How to transfer contacts from SIM-card to Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro: all ways

Why it’s important to move your SIM contacts to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro

SIM cards are still a popular way to store phone numbers, but there are many drawbacks to this method. First, SIM memory is limited – a standard card can accommodate no more than 250 contacts, while not being able to save photos, email or additional fields. Second, if you lose or damage the SIM, you risk losing all numbers forever. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro offers much more reliable options: internal memory of the device, Google account or MI Cloud.

Moving SIM contacts to a smartphone not only frees up space on the map, but also opens up new possibilities: synchronization between devices, backup to the cloud, quick search by name, and even integration with messengers like WhatsApp or Telegram. In addition, modern phones allow you to edit contacts directly in the address book, add avatars and group numbers into categories – which the SIM card does not exactly know how to do.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to migrate contacts, including standard MIUI tools, third-party apps, and cloud services, and you’ll be able to choose the method depending on your needs: whether you need to save numbers only on your phone, sync them to your Google account, or back up to MI Cloud.

Method 1: Standard import via the Contacts menu

The easiest and fastest method is to use the built-in import function in the Contacts app, which requires no additional software installation and works even without an internet connection, and is suitable for those who want to move numbers one-time without being tied to cloud services.

Instructions:

1. Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person’s silhouette on the home screen or in the app menu).
2. Tap the three-point menu (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Contact Management.
3. Go to the section Import / Export contacts → Import from SIM-card.
4. Tick the necessary contacts (or click Select All) and confirm the import.
5. Wait for the process to be completed – the numbers will appear in the main address book.

Important: by default, contacts will be saved to the internal memory of the phone. To avoid them disappearing when resetting settings, we recommend additionally synchronizing them with your Google account (about this in method 3).

Make sure that SIM-The card is inserted into slot 1 (main card)

Close all background applications to speed up the process

Check the free space in the phone memory (minimum 100 KB per contact)

Disable the energy saving mode (may interrupt the process)

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If after importing some numbers are displayed incorrectly (for example, without names or with symbols instead of letters), this is due to the encoding of the code. SIM-The decision:

⚠️ Attention: Old SIM-Cards (issued before 2010) may use outdated encoding GSM 7-bit, In this case, try to transfer contacts through the computer (method 4) or replace the SIM with a new one in the operator's cabin.

Method 2: Export to VCF and import to Xiaomi

The.vcf (vCard) format is the universal standard for storing contacts that all modern smartphones support. This method is useful if you want to back up numbers before transferring or plan to switch from the Redmi Note 9 Pro to another device. VCF You can save it on a computer, flash drive or in cloud storage.

How to export SIM contacts to VCF:

• 📱 Open Contacts. → Contact management → Imports/Exports.
• 📤 Select Export to the Device → specify SIM-map.
• 📄 Save the file in the phone’s memory (for example, in the Downloads folder).
• 🔄 Now import this file back: Import from the device → Select the saved.vcf.

The advantage of the method: the VCF file can be edited manually (for example, through Excel or a text editor), removing duplicates or correcting errors, and it is convenient to transfer it to other users - just send the file via email or messenger.

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If you change your phone frequently, keep the file. VCF In the cloud (Google Drive, MI Cloud or Yandex.Disk.So you can quickly restore contacts on a new device without being tied to the device. SIM-map.

Method 3: Sync with your Google account

One of the most reliable ways to link contacts to a Google account is to not only transfer numbers from the SIM to the Redmi Note 9 Pro, but also automatically sync them with other devices (tablets, computers via Gmail), and Google backs up contacts, which protects against accidental data loss.

Step-by-step:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Sign in to your account (or create a new one if you don’t have one).
3. Activate the Contacts switch in the account sync section.
4. Return to the Contacts app and import with SIM (as in method 1), but in the save step, select Google Account instead of internal storage.

All contacts will then be available at contacts.google.com, where they can be edited, duplicated, or exported to other formats, and if you lose your phone or reset your settings, the contacts will be automatically restored the next time you log in to your Google account.

Nana SIM-map

In the internal memory of the phone

Google account

At MI Cloud (Xiaomi)

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One important caveat: if you already have Google contacts, you may see duplicates when you import SIM.

⚠️ Note: Before importing, open contacts.google.com on your computer and delete old or unnecessary contacts. After importing, use the Find and Combine Duplicates feature (available in the web version and Google Contacts mobile app).

Method 4: Computer Transfer (for advanced users)

If standard methods fail (e.g., because of SIM encoding problems), you can use a computer as an intermediary, which takes a little longer, but guarantees 100% data security and allows you to edit contacts before transferring.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS
• 📱 Cable USB (adapter OTG reading SIM PC-only)
• 🛠️ Programme for work with SIM (for example, SIM Card Data Recovery or CopyTrans Contacts)

Instructions:

1. Connect the Redmi Note 9 Pro to your computer via USB and enable File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Install one of the SIM reading programs (free versions are available on the developer sites).
3. Export your SIM contacts to a.vcf or.csv file.
4. Open the file in Excel or text editor, if necessary, fix the errors.
5. Copy the edited file back to your phone and import it through Contacts.

This method is particularly useful if:

• 🔄 You need to transfer contacts from the old SIM card (until 2010 release) with problem encoding.
• 📊 Requires massive number editing (e.g., adding a prefix) +7).
• 🔍 Remote contacts with the SIM (Some programs can do this).

Method 5: Using MI Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud)

If you’re a big user of Xiaomi’s ecosystem, it makes sense to store your contacts in the company’s cloud, MI Cloud, which automatically syncs not only numbers, but also notes, photos, calendar entries, and the main advantage over Google is that it has deeper integration with MIUI firmware and the ability to back up SMS.

How to transfer SIM contacts to MI Cloud:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → MI Cloud
2. Sign in to your Xiaomi account (or sign up if you don’t).
3. Turn on Contact Sync.
4. Return to the Contacts app and import numbers with SIM by selecting MI Cloud as your save location.

The contacts will then be available on i.mi.com, where they can be exported, restored from backup, or shared with other Xiaomi devices (such as the Pad 6 tablet or Mi Band smartwatch).

Note: MI Cloud only provides 5GB of free space. If you plan to store not only contacts but also photos, check the free space in the Storage Management section of i.mi.com.

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MI Cloud is the best choice for owners of multiple Xiaomi devices.If you only have a Redmi Note 9 Pro smartphone, it's easier to use Google Contacts for versatility.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even when following instructions, users sometimes find it difficult to do so, and consider common mistakes and how to fix them:

Problem 1: Contacts are imported but displayed with characters or question marks.

• 🔹 Reason: Incompatibility of encoding SIM-cards (most often) GSM 7-bit instead UCS-2).
• 🔹 Solution: Use method 4 (transfer over a computer) or contact the operator for a replacement SIM New (modern maps support Unicode).

Problem 2: Some contacts have been lost since the import.

• 🔹 Reason: Limiting the number of contacts in the phone memory or failure when importing.
• 🔹 Check if the limit is exceeded (in the MIUI You can store up to 10,000 contacts by default. Try importing 100 numbers in batches.

Problem 3: Contacts are duplicated after syncing with Google or MI Cloud.

• 🔹 Reason: Numbers already existed in the cloud, and when imported, copies were created.
• 🔹 Solution: Use the tool to combine duplicates in the web version of Google Contacts or in settings MI Cloud.

Problem 4: You can’t import contacts – the button is inactive.

• 🔹 Reason: SIM-The card is not recognized by the phone (poor contact, damage) or no reading rights.
• 🔹 Solution: Restart your phone, check the installation is correct SIM (If the problem persists, try pasting the card into another device and exporting contacts from there.

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If you often experience import problems, make it a habit to regularly export contacts to a VCF file (e.g. once a month), which will take less than a minute, but save the data in case of a crash.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions