How to download contacts from Xiaomi account: all ways to export

Losing contacts on a Xiaomi smartphone is one of the most frustrating situations a user can face. Fortunately, the manufacturer has provided several ways to back up and export the phone book. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of saving contacts from Redmi, POCO and Mi devices, from standard MIUI functions to hidden ADB features.

It's important to understand that the choice of method depends on the purpose: whether you need to transfer contacts to another phone, save them to the cloud or just back up on your computer. We'll look at options for different versions of the firmware (from MIUI 12 to MIUI 14), and also take into account the peculiarities of working with Chinese and global versions of smartphones. If you use Xiaomi with custom firmware, at the end of the article there is a separate section with nuances for such cases.

Before you start exporting, make sure your device is synced to your Mi or Google account, which will make it easier. If sync is disabled, some methods may not work, and check if your phone has third-party contact management apps (such as Truecaller or Drupe) installed, which can block standard export features.

1. Export of contacts through the standard MIUI menu

The easiest way to download contacts with Xiaomi is to use the built-in export function to the.vcf file (business card).This method works on all devices with MIUI, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and Mi 11. The file can be transferred to another phone, downloaded to the cloud or opened on your computer.

To export contacts:

1. Open the Contacts app** (an icon with a human silhouette).
2. Tap the three-point menu (⋮) top-right.
3. Choose Contact Management → Import/Export Contacts.
4. Click Export in the file and confirm the action.
5. Specify the location of the storage (internal memory or SD-map) and wait until it is completed.

The file will be saved as contacts.vcf or 00001.vcf (depending on the version MIUI). It can be sent to yourself by email, uploaded to Google Drive or copied to your computer via Google Drive. USB-Note: If you have more than 2,000 contacts, the file may be broken up into several parts (e.g., a file that is not connected to a cable, 00001.vcf, 00002.vcf etc.).

⚠️ Note: When exported through the standard menu, no contact photos or call history are saved. If this information is critical, use the method with Mi Cloud (section 3) or third-party applications.

Make sure that contacts are not duplicated (combine repeating contacts)

Disable the filter "Show only contacts with phones"

Check the free space on the device (need ~1-5 MB)

Close all applications that work with contacts (Truecaller, WhatsApp, etc.)

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2. Maintaining contacts on SIM-map

If you need to transfer contacts to another phone without using the Internet, you can save them to the Internet. SIM-This is a method that's suitable for devices that support SIM-Contacts (most Xiaomi models until 2023) SIM-The card will hold a limited number of records (usually up to 250), and only names and phone numbers will be saved – no email, addresses or photos.

Instructions for saving on SIM:

• 📱 Open the Contacts app** and go to Contact Management → Imports/Exports.

After export, contacts will be available on the menu. SIM-To transfer them back to Xiaomi, use the Import with function. SIM-It's in the same section. SIM-card to a phone from another manufacturer (such as Samsung or iPhone), contacts may not be displayed correctly due to differences in encoding.

⚠️ Note: On new Xiaomi models (released after 2023) the function of saving on the SIM-In this case, use export to.vcf or synchronization with Mi Cloud.

3. Sync with Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud)

The most reliable way to back up contacts is to sync with Mi Cloud, which not only saves a phone book, but also automatically updates it when you add new records, and the main condition is that you have a Mi Account and a stable Internet connection.

To enable synchronization:

1. Go to Settings. → Mi Account.
2. Select Mi Cloud and log in if required.
3. Activate the slider opposite Contact.
4. Click Sync and wait for the process to be completed.

All contacts will then be available in your Mi Account on i.mi.com, and can be exported to.vcf or transferred to another phone, with the advantage of automatic backups: if you lose your phone, the contacts will remain in the cloud.

If you want to download contacts from Mi Cloud to your computer:

• 🌐 Go to i.mi.com and log in.
• 📁 Go to the Contact section.
• 📥 Click on the gear icon (⚙️) and select Export.
• 💾 Save the contacts.vcf file to your hard drive.

Once a month

Six months

Just before changing the phone.

Never do.

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4 Exports via Google Account

If you use a Google account on your Xiaomi, contacts can be synced with and exported from Google Contacts, a method that works even if you switch your phone to a device from another manufacturer (such as Samsung or iPhone).

To sync your contacts with Google:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Synchronization.
2. Select your Google account.
3. Make sure the slider opposite Contact is on.
4. Click Sync (or More → Sync Now).

Once synced, the contacts will appear in Google Contacts to export them:

• 🌐 Open contacts.google.com.
• 📤 On the left menu, select Export.
• 📋 Specify which contacts to export (all or selected groups).
• 📁 Select the Google format CSV (For importing Google or vCard (for other devices).
• 💾 Click Export and save the file.

Important: If you have previously synced contacts with both Mi Cloud and Google, duplicates may occur. Before exporting, check your contact list and combine recurring entries through the Find and combine duplicates in Google Contacts menu.

5. Use of ADB for export (for advanced users)

If standard methods fail (for example, due to a MIUI failure or lack of access to the cloud), you can export contacts via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting the phone to a computer and basic command line knowledge, but allows you to get a full copy of the contact database, including hidden fields.

To export contacts 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 enable USB debugging.
3. Connect your phone to your computer through USB-cable and select File Transfer Mode.
4. Open the Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:

adb devices

(Your device should be displayed)

adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/contacts2.db

The contacts2.db file will be copied to the folder where the command was launched, a SQLite database with all contacts that can be opened with programs like DB Browser for SQLite or converted to.vcf via online services.

⚠️ Attention: To work with ADB Bootloader must be unlocked on your phone (on the Chinese versions of Xiaomi, this can lead to a data dump.

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If the adb pull command doesn’t work, try rooting first through the adb shell su (requires unlocked bootloader and Magisk).

6. Third-party applications for export of contacts

If the built-in MIUI features don't suit you, you can use third-party apps, which offer additional features such as backing up your call history, exporting to Excel or cloud services (Dropbox, OneDrive).

• 📱 Super Backup & Restore – Exporting Contacts, SMS, Call logs and applications. Supports automatic backup on schedule.
• 📤 Contacts Backup - saves contacts to.vcf and sends the file to email.
• ☁️ My Contacts Backup – Simple Exports to the Cloud SD-It's not registered.
• 📊 Export Contacts – allows you to upload contacts to the CSV Excel for further processing.

Before using third-party applications:

• Check reviews and rankings on Google Play (avoid programs with a score below 4.0).
• Please note the permissions requested – the application should not require access to SMS or geolocation to export contacts.
• Create a system restore point (if there is root access) in case of a failure.

Examples of Super Backup & Restore:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Open it and select Contacts.
3. Click Backup and specify the location of the save (internal memory, SD-map).
4. After completion, the files will be available in the Sdcard/SuperBackup folder.

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The side of the application is convenient for automatic backup, but do not store sensitive data in them - only use proven programs with a good reputation.

7. Features of export on custom firmware

If your Xiaomi runs on custom firmware (like LineageOS, Pixel Experience or Xiaomi.eu), standard export methods may not work due to changes in the system.

• 🔧 Check if Google’s standard Contacts app is installed.If not, install it from the Play Market.
• 📲 Use it. ADB (Section 5 – This method works on most custom firmware.

On Xiaomi.eu firmware (a modified version of MIUI for the global market), the export function in.vcf usually works normally, but there may be problems with the Mi Cloud due to the lack of Chinese services.

1. Use Google Contacts to sync.

If the contacts are not displayed correctly after the firmware change (for example, Cyrillic is replaced by Cracosabras), the problem may be in the encoding.

• Open the.vcf file in a text editor (e.g. Notepad++).
• Convert the encoding to UTF-8.
• Save the file and import it again.

8. Frequent errors and their solutions

When exporting contacts with Xiaomi, users often face typical problems, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to fix them:

If none of these methods worked, try the following:

• 🔄 Reboot your phone – sometimes it solves sync problems.
• 📱 Update the Contacts app** via Play Market.

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If contacts are missing after resetting your phone, check the MIUI/Backup/AllBackup folder – it may have an automatic backup from the system.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions