The switch from Samsung to Xiaomi is not only about changing the ecosystem, but also about moving important data. Contacts from the phone book are often the main headache: losing them can mean breaking ties with colleagues, friends or customers. Fortunately, modern smartphones offer several ways to migrate, from cloud services to classic exporting to the Internet. SIM-map.
In this article, we will discuss 5 proven methods of synchronizing contacts between Galaxy S24/S23 devices, Note 20 and any Xiaomi 14/13/Redmi models, including nuances for different versions of MIUI and One UI. You will learn which method is the fastest, which saves the history of calls, and which will be suitable even without the Internet.
Important: All instructions are up to date for 2026 and take into account the latest updates to Google Contacts, MIUI 15 and One UI 6.1. If you use devices older than 2018, some features (such as Nearby Share) may not be available β in such cases, pay attention to alternative methods.
1. Sync through Google account (recommended method)
The most reliable and versatile method is to use a Google account, which works on all Android 5.0+ devices, not only saves numbers, but also photos of contacts, groups, and call history (when synced to Google Phone is enabled), the main advantage is that the data is automatically updated on all connected devices.
To move your contacts from Samsung to Xiaomi via Google:
- On Samsung, open the Contacts app β Click on three dots (menu) β Contact management β Contact sync.
- Select your Google account and activate the Contacts switch. wait until sync is complete (it can take up to 10 minutes with a large number of records).
- On Xiaomi, add the same Google account to Settings β Accounts and Sync.
- Open Contacts β Settings (cog icon) β Import/Export contacts β Import from your Google account.
β οΈ Note: If your contacts are saved in your Samsung Account (not Google) on Samsung, they must be exported first:
- Go to Settings β Accounts and Archiving β Samsung Account.
- Select Synchronization and disable Contacts.
- Return to Contacts β Contact Management β Move Contacts and select Google as your target account.
Add the same account to both devices|Check for a stable Wi-Fi connection|Disable battery optimization for the "Contact" application"|Make sure that Xiaomi has autosynchronization enabled (Settings) β Accounts. β Autosynchronization of data)-->
2. Export of contacts to SIM-card (without the Internet)
If you do not have access to Wi-Fi or mobile internet, SIM-This is a way to save the map, and it's a way to transfer basic data. + the number, but does not save photos, email or additional fields. SIM-Cards have a limit on the number of contacts (usually 250-500 records).
Instructions for Samsung:
- Open Contacts β Three Points β Contact Management β Import/Export Contacts
- Select Export on Export SIM-map β Check the necessary contacts (or click Allocate all) β Ready.
- Wait until it is completed (it can take 1-5 minutes depending on the number of records).
Instructions for Xiaomi:
- Put it in. SIM-card in the slot (if you use two cards) SIM, Select the one to which the data was exported).
- Open Contacts β Three Points β Import / Export β Import from SIM-card.
- Choose where to save your contacts: Google account, Mi Account or phone memory.
β οΈ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 12) import from the SIM This may not work if the nano-SIM card is inserted through the adapter, in which case use the original micro-SIM or other transfer method.
What if your contacts are not imported with SIM?
3. Transmission via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct
Direct data transfer between devices is suitable if you do not have SIM-maps or you want to transfer full contact information (including photos and notes) minus the method: manual confirmation is required on both devices and errors are possible with a large amount of data.
How to transfer contacts over Bluetooth:
- On Samsung, turn on Bluetooth in the notification panel.
- Open Contacts β Select the required entries (or click Allow) β Three Dots β Send β Bluetooth.
- Select a Xiaomi device from the list and confirm the transfer on both phones.
- On Xiaomi, accept the incoming file (usually in.vcf format) and save the contacts to the desired account.
For Wi-Fi Direct (faster than Bluetooth):
- On both devices, activate Wi-Fi Direct in your Wi-Fi settings.
- On Samsung, connect to Xiaomi (or vice versa).
- In Contacts, select Send β Wi-Fi Direct and follow the instructions.
β οΈ Note: When transmitting via Bluetooth, contacts can be broken down if there are too many (more than 500 entries).In this case, break the export into several stages or use a.vcf file (see next section).
Reduce the distance between devices to 1 meter.
2. disable the power saving mode on both phones.
3. Use Wi-Fi Direct instead of Bluetooth β it is more stable with large amounts of data.-->
4. Export to the VCF file (universal method)
The.vcf (vCard) file is the standard format for storing contacts that all modern smartphones support, can be transmitted via instant messengers, email or cloud storage, the advantage of which is that all data (photos, groups, additional fields) are stored, and you can edit the file before importing.
How to export your VCF contacts to Samsung:
- Open Contacts β Three Points β Contact Management β Import/Export Contacts
- Choose Exports β Specify the location of the storage (internal memory or SD-map).
- The file will be created in the Download or Contacts folder with a type name. contacts_YYYYMMDD.vcf.
How to import VCF to Xiaomi:
- π Local Import: Copy the file to Xiaomi (via cable, Bluetooth, or cloud) then open Contacts β three-point β Imports/Exports β Import from.vcf file.
- π§ Through email: Send.vcf to your email, open a letter to Xiaomi and click on the attachment β the system will offer to import contacts.
- βοΈ Upload the file to Google Drive or Mi Cloud, then download it to Xiaomi and import it.
If you have more than 2,000 contacts in your VCF file, break it down with VCF Splitter, otherwise Xiaomi may not import it entirely.
| Method | Speed. | Data stored | Internet is required | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google account | ββββ | Name, number, email, photo, group, notes | Yes. | Synchronization is required on both devices. |
| SIM-map | ββ | Name + number (without photo) | No. | Limitation of 250-500 contacts |
| Bluetooth/Wi-Fi Direct | βββ | Full data (depending on model) | No. | It can break off with a lot of volume. |
| VCF file | ββββ | All data (including call history) | No (but needed for transmission) | The file may be too big. |
| Samsung Smart Switch | βββββ | Contacts + SMS, photos, applications | No (but you need software) | It only works with Samsung. β Xiaomi |
5.Using Samsung Smart Switch (for full portability)
Samsung Smart Switch is designed to migrate data from Samsung devices to other brands, including Xiaomi. It portes not only contacts, but also SMS, photos, videos, calendars and even some settings.
Step-by-step:
- Download Smart Switch on Xiaomi from Google Play.
- Connect both phones through USB-cable OTG-Adapter (or use Wi-Fi, but itβs slower).
- On Samsung, select Send Data, on Xiaomi, Receive Data.
- Select Contacts (and other data if necessary) and wait until the transfer is completed.
β οΈ Note: If Xiaomi does not recognize the connection through the OTG, check:
- π Do you use the original cable (not all) OTG-Adapters support data transfer).
- π± Is File Transfer Mode Enabled (MTP) customized USB Samsung.
- π Reboot both devices and try again.
π‘
Smart Switch is the only way to bring not only contacts, but also SMS history, Samsung Notes notes and even some screen settings to Xiaomi. However, it doesnβt work in the opposite direction (from Xiaomi to Samsung).
6 Third-party applications: Smart Transfer, ShareIt, Mi Mover
If standard methods don't work, you can use specialized applications. They often offer additional features, such as duplicate merging or backup.-3 decision:
- π± Xiaomi Mi Mover: Intended to transfer data to devices Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco. Keeps in touch, SMS, Photos and applications.
- π Smart Transfer (by Smart Switch): Samsung Smart Switch alternative for any Android device. Works via Wi-Fi Direct.
- π ShareIt: Universal application for file transfer, including contacts. Supports cross-platform exchange (Android) β iOS and back again. Download.
How to transfer contacts via Mi Mover:
- Install the app on both devices.
- On Samsung, choose Iβm the sender, on Xiaomi, Iβm the recipient.
- Scan it. QR-code from the Xiaomi screen or connect via Wi-Fi Direct.
- Select Contacts and confirm the transfer.
β οΈ Note: When using ShareIt, contacts are exported to a.vcf file, which then needs to be imported manually. Some versions of the application may request unnecessary permissions (for example, access to geolocation) - they can be disabled in the Android settings.
Frequent problems and their solutions
Even if you follow the instructions correctly, you can get errors, and here are the most common situations and ways to fix them:
- π Contacts are duplicated: This happens if you have imported them multiple times from different sources. To clear the duplicates, use the built-in feature in Contacts β Contact management β Combining and correcting.
- β Contacts are not synced with Google: Check if sync is enabled in Settings β Accounts. β Google β Sync your account. Also make sure there's enough cache space on your device.
- π΅ Bluetooth/Wi-Fi Direct does not find the device: Turn off power saving mode, turn on Visibility for All in Bluetooth settings and reboot both phones.
- π Not all contacts were imported: Check if the.vcf file is above the limit (usually 2,000 entries.
If none of the methods worked, try manually entering the most important contacts or contact a service center β perhaps the problem is the firmware of the device.
On Samsung: Settings β Accounts and Archiving β Backup and Restore.
On Xiaomi: Settings β The phone. β Backup and reset β Local backup.-->