example, using File Manager) and import it on the new Xiaomi.

⚠️ Warning: When you transmit your contact photos over Bluetooth, you may not transfer them or shrink to low quality. To avoid this, use Wi-Fi Direct or cloud services.

5. Transfer contacts via Mi Account (Mi Cloud)

If you’ve been using Xiaomi’s ecosystem and have previously saved contacts on the Mi Cloud, it can take a couple of minutes to transfer them to a new phone, especially for Redmi, POCO or Mi owners who have already linked their account to an old device.

How to transfer contacts through Mi Cloud:

1. On the old Xiaomi, check if the synchronization of contacts with Mi Account is enabled: Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Contact Synchronization.
2. If the synchronization is disabled, turn it on and wait for the process to be completed.
3. On the new phone, log in to the same Mi Account when you first start or through Settings → Mi Account.
4. Enable contact synchronization in Mi Cloud – the data will automatically be uploaded to the device.

Advantages of this method:

• 🔄 Not only numbers are preserved, but also photographs, groups, notes.
• 📱 Works even without a Google Account (relevant to China where Google services are blocked).
• 🔒 Data is encrypted and stored on Xiaomi servers.

But there are nuances:

• ⚠️ If you reset your Mi Account settings, contacts can be lost (unlike Google, where data remains even after you delete your account from your device).
• 🌍 In some regions (e.g. the EU), Mi Cloud functionality is limited due to GDPR.

💡

If you use both Google Account and Mi Account to sync contacts, disable duplicate sync on one of the services, otherwise the phone book will show copies of the same contacts.

6. Transfer contacts via.vcf file (universal method)

The.vcf (or vCard) file is a universal contact storage format that all modern smartphones support, and the convenience of the file is that you can transfer it in any way you want: messenger, email, USB- cable, or even QR- code.

• 📱 You don't have access to the Internet.
• 🔄 You need to move contacts from the feature-phone.
• 🖥️ You want to edit contacts on your PC before the perenosom.

Instructions for export/import.vcf:

1. Export on old phone: Open Contacts → ⋮ → Import/Export → Export to.vcf. Select a save location (internal memory or SD- card).
2. Transfer a file to the new Xiaomi: Send the file to your email or messenger (Telegram, WhatsApp). Or connect the old phone to your PC, copy the.vcf to a flash drive and paste it into the new Xiaomi.

Imports on the new Xiaomi:

• Open the.vcf file (it will open in the Contacts app).
• Click Import and select where to save contacts (to your device or to your Google/Mi Account).

If the.vcf file is large (more than 1000 contacts), break it down using services like VCF Splitter, which will speed up import and reduce the risk of errors.

Checklist before the contact perenosom

To avoid data loss, follow these steps before the transfer begins:

Check the number of contacts on your old phone (open Contacts → ⋮ → Settings → Contact Management)

Make sure that the new Xiaomi has enough storage space (especially if you carry photos)

Back up your contacts in.vcf and save them to your PC or cloud

Check if your contacts are linked to your manufacturer’s account (e.g. Huawei Cloud or Samsung Account)

Turn off battery optimization for the Contacts app on your new phone (Settings) → Annexes → Application management → Contacts → Battery → No restrictions)-->

If you are transferring contacts from the iPhone, additionally:

• 🍎 Turn off iMessage and FaceTime in Apple's ID settings to avoid issues with delivering SMS to a new number.
• 🔒 Remove your iPhone from the trusted device list in iCloud (if you sell or give away your old phone).

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even with the right contacts transfer, there can be problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

If none of the methods worked, try manually entering critical contacts or contact Xiaomi’s support team (specify the phone model and MIUI version for accurate help).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions