How to transfer contacts from Xiaomi phone to SIM-map: 4 proven methods

Transfer contacts from Xiaomi phone to SIM-The map seems like a simple task, but in practice, users face a lot of nuances: from the lack of an option in the menu to errors in export. MIUI 12/13/14, including hidden features and workarounds for models without standard portability.

The main problem is that modern Xiaomi (such as Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5) often do not support direct recording of contacts on SIM due to the limitations of the operating system, we will show how to get around this with built-in tools and third-party applications, and explain why some contacts may not be transferred (for example, with multiple numbers or photos).

Why SIM Contact Transfer Is Relevant in 2026

In the era of cloud services (Google Contacts, Mi Cloud) SIM-This may seem like an anachronism, but there are situations where this method is indispensable:

• 🔄 Quick synchronization between phones without internet (for example, when buying a new phone on a trip).
• 📵 Backup in case of loss of access to your Google or Mi Account.
• 🛡️ Confidentiality: SIM-The card is not tied to cloud services and is less vulnerable to hacking.
• 📱 Compatible with button phones or devices without smart functions.

Besides, SIM-Nano-SIM cards (used in Xiaomi after 2018) support up to 250 contacts with names up to 14 characters and numbers up to 20 digits – enough for a basic list of important subscribers.

⚠️ Attention: Transfer of contacts to SIM does not save photos, email addresses, birthdays or additional fields. If this data is critical, use backup in Settings → The phone. → Backup copy.

Method 1: Standard export through the Contacts app

The most obvious method is to use the built-in Contacts app (or Contacts in global firmware), however, in the latest versions of MIUI 13/14, this option may be hidden or absent.

1. Open the Contacts app (a icon with a person's silhouette).
2. Tap it on three points (⋮) top-right → Select Contact Management.
3. Scroll down to the Import/Export section → Exports to SIM-map.
4. Select the necessary contacts (or click Select All) → Export.

If the export items SIM-map:

• 🔍 Check if it's inserted. SIM-card and whether it is recognized by the phone (c Settings) → SIM-maps and mobile networks).
• 📱 Update the Contacts app via Google Play (sometimes the option appears after the update).
• 🔄 Restart your phone – in rare cases, the option temporarily disappears due to a cache failure.

Make sure that SIM-card inserted and active

Check the free space on SIM (via ##4636##)

Update the Contacts app to the latest version

Backup your contacts in Mi Cloud (in case of an error)-->

On some models (such as Xiaomi 12T or Redmi K50), the export option may be called: Copy on SIM or Save to Card. If you don't, move on to the next method.

Method 2: Transfer through system settings (for MIUI 12 and older)

The alternative is through system settings, which works on most Xiaomi devices, but requires the following instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Contacts (or Contacts) app → Storage.
3. Click Clear Cache and Clear Data (this won’t delete contacts, but will reset the app settings).
4. Return to Settings → Memory → Import / Export.
5. Choose Contact Export on SIM and follow the tips.

If there is no option here, the reason may be:

• 📌 Lack of support SIM-Exports in the firmware (relevant to the POCO F4, Xiaomi 13 Lite and other models with lightweight" MIUI).
• 🔒 Operator restrictions: some SIM-Cards (e.g. virtual eSIMs) do not support contact recording.

Yeah, no problem.

No, the option's not on the menu.

It only works through third-party applications

I haven't tried it)-->

⚠️ Attention: On dual-devices SIM-card (DSDS) Exports can only be used for SIM 1. If you need to transfer contacts to the second card, temporarily make it the main one in Settings. → SIM-map → Default for calls.

Method 3: Using Third-Party Applications

If Xiaomi's built-in tools don't work, third-party utilities come to the rescue. The best options for transferring contacts to SIM are:

Instructions for Copy to SIM Card (the most popular solution):

1. Install the app and give access to contacts.
2. Select Copy Contacts to SIM.
3. Check the contacts you want (or click Select All).
4. Press Copy and wait until it is completed (can take up to 2-3 minutes for 200+ contacts).

Important: Before using third-party apps, back up contacts to Mi Cloud or Google Contacts. Some utilities may duplicate or distort names when you transfer them.

💡

If the app does not see SIM-If you want to reset your phone, you can try to reset it with the card taken out and pasted back.

Method 4: Manual transfer via export to VCF + import to another phone

If none of the above methods worked, the workaround remains: export the contacts to a.vcf (vCard) file, and then import them to another phone with support for writing to the user. SIM. Suitable for users who have a second device (e.g. an old Redmi). 4A push-phone).

Steps:

1. On Xiaomi, export contacts to file: Settings → About Phone → Backup → Local Backup → Contacts Or via Contacts → Export to File (.vcf format).
2. Transfer the file to another phone (via Bluetooth, SD-card).
3. On the second phone, import.vcf and transfer contacts to SIM via its settings.
4. Return SIM to Xiaomi – Contacts will be available.

This is the most reliable method, but it requires an additional device, and if you don't have one, you can use online services like VCF to SIM Converter, but they request access to your data — use it at your own risk.

Common mistakes and their solutions

When migrating contacts to SIM, Xiaomi users often face typical problems.

If the contacts on SIM are displayed in characters or cracosyabra after the transfer, the problem is encoding.

1. Delete all contacts with SIM through Settings → Apps → Contacts → Warehouse → Clear the data.
2. Use the SIM Contacts Manager app with the UTF-8 Encoding option.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with Android 12+ (For example, Xiaomi 13 Pro has access to the SIM-The card may be restricted due to Google policy, in which case only rooting or using a second phone will help (see Method 4).

What to do if contacts are not transferred

If all methods have been tried, but contacts have not been signed to SIM, check the following:

• 📋 Format SIM-Cards: Make sure you use nano-SIM (not eSIM or micro-SIM in the adapter).
• 🔧 Update MIUI: Check the relevance of the firmware in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 🛠️ Resetting: Reset your Contacts app settings (but not data) in extreme cases!).

If the problem is a hardware malfunction (for example, the slot does not work) SIM-maps, contact the service center Xiaomi. for models on warranty repair will be free.

💡

Before visiting the service center, make a full backup of your data via Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset. This will save contacts even when you replace the motherboard.

FAQ: Frequent questions about moving contacts to SIM