Moving contacts from Samsung’s phone to Xiaomi Redmi is a challenge that every second user faces when changing a smartphone. Despite the fact that both manufacturers use Android, the differences in shells (One) UI Samsung and MIUI Xiaomi can make it more complicated. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to transfer contacts, including synchronization through a Google account, exporting to the Internet. SIM-map, Bluetooth usage and specialized applications.
It is important to note that some methods (e.g., via SIM) have limitations on the number of fields saved (name and number only), while cloud services allow you to transfer complete information: email, addresses, birthdays and notes.
If you are switching from the Samsung Galaxy S23 to the Redmi Note 12 or from the Galaxy A52 to the POCO X5, the instructions below will be suitable for any models released after 2018.The only condition is that both phones must be on and charged at least 30% to avoid crashes during data transfer.
1. Transfer contacts through a Google account (the most reliable way)
Syncing with a Google account is a universal method that works on all Android devices, and its main advantage is that contacts are automatically updated on all associated gadgets, including Xiaomi Redmi.
- On a Samsung phone: 📱 Open the Contacts app. 🔄 Press three dots (menu) → Contact management → Synchronization of contacts. ☁️ Select your Google account and enable sync. ⏳ Wait until the process is completed (may take up to 5 minutes).
On the Xiaomi Redmi phone:
- 📱 Go to Settings. → Accounts and synchronization.
- 🔄 Add the same Google account as you do on Samsung.
- ☑️ Turn on contact synchronization.
- 🔍 Open the Contacts app – all records should appear automatically.
If no contact appears, check:
- 🔌 Internet connection (better to use Wi-Fi).
- 📧 The correctness of the entered Google account (sometimes users confuse email).
- ⚙️ Synchronization settings in Settings → Google → Synchronization of the account.
⚠️ Note: If your contacts are not saved to Google but to your Samsung account, you must export them first. → Management → Exports/imports → Export to.vcf file, then import this file to Google Contacts on your computer.
2. Export of contacts to SIM-card (without the Internet)
This method is suitable if you do not have access to the Internet or want to transfer only the main numbers. SIM-The card only stores the name and phone number – additional fields (email, addresses) will be lost.
Instructions:
- Samsung: 📱 Open Contacts. → Management → Imports/Exports. 📤 Select Export on Export SIM-map. ☑️ Tag the right contacts (or click Select All). 💾 Confirm the export.
On Xiaomi Redmi:
- 📱 Put it in. SIM-card in the slot (if you use two cards) SIM, Choose the one you exported your contacts to).
- 📥 Open Contacts. → Contact management → Imports/Exports.
- 📲 Select Import with SIM-map.
- 🔄 Specify where to save contacts (Google account or Device is recommended).
- 📥 On Xiaomi Redmi, confirm the file acceptance (usually a.vcf file).
- 📂 After downloading, open the file – the system will prompt you to import contacts into the memory of your phone or Google account.
If Bluetooth refuses to transmit contacts:
- 🔋 Check battery power (at levels below 15%, the connection may break).
- 📶 Make sure the distance between the phones is less than 10 meters.
- 🔄 Reboot both devices and re-pair the pairing.
💡
If Bluetooth doesn’t find the device, try turning on Visibility for All for 2 minutes in the Bluetooth settings on both phones.
4. Use of the VCF file (for mass transfer)
The.vcf file (vCard) is a universal format for storing contacts, which can be sent via email, messenger or cloud storage, and is suitable if you need to transfer contacts from Samsung to Xiaomi without connecting devices directly.
How to export and import:
- Exports to Samsung: 📱 Open Contacts. → Management → Exports/imports. 📄 Select Export to.vcf file. 📁 Save the file to your internal memory or SD-map.
- File transfer: 📎 Send the file to your mail, Telegram or upload to Google Drive. 📥 Open the file on Xiaomi Redmi and confirm the import.
Imports to Xiaomi:
- 📂 Find the.vcf file in the File Manager.
- 🖱️ Press it. → Choose to import all contacts.
- 🔄 Specify your target account (Google or device).
A VCF file can weigh up to 10MB when exporting 1,000+ contacts. If your email service limits attachments, use cloud storage (Google Drive, Yandex Drive) or split contacts into multiple files.
What to do if the VCF file is not opened on Xiaomi?
Applications for the transfer of contacts (alternative methods)
If the standard methods don't work, you can use specialized applications that offer additional features such as duplicates, backups, and selective portability.
Top.-3 contact-transfer applications:
- 📲 Copy My Data (by Media Mushroom) – transfers contacts, calendars and photos over Wi-Fi. Plus: no Internet, minus: limit to 500 contacts in the free version.
- 🔄 CLONEit clones data from the old phone to the new one via Wi-Fi Direct. SMS and applications, minus: requires installation on both devices.
- ☁️ My Contacts Backup saves contacts to the cloud and restores them to a new phone. Plus: backups are stored indefinitely, minus: the free version shows ads.
How to use CLONEit (Step-by-step):
- 📱 Install the app on both phones from Google Play.
- 🔗 On Samsung, select Send Data, on Xiaomi Redmi - Get Data.
- 📶 Connect to a single Wi-Fi network or use Wi-Fi Direct.
⚠️ Note: When using third-party apps, disable battery optimization for them in settings MIUI (Settings → Annexes → Permits → Auto-start, otherwise the transmission may be interrupted.
💡
Contact transfer applications are convenient if you need to translate not only numbers, but also SMS, photos or notes, but they take longer to set up than standard methods.
6. Computer Transfer (for power users)
If you have access to a PC or Mac, you can export your Samsung contacts to a file and then import them to Xiaomi Redmi.This method is useful if you want to edit contacts before porting or make a backup.
Instructions for Windows:
- 🖥️ Connect Samsung to your computer via USB (Select the File Transfer Mode).
- 📂 Copy the contacts.vcf file from the Internal Storage folder → Download (if you have previously exported your contacts).
- 📋 If necessary, open the file in Excel or Notepad for editing (format) VCF supportive CSV-conversion).
- 📱 Connect Xiaomi Redmi and move the file to any folder.
- 📥 Open a file on your phone and import contacts.
For Mac, you can use Android File Transfer or Google Contacts:
- 🍎 Export your contacts to.vcf and send them to your Mac via Airdrop or email.
- 🌐 Open contacts.google.com in Safari browser.
- ☁️ Import the file to Google Contacts, then sync with Xiaomi.
Frequent mistakes and their solutions
When moving contacts, users often face typical problems, and here's how to avoid or fix them:
| Problem. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts are not synced with Google | Synchronization in account settings is disabled | Check Settings → Accounts → Google → Contact Synchronization |
| The VCF file won't open. | A damaged file or unsupported format | Repeat export or use Google Contacts to import |
| Bluetooth breaks the connection | A weak signal or low battery charge | Charge your phones to 50%+ and reduce the distance between them |
| Duplicate contacts | Contacts are saved in multiple accounts (Google + Samsung) | Use Contacts Optimizer to clean up duplicates |
| SIM-card | Incompatible format or damaged SIM | Try another SIM or clear the contacts on it before exporting. |
If none of the methods worked, try resetting your network settings to Xiaomi Redmi (Settings) → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Network resets. Sometimes synchronization problems are due to incorrect parameters. APN.