Switching from Samsung to Xiaomi is not just about changing the interface, it's about transferring all the important data. Contacts are the most critical information you can't lose when you change your smartphone. Even if you've never synchronized before, you can do it in 5 to 15 minutes with the best method.
In this article, we will analyze all the current ways of transferring contacts - from classic exports through the Internet. SIM-map before auto-sync through Google Account or Mi Cloud. special attention will be paid to the nuances that arise when transitioning between different ecosystems (One UI and MIUI), Also, consider how to avoid duplicate records or data loss.
If you've tried to move contacts before but have encountered errors (e.g., no contact photos or missing groups), there's a section at the end of the article that addresses typical problems, and for those who want to save time, we've compiled a method table for speed and reliability.
1. Transfer contacts through Google Account (the most reliable way)
Google Sync is a universal method that works on any Android device, including Samsung Galaxy and Xiaomi Redmi/POCO. The main advantage is that contacts are automatically updated on all devices where you are logged in to the same account.
To transfer contacts in this way:
- 📱 On Samsung: Open Contacts → ⋮ (Menus) → Contact management → Sync contacts and enable sync with Google Account. If the account is not added, do it in Settings → Accounts and archiving.
- ☁️ Wait for the sync to complete (check Google Contacts via browser: contacts.google.com).
- 📲 On Xiaomi: When you first turn on, log in to the same Google Account or add it to Settings → Accounts. → Add an account. Contacts will be automatically downloaded.
⚠️ Note: If your contacts are only stored in your phone memory (not Google), you must export them first. → Export to.vcf file, then import this file to Google Contacts.
Advantages of the method:
- ✅ Automatic contact updates on all devices.
- ✅ Photos, groups and additional fields (dates of birth, addresses) are saved).
- ✅ No physical connection of devices is required.
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If not all contacts are displayed on Xiaomi after synchronization, check in Contacts. → ⋮ → Display contacts and select your Google Account
2.Export/import via VCF file (for those who do not use Google)
The.vcf (vCard) format is the standard way to store contacts that all smartphones support, and it’s a good method if you don’t want to be tied to Google or don’t have a stable internet connection.
Instructions:
- On Samsung, open your contacts. → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Export and select the internal memory or SD-The file will be saved as contacts.vcf.
- Transfer the file to Xiaomi via Bluetooth, USB-cable or cloud storage (such as Mi Cloud or Yandex Drive).
- On Xiaomi, open contacts → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Import from the device and select the downloaded file.
Nuances:
- 🔄 If there are many contacts (500)+), Imports can take a few minutes!
- 🖼️ Contact photos will only be saved if they were attached to the original recordings.
- 📁 You can open a.vcf file on PC via Outlook or Excel for editing.
What if the VCF file is not imported?
3. Transfer through SIM-Card (for a small number of contacts)
SIM-The card is the oldest, but still working, way to transfer contacts, which is suitable if you have few records (up to 250) and no Internet access:
- 🚫 No photos, groups or additional fields (name and number only) are saved).
- 📏 Limit the number of characters in a name (usually up to 20-30 characters).
- ⚠️ Some Xiaomi (e.g. Redmi Note 12) import from the SIM It may not work because of the specifics MIUI.
How to move:
- On Samsung: Contacts → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Exports to SIM-map.
- Wait for the copy to be completed (it can take 1-2 minutes).
- Replace it. SIM-Map to Xiaomi and import contacts: Contacts → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Import with SIM-map.
⚠️ Note: If Samsung uses nano-SIM and Xiaomi uses eSIM, you can't physically transfer it.
4. Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct transmission
If you don't have a cable or Internet connection, you can transfer contacts directly over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct. SIM-map, but requires both devices to be near.
Step-by-step:
- On Samsung, turn Bluetooth on in Settings → Connections.
- Open Contacts. → ⋮ → Send contacts and select the required entries (or click Allocate).
- Select Bluetooth and confirm pairing with Xiaomi.
- On Xiaomi, accept the file and import it to Contacts.
For Wi-Fi Direct:
- 🔗 Activate Wi-Fi Direct on both devices (Settings) → Wi-Fi → Wi-Fi Direct).
- 📲 Send contacts to Samsung via Contacts → ⋮ → Send. → Wi-Fi Direct.
- ⚡ Transfer speeds are faster than Bluetooth, but require confirmation on both phones.
Turn on Bluetooth on both devices|Hide phones (password is usually 0000 or 1234)|Check the battery charge (minimum 30%)|Remove old connected devices if they interfere-->
5.Using Mi Mover (Official Xiaomi App)
Mi Mover is Xiaomi’s proprietary tool for transferring data from other Android devices, copying not only contacts, but also messages, photos, apps, but it doesn’t work with all Samsung models (especially older ones).
How to use:
- Download Mi Mover on both phones from Google Play (or use the pre-installed app on Xiaomi).
- On Xiaomi, select I get data, on Samsung I send data.
- Connect to a single Wi-Fi network or create an access point on Xiaomi.
- Select Contacts in the data list for transfer and wait for completion.
Limitations:
- 🔌 It doesn’t work for Samsung with Android 8.0 and lower.
- 📱 On some Xiaomi models, for example, POCO F5) Additional confirmation of permits is required.
- ⏳ The process can take up to 30 minutes if other data is transmitted.
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Mi Mover is the best choice if you are transferring not only contacts, but also other data (photos, messages), and for a contact list alone, it is easier to use Google or VCF.
6. Comparison of all methods: which one to choose?
To make it easier, we've created a table with the pros and cons of each method, focusing on your priorities: speed, reliability or security of additional data (photos, groups).
| Method | Speed. | Save photos/groups | We need the Internet. | Difficulty | Better for you. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Account | ⚡ Quickly (1-5 minutes) | ✅ Yes. | ✅ Yes. | ⭐⭐ (simple) | Continuous synchronization |
| VCF file | ⏳ Average (5-10 min) | ✅ Yes. | ❌ No. | ⭐⭐ (simple) | Single transfer |
| SIM-map | 🐢 Slowly (10).+ mine) | ❌ No. | ❌ No. | ⭐ (simple) | Little contact, no internet. |
| Bluetooth/Wi-Fi Direct | ⚡ Quickly (2-5 minutes) | ✅ Yes. | ❌ No. | ⭐⭐⭐ (middle-of-the-road) | Fast transmission without cables |
| Mi Mover | ⏳ Average (10-30 min) | ✅ Yes. | ✅ Yes (Wi-Fi) | ⭐⭐⭐ (middle-of-the-road) | Transfer all data at once |
If you have a Samsung Galaxy S23 or newer and Xiaomi is on MIUI 14+, the best choice is Google Account or Mi Mover. For older models (for example, Galaxy J5 2017), it is more reliable to use.vcf.
Typical problems and their solutions
Even with proper transfer, errors can occur, and here are the most common ones and how to fix them:
Problem 1: Not all contacts are displayed on Xiaomi.
- 🔍 Check the contacts. → ⋮ → Display contacts if your Google Account is selected.
- 🔄 Update contacts manually: Settings → Accounts. → Google → Synchronize.
- 📱 If contacts are duplicated, use the Google Contacts merge tool.
Problem 2: Contact photos are not transferred.
- 🖼️ When exporting to.vcf, make sure that the settings are selected Enable photos.
- ☁️ If you use Google, check that photos are uploaded to contacts.google.com.
- 🔄 On Xiaomi, update the Contacts app to the latest version.
Problem 3: Contacts are duplicated.
- 🧹 In Google Contacts, use the Find and Combine Duplicates tool.
- 📱 On Xiaomi, open contacts → ⋮ → Contact management → Connecting contacts.
- 🔧 Before penos, turn off sync with other accounts (for example, Samsung Account).
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If the “Birthday” field or other data is lost after the transfer, check if the contacts are saved in another account (for example, in Samsung Account instead of Google).