Transfer of contacts with SD-Xiaomi cards may seem like a trivial task, but in practice users face a lot of nuances: from incompatibility of formats to errors in reading the map. 4X or Mi A1), where the default contacts were saved to an external drive, or for those who had restored a backup on a new device. MIUI to workarounds for damaged files.
It is important to understand that the format of the contact SD-card can vary: it can be files.vcf (vCard), backups from the MIUI (.bak, export from Google Contacts, or even.db databases from third-party applications, and we'll look at solutions for each case, including a unique method for recovering contacts from corrupted files through a single file. ADB, Which is not described in the official Xiaomi documentation.
1. Preparation: checking the file format on SD-map
Before you start the transfer, you need to determine what form the contacts on your memory card are stored in. SD-card to the computer or directly to the smartphone through the adapter, then:
- 📁 Check the Contacts folders, MIUI, Backup or Download – most often there are files with contacts.
- 🔍 Look for extensions:.vcf is the standard vCard format (can be imported directly);.bak or.db is backup MIUI Android;.csv or.xls – Export from Excel or Google Sheets;.zip – Archive with Multi-Contacts.
- ⚠️ If there are no files but the contacts were displayed on your old phone, check your sync settings in Google Accounts – they may already be in the cloud.
On Xiaomi MIUI 14+ Supports automatic recognition of.vcf files when connected SD-If you find files with non-standard extensions (such as.dat), it is likely a backup from a third-party application - you will need special software to restore.
Method 1: Standard import through the Contacts app
The easiest method is to use the built-in Contacts app (or Google Contacts if installed), which works for.vcf files and is suitable for most Xiaomi models, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and Mi 11.
- Put it in. SD-card to the smartphone (or connect through OTG-adapter).
- Open the Contacts app (a icon with a person’s silhouette).
- Tap it on three points (⋮) top-right → Select “Contact Management» → «Imports/Exports».
- Select “Import from the storage device» → specify SD-map.
- Find the.vcf file and confirm the import. Contacts will automatically be saved to your Google account or device (depending on your settings).
If the import option is inactive:
- ❌ SD-map formatted in exFAT — MIUI You can't see the files. FAT32.
- ❌ File corrupted – try opening it on PC via Outlook or Thunderbird.
- ❌ Contacts already imported - check duplicates in Settings → Contacts → Combine duplicates.
☑️ Preparation for import
Method 2: Import through Google Contacts (for backups)
If contacts are exported in.csv format or synced with a Google Account but do not appear on Xiaomi, use the web version of Google Contacts:
- On PC, go to contacts.google.com and log in.
- Click "Import" (left panel) → Select the.csv or.vcf file with SD-map.
- Wait until the import is complete (it can take up to 10 minutes for 1000+ contacts).
- On Xiaomi smartphone, check sync: Settings → Accounts and sync → Google → Sync Contacts
The advantage of this method is that contacts are automatically backed up in the cloud and will be available on any device.
| Problem. | Decision |
|---|---|
| Contacts are not synchronized | Delete your Google account and add again (Settings → Accounts) |
| Duplicate records | Use Settings → Contacts → Combine duplicates |
| Not all fields are imported. | Check the correspondence of columns in.csv (name, phone, email) |
💡
If an error occurs when you import into Google Contacts, open the.csv file in Excel and save it in UTF-8 encoding.
Method 3: Restore from a MIUI backup (.bak)
Files with the.bak extension are created by MIUI when backed up through Settings → Additional → Backup. To retrieve contacts:
- Copy the file. miui_backup_*.bak SD-PC-card.
- Rename the extension to.zip (e.g. backup.bak → backup.zip).
- Unclose the file – inside will be the folder com.android.providers.contacts with the file contacts.db.
- Use the program. DB Browser for SQLite (free) to open contacts.db: Go to the Data Review tab; Select a table «raw_contacts»; Export data to.csv ("File") → Exports»).
.csv
Google Contacts
Method 2
⚠️ Attention:.bak files from MIUI 12 and newer can be encrypted. If there's an error when unpacking, try:
- Restore backup on an old Xiaomi device (if available).
- Use MIUI Backup Extractor (unofficial software, security risk!).
How to unpack.bak without a PC?
5. Method 4: Transfer over ADB (for corrupted files)
If standard methods don’t work and contacts are critical, you can extract them directly from Android via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires USB debugging and is suitable for power users.
Instructions:
- Activate Developer Mode on Xiaomi: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (shap 7 times)
- Enable USB Debugging: Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging by USB
- Connect your phone to your PC, install ADB Tools (download from the official website).
- Run commands in the terminal (command line): adb devices (should display your device) adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/contacts2.db (this will copy the database of contacts on the PC)
- Open contacts2.db in DB Browser for SQLite and export the data (similar to Method 3).
⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB provide full access to the system. Do not change other files to /data/data/, keep out MIUI. If the phone is not rooted, you can’t write data back – just copy it.
💡
ADB-The only way to restore contacts is if the file is SD-The card is damaged and there are no backups.
Method 5: Use of Third-Party Applications
If you don’t have time to manually deal with formats, install one of the specialized applications:
- 📱 Super Backup & Restore – Supports imports from SD-.vcf,.bak,.xml. can backup your device directly.
- 📱 Contacts Backup & Restore is a user-friendly interface for working with.vcf and.csv.
- 📱 My Contacts Backup – sends backup to email, which is convenient for transfer between devices.
When using third-party applications:
- ✅ Check permissions (access to contacts and storage).
- ❌ Avoid programs with suspicious reviews or requests SMS/call-up.
- 🔄 After importing, make a backup copy to Google Account.
For example, in Super Backup & Restore, the algorithm is:
- Open the app → select “Contacts”.
- Tap "Restore» → point the path to the file SD-map.
- Select an account to save (device or Google).
7 Problem Solving: Frequent Errors and Their Causes
Even when you follow the instructions, you're going to have some common problems.
| Mistake. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| «Impossible to read SD-map» | ExFAT file system or card damage | Format the card in FAT32 or check it on another device |
| "File is not supported" | Incorrect format (for example,.dat from an old phone) | Use Universal Contacts Exporter (Play Market) |
| Contacts were imported without names. | .vcf or incorrect.csv encoding is damaged | Open the file in the text editor and check the structure |
| Duplicate after importation | Contacts were already in Google’s account | Use Settings → Contacts → Combine duplicates |
If none of the methods worked, check:
- 🔌 Is it connected? SD-The card is correct (try another adapter).
- 📱 Is firmware updated? MIUI (In the old versions there were bugs with reading.vcf).
- 🔒 Are there any restrictions on the permission level (for example, for Android apps) 11+ access required MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE).