You are trying to keep a new contact or accept it. SMS, Xiaomi Redmi phone makes a mistake: "SIM-This problem is familiar to many owners of budget and flagship models of the brand - from Redmi Note 12 to the Redmi Note 12 POCO X5. The reason lies in the limited amount of memory. SIM-Cards (usually 64β256 contacts or 30-100) SMS), which is quickly exhausted by active use.
In this article, we will discuss 7 working ways to free up space for the SIM-You can use the map, transfer data to your phone, and set up Xiaomi so that the error doesn't appear again, and find out why some methods (such as formatting) can harm your phone. SIM-And how do you avoid it if you use two? SIM-If you travel frequently or with cards, check out the automatic backup section, which will save you hours of contact recovery in the future.
Why? SIM-The card is filled in: 3 main reasons
Before clearing the memory, it's important to understand exactly what's taking up space. on most Xiaomi Redmi (including Redmi models) 10A, Note 11 Pro and POCO M5) SIM-The following restrictions apply to the cards:
- π Contact: from 50 before 500 (It depends on the operator and the type of card. SIM (2G) support 250 new contacts (4G/5G) β before 1000, but the actual limit is often lower.
- π¬ SMS: 30 to 200 messages: Some operators (e.g. MTS or Beeline) artificially limit this value.
- π Service data: up to 10% of the memory is occupied by the operatorβs system files (network settings, USSD-codes.).
The main causes of overcrowding:
- Manually save contacts on SIM. Many users habitually choose the option "Save to SIM" instead of "Save to phone"; this is convenient for quickly transferring contacts when changing devices, but quickly fills up memory.
- SMS accumulation: Messages from banks, services and spam take up space even if you donβt read them, such as SMS from Sberbank or notifications from Delivery Club can accumulate over the years.
- Duplicate contacts: When importing/exporting contacts between the phone and SIM, copies are often created (e.g., one contact is saved on both the phone and SIM).
π How do you check what's filled? Go to Contact β Settings β Contact management β Imports/Exports. Here you will see the number of contacts SIM. For SMS Open the Messages app β β° β Settings β Memory. SIM-maps (the item may differ depending on the version) MIUI).
Method 1: Transferring SIM contacts to your phone (Step-by-step)
The fastest way to free up space is to move all contacts from the SIM-Xiaomi internal memory cards.It's safe and takes less than 2 minutes:
Open the Contacts app
Press three points (β°) top-right
Choose Contact Management β Import/Export
Check the box to Import with SIM-map
Please specify the location of the save: Phone or Mi Account
Confirm the transfer and wait until it is completed.-->
β οΈ Attention: If you have two SIM-cards, make sure you choose the right one in item 3. On Redmi models with a hybrid slot (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro) SIM2 It may be inactive if a microSD card is inserted.
After the transfer:
- π Check the takes. Contact me. β β° β Combine duplicates. The system automatically finds repeating records.
- ποΈ Delete contacts with SIM. Return to Import/Export β Remove from SIM-maps and clear the memory.
- π Configure the default save. In the same contact settings, select Save new contacts on: Phone.
π‘
If after transfer contacts are displayed without names (numbers only), check the encoding SIM-Older maps may not support Cyrillic, so the solution is to ask the operator for a replacement. SIM New (usually free).
Method 2: Cleaning up SMS on SIM-map (including hidden maps)
Messages take up less space than contacts, but their accumulation over the years can lead to errors "SIM-This is especially true for users who:
- π Getting a lot. SMS from banks (Tinkoff, Sberbank, VTB).
- π Use confirmation by SMS for orders (Ozon, Wildberries, Yandex.Market).
- π Receive one-time passwords (from VK, Telegram, State Services).
How to clean:
- Open the Messages app.
- Press three points (β°) β Settings β Memory. SIM-map.
- Choose Delete all messages or manually mark unnecessary messages.
- Confirm the action.
β οΈ Note: Some operators (e.g. Tele2) keep hidden service SMS, which are not on the main list but occupy space to remove them:
Dial on your phone keyboard: ##4636##
Go to the Phone Information menu β "SMS- Messages"
Click "Update" and remove all unnecessary ones.| Type of message | Can I remove it? | Effects of consequences |
|---|---|---|
| Bank notices | Yes. | The story can be viewed in a mobile bank. |
| SMS with confirmation codes | Yes. | Codes are disposable, stored in applications (VK, Telegram, etc.) |
| Service SMS from the operator | Partially. | May contain important settings (e.g. MMS or roaming) |
| Spam and advertising | Yes. | No consequences. |
Method 3: Formatting SIM-Maps - when it's dangerous?
Some users are advised to format SIM-This method does clean up all memory, but it has critical risks:
- π¨ Loss of loss IMSI. Formatting can reset a unique identifier SIM, Then the card will become inoperable.
- π‘ Reset the network settings. You'll have to manually adjust. APN, MMS and roaming parameters.
- π Lockdown USSD-Some operators (e.g. MegaFon) block access to the balance (*100#) after formatting.
π§ How do you format safely? If you do, follow the algorithm:
- Back up your contacts and SMS (see Methods 1 and 2).
- Go to Settings. β SIM-maps and mobile networks β [Choose. SIM] β Additionally. β Format SIM-map.
- Enter. PUK-code (if required) can be found on plastic media SIM or request from the operator.
- Confirm the action and restart the phone.
What if the SIM doesnβt work after formatting?
Method 4: Using a Mi Account to automatically reserve
If you use a Mi Account (or Google account), you can set up automatic contact sync, which eliminates the need to manually transfer data from the SIM to your phone.
- Open your Settings β Accounts β Mi Account (or Google).
- Turn on the contact synchronization slider.
- Get back in touch. β β° β Settings β Contact management.
- Select Save New Contacts at: Mi Account.
Advantages of this method:
- βοΈ Contacts are automatically backed up in the cloud and available on any device.
- π When changing the phone, just log in to the account β all contacts will be downloaded by themselves.
- π‘οΈ Data protected from loss when phone breaks or resets.
β οΈ Note: If you use two of these SIM-Cards from different operators, synchronization can duplicate contacts. To avoid this, in the Mi Account settings, turn off the option to Combine doubles automatically and check contacts manually once a month.
Method 5: Replacement SIM-New cards (with a large amount of memory)
If you SIM-higher 5 In the past, it has a minimum amount of memory (64β128 Modern nano-SIMs (4G/5G) support 1000 contact 500 SMS. Replacement of the card is free of charge from the operator.
π How to check the type of SIM-map?
- π Look at the card itself: if itβs trimmed to nano-SIM, but itβs been around for a long time, its memory may still be outdated.
- π± In the phone settings: Settings β The phone. β Status SIM-If the "Card Type" section says USIM β This is a modern map if SIM β obsolete.
π How to change SIM-map?
Save all contacts with SIM on your phone (see Method 1)
Take screenshots of important SMS or keep them in your notes
Write down your phone number (in case the new SIM is not activated immediately)
Take a passport - it will be required to replace the operator in the cabin-->
π‘ Advice: If you use eSIM (virtual) SIM-You don't have a memory overflow problem, all the data is stored in the operator's cloud, but not all Xiaomi Redmi models support eSIM. 2026 This feature is only available on flagships: Xiaomi 13/14 series K60 Pro.
Method 6: Configure the default contact saving
To trouble "SIM-The card is filled" did not occur in the future, change the default settings for saving contacts:
- Open the Contacts app.
- Press three points (β°) β Settings β Maintaining contacts.
- Choose a phone or a Mi/Google account.
- Turn off the option to ask when saving (if any).
πΉ Additional settings for MIUI:
- π² B Settings β Annexes β Contacts β Permissions check that the app is allowed to read and change contacts.
- π B Settings β Sync: Enable automatic sync with the cloud.
β οΈ Note: If you use two of these SIM-maps, contact saving settings apply to all cards. To avoid confusion, we recommend disabling save on the SIM fully:
Settings β SIM- Maps and Mobile Networks β [Select SIM] β Contact Save β DisableMethod 7: Alternative solutions (for advanced users)
If standard methods donβt help, try these options:
- π οΈ Use of the ADB. Android Debug Bridge can be manually cleaned SIM-Suitable for users with unlocked bootloader.
π΄ Warning: Methods of c ADB Roots can cause loss of warranty on Xiaomi Redmi and unstable phone performance!
π‘
The safest and most effective ways to transfer contacts to the phone and replace them SIM-Formatting and manually editing files can result in data loss or card locking.