How to make a copy of contacts on Xiaomi: backup in 5 minutes

Losing contacts on a smartphone is one of the most frustrating situations for a user. Phone numbers of friends, colleagues and loved ones often accumulate for years and can take hours or even days to recover. Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi, POCO and Mi lines) offer several built-in ways to back up contacts, but many users do not know how to use them correctly.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven methods to make a copy of contacts on Xiaomi – from synchronization with Google Account to exporting to the Internet. SIM-Each method is suitable for different situations: for example, if you change the phone, reset it to factory settings or just want to hedge your bets.

Before you start, check the MIUI version on your device — it depends on the location of some menu items. Current versions (MIUI 14/15) support all the features described below, but on older firmware (MIUI 12 and below), the interface may be different. If you use POCO Launcher or custom firmware, the path to settings may also change.

1. synchronize contacts with Google Account

The most reliable and automated way to link your contacts to a Google Account is to not only back up your contacts, but also sync numbers between all your devices (like your smartphone and tablet), and the key is to have an active Gmail account and a stable Internet connection.

To enable synchronization:

1. Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person’s silhouette).
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner and select Settings.
3. Go to Contact Management → Contact Synchronization.
4. Select your Google Account (if not, add it through Settings → Accounts).
5. Activate the switch to sync contacts.

After that, all your contacts will be automatically uploaded to Google Contacts. To check if the transaction is successful, go to contacts.google.com from your computer or other device, and all saved numbers should be displayed there.

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If you have multiple Google accounts, make sure that sync is enabled for the correct one. By default, MIUI can use the first account added even if you don't use it.

⚠️ Note: If you delete a contact on your phone, it will automatically disappear in Google Contacts (and vice versa).To avoid accidental loss, enable Archiving Changes to Google Contacts settings to restore deleted numbers within 30 days.

2. Export contacts to VCF file (vCard)

The.vcf (or vCard) format is a universal standard for storing contacts. SD-The advantage of this method is that you don't need to have internet, and you can open the file on any device (including your iPhone or computer).

Export instructions:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Click on three points → Settings → Contact Management → Import/Export Contacts.
3. Select Export to File (or Export to Device in older versions of MIUI).
4. Check all contacts (or select the ones you need manually).
5. Click Export and specify a folder to save (such as Downloads or Documents).

The file will be saved under the type name. contacts_20260515.vcf. To import it later, use the same path in the menu, but select Import from the file, MIUI They will be able to combine them automatically.

All the necessary contacts are selected (not only from the SIM-map)

The correct save location (not system folder)

The file has a.vcf extension (not.txt or.csv)

Free space on the device (file can weigh up to 10 MB)

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3. Copying of contacts on SIM-map

If you need to transfer contacts to another phone without the Internet, you can save them to the Internet. SIM-This method has limitations:

• 📵 SIM-The card supports only names and numbers (no photo, email or addresses).
• 🔢 Number of contacts limited by capacity SIM (usually 200-500 records).
• 📱 Not all Xiaomi models support this feature (some of them are not supported by the same model). POCO She may be absent).

To copy contacts to SIM:

1. Open Contacts → Settings → Contact Management → Import/Export Contacts
2. Select Export on Export SIM-map.
3. Mark your contacts for export (or click Select All).
4. Confirm the action and wait until the completion (may take up to 1-2 minutes).

To check that the contacts have been copied, extract SIM-If the numbers don't show up, try restarting the device or repeating the export.

4. Backup through MI Cloud

MI Cloud is a cloud storage from Xiaomi that allows you to save contacts, photos, notes and other data. To use it, you need to have a Mi Account (you can create it directly on your phone).

• ☁️ Automatic synchronization (can be set to schedule).
• 🔒 Data protected by password and two-factor authentication.
• 📱 Access to any device via i.mi.com.

To enable backup in MI Cloud:

1. Go to Settings. → Mi Account.
2. Select MI Cloud (if your account is not connected, log in).
3. Press the device backup.
4. Activate the Contacts switch and press Start Backup.

The first copy can take a few minutes (depending on the number of contacts), after which the data will be updated automatically when you connect to Wi-Fi. To restore contacts on a new phone, just log into the same Mi Account and enable synchronization.

5. Manual copying via computer (for advanced users)

If you prefer manual control, you can copy the contact database directly from your phone to your PC, a method that is suitable for root users or those who can work with ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which is not recommended for ordinary users, as it requires technical skills.

Instructions for copying through ADB:

1. Turn on Developer Mode on your phone: go to Settings → About Phone and tap the MIUI version 7 times.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and activate Debugging over USB.
3. Connect your phone to your computer through USB-cable and select File Transfer Mode.
4. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (Mac/Linux) and type: adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/contacts2.db This will copy the contact database to your computer.

The contacts2.db file contains all contacts in encrypted form. To read it, you will need special software, such as DB Browser for SQLite or online VCF converters. This method is suitable for creating a full backup before resetting your phone or firmware.

Synchronization with Google

Export to VCF file

Copying on SIM-map

MI Cloud

I don't make backups.

Another way.-->

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even when following instructions, users sometimes encounter problems, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to fix them:

• 🔄 Contacts are not synced with Google: Check your internet connection (synchronization only works via Wi-Fi or mobile data). Update Google Contacts app in Play Market. Delete and re-add Google Account in your phone settings.
• 📱 No export option is visible SIM-map: Make sure that SIM-card inserted SIM1 (In some models, export only works with the main card, check if the function is disabled in the operator settings (for example, on virtual cards). SIM She may be absent).
• ☁️ MI Cloud does not save contacts: Update MIUI Check if there is enough space in the cloud (free is 5GB, but it can be occupied by other data).

⚠️ Note: If you reset your phone to factory settings without a backup, try to restore contacts through Google Account or MI Cloud for 15 days – some cloud services store temporary copies of deleted data. For this, when you first set up your phone, select Restore from a backup.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions

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Regular contact backups (at least once a month) will save you data loss when your phone is stolen, broken or reset. You should use two methods at once - for example, sync with Google. + export VCF-file.