How to save contacts on Xiaomi: all ways + backup

Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi line and POCO) There are several ways to maintain contacts, from classic exports to SIM-map before syncing with Google Account or Mi Cloud, but many users face problems: contacts disappear after resetting, do not sync between devices or duplicate. In this article, we will discuss all current conservation methods, including hidden functions. MIUI, Explain how to avoid data loss.

MIUI firmware features close integration with Xiaomi services, but it's not always convenient. For example, when you change your phone to a device of another brand, contacts stored only in Mi Account may become unavailable. So it's important to use universal formats (such as a.vcf file) or cloud services with cross-platform support. Next, detailed instructions for each situation, from manual export to automatic backup.

1. Maintaining contacts on SIM-map

The method is suitable for quickly transferring numbers to another phone, but has limitations: SIM-The card only stores names and numbers (no photos, addresses, or notes), and the memory capacity is usually less than 250-500 contacts.

To export contacts to SIM:

1. Open the Contacts app (an icon with a human silhouette).
2. Tap it on three points (⋮) top-right → Select “Contact Management».
3. Go to Import/Export» → «Exports to SIM-map».
4. Tick the necessary contacts (or click “Select all”) → “Export”.
5. Wait for the process to be completed (notification will appear on the screen).

⚠️ Attention: If SIM-card protected PIN-make sure the code is entered before exporting, otherwise the process will be interrupted with an error "SIM-card blocked".

To import SIM contacts to a new phone:

• 📱 Put it in. SIM-map.
• 🔄 Go to Contacts. → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Import with SIM-map.
• 📋 Choose where to save contacts: Google account, Mi Account or phone memory.

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Before exporting to SIM Check its free space: go to Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → [name SIM] → Memory. SIM-map.

2. Sync with Google Account

The most reliable way to save is to link your contacts to a Google Account, which allows you to:

• 🔄 Automatically sync contacts between all Android devices.
• 📱 Quickly restore numbers after resetting or replacing your phone.
• 🌐 Access contacts via the web version of Google Contacts.

To enable synchronization:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Choose your account (or add a new one if you don’t have one).
3. Activate the switch next to Contacts.
4. For manual synchronization, press three dots (⋮) → «Synchronize now».

If the contacts are not synchronized:

• 🔌 Check your internet connection (synchronization only works when you have an active connection).
• 🔄 Restart your phone and try again.
• 📵 Make sure that the “Data Autosynchronization” option is enabled in the Google account settings (Settings) → Accounts and synchronization → Autosynchronization of data).

3. Export contacts to VCF file (vCard)

The.vcf (vCard) format is a universal standard for storing contacts.

• 📤 Send by mail or messenger.
• 💾 Save to a computer or flash drive.
• 📱 Import to any smartphone (including iPhone).

Export instructions:

1. Open the "Contact» → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports.
2. Select “Export to File” → mark the necessary contacts.
3. Click Export and select a save location (such as Internal Memory or «SD-map»).
4. The file will be saved as contacts.vcf in the Download or MIUI folder.

For import from the.vcf file:

1. Copy the file to your phone (for example, via Bluetooth, email, or conductor).
2. Open the file and the system will prompt you to import contacts.
3. Select an account to save (Google, Mi Account or phone memory).

4. Backup to Mi Cloud

Mi Cloud is Xiaomi’s proprietary cloud that automatically saves contacts, messages, photos and notes.

• 🔐 Data is encrypted and stored on Xiaomi servers.
• 📱 It is easy to restore contacts when changing your phone to another. Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO.
• 🌍 5GB of free space available (more than enough for contacts).

To enable backup:

1. Go to Settings → Mi Account (enter data if not authorized).
2. Select "Mi Cloud» → «Synchronization».
3. Activate the switch next to Contacts.
4. For manual backup, click "Sync".

To reconnect contacts from Mi Cloud:

• 📱 Sign in to Mi Account on your new phone.
• 🔄 Go to Settings. → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Synchronization.
• 🔙 Turn on contact sync – the data will be automatically downloaded.

⚠️ Note: If you reset your phone to factory settings without detaching Mi Account, contacts from the cloud may not recover due to account lock (Device Protection feature in the app). MIUI). To avoid problems, before resetting, disable this option in Settings. → Mi Account → Device protection.

Unplug Mi Account (if you sell a phone)| Download a backup of contacts to the VCF| file Make sure contacts are synced with Google| Record the username and password from Mi Account (if you plan to restore data)

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5.Contact transfer via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct

If you want to quickly transfer contacts to another Xiaomi phone (or Android device), you can use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct, which is convenient when you do not have the Internet or computer at hand.

Instructions for Bluetooth:

1. On both phones, turn on Bluetooth (Settings → Connections and Sharing → Bluetooth).
2. On the source phone, open Contacts → select the contact you want (or multiple, holding your finger on the first).
3. Click on “Share” (arrow icon) → select “Bluetooth”.
4. Select the target device from the list and confirm the transfer on both phones.

For transmission via Wi-Fi Direct:

• 📶 Enable Wi-Fi Direct on both devices (Settings) → Wi-Fi → Wi-Fi Direct).
• 🔗 Connect the phones to each other (click on the device name in the list).
• 📤 In the “Contact” app, select contacts → «Share» → «Wi-Fi Direct».

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ Only basic data (name, number, email) is transmitted).
• ❌ You can’t transfer all contacts at once, only selectively.
• ❌ This method does not work on iPhone (you need to use.vcf or iCloud).

6. Automatic backup via MIUI Backup

Backup in MIUI allows you to create a full copy of contacts, messages, photos, and even system settings, which is useful before updating your firmware or resetting to factory settings.

How to make a backup copy:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Click “Create a Backup” → select “Contacts” (you can also add SMS, notes, etc.).
3. Set a password to protect the copy (optional) → “Start”.
4. Wait until the file is completed (the file is saved in the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder).

To recover the data:

1. Copy the backup folder to a new phone (for example, via a conductor or a linker). USB-cable).
2. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
3. Select the copy file → enter the password (if asked) → click “Restore”.

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For maximum reliability, use a combination of methods: sync your contacts with your Google Account (for everyday use) and periodically export them to your VCF file (for backup).

Frequent problems and solutions

Problem 1: Contacts are not synced to Google.

Decision:

• Check if sync is enabled in Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google → Contacts.
• Delete your Google account and add it again.
• Update the Contacts app on Google Play.

Problem 2: After the phone was dropped, the contacts were gone.

Decision:

• If the contacts were linked to Mi Account, log in and enable synchronization.
• If you have used a Google Account, check that your phone is connected to the Internet and wait for automatic synchronization.
• If you don’t have a backup, try to restore contacts through Google Contacts (Basket section – it stores deleted contacts for 30 days).

Problem 3: Duplicate contacts.

Decision:

• Open the "Contact» → ⋮ → Contact management → Connecting contacts.
• Use the web version of Google Contacts → “Duplicates” → “Merge”.
• Remove unnecessary accounts from Settings → Accounts and sync (for example, if contacts are duplicated from Mi Account and Google).

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If contacts are lost after the MIUI update, check the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder – sometimes the system automatically backs up before the update.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions