How to transfer contacts from Google account to Xiaomi: all ways + error solving

Shifting your Google account contacts to your Xiaomi smartphone seems like a simple task — until you encounter sync errors, duplicate records, or sudden disappearance of numbers. The problem is that MIUI and the new HyperOS process your account data differently: manual settings are required somewhere, and the system “decides” which contacts to show first. If you just bought a Redmi Note 13 Pro+ or Xiaomi 14 Ultra and you don’t see the old numbers, don’t panic.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current portability methods (including hidden MIUI features), explain why contacts may not show up even after synchronization, and show you how to fix common errors, and also a unique method for HyperOS devices, where standard import through Google does not work due to changes in security policy.

The synchronization of contacts between Google and Xiaomi should occur automatically when the phone is turned on for the first time, but in practice, users are faced with the fact that numbers either do not carry at all, or duplicate, or only appear after a few hours. The reasons are in your account settings, your firmware version, or even Google Contacts itself. MIUI 14 was a bug that didn't show Gmail contacts in the standard Contacts app if you turned on battery optimization for Google services. HyperOS has another problem: the default system hides contacts from a Google account if they're not tied to a Google account. SIM-map.

Before you go to the instructions, check two key points:

1. Make sure that the same Google account that your contacts are linked to is added to your smartphone. Check this out at Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Open contacts.google.com on your computer or other device – if there are no contacts there, the problem is not Xiaomi, but the Google account itself.

Automatic synchronization: why contacts are not portable

The most obvious way is to enable contact sync in your Google account settings, but even here there are pitfalls: for example, in MIUI 15 and HyperOS, the sync option may be hidden behind additional menus, and in some regional firmware (for example, in India), it is completely disabled by default due to local data protection laws.

To enable synchronization correctly:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Synchronization.
2. Select your Google account (if not, add it through Add Account).
3. Tap your account and find Contact Sync (in some versions it is called Google Contacts).
4. Activate the slider and wait until the process is complete (it can take up to 10 minutes).

If no contact appears:

• 🔄 Update the Contacts app via Google Play. Older versions have bugs that display synchronized data.
• 📶 Check your Internet connection. Synchronization only works with a stable connection (Wi-Fi or mobile network).
• 🔋 Turn off battery optimization for Google services. Go to Settings for this. → Annexes → Application management → Google Play Services → Battery → No restrictions.

⚠️ Note: If you use Xiaomi with global firmware (e.g. Redmi) K70E for Europe), but your Google account is registered in another region (e.g. Russia), sync may be blocked due to geo-restrictions, so you can temporarily change the region in your Google account settings.

2. Manual export/import via VCF file

If automatic sync doesn’t work, the most reliable way is to export your contacts from Google to a.vcf file and import them directly to Xiaomi, a method that works even for HyperOS devices where standard methods can crash.

Step instructions:

1. Export from Google: Open contacts.google.com on PC. Click on the gear icon (⚙️) → Export. Select the Google format CSV or vCard (for iOS) (preferably vCard, as Xiaomi supports it without conversion.
2. Transfer to Xiaomi: Connect your smartphone to your PC through USB (Copy the.vcf file to any folder on your device (e.g. Downloads). Open the Contacts app on Xiaomi → three-point (⋮) → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Import from a file. Select a copied file and confirm the import.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔒 It works without the Internet (after copying the file).
• 📁 Allows selective import of only the desired contacts (if divided into several files).
• 🛠️ Solves the problem of duplication because you control the source of the data.

The file is saved in.vcf format (not.csv)

There is enough memory on the phone (file can weigh up to 100MB)

The Contacts app is updated to the latest version

USB-debugging disabled (may interfere with file recognition)-->

3. Synchronization through the Google Contacts app

The official Google Contacts app is often more stable than Xiaomi’s standard solution, not only synchronizing data, but also allowing you to manage groups, duplicates, and even restore remote contacts.

How to set up:

1. Install Google Contacts from the Play Market.
2. Open it and log in to your Google account.
3. Slip on the profile icon in the upper right corner → Contact Synchronization settings.
4. Make sure that the Automatic Synchronization option is enabled.
5. Return to the main menu and click Fix and Manage → Fix duplicates (if any).

Why this method is better than the standard:

⚠️ Note: If you use Xiaomi with firmware for China (without Google services), the Google Contacts app will not work. VCF-file or use of alternative launchers like Nova Launcher that support Google widgets.

4.Move over MI Mover (for new devices)

If you just bought a Xiaomi and switched from another Android smartphone, you can use the branded MI Mover app, which transfers not only contacts, but also messages, photos and even app settings. But there's a nuance: MI Mover only works when you first turn on the phone, and if the device is already configured, you'll have to reset it to factory settings.

How to transfer contacts via MI Mover:

1. On your old phone, install MI Mover (if not).
2. On the new Xiaomi, when you first start, select Data Transfer → From Android.
3. Open the old device. MI Mover and scan. QR-screencode.
4. Select Contacts in the data list for transfer and confirm the transfer.

Limitations of the method:

• 🚫 It doesn’t work if the new Xiaomi is already set up (reset required).
• 🔌 Requires both devices to connect to the same Wi-Fi network.
• 📱 In some models (for example, POCO F5) MI Mover may not transfer contacts from Google account, but only local ones.

💡

If MI Mover can’t see the old device, try connecting them via an OTG cable (you need a USB-C → USB-C adapter).

5. Problem Solving: Contacts are not displayed or duplicated

Even after successful synchronization, you may find that contacts are either not shown in the phone book or duplicated, and here are the most common reasons and ways to eliminate them:

Problem 1: Contacts are on Google, but not on Xiaomi

• 🔍 Check the filters: Open the Contacts app → press three points (⋮) → Display contacts. Make sure all accounts are selected, including Google.
• 🔄 Reset the cache: Go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Contacts → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
• 📱 Update. MIUI: Some firmware versions have bugs with contact display. Check the updates in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.

Problem 2: Duplicate contacts

• 🤖 Use Google Contacts: Open the Google Contacts app → Fix and control → Combine duplicates.
• 📊 Export and import again: Export contacts to VCF, Delete all the entries on your phone, then import the file back.
• 🚫 Disable sync with other accounts: If you have a Mi Account, Facebook or WhatsApp linked, they can create duplicates too. Turn them off in Settings → Accounts.

6. Features of transfer to HyperOS

The new HyperOS operating system that replaces MIUI, The main problem is that by default, contacts from Google do not appear in the standard Contacts app, since the system prioritizes data from the Mi Account and the user’s account. SIM-map.

How to transfer contacts to HyperOS:

1. Turn on Google Contacts: Open Contacts → tap on the profile icon at the top → Settings. Select Contact Management → Display Contacts. Activate the switch next to your Google account.
2. Set up sync manually: Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google. Make sure that sync for Contacts is enabled (sometimes it turns off after an update).

Use an alternative launcher:

Nova Launcher

Microsoft Launcher

Google

HyperOS

Important Notes for HyperOS:

• 🔐 If you use Xiaomi with Chinese firmware (without Google Play), you can only transfer contacts through the Internet. VCF-file or third-party applications such as Contacts+.
• 🔄 After upgrading to HyperOS, you may need to re-assign your Google account (even if it has already been added to your account). MIUI).
• 📱 On some models (such as Xiaomi 14), contacts from Google are only displayed after the device is rebooted.

💡

On HyperOS, the standard Contacts app hides Google accounts by default, and to display them, you need to manually enable them in your display settings.

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

If none of the above methods worked, you can use third-party services, which are especially useful if you have a lot of contacts with additional fields (for example, birthdays, addresses, notes).

Method 1: Using My Contacts Backup (for backup)

• 📱 Install My Contacts Backup app.
• 🔄 Create a backup of contacts in format VCF and send the file to an email.
• 📩 Open the letter on Xiaomi, download the attachment and import it through the standard “Contact” app».

Method 2: Sync with Microsoft Outlook

• 🖥️ Export your contacts from Google to Outlook (via outlook.live.com) → Imports/Exports).
• 📲 Add Outlook account to Xiaomi in Settings → Accounts.
• 🔄 Turn on contact syncs – they will appear in the phone book.

Method 3: Contacts Optimizer (to clean up duplicates)

• 🧹 Install Contacts Optimizer.
• 🔍 Run scan for duplicates and errors.
• 🗑️ Remove or combine repeated records.

These methods are especially useful if you:

• 🔄 You often change your smartphone and want a universal solution.
• 📊 Keep contacts in multiple accounts (Google, iCloud, Mi-account).
• 🛠️ We encountered a synchronization error that cannot be corrected by standard means.

FAQ: Frequent questions about moving contacts to Xiaomi