How to copy contacts from Xiaomi phone to your computer: all the ways of 2026

Shifting your contacts from Xiaomi to your computer is a challenge that every user will face sooner or later, whether you buy a new phone, back up before resetting, or just want to keep important numbers in a safe place, there are plenty of options, but not all of them are equally convenient: somewhere you will need the Internet, somewhere you will need additional software, and in some cases the process can take just a few clicks.

The main problem is data fragmentation. Contacts on Xiaomi can be stored in different places: in the Mi Account, sync with Google, lie locally in the phone’s memory or even duplicated in the phone’s memory. SIM-More than that. 60% Users are unaware that their contacts are scattered across the 2-3 In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, from standard to little-known, and also describe how to avoid data loss during the transfer.

If you've never set up sync, chances are your contacts are only stored in your phone's memory. This is the riskiest option: if you reset or break your device, you'll lose all the numbers. So the first step is to determine where your data is. To do this, open the Contacts app, tap three dots in the top right corner, and select Contact Management → Contact Source. Here you'll see all the storage available.

The second is the export format. Your computer can accept contacts as.vcf (business card standard),.csv (Excel table) or even.xml (for some backup programs). We recommend using.vcf, which is supported by all modern OSes, including Windows 11 and macOS Ventura. If you need a table for editing, select.csv, but note that when you import back, contact photos may be lost.

Method 1: Export via Mi Account (the fastest method for Xiaomi owners)

If you use a branded Mi Account, the transfer of contacts will take no more than 5 minutes, which is suitable for all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO, Released models after 2018, since older devices may not support cloud sync, the main condition is that the phone must be connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile network).

Algorithm of action:

1. Open Settings → Xiaomi account and make sure you are authorized.
2. Go to Mi Cloud → Contacts and enable sync if it is disabled.
3. On your computer, open your browser and go to i.mi.com. Sign in with the same account.
4. In the menu on the left, select Contacts, then click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Export.
5. Select the vCard format (.vcf) and wait for the archive to be created. The file will automatically upload to the Download folder.

✅ Pros of the method:

• 🔹 Does not require a phone to be connected to a PC via cable
• 🔹 Keeps all contact fields, including photos and notes
• 🔹 Automatically updates data when changing on the phone

❌ Cons:

• 🔸 Requires a stable Internet connection
• 🔸 If contacts are not synchronized with Mi Cloud, they will not be exported.
• 🔸 Some users complain about slow loading of large lists (1000)+ contact)

⚠️ Note: If you previously used another Mi Account and did not transfer contacts, they may remain tied to the old profile. → Xiaomi account is displayed by the desired email.

Method 2: Sync with Google and export to PC

This is universal and works on any Android device, including Xiaomi, and its main advantage is cross-platform: contacts will be available not only on a PC, but also on any other phone or tablet where you log in under the same Google Account.

To move the data:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Select your account and make sure the switch opposite Contact is active.
3. Wait 5-10 minutes for the data to sync (with more contacts, it may take longer).
4. On your computer, open your browser and go to contacts.google.com.
5. In the left menu, click Export, select the Google CSV or vCard format, and confirm the download.

🔧 Additional settings:

• 📌 To avoid duplication, combine repetitive contacts before exporting: Others → Find and combine duplicates.
• 📌 If contacts are not synced, check if the Save Traffic option in Google Settings is disabled.
• 📌 For export only certain contacts, tick them before clicking Export.

⚠️ Note: If you use Xiaomi with custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), sync with Google may not work smoothly.In this case, check contacts at contacts.google.com before exporting.

Sign in to Google Account on your phone|Enable contact synchronization|Check the Internet connection|Combine duplicates (optional)|Select the export format-->

Method 3: Transfer through USB-cable (for users without the Internet)

If you don’t have internet access or prefer a physical connection, you can copy contacts directly via USB.This method works on all Xiaomi models, but requires pre-setting the phone to transfer data.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your phone to your PC using the original cable (faulty cables may not transmit data).
2. On the phone in the notification panel, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
3. Open the Contacts app, click on three points → Contact Management → Import/Export Contacts → Export to the device.
4. Select your contacts for export (or click Select All) and confirm saving. the contacts.vcf file will appear in the Internal Storage → MIUI → backup → AllBackup folder.
5. On your computer, open the Explorer, find the phone in the This Computer section and copy the contacts.vcf file to the desired folder.

🛠 Addressing problems:

• 🔌 If your computer can’t see your phone, try another one. USB-Port or cable. Windows may require Mi drivers PC Suite.
• 📱 On some models (Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro) file path may be different: Internal Storage → Download.
• 🔄 If exports are interrupted, break the contacts into parts (for example, 500 pieces) and export alternately.

💡

Before the shutdown USB-Always use the Safe Device Removal feature in Windows.This will prevent damage to the.vcf file, especially if it is large (more than 10 MB).

Method 4: Using Bluetooth (an alternative for older PCs)

If your computer has a Bluetooth module (or you use an external adapter), you can transfer contacts wirelessly. This method is slower than USB, but does not require cables. It is especially relevant for Xiaomi owners based on Android 9 and below, where cloud synchronization functions are limited.

How to transfer contacts over Bluetooth:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and PC. On Windows, open Settings → Devices → Bluetooth and other devices and add a new device.
2. On the phone, confirm the pairing (may require code entry).
3. Open the Contacts app, select the numbers you want (or click Allow).
4. Click on the Share button (arrow icon) and select Bluetooth.
5. Select your computer from the list of devices and confirm the transfer to the PC.

⚠ Limitations of method:

• 🐢 Transmission speed: ~10 contacts per minute (500 contacts required) ~50 minutes).
• 📄 Contacts are transmitted one file per number (for example, Contact_001.vcf, Contact_002.vcf), Which is inconvenient for a large amount.
• 🖼 Contact photos may not be transmitted or compressed.

⚠️ Note: On Windows 11, receiving files over Bluetooth sometimes ends in an error: You could not save the file. In this case, before transferring, create a folder on your desktop with a short name (for example, Contacts) and specify it as the target when receiving it.

Method 5: Specialized programs (for advanced users)

If standard methods don't work (e.g., because of large amounts of data or specific formats), you can use third-party software. We tested 5 popular programs and selected the two most reliable ones:

📊 Comparison of contact export programmes:

🔧 Instructions for MyPhoneExplorer (recommended for beginners):

⚙ Setting up MobileTrans for mass export:

⚠️ Note: Software like MobileTrans can request super-user (root) rights to access system contacts. If you are not willing to grant such rights, use standard export methods.

💡

Specialized software is only suitable for mass transfer (1000+ contacts) or if the standard methods do not work. For most users, Mi Account or Google synchronization is enough.

Solving Common Mistakes When Transferring Contacts

Even when following the instructions, users face problems, and we've collected the most common errors and ways to fix them:

🔍 Problem 1: Contacts are not exported to Mi Cloud

• 🔹 Check if synchronization is enabled: Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Contacts.
• 🔹 Update the Contacts app on Google Play.
• 🔹 Restart your phone and try again in 10 minutes.

🔍 Problem 2: The.vcf file won’t open on PC

• 🔹 Install the standard Contacts app on Windows 10/11 (available in the Microsoft Store).
• 🔹 Try opening a file with Outlook or Thunderbird.
• 🔹 If the file is damaged, restore it with the help of VCF Recovery.

🔍 Issue 3: When exporting through USB Contacts.vcf file is not in the folder

• 🔹 Check Hidden Folders: In Windows Explorer, enable the display of Hidden Items (View) → Hidden elements).
• 🔹 Try exporting contacts to the Download folder (in export settings).
• 🔹 Use the file manager on your phone (such as Mi File Manager) to find the file manually.

🔍 Issue 4: Contacts are duplicated when imported to a new phone

• 🔹 Before importing, delete all contacts on the target device.
• 🔹 Use the Settings option → Contacts → Combine duplicates.
• 🔹 When importing, select Replace all contacts rather than Add to existing ones.

💡

If you regularly move contacts, create a folder on your PC. Xiaomi_Backup and save all backups with date (e.g., backups) there, contacts_2026-05-20.vcf). This will help you track changes and restore the correct version.

FAQ: Frequent questions about moving contacts with Xiaomi