How to transfer all contacts to SIM-Map in Xiaomi Redmi 8: instructions with nuances

Xiaomi Redmi 8 is still a popular budget smartphone, but its owners often face the need to transfer contacts to the smartphone. SIM-This is true when changing your phone, resetting or backing up, but it's a nuanced process: not all contact fields will be saved, but some of them will be. SIM-Cards support a limited number of records.

This article provides 3 working ways to transfer contacts (including hidden MIUI features), compare SIM formats, and solve typical problems from the “Insufficient SIM memory” error to missing contact photos. All instructions are tested on Redmi 8 with the latest version of MIUI 14 (Android 12), but will also be suitable for older firmware.

Why SIM Transfers May Not Work: Limitations and pitfalls

Before you start exporting, it is important to understand the technical limitations. SIM-Modern smartphones store contacts in the cloud or internal memory, whereas SIM Supports an outdated format with rigid frameworks:

• 📇 Number of contacts: 100 to 500 (depending on operator and model) SIM). For example, MTS and Beeline cards are usually limited to 250 records, while Tele2 is limited to 200.
• 📞 Contact fields: only name and number (maximum 2 numbers per record) will be retained. Addresses, email, birthdays and photos will be lost.
• 🔤 Encoding: Russian letters will only be displayed correctly when you set the phone to Cyrillic. Latin characters (for example, in surnames) can turn into "crackers".
• 🔄 Duplicates: when transferred to SIM Contacts with the same names are automatically combined, which leads to the loss of a number.

Another catch: if you use two SIM-Redmi 8 cards, the default system will offer to export contacts only to the SIM 1. To select the second card, you will have to manually change the settings in the import / export menu.

⚠️ Attention: If yours SIM-The card is released before 2015 (mini-SIM or older), it may not support recording contacts at all.

Method 1: Standard export through "Contacts" (the easiest)

This method is suitable for most users and does not require additional applications. MIUI:

1. Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person’s silhouette on the home screen).
2. Tap it on three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Contact Management.
3. Go to the section Import / Export of contacts → Export to SIM-card.
4. Choose. SIM-a card (if there are two) and confirm the export. The process will take 10 to 30 seconds.

After completion, check the result: go to Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → [Yours. SIM] → Contacts SIM. This should show the transferred records.

Make sure that the number of contacts on SIM matches the original |Call 2–3 random numbers to check for correctness |Call for the display of Russian letters in names |Delete duplicates (if they appear)

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Problem: If the Export button is SIM-The card is inactive, which means that:

• 🔌 SIM-The card does not support contact recording (see the section on restrictions above).
• 📱 The phone has disabled the recording function on SIM (Resetting the settings of the Contacts application).
• 🔒 SIM blocked PUK-code (unlock it through the Settings menu) → Security).

Method 2: Transfer through the phone’s “Settings” (alternative path)

If standard export didn’t work, try an alternative route through system settings.This method often helps with crashes in the Contacts app:

1. Open the settings (cog icon).
2. Go to Memory → Contacts (or Applications → Contacts → Memory in older versions of MIUI).
3. Tap Export Contacts and select On SIM-map.
4. Specify which contacts to export: all or only from a specific account (Google, Mi Account).

The advantage of this is that you can choose the source of contacts, for example, if you synced your posts with a Google Account, you can export only those, eliminating duplicates from your phone's memory.

Only in the memory of the phone.|Synchronizing with Google|Using Mi Account.|Save it for SIM-map|Other-->

Method 3: Use of third-party applications (for advanced users)

If Redmi 8's built-in tools don't work, third-party tools will come to the rescue. We've tested 3 apps, but we recommend only one, Sim Contacts Manager (available on Google Play). Why?

• 🔍 Allows you to selectively transfer contacts (for example, only with work numbers).
• 📤 It saves up to 3 numbers per contact (vs. 2 in standard export).
• 🔄 Supports the return import of C SIM phone without loss.
• 🛡️ Does not require root rights and does not collect data (based on the analysis of VirusTotal).

Step-by-step:

1. Install Sim Contacts Manager from Google Play.
2. Open the app and give access to contacts.
3. Select Export to SIM → select the contacts you want (or click Select All).
4. Confirm the export. The app will show the number of successfully transferred records.

⚠️ Please note: Do not use any app like Super Backup or Copy to SIM — They often contain advertising software and can upload contacts to third-party servers. Check reviews and ratings before installing (should be at least 4.5).

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Before using third-party apps, back up your contacts in.vcf format through the standard export menu, which will protect you from data loss in case of a crash.

How to move contacts with photos: a workaround

SIM-The cards do not support the storage of contact photos – this is a technical limitation of the standard. GSM. However, there is a workaround: keeping photos separate from numbers.

Here's how to do it:

1. Export your contacts to SIM in the standard way (no photos).
2. Install Contact Photo Save (or similar) from Google Play.
3. Run contact scanning – the application will save all photos to the DCIM/ContactPhotos folder on internal memory.
4. Move this folder to your computer or to the cloud (like Google Drive).
5. When importing contacts to a new phone, restore photos through the same app.

Alternatively, use Google Contacts to sync, automatically upload photos to the cloud and link to numbers, minus you need a stable Internet connection.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

When you move contacts, Redmi 8 users have a common problem, and we've collected some of the most common ways to fix them:

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

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Contacts.
2. Click Warehouse → Clear the data and Reset the settings.
3. Restart the phone and repeat the export.

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Before resetting the Contacts app settings, be sure to back up your contacts in.vcf format – otherwise all entries will be lost!

Security: How to Avoid Losing Contacts During Transfer

Transferring contacts to SIM is irreversible in terms of data loss. To avoid trouble, follow the rules:

• 🔄 Backup before exporting. Redmi 8 does it this way: Contacts → ⋮ → Contact management → Export to file..vcf file save to computer.
• 📡 Check sync. If you use Google Account or Mi Account, make sure contacts are synced (go to Settings). → Accounts).
• 🔍 Test selectively. Move 5-10 contacts first and check their correctness before exporting everything.
• 🔒 Protect. SIM. After the transfer, set up PIN-code SIM-map (in Settings) → SIM-map → Lockdown SIM).

If you plan to use it SIM-Note: Some devices (especially iPhones) do not support importing contacts from other phones. SIM. In this case, it is better to use a.vcf file or cloud synchronization.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions