How to transfer contacts to Android Xiaomi Redmi: the complete guide

Changing your smartphone, especially to a new Xiaomi or Redmi model, is always accompanied by a desire to get started quickly with the device without spending hours manually restoring the phone book. Modern technology allows you to perform this procedure in minutes, saving not only numbers, but also photos, email addresses and job positions associated with them. However, many users still face difficulties losing important data or getting a chaotic list with duplicates at the exit.

In this article, we will discuss in detail all the current methods of data migration that work on current versions of the shell. MIUI You will learn how to use the built-in Mi Mover tools, Google’s cloud sync capabilities, and classic ways through Bluetooth and other technologies. VCF-The correct method depends on the size of your phone book and the condition of the old device.

Before you start taking action, make sure that both the old and new Xiaomi Redmi have a battery charge of at least 40-50%. The process of transferring a large amount of data can be energy intensive, and suddenly turning off one of the devices will interrupt the synchronization, which will require a repetition of the procedure. Also check for a stable Wi-Fi connection if you plan to use cloud services.

Using the Mi Mover app for quick migration

The most effective and preferred way for owners of Xiaomi equipment is to use the proprietary Mi Mover tool. This application is preinstalled on all new smartphones of the brand and allows you to transfer not only contacts, but also photos, messages, system settings and even placement of icons on the desktop.

To get started, open the Settings app on your new device and find the Additional Settings item where the Mi Mover is located. If your old phone has a different version of Android or a shell from another manufacturer, you’ll need to download a similar app from Google Play or scan it. QR-The code that will appear on the screen of the new smartphone, and after launching on both devices, you need to select the role of each gadget: "Sender" on the old one and "Receiver" on the new one.

After connecting the devices through QR-If you have a code or manual password, the system will tell you to choose the types of data to transfer, and it's important not just to tick the box against Contacts, but also to check the synchronization settings. Mi Mover can intelligently combine records, but it is better to double-check the choice of sources, so as not to copy garbage from an old account.

⚠️ Note: When transferring data via Mi Mover, do not lock smartphone screens and keep them at a distance of no more than a few minutes. 2-3 Interrupting the connection during the finalization phase can damage the contact database.

The main advantage of this method is that it is completely autonomous. You don't need a computer, the Internet, or complex account settings. Xiaomi has optimized the transfer protocol so that even with thousands of records, the process takes minutes and the name structure is maintained.

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Mi Mover is a native tool that provides the fastest and most complete copy of data between Xiaomi devices without using the Internet.

Syncing through Google Account: The Cloud Method

The Android ecosystem is built around a Google account, which syncs your phone book by default to cloud storage, which is probably the most reliable way, since your contacts are stored on the company’s servers and are not dependent on physical health. SIM-If you've used Android before, your contacts are probably already in the cloud.

To use this method, the new Xiaomi Redmi, when you first set up or in the Settings menu → Accounts and sync, you need to log in to the same Google account that was used on the old device. Once logged in, background data will automatically start uploading. Depending on the number of records and Internet speed, this process can take from a few seconds to 10-15 minutes.

An important nuance is the correct distribution (storage space). By default, new Xiaomi smartphones can offer the preservation of new contacts on the Internet. SIM-It's not recommended that you force your contacts to prioritize saving on Google. To do this, go to the Contacts app, click three dots in the corner, select Settings and make sure to tick “Save New Contacts in your Google Account».

The advantage of the cloud is that it's versatile, and even if you lose your phone or break it, just type in your login and password on any other device and the entire phonebook will recover, and it creates a robust data loss insurance policy that local copying methods can't provide.

Exports and imports through VCF-file

Method of transmission VCF-The vCard file is the gold standard for compatibility, and the vCard format is supported by the vast majority of operating systems, email clients, and phone books. This method is ideal in situations where you need to transfer contacts selectively, or when automatic synchronization for some reason does not work.

The process starts on the old device. Go to the Contacts app, call the management menu (usually three dots or the Control button), and select Import/Export contacts. In the window that appears, select Export to device memory or Export to storage. The system will create a file with the.vcf extension that will contain all the selected records.

Next, this file must be transferred to the new Xiaomi. This can be done in any convenient way: through instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp), email, Bluetooth or simply by flipping the file through the file. USB-You can get a file on a new device, just click on it. Android recognizes the format and suggests that you import the records in the phone book.

Use of the VCF-Files are especially convenient when switching from iOS to Android or when transferring data from button phones, if you can upload. The file can be stored on a flash drive or in the cloud as a backup, current on a specific date, which is an excellent additional security measure.

Transfer of contacts from SIM-card

Despite the development of cloud technologies, many users still store numbers on the Internet. SIM-It's an archaic method with serious limitations, but in an emergency, when you don't have access to the Internet or your accounts, it's the only way to save you. SIM-The card has a very small memory and a low data write density.

Insert yours to transfer. SIM-card to the new Xiaomi Redmi smartphone. Once the network is found, open the Contacts app. Through the settings menu, select Import / Export Contacts, and then Import with SIM-The system will prompt you to choose a destination – be sure to choose your Google account or phone memory, but not the destination itself. SIM-map to avoid creating duplicates.

⚠️ Note: When importing with SIM-The additional fields are often lost: second numbers, email addresses, job titles and contact photos. 10-15 symbols and lose Cyrillic encoding (turn into Krakozabra), if the encoding of the card does not coincide with the system.

After importation is completed, it is strongly recommended that SIM-The map is cleared from contacts through the control menu so that in the future you don't get confused about the sources of records. Modern smartphones allow you to store tens of thousands of numbers, whereas the limit of the old one is the limit of the old one. SIM-The card is often 250 records.

This should be seen as a temporary solution or a way to recover from a disaster, and for a full digital age, you need to move to storing data in the cloud, where every contact has unlimited space for parts.

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Advice: If, after importation, SIM-Card names are displayed incorrectly (question marks or strange characters), try to change the language of the system in English, import, and then return Russian.

Transfer via Bluetooth and local services

Bluetooth technology remains a versatile tool for transferring small amounts of data between any device, even if they are far apart in terms of Android versions. Although Bluetooth transmission speeds are low, for a phone book, even a few thousand contacts (in vCard format), it will take only a couple of minutes.

Turn on Bluetooth on both devices and pair. On the old phone in the Contacts app, highlight all the records (usually via the Select All menu), click the Share button and select Bluetooth. On the list of available devices, find your new Xiaomi. On the new phone, a file acceptance request will appear - confirm it.

Alternatives to classic Bluetooth are fast file transfer applications like Send Anywhere or SHAREit, which use Wi-Fi Direct, which are much faster and more stable, and the same principle is: select contacts, click Send, scan code, or select a device from a list.

If the automatic import didn’t start immediately after transfer, you’ll need to find that file through the file manager and open it manually.

Solution: duplicates and missing numbers

After transferring data, users often face the problem of duplication of records, which occurs when the same contact is stored in both the phone's memory and on the phone's memory. SIM-The map, and in the Google account. Xiaomi provides a built-in tool to solve this problem that works very effectively.

Open the Contacts app, go to the settings, and find Contact Organization or Remove Duplicates. The system will analyze the database, find records with the same names or numbers, and suggest combining them, you can do this automatically for all records or selectively review controversial points.

Also worth checking is the display settings. In some cases, contacts may be hidden by the filter. Make sure that the contact list shows records from all sources: the phone, SIM-If the number is saved on an account that you temporarily disconnected from syncing, it will not be visible in the general.

⚠️ Warning: Before mass deleting duplicates or clearing contacts, make sure you have a fresh backup.A mistake in merging records can result in the loss of important details such as work numbers or addresses.

Cleaning the phone book regularly is a good habit, not only frees up space (though it is a tiny one), but it also speeds up the search algorithm when dialing, and a structured database is the key to easy communication.

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The built-in Contact Organization tool in MIUI automatically finds and combines duplicates, making manual cleaning unnecessary.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)