Shifting contacts between Xiaomi smartphones is a challenge that every user faces when buying a new device. Using a Google account for this purpose is not only convenient, but also ensures the safety of data even when a phone is reset or broken. However, many users make mistakes: forgetting to sync contacts before transferring, confusing local records with cloud records or experiencing duplicate data.
In this article, we’ll break down three proven methods for moving contacts through Google, including nuances for different versions. MIUI (We'll also address typical problems, from lack of synchronization to recovery of randomly deleted numbers, and focus on security: why you can't use third-party apps to export contacts, and how to check that the data didn't fall into the hands of fraudsters.
If you are switching from the Redmi Note 10 to the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, or just want to back up your contacts, this guide will help you avoid losing important numbers. And for those who prefer visual guides, at the end of the article, you will find step-by-step screenshots for each step.
Why Google is the Best Way to Move Contacts
Syncing through a Google account has several key advantages over alternative methods (for example, through Mi Cloud or vCard files):
✅ Cross-platform: Contacts will be available not only on Xiaomi, but also on Android, iOS or even through the web version of Google Contacts. This is relevant if you plan to change the smartphone brand in the future.
✅ Automatic backup: When synchronization is enabled, all changes (add, edit, delete contacts) are automatically saved to the cloud, and even if the phone is stolen or broken, the numbers remain safe.
✅ No volume restrictions: Unlike Mi Cloud, where free storage is limited to 5GB, Google Contacts does not have a strict limit on the number of records (provided that the total account size does not exceed 15GB).
⚠️ Note: If you have previously used Mi Account for sync, disable it before transferring via Google to avoid data conflict. Otherwise, duplicate contacts may appear on the new device.
Another plus is the transfer speed, and if you set up the contacts correctly, all the contacts will appear on the new Xiaomi within 5-10 minutes of signing in, compared to Bluetooth or Bluetooth. SIM-It can take hours, especially if you have hundreds of records.
Preparing the old Xiaomi smartphone for the transfer
Before you transfer contacts, you need to make sure that they are linked to a Google account, and not stored locally on the device or in the Mi Cloud.
1. Open the Contacts app on your old smartphone.
2.Shoot three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Contact Management.
3. See which accounts are on the list. If it's just a Device or Mi Account, Google sync is off.
If your contacts are not linked to Google, follow these steps:
🔹 Step 1. Go to Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Google and select your account.
🔹 Step 2. Activate the switch opposite Contact. If it's not there, tap Sync Account Manually.
🔹 Step 3: Go back to the Contacts app and check that all entries are displayed under a Google account (not a Phone).
⚠️ Note: If you see a message saying "Synchronization stopped due to an error", try deleting and re-additioning your Google account in the settings. MIUI 13/14.
Make sure that old Xiaomi has Google contacts synchronized
Check that all contacts are displayed under a Google account (not a “Phone” or a Google account "SIM")
Record the login and password from the Google account (useful for the new device)
Connect the new Xiaomi to Wi-Fi or mobile Internet-->
Method 1: Automatic portability when the new Xiaomi is first switched on
The easiest method is to restore contacts during the initial setup of a new smartphone, which is suitable if you have just bought a device or made a factory reset.
📌 Instructions:
1. Turn on the new Xiaomi and wait for the welcome screen to appear.
2. In the "Copy Data" step, select Restore from backup.
3.Tap Google and enter your account details (the same as the one used on the old phone).
4. On the Recovery page, tick Contacts and click Restore.
5. wait until the process is completed (it can take up to 15 minutes depending on the number of records).
🔍 How to check if contacts have been moved?
Open the Contacts app on the new device.
Make sure that the top of the screen shows a Google account (not a phone).
Scroll through the list: if the contacts are sorted alphabetically and there are no passes, the transfer was successful.
⚠️ Warning: If you missed the recovery step when setting up, don't worry. Contacts can be synced later - read about this in the next section.
What if Xiaomi doesn’t offer data recovery?
Method 2: Manually synchronize contacts through settings
If you have already set up a new Xiaomi or want to transfer contacts to a device that was used before, follow this instruction:
🔧 On an old smartphone:
1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Select your account and make sure the Contact switch is on.
3. Click Sync Now (or More) → Synchronize in new versions MIUI).
🔧 On a new smartphone:
1. Add the same Google account through Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Add an account.
2. Enable contact synchronization (similar to steps for an old phone).
3. Wait 5-10 minutes. If no contacts appear, restart the device.
📊 Table: Frequent errors and their solutions
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts are not synchronized | There is no internet or weak signal | Connect to Wi-Fi or check your mobile data |
| Duplicates are emerging | Contacts saved in both Google and Mi Cloud | Turn off sync with Mi Account in settings |
| Not all contacts were moved. | Local contacts are not linked to Google | Export them manually through Contacts → Management → Exports |
| Synchronization "hangs" | Failure of the Google Play Services | Clear the cache of the Google Play Services app in the settings |
💡 Useful tip: If you want to combine contacts from different accounts (for example, from Google and Mi Cloud), use the web version of Google Contacts. There is a tool for merging duplicates: → Find and combine duplicates.
💡
Before transferring contacts, check if they are tied to the SIM-Open the contact card for that. → Settings → Imports/Exports → Remove from SIM (if you have an option, contact the SIM They are not synchronized with Google!
Method 3: Export and import via file VCF (power-user)
This is a good method if you want to back up contacts in a file or transfer them to a device without access to the Internet, but it requires more action and is not automatically synced.
📤 Exporting contacts on the old Xiaomi:
1. Open the Contacts app.
2.Push three dots (⋮) → Contact management → Exports.
3. Select a Google account (if contacts are linked to it) or a Phone (if local).
4. save the file in.vcf format to internal memory or to SD-map.
📥 Imports on the new Xiaomi:
1. Copy the.vcf file to a new device (via Bluetooth, Mi Share or cable) USB-OTG).
2. Open the Contacts app → three-point (⋮) → Contact management → Imports.
3. Select the.vcf file and wait for the import to be completed.
⚠️ Note: When importing through VCF contacts are not automatically linked to your Google account, so that they sync in the future, move them manually after importing them:
1. Open Contacts → press on the contact → Edit.
2. In the "Save to" field, select your Google account.
3. Repeat for all important contacts.
If you use this method to transfer contacts between Xiaomi and iPhone, import the file. VCF via iCloud or email, so the data will be correctly displayed in the Apple ecosystem.
How to Avoid Contact Loss: 5 Safety Rules
Transferring contacts is a very important procedure, and mistakes can be costly.
🔐 Rule 1: Always check where new contacts are saved. MIUI may offer to keep the number on SIM-card or phone memory. Change this in settings: Contacts → Settings → Keeping new contacts in → Google.
🔐 Rule 2: Don’t use third-party apps to export contacts (like Super Backup or Contacts Transfer) They often request unnecessary permissions and may share data with third parties.
🔐 Rule 3: Check syncs regularly. Go to contacts.google.com and make sure all contacts are displayed there. If not, repeat sync on your smartphone.
🔐 Rule 4: Do not keep your contacts only on SIM-It has a limited volume (maximum 250 records), and if you move to another phone, you may lose Cyrillic symbols or special signs.
🔐 Rule 5: Backup before reset.If you plan to sell an old Xiaomi, export contacts to VCF-file and save it to the cloud (e.g. Google Drive or Mi Cloud).
📌 Key conclusion:
💡
Google sync is the most reliable way to move contacts, but only if you check your settings and don't rely on automatic backups. Always make a duplicate copy manually before you make important phone manipulations.
Problem Solving: Contacts are not carried over or duplicated
Even if you set it up properly, you can have failures, and let's look at the typical scenarios and how to fix them.
🛑 Problem 1: Contacts don’t appear on the new Xiaomi
🔹 Reason: Old phone has synced off or contacts are saved locally.
🔹 Decision:
- On the old device: Settings → Accounts. → Google → Synchronize now.
- If your contacts are local, export them to VCF And import it on a new phone.
🛑 Problem 2: Duplicate contacts
🔹 Reason: Simultaneously enabled sync with Google and Mi Cloud or you imported VCF-file over existing records.
🔹 Decision:
- Turn off sync with Mi Cloud in Settings → Accounts. → Xiaomi.
In the web version of Google Contacts, use the Find and Combine Duplicates tool.
🛑 Problem 3: Contacts are displayed but no photos
🔹 Reason: Contact photos are stored separately and may not sync.
🔹 Decision:
- Make sure that Google’s settings enable Contacts and People Details sync (in some versions) MIUI).
If the photos are missing, restore them from the Mi Cloud backup (if taken).
🛑 Problem 4: Synchronization is “hanging” to 99%
🔹 Reason: Conflict with the cache of Google Play Services or Contacts.
🔹 Decision:
- Clear the cache: Settings → Annexes → Application management → Google Play Services → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
Reboot the phone and repeat the sync.
📞 If nothing helps, try an alternative method:
1.On your old phone, export contacts to VCF.
2. Send the file to your Gmail.
3.On the new phone, open the letter and import VCF via Contact.