How to transfer contacts from Android to Xiaomi: all ways with explanations

Why moving contacts to Xiaomi can be a challenge

The transition to a new Xiaomi smartphone is always exciting, especially when it comes to keeping important data safe. Contacts accumulated over the years using an old Android device can seem elusive: they are easy to lose during a sloppy transfer or forget about backup. Unlike the iPhone, where the Apple ecosystem strictly controls the migration process, Android offers dozens of ways, from standard to exotic.

The main problem lies in the variety: one user used to synchronize contacts through Google Account, another stores them only on the Internet. SIM-And for the third year, it's been saving vCard files in cloud storage. Xiaomi adds its own nuances: a proprietary shell. MIUI Mi MiMirate does not work on all models. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to transfer contacts to Xiaomi in 2026, including hidden chips and workarounds for older devices.

Before you start, answer the key question: where exactly are your contacts stored on your old phone? This will determine the optimal method of transfer. If you are not sure, check in the Contacts → Settings → Contact Management application.

Method 1: Sync through Google Account (most reliable)

If your contacts are linked to a Google Account, it takes less than a minute to migrate to Xiaomi, which works on 99% of Android devices, including older versions of MIUI.

How to check the synchronization:

1. Open Settings → Accounts (or Users and Accounts).
2. Select your Google Account.
3. Make sure the contact switch is on.

If sync is disabled, turn it on and wait for the process to be completed (it can take up to 10 minutes with a large number of contacts).

Now we're moving to Xiaomi:

1. Turn on your new smartphone and connect to Wi-Fi.
2. When you first start, the system will prompt you to log in to Google Account – use the same one as on your old phone.
3. If the phone is already set up, go to Settings → Accounts → Add an account → Google.
4. After authorization, enable manual contact synchronization (the same way: Settings → Accounts → Google → Synchronization).

Advantages of the method:

• 🔄 Automatic Update: New contacts will sync across both devices.
• ☁️ Cloud storage: contacts will not be lost even when your phone breaks.
• 📱 Cross-platform: works on iOS, if you suddenly want to switch to iPhone.

⚠️ Note: If the old phone only stored the contacts in the device's memory (not Google), this method will not work. SIM-card or export to vCard.

Method 2: Transfer of contacts through SIM-Card (for old phones)

This method is relevant for devices without access to Google Account or with reduced functionality (for example, on Android Go). SIM-The card is good: SIM-The card stores a limited number of contacts (usually up to 250) and does not support photos, notes or additional fields.

Instructions for the old phone:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Click on three points (menu) → Contact management (or Import/Export).
3. Select Export on Export SIM-map.
4. Mark the contacts you need (or click Select All) and confirm the export.

The process can take a few minutes – don’t pull it out. SIM-map!

Instructions for Xiaomi:

1. Put it in. SIM-card.
2. Open Contacts. → Settings → Imports/Exports → Import with SIM-map.
3. Choose where to save contacts: in Google Account or in Memory of the phone (the second option is less reliable).

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 12) feature importing from the SIM-To find it, open the contact line. → Search → enter "SIM" — system will tell the way.

Method 3: Using the Mi Migrate branded tool

Mi Migrate is a MIUI-built application that transfers data between Xiaomi devices, and it copies not only contacts, but also messages, photos, apps.

• It only works between Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco phones.
• Requires installing the Mi Migrate app on an old phone (unless it’s from Xiaomi).
• It may not support very old versions of Android (below 6.0).

Step-by-step:

1. On the new Xiaomi, open Settings → About Phone → Mi Migrate (or search through the settings).
2. Select I am a new user.
3. On your old phone, install the Mi Migrate app from Google Play.
4. Open it and select Send Data.
5. Scan the new Xiaomi scanner QR-The code that will appear on the old phone.
6. Select Contacts in the data list for transfer and wait for completion.

💡

If the Mi Migrate doesn't find the old device, check that both phones have Wi-Fi Direct and Bluetooth enabled, and try rebooting both devices.

The advantages of Mi Migrate:

• 📲 Transfers all data, including call history and SMS.
• 🔗 It works without the Internet (direct transmission over Wi-Fi).
• 🛠️ Restores applications with settings (if compatible).

Cons:

• 🚫 Not working with no-Xiaomi Phones without installing additional software.
• ⏳ Slower than syncing through Google.
• 🔄 Can create duplicate contacts if they have already been in Google Account.

Method 4: Export contacts to vCard (.vcf)

The vCard (.vcf) format is a universal standard for sharing contacts, which allows you to save all information (phones, email, addresses, photos) in one file and transfer it to Xiaomi in any convenient way: by email, via Bluetooth, cloud storage or even by using the same file. USB-cable.

How to export contacts to vCard:

1. On your old phone, open Contacts → Settings → Contact Management → Export.
2. Select Export to.vcf (or Export to Memory Card).
3. Specify the location of the save (for example, downloads or SD-map).
4. The file will be called contacts.vcf or similar.

How to import to Xiaomi:

1. Transfer the.vcf file to a new phone (e.g., via Google Drive or Telegram).
2. Open the file and the system will prompt you to import contacts.
3. Choose where to save: Google Account or Phone Memory.

💡

vCard is the only way to transfer contacts with complete information (including photos, birthdays and notes (SIM, Bluetooth) cutting data.

Alternative ways to transfer vCard:

• 📧 Email: Send the file to your email and open it on Xiaomi.
• ☁️ Cloud: Download to Google Drive, Mi Cloud or Yandex Drive.
• 🔌 USB-cable: Connect your old phone to your PC, copy the file, then transfer to Xiaomi.
• 📲 Bluetooth: Send the file directly (slowly but without internet).

Method 5: Transfer over Bluetooth (if nothing works)

It's the most versatile, but also the most inconvenient, and it's the most extreme way to do it: when there's no Internet, SIM-The map is not readable and the Google Account is not set up.Cons: low speed, limit on the number of contacts per post (usually up to 100), no support for photos.

Instructions:

1. On both phones, turn on Bluetooth and make them visible to other devices.
2. On your old phone, open Contacts, click on three points → Send or Share.
3. Select contacts (or click Select All).
4. In the sending method, select Bluetooth and connect to the new Xiaomi.
5. On Xiaomi, confirm the file acceptance and import contacts.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Poco) X5) automatically save your Bluetooth contacts to your phone's Memory, not your Google Account. → Settings → Contact management → Phone Memory and Manually Export to Google for Backup.

Problem Solving: Duplicates, lost contacts, synchronization errors

Even after successful transfer, problems can arise, and here are the most common ways to solve them:

1. Duplicate contacts

Reason: Contacts imported from both Google Account and SIM-maps and through the Mi Migrate.

Decision:

• Open Contacts → Settings → Combine Contacts.
• Use the Contact Merger app to automatically merge.
• Manually delete duplicates in Google Contacts (web version: contacts.google.com).

2 Contacts are not displayed

Reason: Contacts are saved to Memory and only Google Account is displayed in the settings.

Decision:

1. Open Contacts → Settings → Display Contacts.
2. Turn on the contact display from the phone memory.
3. Export them to your Google Account for reliability.

3. Google Sync Error

Reason: Google Services malfunction or incorrect account settings.

Decision:

• Check your Internet connection.
• Delete and re-add Google Account in the settings.
• Update Google Contacts and Google Services in the Play Market.
• Clear the Contacts app cache (Settings → Apps → Contacts → Storage → Clear the cache).

FAQ: Frequent questions about moving contacts to Xiaomi