Transfer of contacts with SIM-Xiaomi smartphone cards are a challenge that every user faces when buying a new device or resetting settings. Despite the apparent simplicity, the process can cause difficulties: from lack of visibility SIM-In this article, we will discuss all current synchronization methods (including hidden functions). MIUI), Explain why contacts may not be copied and show how to avoid data loss.
Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO have their own MIUI shell, which sometimes changes the standard ways of importing contacts. For example, in MIUI 14-15 versions, the portability menu is hidden deeper than in pure Android. We took these nuances into account and prepared instructions that work on all current models, from the budget Redmi Note 12 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra.
1.Preparation: Why SIM contacts may not be displayed
Before you start the transfer, check three key points, because of which contacts with the SIM-The cards can be invisible:
- 📱 Version. MIUI: In the firmware older MIUI 12 Contact Import Menu Hidden in Settings → Memory. → Import/Export: Newer versions have a different path (see section 2).
- 📶 Type SIM-Cards: Contacts are only stored on standard SIM (Make sure you use a physical card with phone book support (usually limiting 250 contacts).
- 🔧 Display settings: By default MIUI conceal SIM-Check the contact information in the Contacts app → ☰ → Settings → Display contacts – a paragraph should be included SIM-map.
If contacts are still not visible, try restarting your smartphone or retracting/pasting SIM-And in 10 percent of cases, this is how the problem is solved, because it's caused by temporary failures in the communication module.
⚠️ Note: Do not use third-party apps to import contacts from SIM, If your smartphone is running under control MIUI 14+. In newer versions of the shell, this may lead to duplication of records due to conflict with the built-in synchronization of Xiaomi Cloud.
Method 1: Standard import through the "Contacts" application
This is the simplest method that works on all Xiaomi models regardless of the MIUI version.
- Open the Contacts app (a icon with a person's silhouette).
- Tap it on three points (☰) in the upper right corner and select Settings.
- Go to the Import/Export section (in MIUI 15, contact management may be called).
- Select Import with SIM-Maps and where to keep your contacts: 📱 Device - saves to internal memory (without synchronization). ☁️ Xiaomi Cloud – upload to the cloud (recommended for backup). 📧 Google Account – syncs with Gmail (comfortable for multi-platform access).
Confirm the import and wait for the process to be completed.
Import time depends on the number of contacts: 200 records usually take 1-2 minutes. If the process is stalled during the Preparation stage, try to turn off mobile Internet - sometimes background synchronization interferes with the operation.
Make sure that SIM-The card is inserted into slot 1 (main card)
Check your SIM balance (some rates block access to your phone book)
Disable VPN (may interfere with cloud sync)
Close all background applications (especially messengers)
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Method 2: Import through the "Settings of the System"
The alternative is through system settings, which is useful if the Contacts app is not working properly or there is no import point.
- Open the settings (cog icon).
- Go to the Memory section (in MIUI 14 it may be called the Warehouse).
- Slip on Import/Export (in some firmware hidden under Additional).
- Select Import with SIM-maps and follow the system's prompts.
The advantage of this method is to bypass possible errors in the Contacts app, for example, if the phone book is damaged, system import will work more stable, but there is no option to choose the target storage (all contacts will be stored locally on the device).
| Method of importation | Advantages | Deficiencies | Implementation time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through the "Contact" app | Selecting the target storage (cloud, Google, device) | It may not work when the phone book crashes. | 1-3 minutes |
| Through the "Settings" system | More stable when application errors occur | It only saves locally. | 1-2 minutes |
| Through Google Contacts (Section 4) | Automatic synchronization with other devices | Requires Internet connection | 2-5 minutes |
Method 3: Sync with Google Account (for backup)
If you use Google services (Gmail, YouTube, etc.), this method will not only allow you to transfer contacts with the SIM, but also automatically sync them between devices.
- Make sure that you have added a Google Account on your smartphone (Settings → Accounts → Add an account).
- Open the Contacts app → ☰ → Settings → Imports/Exports.
- Select Import from SIM-card and specify the target – Google Account.
- After import, enable autosynchronization: Settings → Accounts → Google → [your email] → Contact Sync (enable)
Your contacts will now be available on any device where you log in under the same Google account, a method that is especially handy if you change your smartphones frequently or use multiple gadgets (e.g. Xiaomi + tablet).
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If duplicates appear after importing Google Contacts, use the merge tool: open contacts.google.com → Duplicates → Combine all.
5. Method 4: Manual export via VCF file (for power users)
This method is suitable if you need to back up your contacts in a file or transfer them to another device without cloud services.
- Import SIM contacts to your device (by any of the methods above).
- Open Contacts. → ☰ → Settings → Exports.
- Select Export to the device storage and save the file in.vcf format (for example, in the Download folder).
- If necessary, move the file to a PC or other device.
If you travel frequently, add the international country code (e.g. +7 for Russia) to the numbers, which will eliminate the problems with outgoing calls abroad, and you can do this en masse through editing the.vcf file (section 5).
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Always check where your contacts are saved after importing, locally (only on this device), in Xiaomi Cloud or Google, which will help you avoid data loss when you dump or break your smartphone.