Changing your smartphone is always stressful, with the fear of losing important data, especially if you’re talking about a phone book. Xiaomi ecosystem owners are in a great position to have built-in tools for seamless migration. The process of copying numbers can take anywhere from a few minutes to half an hour, depending on the method chosen and the size of your database.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available methods, from cloud sync to local backup files, how to avoid duplicate records and what to do if numbers are not displayed after transfer, and the right method depends on whether the new phone is on and whether you have access to the Internet.
Before you start taking action, make sure that both devices are at least 50-60% charged. Although text data transfers do not consume much power, suddenly turning off the screen or system at a critical moment can interrupt the synchronization process.
Using the Mi Mover app for quick migration
The most efficient and modern way to transfer data is to use the Mi Mover app, which is pre-installed on most MIUI and HyperOS devices, making it accessible out of the box, and it allows you to transfer not only contacts, but also photos, music, installed apps and even system settings.
To get started, open the app on both smartphones. On the old device, select the role of Sender and on the new device, Receiver. The system will create a local Wi-Fi network to connect to, and the data rate is much faster than using Bluetooth, since it uses a direct link between devices.
Once you have established the connection, select Contacts from the data transfer list, you can uncheck other file types if you only need phone numbers, the process is automatic, and you just have to wait until the progress bar is over, and it's important not to switch between applications during the transfer, so as not to disturb the stability of the connection.
⚠️ Warning: When using Mi Mover, make sure that the screens of both phones do not go out. Set the lock screen settings in advance for the "Never" latency or maximum available value so that the system does not interrupt the data transfer.
Synchronization through Google account
The Android ecosystem offers perhaps the most reliable way to save contacts is by linking to a Google account, if your old Xiaomi had numbers stored in your phone’s memory or a phone’s memory. SIM-Maps, you need to move them to your Google account first, which ensures that your phone book will be accessible from any device after you enter your login and password.
Go to the Contacts app on your old device. Click on the menu (three dots or bars) and select Settings or Contact Management. Find Import/Export Contacts and select Import from your phone (or SIM) option, specifying your Google Acca destination.
On the new smartphone, when you first turn on, just log in to the same Google account. In the sync settings, make sure that the slider opposite the Contacts item is activated. All entries will appear in the phone book automatically in the background, even if the Contacts app is closed at that time.
💡
To check where new numbers are saved, open the Contacts app settings, select Saving Account, and set your Google account as default, which will prevent future data loss.
The advantage of this method is that if you decide to change Xiaomi to Samsung or iPhone in the future, your contacts will not go away. Just add a Google account to a new device, and the phone book will recover in seconds.
Transfer over Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud)
Xiaomi device owners have access to their own cloud storage, Mi Cloud, a handy tool for those who prefer not to depend on Google services or want to have an additional copy of data, with 5GB of free storage, more than enough for thousands of contacts and photos.
To activate sync, go to Settings → Mi Account. Sign in to your profile or create a new one. Then go to the Cloud section and make sure the Contact Sync switch is on. Click Sync to force the data to the server.
On the new device, sign in to the same Mi Account. Once logged in, the system will prompt you to recover data from the cloud. You can choose selective synchronization by marking only contacts. This is especially useful if you don't want to waste time downloading large amounts of media.
| Parameter | Google Contacts | Mi Cloud | Local exports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet dependency | Required. | Required. | Not required |
| Speed of operation | Medium | Medium | Tall. |
| Security | Tall. | Tall. | Depends on the user. |
| Cross-platformity | Any OS. | Android / iOS / Web | Any OS. |
This allows you to edit, delete duplicates and combine recordings directly from the big screen, which is much more convenient than doing it with your finger on a smartphone.
Export and import via vCard file
If you don’t have access to the Internet or prefer to store data locally, the ideal solution is to create a vCard file (.vcf), a universal format supported by all smartphones and allows you to transfer the entire phone book in one file.
Open the Contacts app on the old Xiaomi. In the settings menu, look for Import/Export Contacts and select Export to Device Memory or Export to Internal Memory. The system will create a file that is usually called 00001.vcf or contacts.vcf.
☑️ Checklist for transfer preparations
The file you get needs to be transferred to a new phone, and you can do this via Bluetooth, messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp), email, or simply by transferring the file through a USB cable to your computer and then to a new smartphone. Once you get the file, just click on it and the system will suggest importing the contacts it contains.
⚠️ Note: When importing a vCard file, the system may ask where to save the numbers. Select Google or Phone, but avoid saving it on the phone. SIM-card, as it has a character limit and can trim long names or extra numbers.
Using Bluetooth for transmission without internet
Although Bluetooth technology is considered obsolete for transferring large files, it remains relevant for contacts, especially in the absence of Wi-Fi.
Turn on Bluetooth on both devices via the notification curtain or Settings → Bluetooth menu. pair devices: on the new phone, find the name of the old one in the list of available devices and confirm the code. Make sure the connection status is displayed as “Connected”.
Go to Contacts on your old device. Select all the records (usually by long-clicking on one of them and selecting the "Select All" item on the menu). Click the "Share" button (a three-dot icon connected by lines) and select the name of the new smartphone in the Bluetooth list.
What to do if the Bluetooth transmission is interrupted?
The new device will request a file, and once the download is confirmed and completed, the system will automatically prompt you to import contacts, which is slow enough for thousands of records, but it's fine for a small phone book.
Transfer of contacts from SIM-card
The most conservative, but still working method is the use of SIM-This is a universal method that works even on push-button phones, but it has serious limitations in the volume and format of data.
On the old Xiaomi, open Contacts, go to Settings and select Import/Export. click Export on SIM-The system will warn that some data (e.g. multiple numbers for a single contact or long names) may be lost.
After the export is completed, extract SIM-In the Contacts app on the new device, go back to the import/export menu and select Import from the new smartphone. SIM-Specify the location of the save — you better choose the memory of the phone or Google account.
⚠️ Attention: SIM-The card does not support saving multiple numbers for a single contact (e.g., "mobile" and "work" will become separate records) and often crops names to the same contact. 10-15 Use this method only as a temporary solution.
Solution: duplicates and synchronization errors
After the contacts are transferred, users often face the problem of duplication of records, which occurs when the same contact is stored in the phone memory, in the Google account, and in the Mi Cloud. MIUI It has a built-in tool to solve this problem.
Open the Contacts app, click on the menu, and select Contact Organization or Contact Management. Find the item "Contact Duplicate Combination," and the system will analyze the database and suggest combining entries with the same names or numbers.
💡
Regularly cleaning up duplicates through built-in MIUI tools helps keep the phone book in order and speeds up the search for the right subscriber.
If contacts don't show up after sync, check the display filters. In the Contacts app, the settings often include the "Show contacts only from your phone" restriction, change the setting to "All contacts" or select the specific account to which you imported.