How to copy contacts from one Xiaomi to another: all ways with nuances

Shifting contacts between Xiaomi smartphones is a challenge that every user faces when buying a new device or changing a gadget. It would seem that it could be easier? But in practice, many people face data loss, duplication of records or synchronization problems, especially if we are talking about models of different generations — for example, the Redmi Note 10 Pro and Xiaomi 13 Ultra, where the versions of MIUI and default settings differ.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways of transferring contacts, from standard (via MI Cloud and Google account) to alternative (via Bluetooth or vCard). Each method has its pros and cons – somewhere you will need the Internet, somewhere you will have to manually confirm the transfer of each contact, we will also compare the speed of each option and point out hidden pitfalls that are not written in the official instructions.

If you're in a hurry, use the FAQ at the end of the article, which provides brief answers to the most common questions. For those who want to get to the bottom of the story, the following are step-by-step instructions with illustrations (in text format) and a method comparison table.

1. Transfer contacts via MI Cloud (official method)

Syncing via MI Cloud is the most reliable and quickest way if both devices are running MIUI. This method does not require cables or additional applications, but there is an important condition: both smartphones must have the same Xiaomi account.

How does it work? Your contacts automatically upload to the cloud when you first connect to your account, and on a new device, you just have to log in to the same profile, the data will fit itself.

Step-by-step:

1. On the old smartphone, open Settings → Xiaomi Account → MI Cloud.
2. Make sure the switch opposite Contact is active (green). If not, turn on sync.
3. Click Sync and wait until the process is complete (can take up to 5 minutes depending on the number of contacts).
4. On the new smartphone, log in to the same Xiaomi account and enable contact synchronization in MI Cloud.

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Warning: If your old phone has autosynchronization disabled, your contacts may not be saved in the cloud.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔄 Automatic update – contacts synced in the background.
• 📱 No binding to SIM-The card even has virtual numbers.
• 🔒 Data encryption – Xiaomi uses secure transmission protocols.

Disadvantages:

• ☁️ A stable Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network) is required).
• 📵 In some models (for example, POCO F3) synchronization can freeze - in this case, reboot will help.

2.Export/import through Google account (universal method)

If you use Google services (Gmail, YouTube, Play Market), your contacts can already be automatically saved in Google Contacts, which is suitable for transferring data not only between Xiaomi devices, but also to smartphones of other brands (Samsung, iPhone, etc.).

How to check and transfer contacts:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts → Google → Account Sync.
2. Make sure the Contact option is on, and if not, activate it and wait for the sync.
3. On the new device, log in to the same Google account and enable contact sync.

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Note: If the old phone only has the contacts saved SIM-They won't get into Google's account! First export them to the device's memory.

Pros of the method:

• 🌍 It works on all Android devices, not just Xiaomi.
• 🔄 Synchronization takes place in real time (with the Internet).
• 📂 You can edit contacts through the web version of Google Contacts.

Cons:

• 📶 Without the internet, the method doesn't work.
• 🔍 Sometimes there are duplicate contacts – they will have to be cleaned manually.

💡

Before transferring, check if contacts are saved in multiple locations at the same time (SIM + Google + phone), which will help to avoid duplicates on the new device.

3. Copy contacts via Bluetooth (without the Internet)

If you don't have Wi-Fi or mobile, and you need to move your contacts urgently, Bluetooth will help, which is slower than the others, but it works offline and doesn't require you to sign up for cloud services.

Instructions:

1. On both phones, turn on Bluetooth (in Settings → Connections or through the notification panel).
2. On a new smartphone, select an old device from the list and confirm the password (usually 0000 or 1234).
3. On your old phone, open the Contacts app, click ⋮ (three-point) → Imports/Exports → Send.
4. Select the contacts to transfer (you can mark everything) and confirm the sending via Bluetooth.
5. On a new phone, accept the incoming file (usually.vcf) and save the contacts.

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Note: On some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi 9A), the option of sending contacts via Bluetooth is hidden. To see it, first export the contacts to the.vcf file, and then submit this file.

Advantages:

• 📵 It works without the internet.
• 🔒 No risk of data leakage (transfers are directly between devices).

Disadvantages:

• ⏳ Slow transmission – if the contacts are more than 500, the process can take 10 minutes+ minute.
• 📱 New models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T) Sometimes no notification of an incoming file comes – check the Bluetooth folder in the file manager.

4. Transfer through SIM-Card (for a small number of contacts)

The old way that helps when there is nothing at hand. SIM-Suitable for carrying a small number of contacts (usually up to 250 records, depending on the operator — SIM-The card saves only the name and number, without additional fields (email, address, notes).

How to move:

1. On your old phone, open your contacts. → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Exports to SIM.
2. Select contacts for export (or click Select All).
3. Confirm your retention, and your contact will be recorded on SIM-map.
4. Replace it. SIM-map.
5. On the new device, repeat the path: Contacts → ⋮ → Import with SIM.

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Note: Some Xiaomi (for example, POCO X3 Pro) import/export option on SIM It is not available in the standard Contacts app, in which case use third-party software such as Contacts.+.

Pros of the method:

• 📱 No need for internet or additional accounts.
• 🔄 Fast for small phone books (up to 100 contacts).

Cons:

• 🚫 Limitation on volume - on SIM No more than 250-300 contacts are placed.
• 📝 Additional data (photos, email, birthdays) are lost).
• 🔧 On new models of Xiaomi (C) MIUI 14) the function may be removed from the menu.

5. Local backup via vCard file (for power users)

If you need to save all your contact data (including photos, notes, and multiple numbers), export to.vcf (vCard) is the best option.

Step-by-step:

1. On your old phone, open your contacts. → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Export to file.
2. Select a save location (e.g., Internal Memory → Download) and confirm the export.
3. Copy the.vcf file to your new smartphone (via Bluetooth, USB-cable).
4. On the new device, open the.vcf file and confirm the import of contacts.

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Warning: If the new phone already has contacts, they may be duplicated after importing.

Advantages of the method:

• 📁 All contact data (photo, email, addresses) is stored).
• 🔄 You can transfer contacts between different brands (Xiaomi) → iPhone → Samsung).
• 💾 The.vcf file can be edited in a text editor (e.g., delete unnecessary entries).

Disadvantages:

• 📂 You need extra space on your device (especially if you have a lot of contact with your photo).
• 🔧 On some firmware MIUI Export option hidden – look for it in Settings → System system → Backup.

Comparison of all methods: which one to choose?

To make the choice easier, we have compiled a table with the key parameters of each method:

If you need to transfer contacts from Xiaomi to iPhone, the only working ways are a Google account or a vCard file. MI Cloud and Bluetooth will not work in this case.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even when following instructions, users have difficulty, and let's look at the most common ones.

Problem 1: Contacts are not synced through the MI Cloud.

• 🔹 Check if synchronization is included in Settings → Xiaomi account → MI Cloud → Contacts.
• 🔹 Make sure that both devices have the same version. MIUI (Sometimes the logic of the cloud changes on new firmware).
• 🔹 Reboot both phones and try again.

Problem 2: When importing from vCard, duplicates appear.

• 🔹 Before importing, delete all contacts on your new phone (or make a backup).
• 🔹 Use applications to clean up duplicates, such as Contacts Optimizer.

Problem 3: Bluetooth doesn’t see the second phone.

• 🔹 Make sure both devices are visible to everyone (the Bluetooth settings have the option “Visibility").
• 🔹 Turn off the power saving mode – it can block data transmission.
• 🔹 Reboot Bluetooth module: Turn it off and back on on both phones.

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If none of these methods worked, check to see if the phones have custom firmware (like LineageOS) that can block standard synchronization functions.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions