How to transfer contacts from one Xiaomi to another: all working methods

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, especially when it comes to the safety of important data, and the contacts accumulated over the years are not just phone numbers, but connections with loved ones, colleagues and partners. Losing them to mistransfer means risking business connections or personal relationships. Fortunately, Xiaomi’s ecosystem offers several reliable ways to migrate contacts, each of which is suitable for different scenarios, from full synchronization through the cloud to manual exporting to the cloud. SIM-map.

In this article, we’ll break down 5 proven methods for transferring contacts between Xiaomi devices (including Redmi models, POCO And Black Shark, we'll take a look at the nuances of each method and warn you against common mistakes, and we'll learn how to avoid duplication of records, why some contacts might not be transferred, and what to do if the new phone doesn't see them. And for those who love automation, we have prepared a unique life hack for transferring through the Internet. MI Cloud without losing your call history.

1. Transfer contacts via Mi Account (the fastest way)

If both of your Xiaomi smartphones are tied to the same Mi Account, it takes no more than 5 minutes to transfer contacts, which does not require cables or additional programs – a fairly stable Internet connection, the main advantage is that contact photos, notes and even call history are synchronized with phone numbers (when the option is turned on).

How it works:

• 🔄 On your old phone: go to Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Mi Account and make sure the Contacts switch is active. Wait for the sync to be completed (the cloud icon in the status bar should disappear).
• 📱 On a new phone: Sign in to the same Mi Account when you first turn on or through Settings → Accounts. Contacts will be automatically downloaded.
• ⚡ If no contacts appear: check if sync is enabled in Settings → Annexes → Contacts → Synchronization.

⚠️ Warning: If your old phone has Auto Sync disabled, your contacts may not be saved to the cloud. → Mi Account → Synchronize now.

Sign in to Mi Account on your old phone

Enable contact synchronization

Wait for the synchronization to be completed (the cloud icon will disappear)

Sign in to the same account on a new phone

Check for contacts in the "Contact" app"-->

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Wireless transfer without cables and PCs.
• ✅ Complete contact history is saved (if Settings is enabled) → Contacts → Call history).
• ✅ Automatic update: new contacts on one phone will appear on another.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ It requires a stable Internet connection (better than Wi-Fi).
• ❌ If the accounts are different, you will have to export the contacts to the file first.

2. Synchronization through Google Account (universal method)

If you use Google services (like Gmail or Google Contacts), this is perfect, and it works even when you switch from Xiaomi to a smartphone of another brand (like Samsung or iPhone), the main thing is to use the same Google Account on both devices.

Step-by-step:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Select your account and enable sync for Contacts.
3. Click Sync Now and wait until it is completed.
4. On the new phone, add the same Google Account and enable contact sync.

To check if contacts have been moved, open the web version of Google Contacts – it should show a full copy of your phone book.

⚠️ Note: If your old phone only stores contacts in your device memory (not Google), you must export them first. → ⋮ → Contact management → Exports/imports → Export to file and select the.vcf format.

Compare Mi Account and Google for Contact Transfer:

3. Transfer contacts via Bluetooth (without the Internet)

If you don't have Wi-Fi or mobile internet, Bluetooth is a lifeline, a method that can carry a small number of contacts (up to 500 records) and doesn't require cables, but it has limitations: photos of contacts and additional fields (such as dates of birth) may not be transmitted.

Instructions:

1. On your old phone, open the Contacts app.
2. Press. ⋮ → Contact management → Exports/imports → Send via Bluetooth.
3. Select the contacts to transfer (you can mark everything) and click Send.
4. On the new phone, turn on Bluetooth and confirm the file is received (usually a file with the.vcf extension).
5. After receiving the file, open it – the system will prompt you to import contacts.

1.Reboot both phones.

2. to make sure that the distance between them is not more than 10 meters.

3. disable the power saving mode (it can block Bluetooth).-->

Challenges and solutions:

• 🚫 Contacts are not sent: check if the limit is exceeded (some Xiaomi models block sending more than 100 contacts at a time.
• 📱 File won’t open: try renaming it contacts.vcf or using the Google Contacts app to import it.
• ⚠️ Lost photos: Bluetooth doesn't always transmit images. Use Mi Account or Google Photos to transfer them.

4.Export/import via VCF file (for backup)

The.vcf (vCard) format is a universal standard for storing contacts, supported by all modern smartphones. This is suitable if you want to back up or transfer contacts to a device of another brand. SD-map, USB-mail-in.

How to export contacts to the file:

1. Open the Contacts app on your old phone.
2. Move to the ⋮ → Contact management → Exports/imports → Export to file.
3. Choose where to save the file (for example, internal memory or SD-map).
4. Name the file (for example, contacts_backup.vcf) and confirm the export.

How to import on a new phone:

1. Copy the.vcf file to your new smartphone (via cable, cloud or messenger).
2. Open the file, the system will suggest importing contacts. If not, use Contacts. → ⋮ → Management → File-based import.
3. Select an account to save (such as Mi Account or Google).

⚠️ Note: If a.vcf file weighs more than 10MB, break it down using apps like this. VCF Splitter (available on Google Play) or the import may result in an error.

💡

A VCF file is not only a portable way, but also a reliable backup. Store it in the cloud (like Google Drive or Mi Cloud) to restore contacts even after a phone is reset.

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

This method is a thing of the past, but it is still relevant for owners of old Xiaomi (for example, Redmi). 4A or Mi A1) or in cases where other methods are not available. SIM-The card stores a limited number of contacts (usually up to 250) and does not support photos or additional fields.

How to transfer contacts to SIM:

1. On your old phone, open your contacts. → ⋮ → Contact management → Exports/imports → Exports to SIM-map.
2. Select contacts for export (or click Select All).
3. Wait for completion and retrieve SIM-map.
4. Put it in. SIM To a new phone and import contacts through Contacts → ⋮ → Management → Import with SIM.

Limitations of the method:

• 📵 Maximum of 250 contacts (depending on operator).
• 🖼️ No support for photos and notes.
• 🔤 Names and numbers are limited to 20 characters.
• 🔄 When importing, coding errors are possible (for example, Cyrillic is displayed as????).

MI Account

Google Account

Bluetooth

VCF file

SIM-map

Other-->

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even when following instructions, users face problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

1. Contacts are not synchronized through Mi Account

• 🔹 Check if Contact Sync is enabled in Settings → Mi Account.
• 🔹 Make sure there is enough free space on the phone (synchronization requires a temporary cache).
• 🔹 Restart your phone and start manual synchronization.

2.Photos of contacts missing after transfer

• 🔹 Photos are synced only through Mi Account or Google. Bluetooth/SIM they're lost.
• 🔹 To restore them, export your photos to a.vcf file via Google Contacts.

3.Duplicate contacts

• 🔹 Use the Google Contacts merge feature (see spoiler above).
• 🔹 In the settings Contacts → ⋮ → Settings → Disable your contacts and disable unnecessary accounts.

4. Cannot import the VCF file

• 🔹 Check the file extension – it should be.vcf, not.vcf.txt.
• 🔹 Try opening a file through Google Contacts or Outlook.
• 🔹 If the file is corrupted, restore it using services such as VCF Repair.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions