Owning a Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone offers many opportunities, but the risk of data loss when a device breaks or changes remains relevant. Many users do not think about keeping numbers safe until the gadget stops turning on. Backing up the phone book is a basic digital hygiene procedure that should be performed regularly to avoid stressful situations in the future.
There are several proven methods of data transfer, each with its own advantages. You can use cloud services, direct connection through the Internet. USB-In this article, we will discuss how to securely save contacts and other important information to your computer’s hard drive.
The choice of the particular method depends on your personal preferences and the availability of free time. Some prefer automatic synchronization, which does not require human intervention, while others want to maintain physical control over the data files.
Preparation of the device and checking the settings
Before you start exporting, you need to make sure that your Xiaomi device is ready for data transfer. Often problems arise because the numbers are stored in the wrong storage. SIM-card, phone memory or Google account.
To do this, open the Contacts app and go to settings. Make sure all groups are displayed. If you plan to use cloud methods, check the stability of the Internet connection. USB-cable, preferably original, coming in the set.
⚠️ Note: If the numbers are kept exclusively on SIM-It is recommended to copy them to the memory of the phone or the cloud before starting any operations, because SIM-The card may not support keeping long names or multiple numbers for a single contact.
It's also worth freeing up some space on the computer where the files will be uploaded. Although the phone book takes up a bit of space, with thousands of records and profile photos, the archive size can grow. Make sure there's at least 100 MB of free space on the C drive or selected partition.
☑️ Pre-export verification
Synchronization through Google Contacts
The most reliable and versatile way for Android owners is to use the Google ecosystem. By default, MIUI offers to sync data with a Gmail account, which allows you not only to back up, but also to easily restore numbers on any other smartphone.
To activate sync, go to Settings → Accounts and Sync. Select your Google account and make sure the slider opposite Contacts is activated. Once enabled, the system will automatically upload all numbers to the company’s cloud storage.
- 📲 Open your browser on your computer and go to contacts.google.com.
- 💻 Log in to the same account used on your phone.
- 💾 In the menu on the left, select Export and select the format. CSV vCard.
Once the format is selected, the system will generate a file that can be saved to the hard drive, the CSV format is easy to open in Excel, and the vCard (.vcf) is ideal for later importation into other phones or email clients, which ensures that your data is not lost even if the device is completely lost.
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Use the Undo Changes feature in Google Contacts if you accidentally delete important numbers after syncing or they get confused.
Use of the Mi Cloud cloud service
Xiaomi smartphone owners have access to their own cloud storage, Mi Cloud, which is deeply integrated into the MIUI shell and allows you to create complete copies of the system, including a phone book, call history and messages.
To set up, go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud. Make sure the Contacts switch is on. The system will suggest combining local data with the cloud - agree to this action. Now all changes to the phone book will instantly be reflected on the company's servers.
To download the data to the computer:
- Open your browser on your PC and go to i.mi.com.
- Sign in by scanning. QR-phone code or enter login and password.
- Select the Contacts section and click the Management or Export button.
The advantage of Mi Cloud is that you can recover not only numbers, but also folder structure if you keep notes inside contacts, but you should consider that free space is limited to 5 GB, and with a large amount of media, it may not be enough.
What to do if you forget your Mi Account password?
Export via the Contacts app to the VCF file
The classic method that doesn’t require the internet is manual exporting to a.vcf (vCard) file, which is an industry standard and is supported by almost all devices and operating systems, including Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.
Open the standard Contacts app on your Xiaomi. Click on the three dots in the corner of the screen or the menu button and select “Import/Export Contacts.” In the window that opens, click “Export to Device Memory” or “Export to Storage.”
The system will create a file, commonly called contacts.vcf or containing the current date in the name. Once the file is created, connect the phone to the computer via a computer. USB-In the menu on the smartphone screen, select the file transfer mode (MTP).
| Parameter | Description | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| File format | vCard (.vcf) | Universal standard |
| Location. | Root folder or DCIM | Remember the path to the file |
| Size | Depends on the number of photos. | No photo, a few KB |
| Compatibility | 100% devices | Perfect for migration. |
Find the file you created in your phone's memory through My Computer on Windows and copy it to a safe place on the drive. This is a good way to write it to a flash drive, send it to yourself by mail or save it in archives. The.vcf file contains not only numbers, but also photos, addresses, emails and birthdays, if they were entered into the card.
Use of the Mi PC Suite program
For users who prefer desktop software, Xiaomi has developed the Mi PC Suite utility, which although official support for the program is limited in some regions, it remains a powerful tool for full management of the file system and data of a smartphone.
Download and install the latest version of the program on your computer. Launch the application and connect the smartphone with a cable. On the phone screen, you will see a request for debugging permission or connection - confirm the action. The program will automatically determine the model of the device.
In the program interface, find the Backup or Backup section, where you can select the type of data to save, check the box just opposite Contacts if you don't need a full copy of the system, click Backup and wait for the process to be completed.
⚠️ Note: When using third-party versions of Mi PC Suite (Chinese or modified) is at risk of data leakage and it is recommended to use only official sources or alternative methods if you are not sure about the security of the software being installed.
The saved copy will be stored in the folder of the program installation on the computer, and the main advantage of the method is the ability to create a full copy of the system, which is useful when flashing or deep cleaning the smartphone from debris.
Working with files through Windows Explorer
If you have already created an export file (as described in the second section), the easiest way to transfer it is to directly copy it through Windows Explorer.This method does not require installing additional software and works on any version of the OS from Windows 7 to Windows 11.
Connect your smartphone with a cable. On the phone screen, in the menu that appears, select File Transfer. On your computer, open "This Computer," search for a device named for a model (like the Redmi Note 10), and open internal storage.
Find the contacts.vcf file (or the name you gave when exporting it), which is usually at the root of the folder or in the MIUI/backup/AllBackup directory if you backup through the system menu.
To open and view content on the PC, you can use:
- 📂 The program "Contacts" in Windows 10/11.
- 📧 Mail client Outlook or Thunderbird.
- 🌐 Google or Yandex Online Services for Import.
This approach gives you complete physical control over data, and you can store a file on an external hard drive, creating what's called cold storage that's not available for hacker attacks over the Internet.
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Regularly creating file copies (.vcf) and storing them on different media is the most reliable way to protect against data loss, independent of the servers of companies.
Recovery of contacts from backup
The process of saving data is meaningless without knowing how to get it back: If you lost your phone or bought a new Xiaomi, the recovery process will take a few minutes, depending on how you did it (backup).
For a.vcf file, simply transfer the file to a new phone (via Bluetooth, WhatsApp, or by downloading from mail). Click on the file and the system will prompt you to import all the records you find. Select an account where to save them.
For Google and Mi Cloud, just log in to your account on your new device and enable sync. All numbers will automatically pull up in the background. If that doesn't happen, go to your contacts settings and select Restore from the Cloud.
Modern Xiaomi smartphones have a built-in “Joint Duplicates” feature in the contact menu, which will automatically find and merge repeated entries into one card.