Losing a smartphone is stressful, especially if it has hundreds of contacts β colleagues, friends, relatives, or business partners β and Xiaomi has a better chance of recovering data than most brands, thanks to built-in sync tools and cloud services, but many users donβt know that even without a backup, you can get some contacts back β if you do it quickly and correctly.
In this article, we will analyze all possible ways to restore contacts with the lost Xiaomi β from standard (via Mi Account and Google) to little-known (export from the company). SIM-We will pay special attention to critical errors that can irrevocably erase data: for example, why you can not immediately lock the device through Find the phone or how to avoid overwriting backup copies.
If your Redmi, POCO or Mi is stolen, broken, or you just forgot it in the transport, follow the instructions below.
Recovery of contacts via Mi Cloud (Mi Account)
The most reliable way is to use Xiaomi's built-in cloud, and if you've synced with Mi Account on your phone, all your contacts are automatically copied to the company's servers, and you can check that even without access to your device.
How to restore:
- π Go to the official Mi Cloud website and log in to the same account that was linked to the lost phone.
- π± From the menu, select Contacts (or Contacts in English) and display all saved numbers.
- π€ Click Export (usually in the upper right corner) and select the.vcf format (business card.
- π² Import the downloaded file to your new phone via Settings β Contacts β Imports/Exports.
β οΈ Note: If you have never logged in to Mi Account on a lost phone or disabled sync, this method will not work. Also check if the account has been deleted, in which case the data is deleted from Xiaomi servers after 30 days.
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If you donβt remember the Mi Account password, try to restore it through your email or phone number. To do this, click on the login page and follow the instructions.
2. Use of Google Contacts (if synchronization has been enabled)
Many Xiaomi users are unaware that their contacts can be duplicated in a Google Account β even if they havenβt actively used Google services β because most Xiaomi smartphones have Google Contacts sync enabled by default.
Step-by-step:
- Open your browser and go to Google Contacts.
- Sign in with the same Gmail account that was added to your lost phone.
- Check the contact list β if the sync worked, all the numbers saved will be here.
- To export, click on the gear icon (Settings) β Export β select the Google CSV or vCard format.
- Import the file to your new phone through Settings β Accounts β Google β Contact Sync.
β οΈ Note: If there were multiple Google accounts on your phone, check each one of your contacts could be synced to any of them. Also note that Google only stores remote contacts in the shopping cart for 30 days, after which they disappear forever.
Re-establishment of contacts with SIM-maps (if they were copied there)
An old but sometimes working method is to extract contacts from the SIM-Many Xiaomi users forget that some models (especially budget Redmi or other models) are not very popular. POCO) They keep some of the contacts on SIM. Unfortunately, a limited number of numbers (usually up to 250) are stored on the map without names or additional information.
How to check:
- π± Put it in. SIM-card from lost phone to another smartphone (preferably also Xiaomi or Android).
- π Go to Contacts. β Settings β Imports/Exports β Import with SIM-map.
- π€ Select a folder to import (usually a βPhoneβ or a βGoogle AccountΒ»).
- β οΈ If you're in contact SIM No, there will be a message saying, βNo contact for importΒ».
β οΈ Note: Not all Xiaomi models support maintaining contacts on the SIM. For example, the flagships of the Mi series 11/12/13 They don't do that by default. And also, when you reposition them, you have to remember that. SIM In another phone, some operators (for example, MTS or Beeline) can block the card if it was tied to the lost device.
Which Xiaomi models keep their contacts on SIM?
4. Recovery through backup (if created)
If you've ever done a phone backup through Settings β Additional β Backup and Reset, there's a chance to recover contacts from the archive. Xiaomi offers two types of backups:
- π₯οΈ Local copy β saved on the phone itself (no use if the device is lost).
- βοΈ Cloud copy β downloaded to Mi Cloud (can be restored on a new phone).
How to recover from cloud backup:
- Take a new Xiaomi smartphone (or reset the current one to factory settings).
- When you first set up, select Restore from backup and log in to Mi Account.
- Select the most recent copy (check the date of creation!).
- Confirm the recovery β contacts (and other data) will be downloaded automatically.
β οΈ Note: If you have already set up a new phone and do not want to reset it, you can try to restore only contacts through Settings β Mi Account β Mi Cloud β Backups. However, this method does not work on all models.
| Type of backup | Where it's stored | How to repair | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local (on the phone) | Memory of the device (/MIUI/backup/AllBackup) | Only when connecting the phone to the PC | Unavailable if the phone is lost |
| Cloud (Mi Cloud) | Xiaomi servers | Through a new phone when setting up | Requires authorization in Mi Account |
| Google Backup | Google Drive | Through Settings β Google β Restore | Not all contacts can be restored. |
5. Third-party recovery programs (if the phone is found but not turned on)
If you find a phone that doesn't turn on (for example, after a fall or water hit), you can try extracting contacts using specialized utilities, which is only suitable for physically fit devices that are recognized by the computer.
Popular programmes:
- π§ Dr.Fone β Recovers contacts, messages and photos from damaged Android devices.
- π οΈ Tenorshare UltData β Xiaomi supports and can scan internal memory.
- πΎ EaseUS MobiSaver β Free version allows you to view the found contacts before recovery.
How to use (as an example of Dr.Fone):
Install the program on PC|Plug your phone to your computer in debugging mode (USB Debugging)|Select the data type to scan (Contacts)|Put the analysis to complete |Save the contacts found in.vcf or.csv format
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β οΈ Warning: Do not use such software if your phone is stolen, which can result in your Mi Account being blocked for suspicious activity, and avoid pirated versions of software tools, which often contain viruses.
6. Contact Xiaomi Support (extreme case)
If all of the above methods have failed, you can try to contact official Xiaomi support.
- π± The phone was stolen and you know it. IMEI.
- π You have a check or warranty card confirming the purchase.
- βοΈ You are sure that your contacts are synced with Mi Cloud, but you cannot access them.
How to contact support:
- Write to the chat on the official website (select the region Russia or Global).
- Describe the situation in as much detail as possible: phone model, date of loss, tied to Mi Account.
- Attach screenshots of the purchase confirmation (if any) and IMEI data (can be found on the box or in the check).
β οΈ Note: Xiaomi does not guarantee data recovery β support can only help lock the device or confirm its ownership to you.In rare cases, engineers can provide access to a cloud copy if you prove that the phone belonged to you.
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The most reliable way to keep your contacts connected is to enable sync with Mi Cloud and Google Account at the same time, so you get dual protection: even if one service fails, the data will remain in the other.