How to Save Contacts on Xiaomi Phone: A Complete Guide with Step-by-step Instructions

Losing contacts on a smartphone is one of the most frustrating situations for a user, especially if we are talking about hundreds of important numbers that have accumulated over the years. Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi, POCO and Mi lines) offer several ways to back up contacts, but not all users know how to use them correctly. In this article, we will discuss all the available methods of saving contacts, from standard MIUI functions to hidden features that are not written in the official instructions.

It is important to understand that simple copying of numbers on SIM-Now, the card is no longer relevant: modern phones store contacts in cloud services or internal memory. But what if you want to upgrade to a new phone, reset to factory settings or just hedge your bets? We tested all of them on current versions. MIUI 14/15 And we put together step-by-step instructions that take into account the nuances of different models, and at the end of this article, we have a table of methods and answers to common questions.

1. Save contacts in the Xiaomi account (Mi Cloud)

The most reliable way for Xiaomi owners is to synchronize contacts with the Mi Cloud service, which works on all devices of the brand (including Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 13) and allows you to restore numbers even after a complete reset of the phone, the main condition is the presence of an active Mi Account.

To enable synchronization:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner and select Settings.
3. Go to Contact Management → Contact Synchronization.
4. Activate the switch next to the Mi Cloud.
5. Wait until the process is complete (may take a few minutes depending on the number of contacts).

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If sync doesn’t start, check your internet connection and update the Mi Cloud app in Settings → About Phone → System Update.

Advantages of this method:

• 🔄 Automatic updates when adding new contacts
• 📱 Access numbers from any Xiaomi device after logging in to your account
• 🔒 Data protection (binding to an account with two-factor authentication)

⚠️ Note: If you log out of your Mi Account on your phone, all contacts synced only to the Mi Cloud will disappear from the device's memory.

2. Export contacts to VCF file (to memory card or internal memory)

The.vcf (vCard) format is the universal standard for storing contacts that all modern smartphones support, and it is suitable if you want to transfer contacts to another phone (including devices of other brands) or simply create a local backup.

Export instructions:

1. Launch the Contacts app.
2. Click on three points → Contact Management → Import/Export Contacts.
3. Select Export to file.
4. Please indicate the contacts for export (you can choose all or individual groups).
5. Select the location of the storage: internal memory or SD-map.
6. Name the file (for example, contacts_backup_2026.vcf) and confirm the export.

File ready is available:

• 📤 Send to email or messenger
• 💾 Save to the cloud (Google Drive, Yandex Disk)
• 📱 Transfer to a new phone through USB-cable

⚠️ Note:.vcf files are not encrypted. If you save them to cloud services, use archive password protection (for example, through the use of a password). 7-Zip or WinRAR) for privacy.

3. Sync with Google Account

If you use Google services (Gmail, YouTube, Play Market), synchronizing contacts with Google Account is the most versatile way, it works not only on Xiaomi, but also on phones of other brands (Samsung, Huawei, Realme, etc.).

How to turn on synchronization:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Synchronization.
2. Select your Google Account (or add it if not already linked).
3. Activate the switch next to Contacts.
4. For forced synchronization, tap on three dots in the upper right corner and select Sync Now.

Advantages of the method:

• ☁️ Access contacts from any device via contacts.google.com
• 🔄 Automatic update when changing numbers
• 📱 Easy transfer to a new phone (just log in to your Google account)

If the contacts are not synchronized, check:

• 📶 Internet connection (sync only works online)
• 🔄 Settings of Google account in Settings → Annexes → Google → Permits
• 📱 Update of Google Contacts in Play Market

4. Maintaining contacts on SIM-map: when is the time when it is relevant?

Maintaining contacts SIM-The map is an outdated method, but it can still be useful in two cases:

1. You have a very old phone (until 2015) that doesn’t support cloud services.
2. You are temporarily using someone else’s device and want to quickly move the main numbers.

How to keep contacts on SIM:

1. Open Contacts. → Contact management → Imports/Exports.
2. Select Export on Export SIM-map.
3. Mark the contacts you want (be aware that no more than 250 numbers with a limited number of characters in the name will fit on the SIM).
4. Confirm the export.

Limitations of the method:

⚠️ Note: When transferring contacts with SIM-cards on the new Xiaomi phone they can be duplicated. Before import, check the list in Contacts → Contact management → Combine duplicates.

5. Backup through MIUI Backup

MIUI Backup allows you to create a full backup of your system, including contacts, messages, photos and settings, which is suitable if you plan to reset your phone to factory settings or update your firmware.

How to make a backup:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Select Contacts (you can also add other data).
3. Click Backup and wait until it is completed.
4. The backup file will be stored in internal memory along the path /MIUI/backup/AllBackup.

To restore contacts from the backup:

1. Go back to Local Backup.
2. Select the desired backup file (sorted by date).
3. Mark Contacts and click Restore.

Charge your phone at least 50 times%|Connect to Wi-Fi (backup can weigh a few GB)|Free up space in internal memory (minimum 1 GB)|Remember the password from the Mi Account (required for recovery)-->

Important nuances:

• 🔐 Backup files are encrypted and linked to your Mi Account. Without it, data recovery is impossible.
• 📱 When you restore a backup to a new phone, some contacts may not be imported if they already exist in the phone book.
• 🔄 It is recommended to create a backup once in a while. 1-2 months, especially before the update MIUI.

6. Alternative methods: third-party applications and cloud services

If you don't like standard methods, you can use third-party solutions, and we tested some of the popular options and selected the most reliable ones.

1. the Google Contacts app (for deep synchronization):

• 📲 Install from Play Market (unless set by default).
• 🔄 Enable autosynchronization in the application settings.
• 📊 Allows you to combine duplicates and restore remote contacts within 30 days.

2. Cloud services (Yandex, Mail.ru, iCloud):

• ☁️ Yandex Drive: Automatically reserve contacts when you install Yandex.
• 📧 Mail.ru Cloud: synchronize contacts through the Mail.ru app.
• 🍎 iCloud: Suitable if you use a Mac or iPhone in parallel with Xiaomi.

3. Specialized applications for backup:

• 🛡️ Super Backup & Restore – Allows you to keep contacts, SMS and call logs to the cloud or memory card.
• 📱 My Contacts Backup – sends backup to email as a.vcf file.

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The side of the app is convenient, but requires access to contacts and the Internet. Before using, check the reviews in the Play Market and the permissions that the program requests.

Warning:

⚠️ Note: Some backup apps (especially the little-known ones) may collect your contacts for advertising purposes.

Comparison of Contact Saving Methods on Xiaomi

To choose the best way, compare all options on key parameters:

Critical information: If you plan to sell or rent your phone for repair, be sure to delete all contact backups from internal memory via Settings → Memory → Files → MIUI → backup. Even after a reset, these files can remain on the device and be accessed by third parties.

FAQ: Frequent questions about keeping contacts on Xiaomi