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

Transferring contacts to a new smartphone is one of the first tasks that a user faces after buying a Xiaomi Redmi Note. Even if you carefully saved all the numbers in the phone, the risk of losing them when changing the device remains high. 12/13 Pro or budget models of the series, where factory settings can reset data when first set up.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to transfer contacts, from standard sync through Google Account to manual export through.vcf files, each suitable for different situations, whether it’s switching from an iPhone, another Android device or even an old button phone, and you’ll also learn how to avoid the typical mistakes that cause contacts to be duplicated or lost.

If you've never migrated data before, don't worry: the instructions are tailored for beginners. MIUI, So, you can do things that are 2-3 times faster, like how to transfer not just numbers, but also call history or contact photos attached.

1. Sync through Google Account (the most reliable way)

This method works on any Android device, including all Redmi Note models (from Note 8 Pro to Note 13 Pro).+). The main advantage is automation: contacts are synchronized in the background and updated on all devices where you are logged in to the same account.

To move your contacts through Google:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Make sure the switch opposite Contact is active (if not, turn it on).
3. Wait until the synchronization is complete (it can take up to 5 minutes with a large number of contacts).
4. On the new Xiaomi Redmi Note, when you first turn on, log in to the same Google Account or add it to Settings. → Accounts.
5. Contacts will appear automatically in the Contacts app (sometimes you need to reboot your device).

⚠️ Note: If the old phone contacts are not stored in Google, but in the device memory or on the phone SIM-First, export them to your Google account manually (see section 3).

Synchronization with Google also solves the problem of duplicates.The system automatically combines the same contacts if they were saved to different accounts (for example, in Google and Mi Cloud). → Settings → Combine duplicates.

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If contacts don't show up on the new Xiaomi, check if sync is enabled in your Google account settings. MIUI Defaults to turn off background activity to save battery.

2.Move over Mi Cloud (for Xiaomi owners)

If you change one Xiaomi to another (for example, Redmi Note 11 on Note 12 Pro), it is more convenient to use the proprietary cloud - Mi Cloud. It not only saves contacts, but also backups of messages, notes and even system settings.

Instructions for transfer:

• 📱 On the old Xiaomi go to Settings → Mi Account. → Mi Cloud.
• 🔄 Enable synchronization of Contacts (and other data if necessary).
• 📲 On the new Redmi Note, log in to the same Mi Account when setting up or through Settings. → Accounts.
• ☁️ Wait for the synchronization to be completed (time depends on the speed of the Internet).

⚠️ Warning: Mi Cloud has a free storage limit of 5GB. If you have thousands of contacts with photos, you may need to clear the cloud or buy extra space. → Warehouse.

The advantage of this method is to keep all the contact tags (e.g., “Work”, “Friends”) that are often lost when exported via.vcf. Mi Cloud also allows you to restore contacts even if you accidentally deleted them – within 30 days of deleting them.

Sign in to Mi Account on your old phone|Check the free space in the Mi Cloud|Enable contact synchronization|Connect the new Redmi Note to Wi-Fi|Sign in to the same Mi Account on a new device-->

3.Export/import via.vcf file (universal method)

The.vcf (vCard) file is the standard format for storing contacts that all modern smartphones support.

• 📱 iPhone (iOS)
• 📞 Old button phone (via Bluetooth or memory card)
• 💻 Computers (if contacts are saved in Outlook or Excel)

To export contacts to.vcf:

1. On your old phone, open the Contacts app.
2. Press three points (⋮) → Contact management → Exports/imports → Export to file.
3. Choose where to save the file (internal memory, SD-map).
4. Transfer the file to the new Redmi Note via Bluetooth, cable USB cloud.
5. On the new phone import the file: Contacts → ⋮ → Import from.vcf file.

⚠️ Note: When importing.vcf to Xiaomi, sometimes there is a "file corrupted" error:

• Open the file on your computer through Notepad.
• Make sure the first line starts with BEGIN:VCARD.
• Save the file in encoding UTF-8 and repeat the import.

This method also allows you to edit contacts before importing, for example, you can open.vcf in Excel, delete unnecessary numbers, or add missing fields (such as birthdays).

4. Transfer through SIM-Card (for old phones)

If you have a button phone or smartphone without support for modern synchronization methods, you can use it. SIM-This is a map:

• 🔢 SIM-The card only stores phone numbers and names (without photos, email, or other fields).
• 📌 Number of contacts limited by capacity SIM (usually 250-500 records).
• ⚡ The process takes a long time to complete a lot of contacts.

Instructions for transfer:

1. On your old phone, open Contacts → Settings → Import / Export → Export to SIM.
2. Select contacts for export (or click "Select All").
3. Wait until the copy is completed (do not extract). SIM-map!).
4. Move it. SIM-Map of the new Xiaomi Redmi Note.
5. On the new phone go to Contacts → ⋮ → Imports/Exports → Import with SIM.

⚠️ Note: Some Redmi Note models (e.g. Note 10 Pro) slot for SIM-It's a microSD tray, and if you're using a memory card, you'll have to temporarily remove it.

After importing, check the contacts for duplicates. SIM-The card will often make copies if the numbers have been saved in different formats (e.g., the card will be used in different formats, +7 XXX vs 8 XXX). To clear the list, use the function Combine duplicates in contact settings.

* Call history is only saved when you have a full backup in the Mi Cloud.

5. Transfer over Bluetooth or LAN (alternative methods)

If you don't have access to the Internet or cloud services, you can transfer contacts over Bluetooth or over a local Wi-Fi network, which are less reliable, but sometimes help in emergency situations.

Bluetooth portability:

• 📲 On both phones, turn on Bluetooth and make them visible.
• 🔗 Connect devices (on Xiaomi, this is done through Settings) → Bluetooth).
• 📥 On your old phone, open your contacts. → ⋮ → Send contacts → Through Bluetooth.
• 📤 Select contacts and send them to the new Redmi Note.
• 📥 On the new phone, confirm the file acceptance and import contacts.

Transfer over a local area network (applications like ShareMe):

1. Install ShareMe (from Xiaomi) or Xender on both phones.
2. On the old phone, select Send. → Contacts.
3. On the new Redmi Note, click Get and Scan QR-code.
4. Confirm the data transfer (contacts will come in the form of a.vcf file).

⚠️ Note: Bluetooth can lose contacts if the connection is interrupted, and we recommend that you transfer in small batches (50-100 contacts each) and make sure that the new phone has enough memory space – sometimes.vcf files weigh several megabytes.

The advantage of these methods is that they don't depend on the Internet, but they do require more time and attention, for example, when transferring over ShareMe, both phones must stay close while the process is going on.

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For maximum reliability, use a combination of methods: first sync your contacts through Google or Mi Cloud, and then check them on a new phone, which will eliminate data loss if one of the ways fails.

6. Checking and cleaning of contacts after transfer

After transferring contacts to the new Xiaomi Redmi Note, be sure to do a few checks to avoid problems in the future:

What needs to be done:

• 🔍 Check the number of contacts: open the Contacts app → ⋮ → Settings → Contact management. If the number doesn't match the original, repeat the transfer.
• 👥 Find duplicates: in the same menu, select Combine duplicates. MIUI Automatically propose merger options.
• 📎 Make sure your contacts are saved in the correct account: go to Contacts → ⋮ → Settings → Display contacts and select only Google or Mi Account (depending on the transfer method).
• 🖼️ Check the contact photos, sometimes they don't transfer to.vcf. In this case, you'll have to add them manually.

⚠️ Please note: if you have used SIM-You can remove the contacts from the card after importing it, and this will make room and avoid confusion the next time you transfer it. → ⋮ → Imports/Exports → Remove from SIM.

If you find that some contacts are missing or damaged, try to restore them from a backup:

• For Google Contacts: Go to contacts.google.com, click More → Cancel changes and select the date when contacts were complete.
• For Mi Cloud: In your account settings, find Backups and restore the latest version.

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Create a shortcut for quick access to contacts on the Redmi Note home screen. To do this, click and hold the blank space on the screen. → Widgets → Contacts → Choose a size and add.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even when following instructions, users often encounter problems.-5 mistakes and their solutions:

1. Contacts are not synced with Google

🔹 Reason: Background sync is disabled or your account is not confirmed.

🔹 Decision:

• Check if sync is enabled in Settings → Accounts → Google → Contact Sync.
• Make sure your phone has internet (Wi-Fi or mobile data).
• Restart the device and wait for automatic synchronization.

2. when importing.vcf, an error appears

🔹 Reason: The file is corrupted or has incorrect encoding.

🔹 Decision:

• Open the file on the PC through Notepad and save it in encoding UTF-8.
• If the file is too large, break it down into parts (500 contacts).
• Try importing through another contact manager (like Truecaller).

3. Contacts are duplicated

🔹 Reason: Contacts saved in multiple accounts (Google, Mi Cloud, SIM).

🔹 Decision:

• Open Contacts. → ⋮ → Settings → Combine duplicates.
• Select the account that will be the main one (we recommend Google).
• Remove unnecessary accounts from the list of displayed contacts.

4. Contact photos not moved

🔹 Reason: Not all methods support image transmission (e.g, SIM-map).

🔹 Decision:

• Use Google Contacts or Mi Cloud to save photos.
• If you have moved through.vcf, check if the photos are included in the file (open it on PC).
• Add photos manually through contact editing.

5.Contacts are missing after resetting settings

🔹 Reason: Contacts were saved in the phone’s memory, not in the account.

🔹 Decision:

• Check backups in Google Drive or Mi Cloud.
• If you don’t have copies, try to recover data through programs like Dr.Fone (requires root rights).
• In the future, always sync your contacts to the cloud.

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Before resetting your settings on Xiaomi Redmi Note, be sure to check where your contacts are stored. To do this, open any contact and see which account is listed at the top (Google, Mi or Phone).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions