How to Move Xiaomi Contacts to the Mi Cloud: A Complete Guide

Moving contacts to the Xiaomi cloud is not just a backup, but a way to ensure that your phone book remains safe even if you lose, steal or reset your smartphone. Unlike on-premise storage, the Mi Cloud syncs data across all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, allowing you to instantly restore contacts on a new phone. However, many users face problems ranging from the lack of a Mi Account account to synchronization errors.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to migrate contacts to the Xiaomi cloud, from automatic synchronization to manual export via.vcf files. You’ll learn how to check the success of backups, what to do when you crash and how to avoid data loss when you change your device. The instructions are suitable for all modern models, including Xiaomi 14, Redmi Note 13 and POCO F6, as well as devices on MIUI 14/15.

Why You Should Move Your Contacts to Xiaomi Cloud

Locally storing contacts on a smartphone is fraught with risks: a device breakage, accidental deletion or factory reset can deprive you of your entire phone book. The Mi Cloud solves these problems by:

• 🔄 Automatic sync – changes in contacts are instantly saved in the cloud without your involvement.
• 📱 Cross-platform – Access to contacts from any Xiaomi device (including tablets and smartwatches).
• 🔒 Data Protection – Encryption and Two-Factor Authentication in Mi Account.
• 🔄 Recovery when changing the phone – just log in to the account on the new device.

Xiaomi’s cloud is also integrated with other ecosystem services, such as Mi Home (for smart homes) and Mi Fit (for wearables), which means your contacts can be used to quickly manage your gadgets through Xiao AI’s voice assistant.

⚠️ Note: If you use Google Contacts in parallel with Mi Cloud, sync conflicts may occur.

Preparation for transfer: what to do before synchronization

Before you start to move contacts, make sure your device is ready for the procedure. Skipping these steps can lead to synchronization errors or loss of some data.

First, check the MIUI version – older versions (below MIUI 12) may not support current Mi Cloud features. Update the firmware via Settings → About Phone → System Update. Second, make sure the device has enough free space (at least 500 MB) for temporary files.

Make sure your device is connected to Wi-Fi|Check for Mi Account Accounts|Update MIUI last-minute|Free up at least 500 MB of memory|Shut down. VPN (can block synchronization)-->

Method 1: Automatic synchronization via Mi Cloud

The easiest method is to enable automatic synchronization of contacts with the Xiaomi cloud, which does not require manual export and works in the background.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Mi Cloud
2. Sign in to your Mi Account (if not registered, create an account).
3. Activate the slider opposite Contact.
4. Click Sync and wait for the process to be completed.

Once sync is enabled, all changes to contacts (add, edit, delete) will automatically update in the cloud. To check sync status, go to Mi Cloud → Contacts → Last sync.

⚠️ Note: If you have Google Contacts sync enabled, turn it off before setting up Mi Cloud to avoid duplicate records.

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If sync is frozen, try restarting your device or temporarily disabling traffic savings in your network settings.

Method 2: Manually export contacts to.vcf file

If automatic synchronization is not available (for example, due to corporate policy constraints), you can export contacts to a.vcf file and upload it to Mi Cloud manually.

Steps for export:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Press three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Contact Management → Imports/Exports → Export to file.
3. Select contacts for export (or click Allocate).
4. Save the file to the device memory (for example, in the Downloads folder).

Now upload the file to Mi Cloud:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in to your account.
2. Select the Contact section → Imports.
3. Download the.vcf file and wait for processing.

Method 3: Transfer contacts from another device (Android/iOS)

If you are switching to Xiaomi from another smartphone (such as Samsung or iPhone), you can transfer contacts directly to the Mi Cloud without intermediate export.

For Android:

1. On an old phone, export contacts to a.vcf file (see Method 2).
2. Transfer the file to Xiaomi via Bluetooth, Email or cloud storage.
3. On Xiaomi, import the file through Contacts → Manage → Import.

For iOS (iPhone):

1. Open Settings → Apple ID → iCloud and enable Contacts.
2. Export your contacts via iCloud.com (select contacts → pins → vCard export icon).
3. Upload the resulting file to Mi Cloud (see Method 2).

How to Check if Contacts Have Been Moved to the Cloud

After synchronization or manual import, you need to make sure that the data is actually stored in the Mi Cloud.

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in.
2. Open the Contacts section – all your records should be displayed here.
3. Check the number of contacts: it should match the data on the phone.

You can also use the Mi Cloud app on your smartphone:

1. Open Settings → Mi Cloud → Contacts.
2. Click on the synchronization icon (↻) and wait for the update.
3. Check the date of the last synchronization – it should be up to date.

⚠️ Note: If contacts are not displayed in the cloud, check: 🔌 Internet connection stability (Wi-Fi or mobile data). 🔄 Is synchronization enabled in Mi Account settings. 📱 Is there enough space in the cloud storage (free 5 GB).

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If contacts are not synced, try logging out of your Mi Account and logging in again – this often solves connection problems.

Solving common problems when transferring contacts

Even with the right setup, users sometimes encounter errors, and let's look at typical situations and how to fix them.

Problem 1: Contacts are not synchronized

• 🔌 Check your internet connection (turn off) VPN, if used).
• 🔄 Update the Contacts and Mi Cloud app via Google Play.
• 📱 Restart the device and repeat synchronization.

Problem 2: “Not enough space in the Mi Cloud”

• 🗑️ Remove unnecessary backups in the Mi Cloud → Storage management.
• 💳 Buy an extra seat (prices start from 100 rubles / month for 50 GB).
• 🔄 Move some data (photos, videos) to another cloud (Google Drive, Yandex Drive).

Issue 3: Contacts are duplicated after importation

Use the built-in merge feature (see spoiler in the previous section) or turn off sync with Google Contacts if it is enabled.

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If the problem persists, try resetting the Contacts app settings through Settings → Apps → Contacts → Storage → Clear the data. Pre-export the contacts to the file!

FAQ: Frequent questions about moving contacts to Mi Cloud