How to transfer contacts with SIM-card SIM-Map in the phone Xiaomi Redmi: 4 working methods

Why SIM-to-SIM-to-Xiaomi Redmi Contacts Need a Special Approach

Owners of Xiaomi Redmi smartphones often face the need to transfer contacts with one of them. SIM-If you're changing your card, changing your operator, switching to a new fare, or losing your old card, what would be easier? But there are pitfalls here: standard features. MIUI They do not always offer a direct transfer between SIM, And manually entering hundreds of numbers takes hours, and in fact, if you export/import incorrectly, you can lose contact-bound photos, notes, or groups -- data that is not stored on the phone. SIM-default-card.

In this article, we will discuss 4 Tested method of transferring contacts between SIM-maps directly on the Xiaomi Redmi phone - from classic copying through the contact menu to workarounds using cloud services. MIUI 12/13/14, where the interface of the contact transfer has changed, and you'll also learn why the direct transfer from the SIM on SIM One phone without intermediate export is fraught with formatting errors and how to avoid it.

Preparation: What to do before transferring contacts

Before you start the transfer, follow a few critical steps. First, check the vacant space on the new one. SIM-map: standard SIM (not micro or nano, but can contain up to 250 contacts, and USIM (for 4G/5G) — before 500. Make sure that the numbers are on the old SIM preserved +7XXXXXXXXXX — Otherwise, duplicates or errors may appear when importing.

It is also worth considering:

• 📱 Sync your contacts with Google (if you use an account) – this will create a backup in case of a crash.
• 🔋 Battery charge must be at least 30% – interruption of the process may result in loss of data.
• 📡 Turn off mobile Internet during the transfer, if you use the method with export to the file - this will speed up the process.
• 🔄 Restart your phone before you start – sometimes the contacts cache blocks the changes.

⚠️ Attention: If your new SIM-map issued by another operator (e.g. MTS on Tele2), some numbers may be displayed without a name due to differences in operator encoding. Solution: after the transfer, edit the contacts manually.

Method 1: Direct transfer via the contact menu (MIUI 12-14)

The most obvious method is to use the built-in contact copy feature in the Contacts app. However, in Xiaomi Redmi, this path is not always intuitive due to the features of the MIUI shell.

1. Open the Contacts app (a icon with a person's silhouette).
2. Tap it on three points (⋮) top-right → Select Contact Management.
3. Go to Import/Export Contacts → Import from SIM-card.
4. Pick the old one. SIM-map, SIM 1) and tick the desired contacts (or click Select All).
5. Click Import and specify the target SIM-map (SIM 2).

This method only works if both of these methods are effective. SIM-The cards are active on the phone. SIM Not yet activated, use Method 2 or 3.

Method 2: Export to a VCF file and then import

If direct portability is not possible (e.g., the new SIM is not activated), use the intermediate VCF (virtual business card) file, which is universal and works on all versions of Xiaomi Redmi, including older models like the Redmi 4X or Redmi Note 5.

Algorithm of action:

1. Export contacts from the first SIM: Contacts → ⋮ → Management → Export to device → Choose. SIM 1 → Save as contacts.vcf
2. Remove the old SIM and insert a new one (or switch the slots if both SIMs are in the phone).
3. Import the file: Contacts → ⋮ → Management → Import from the device → Select contacts.vcf → Import on SIM 2

The advantage of the method: the.vcf file saves all contact fields (including email, addresses, birthdays), whereas direct transfer between SIM often trims the data to the name and number.

💡

If you import VCF contacts duplicate, before starting the process go to Settings → System → Reset → Contact Reset (this will not delete data from the SIM, only from the phone’s memory).

⚠️ Attention: Files VCF, Xiaomi-based contacts may not open correctly on iPhones due to differences in encoding. If you plan to use contacts on Apple devices, export them through Google Contacts (Method 3).

Method 3: Sync with Google Contacts (most reliable)

For users who are linked to a Google account, this is the best solution. It's not just transferring the contacts between the two. SIM-It's also backing up in the cloud:

1. Synchronize contacts with the first SIM: Contacts → ⋮ → Management → Import with SIM → SIM 1 → Import to Google Make sure that in your account settings (Settings) → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization) Entered Contact Point.
2. Wait for the sync to complete (check at contacts.google.com).
3. Insert the new one. SIM-Map and export contacts back: Contacts → ⋮ → Management → Exports to SIM → Select contacts → SIM 2

This method ensures the safety of all data, including photos of contacts and social network accounts, but requires a stable Internet connection and can take up to 10 minutes with a large amount of contacts.

Method 4: Use of third-party applications (for advanced users)

If the built-in MIUI tools don't suit, third-party utilities from Google Play will come to the rescue.

• 📲 Copy My Data – Transfers Contacts, SMS Wi-Fi photos between devices (suitable if you have two Redmis).
• 🔄 Super Backup & Restore – Creates backups of contacts in.vcf or.xml format with the ability to selectively restore.
• 📱 SIM Card Manager – specializes in working with SIM-Contacts, supports batch editing.

When using third-party applications, follow the rules:

1. Download only from official Google Play (avoid APK from unknown sources).
2. Before transferring, check the reviews about the app – some utilities add ads to your contacts.
3. After the transfer, remove the application if it is no longer needed (extra background processes drain the battery).

💡

The side of the application is convenient for mass transfer, but always check what permissions they request. If the utility requires access to SMS or geolocation to work with contacts, this is suspicious.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even if you follow the instructions, Xiaomi Redmi users face problems, and consider typical scenarios and ways to fix them:

If none of the methods worked, try resetting the Contacts app settings:

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Contacts → Storage → Clear data

This won’t delete contacts with SIM, but it will reset the cache and program settings.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions