Changing a smartphone is always an exciting process, and it involves the need to transfer important information. The most valuable asset for most users is a phone book, the loss of which can be a real disaster. Fortunately, the Android ecosystem and specialized tools from Xiaomi offer many ways to quickly and safely move all records to a new Redmi device.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available methods, from cloud services to local Wi-Fi transmission. You will learn how to avoid duplicates and keep the number structure, even if you move from a different device. Integration between different versions of the operating system works steadily, but requires the right approach to configuration.
Before you start, make sure that both devices are at least 50-60% charged. Although the data transfer process does not consume much energy, interruption of the operation due to battery discharge can lead to file corruption or incorrect display of records. Below we will discuss the most effective algorithms of actions.
Using the Mi Mover app for quick migration
The most efficient and modern way is to use the branded Mi Mover tool. This application is pre-installed on all Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones, and for an old device it can be easily downloaded from the Google Play store. The program works directly through Wi-Fi Direct, creating a secure connection between gadgets without the participation of a router.
The process starts automatically when you first turn on a new phone, but you can activate it manually through settings. On the old device, you need to select Sender mode, and on the new Redmi, Receiver. QR-code or manual password entry will start synchronizing data.
The main advantage of the method is that you can choose specific types of data, you can transfer not only contacts, but also the history of calls, messages, photos and even installed applications. The speed of transfer depends on the amount of information, but usually the entire process takes no more than 5-10 minutes.
- 📲 Download the Mi Mover app on both devices if it is missing.
- 🔗 Connect both smartphones to the same Wi-Fi network or use an access point.
- ✅ Select the category "Contacts" in the list of transmitted data.
- 🚀 Click the "Send" button and wait for the process to be completed.
⚠️ Warning: Make sure that the receiving device (Xiaomi Redmi) is allowed to create new contacts. Sometimes when the internal memory of the phone is overflowing, the process may stop, so make room in advance.
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If the process is stuck in the Connection phase, try turning off mobile internet on both devices, leaving only the Wi-Fi module active, which often solves traffic routing problems.
Synchronization through Google Account
The most reliable and versatile method that has worked for decades is synchronization through Google’s cloud service. If your old smartphone was signed in to a Google account, then with a high probability all your contacts are already saved in the cloud. When setting up a new Xiaomi, it is easy to enter the same credentials.
This method is particularly convenient because it doesn't require both devices to be near at the same time, so you can prepare a new phone in advance and sell the old one, and it'll be automatically retrieved as soon as the device has access to the Internet.
To check the security of the information before you go to the site contacts.google.com from a computer, it shows a full copy of your phone book. If there are no records, turn on sync on the old phone, go to the account settings and select "Sync contacts".
- 🌐 Log in to Google account settings on old Android.
- 🔄 Activate the Contacts slider for immediate synchronization.
- 📲 Enter your login and password on the new Xiaomi Redmi when you first set up.
- ⏳ Wait for automatic download of records from the cloud.
☑️ Checking Google Syncs
Importantly, this method saves contacts in Google profiles, not in phone memory, which means that when you reset your Hard Reset, your numbers will not be lost, but you need stable Internet access to work.
Transfer through SIM-map: classical method
Despite the development of cloud technology, the method of copying to the physical SIM-The card remains relevant, especially when switching between devices of different generations or in the absence of Internet, this method is "analog" and ensures that the basic information (name and number) will be transferred in any case.
However, this method has significant limitations. SIM-The card has a small amount of memory and does not support the storage of additional fields such as email, address, photo contact or second number. 10-15 symbols due to storage format limitations.
To use this method, insert SIM-card to the old phone, copy contacts from the device memory to it, and then move the card to the new Redmi. From the phonebook menu of the new smartphone, select the import option from the device memory. SIM-It takes only a few minutes.
| Parameter | SIM-map | Google Account | Mi Mover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photo preservation | No. | Yes. | Yes. |
| We need the Internet. | No. | Yes. | No (Wi-Fi Direct) |
| Additional fields (email) | No. | Yes. | Yes. |
| Difficulty | Low. | Medium | Low. |
⚠️ Note: Before copying the SIM-Make sure to check if the contacts are already on the card, otherwise the old records may be overwritten or duplicated, which will lead to confusion.
Import and export via VCF file
The universal format for storing contacts is a file with the.vcf (vCard) extension. This method is ideal if you want to back up manually or transfer contacts via messenger, Bluetooth or USB-The file contains the entire recording structure, including tags and additional fields.
On the old device, open the Contacts app, go to the management menu (often three dots or the More button) and select Import/Export. Click Export to Storage or Export to.vcf. The system will create a file that can be found in the root folder or in the /contacts/ directory.
Transfer the file to the new Xiaomi smartphone in any convenient way. Once you receive the file, just click on it and the system will suggest choosing the application to open and the account to save the data to. This is one of the most secure methods, since the file is left in your hands.
What happens if the VCF file is not opened?
When importing a large file (a few thousand contacts), the process can take time: do not interrupt the application or switch to other heavy tasks, so that there are no errors in writing to the phone book database.
Solving Duplicate Contact Problems
A common problem after data transfer is the appearance of duplicates, which occurs when the same contact is stored simultaneously in memory. SIM-Maps, Google account and phone memory. Xiaomi smartphones have a built-in tool to solve this problem that works very efficiently.
To clear the list, open the Contacts app, click on the menu, and select Contact Management or Contact Organizer, and it will have the option to combine repeats, and the system will automatically analyze the database, find matches by number or name, and suggest combining them into one card.
In some cases, manual verification may be required, especially for records with similar names but different numbers, and the algorithm may mistakenly count them as duplicates, so always check the result of the automatic combination so that important data is not lost.
- 🧹 Open the Contacts app on Xiaomi.
- ⚙️ Go to the Contact Management section.
- 🔗 Select the option "Combine repetitives".
- 👀 Take a closer look at the list of proposed mergers.
⚠️ Note: If you use multiple Google accounts (e.g. personal and work), duplicates may occur between them. In the contact display settings, you can select the display only from a specific account to visually clear the list.
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Regular cleaning of duplicates not only improves the visual appearance of the phone book, but also speeds up contact search and the work of a smart dial.
Setting up display and sorting after transfer
After successfully migrating all the records to the new Redmi, it's worth taking the time to adjust their display. By default, the system can show contacts in order of arrival or alphabetical order, which is not always convenient. You can change this in the application settings.
Also, you should pay attention to where the new numbers are saved, you should prioritize your Google account so that if you lose your phone, you can go to your contacts and select "Save by Default"
If you've moved from a small-screen device to a large Xiaomi display, check the font size and ease of typing. In the Phone app, you can set up quick dialing and pin important contacts on the home call screen for quick access.