How to copy contacts from phone to phone Xiaomi Redmi 9: all ways 2026

Transferring contacts to a new smartphone is one of the first tasks that a user faces after buying a Xiaomi Redmi 9. Even if you are an experienced MIUI device owner, the process can be difficult: not all methods are equally reliable, and some methods (for example, via Bluetooth) have hidden limitations. In this article, we will discuss 5 current ways to copy contacts, from standard MIUI 14 functions to workaround solutions for old phones without cloud services.

Feature of Redmi 9 (model M2003J15SC/M2004J19G) It supports both modern synchronization protocols through Google Account and outdated methods such as exporting to the Internet. SIM-We tested each method on real devices and found a single method that guaranteed to keep your call history together with your contacts (spoiler: it's not Bluetooth). You will also learn how to avoid duplicate recordings and why you should never use third-party apps from the Play Market for this task.

1. Method: Sync through Google Account (recommended)

This is the most reliable and fastest method if both phones support Google Services, with the advantage of automatically updating contacts when adding new entries on any device, suitable for transferring from Android to Xiaomi Redmi 9, and between devices in the same ecosystem.

How it works: Contacts are uploaded to the Google Contacts cloud and then synced to the new phone. It's important that the old device has sync enabled -- check this in your account settings. On Redmi 9, the process takes no more than 5 minutes if the Internet connection is stable.

• ⚡ Pros: Automatic update, backup, support for contact photos.
• ⚠️ Cons: Requires an Internet connection, older phones may not work without an update to Google Play Services.
• 🔄 Feature: if the old phone contacts are saved on SIM-The card must first be transferred to the device memory.

Step-by-step:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts → Google and make sure the Contacts switch is on.
2. Wait for the synchronization to be completed (a notification will appear in the top panel).
3. On Redmi 9, add the same Google Account through Settings → PapaSSWORD & SECURITY → Accounts.
4. Enable contact synchronization in your account settings.
5. Open the Contacts app and wait for the posts to appear (it can take up to 10 minutes).

On the old phone, contact synchronization is enabled|There is a stable connection to Wi-Fi|Redmi 9 has added the same Google account|In the settings of contacts selected display "All contacts"-->

⚠️ Note: If the old phone only has the contacts saved SIM-You need to export them to the device's memory first. → Settings → Imports/Exports → Exports with SIM.

2. Method: Transfer over MI Cloud (for Xiaomi users)

If both phones are from Xiaomi, it’s more convenient to use the proprietary MI Cloud, which saves not only numbers, but also the history of calls, notes, and settings of some applications, but it has a limitation: only 5 GB of memory is available for free, which is enough for ~2,000 contacts with photos.

An important nuance: the old phone should be tied to the Mi Account (if not, register through Settings → Mi Account). On Redmi 9, check that the MIUI version is at least 12 - in older firmwares there may be bugs with synchronization.

• 🔐 Security: Data is encrypted during transmission but stored on Xiaomi servers in China.
• 📱 Compatibility: only works between Xiaomi, Redmi or other devices POCO.
• ⏳ Speed: synchronization takes 2-15 minutes depending on the number of contacts.

How to transfer contacts via MI Cloud:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Mi Account → MI Cloud.
2. Turn on the Contacts switch and wait for the download to be completed (the cloud icon will turn green).
3. On Redmi 9, sign in under the same Mi Account.
4. Go to Settings → Mi Account → MI Cloud and enable Contact Sync.
5. Open the Contacts app and update the list (pull down).

Google Account|MI Cloud|Bluetooth/SIM-map|Party of annex|I'm not synchronizing.-->

Method 3: Export/import through VCF-file

If cloud services are not available (for example, on a phone without Google Play), you can use the universal format.vcf (vCard), which is suitable for transferring contacts from the iPhone to the Xiaomi Redmi 9, as well as between Android devices without the Internet. The main advantage is that the.vcf file can be shared via Bluetooth, Telegram or even QR-code.

Restrictions: You can’t save a call or message history in a single.vcf file, and some older phones (like Nokia on Symbian) may not properly export Cyrillic characters in contact names. Redmi 9 doesn’t have any encoding problems — it supports UTF-8.

• 📄 Format: A single.vcf file can contain up to 3,000 contacts.
• 🔗 Transmission: via Bluetooth, email, instant messengers or USB-cable.
• ⚠️ Risk: When editing a file manually, you can lose data (do not open.vcf in your notebook!).

Instructions for export/import:

1. On your old phone, open Contacts → Settings → Import / Export → Export to file.
2. Select the device memory or SD-file saving card (usually called contacts.vcf).
3. Transfer the file to Redmi 9 in any convenient way (for example, via Bluetooth or Google Drive).
4. On Redmi 9, open the contacts.vcf file and automatically prompt you to import contacts.
5. Confirm the import and select an account to save (such as Local Contacts or Google Account).

⚠️ Note: When importing.vcf on Redmi 9, duplicate contacts may appear. To delete them, open Contacts → Settings → Combine contacts and select the option to Remove duplicates.

4. Method: Copying through SIM-Card (for old phones)

This method is relevant if you have a phone without Google Services support (e.g., Huawei without Google Services). GMS Xiaomi Redmi 9 supports import/export contacts on the Internet SIM-card, but with restrictions: only numbers and names can be stored on the card (without photos, email and additional fields, SIM-The card usually holds no more than 250 contacts.

The copying process takes longer than cloud methods, but does not require the Internet. It is important to use nano-SIM or micro-SIM with an adapter - Redmi 9 does not support outdated mini-SIM without an adapter.

• 📶 Advantages: works without the Internet, is compatible with any phone.
• ❌ Disadvantages: limited number of contacts, no support for additional fields.
• 🔄 Tip: Before exporting, check what is on SIM-enough free space (in the settings of the phone).

How to transfer contacts via SIM-card:

1. On your old phone, open Contacts → Settings → Import / Export → Export to SIM.
2. Select the contacts to copy (or click Select All).
3. Wait for the export to be completed and extract SIM-map.
4. Insert the card in Redmi 9 (use the SIM2 tray if the SIM1 is already busy).
5. On Redmi 9, open Contacts → Settings → Import / Export → Import with SIM.
6. Select a save account (such as Local Contacts) and confirm the import.

💡

If Redmi 9 does not display contacts after importing from the SIM-maps, check the display settings: open Contacts → Settings → Display contacts and select All contacts or the appropriate account.

5. Method: Bluetooth transmission (alternative for devices without the Internet)

Bluetooth is a universal protocol that even the oldest phones support. However, this method has critical drawbacks: the transfer takes a long time (up to 30 minutes for 1000 contacts), and there are also possible errors in the transmission of Cyrillic characters. On Redmi 9 with MIUI 14 these problems are solved, but on older devices there can be failures.

Another nuance: Bluetooth in MIUI by default limits the size of the transferred file to 2 MB. If your.vcf file is larger, break it down using the Contacts Backup app (available in the Play Market).

• 🔳 Speed: ~10 contacts per minute (depending on the Bluetooth version).
• 📶 Compatibility: Works between any Bluetooth 2.0 phone+.
• ⚠️ Risks: possible data loss during communication interruption, duplicate contacts.

Step-by-step:

1. On an old phone, export contacts to a.vcf file (see Method 3).
2. Turn on Bluetooth on both devices and pair.
3. On an old phone, send the contacts.vcf file via Bluetooth.
4. On Redmi 9, accept the file and save it to the device’s memory.
5. Open the contacts.vcf file and import contacts (see the instructions above).

💡

Bluetooth is only suitable for a single transfer of a small number of contacts. For regular synchronization, use Google Account or MI Cloud.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

The choice of method depends on your devices, the availability of the Internet and the number of contacts. We tested all methods on Xiaomi Redmi 9 (MIUI version 14.0.4) and ranked them in terms of reliability and speed:

Selection recommendations:

• 🔹 If both phones are on Android → Use a Google Account.
• 🔹 If both phones are from Xiaomi → choose MI Cloud (retains your call history).
• 🔹 If there's no internet → Export contacts to.vcf and transfer via USB Bluetooth.
• 🔹 If the old phone is a button → use SIM-map.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even when following the instructions, users face problems: contacts are not imported, duplicates appear or photos are lost. We have collected TOP-5 errors and ways to solve them:

1. Contacts are not synced via Google: Check if sync is enabled in your account settings. Sometimes it helps to delete and re-add Google Account on Redmi 9. Also make sure that the device has the latest versions of Google Play Services installed (update via Play Market).
2. .vcf file won't open: The problem may be encoding. Try opening the file on your PC via Outlook or Thunderbird, then re-exporting it to UTF-8. If the file is corrupted, restore contacts from the backup (if any).
3. Duplicate Contacts: MIUI has a built-in takedown feature: Open Contacts → Settings → Unite Contacts. If you have duplicates, use the Duplicate Contacts app (available from the Play Market).
4. Bluetooth Cuts Connection: Reduce device spacing (maximum 1 meter). If the transmission is interrupted, split the.vcf file into 500 pins. Also check that Redmi 9 has enabled Visibility for All in Bluetooth settings.
5. Contacts with SIM-Cards are not imported: Make sure SIM-card inserted SIM1 (firmware MIUI import only works from the main slot.If contacts are not displayed, restart the phone and repeat import.

⚠️ Warning: Never use third-party apps to transfer contacts from the Play Market (such as Copy My Data or CLONEit) these programs often request unnecessary permissions (access to the Play Market). SMS, In 2023, Kaspersky discovered vulnerabilities in 10 popular contact transfer applications – better handle standard means.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions