Changing your smartphone is always stressful, not so much with learning a new interface as with the risk of losing personal information. Owners of the Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco ecosystem often wonder how to safely and quickly transfer their phone book to a new device. Modern shells MIUI and HyperOS offer many built-in tools for this, but their functionality is not always obvious to the average user.
There are several proven synchronization methods, each with its own advantages depending on your situation: you can use cloud storage, local Wi-Fi transmission or even good old-fashioned ones. SIM-The main thing is to choose the option that will ensure the safety of numbers and related data, such as profile photos and email addresses.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available ways to migrate data, assess its reliability and speed, learn how to avoid common mistakes, such as duplicate records or losing important fields when converting formats. Preparing for the transfer will take only a few minutes, but save you hours of hassle in the future.
Using Mi Cloud to synchronize contacts
The most naive and convenient way for Xiaomi smartphone owners is to use their own cloud service Mi Cloud. This technology is deeply integrated into the system, allowing you to save changes in real time without user participation. To get started, you need to make sure that you are logged into the Mi Account in the device settings.
The sync setup process is as simple as possible for the interface developers, so you have to open the settings menu, find the account section, and activate the appropriate switch, and then the system automatically uploads all the numbers to a secure storage.
- 📱 Open Settings and click on the top plaque with your Mi Account name.
- ☁️ Go to the Cloud section and select Synchronization.
- ✅ Activate the slider opposite the Contact point.
- 🔄 Click the Sync button to force data updates.
⚠️ Warning: Free storage capacity of Mi Cloud is limited to 5 GB. If you have a lot of photos and videos, the contact space may run out, so keep an eye on cloud occupancy.
Once synchronized successfully on a new phone, it's easy to log into the same account, and the system will suggest downloading data from the cloud, and in a few minutes your phonebook will look exactly like it does on your old device, which is ideal for switching between smartphones of the same brand.
Transfer via Google Contacts and Account
Google's ecosystem is the de facto standard for Android, providing cross-platform data. If you're planning to switch to a smartphone from another manufacturer or just prefer Google services, this method will be the most versatile. All contacts are stored tied to your Gmail email.
To activate this mechanism, you need to change the default settings in the Contacts app. Often users are unaware that their new records can be stored in the phone's memory rather than in the cloud, which creates a risk of loss when reset.
Make sure the sync is on and running correctly. You can check for saved numbers by opening contacts.google.com from your computer, and if all the records are there, then the process has been successful and the data is ready to be transferred to any device that logs in to that account.
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Always back up before major changes. Even cloud services sometimes crash, and having a local.vcf file can save the day.
On the new phone, when you first set up, simply enter the login and password from your Google account.The system automatically tightens all the stored data, including groups and additional fields.This method also makes it easy to restore deleted numbers through the shopping cart in Google's web interface for 30 days.
Export and import via VCF file
The method of manual export to a.vcf file (vCard) is the most flexible and independent of the Internet connection, allowing you to create a physical file with all contacts that can be transferred in any convenient way: via Bluetooth, messengers or other means of communication. USB-This is especially useful if you want to transfer data to a phone without access to the network or to a device with a different operating system.
The backup process takes seconds, and the phonebook app needs to find the contact management menu and select the export function, and the system will suggest selecting the source (usually all contacts or a particular account) and the file's location.
- 📂 Open the Contacts app and click on three dots or menu icon.
- 💾 Select Import/Export Contacts or Contact Management.
- 📤 Click Export in file.vcf and confirm the action.
- 📁 Save the file to internal memory or SD-map.
You can send the file to your messaging app (Telegram, WhatsApp) or email, and on the new device, you just download the file and click on it, and the system will prompt you to import the records it contains, and when you import, you can choose which account or phone memory you will add numbers to.
⚠️ Note: Exporting a large number of contacts (more than one) 500-1000) Do not close the application or lock the smartphone screen until the operation is complete, otherwise the file may be damaged.
It's also great for cleaning up the phone book from garbage. You can export contacts, clean up the phone's memory, and then import only the right records. The.vcf file weighs very little, so it doesn't take up a noticeable place on the disk.
Use of the Mi Mover app
For users who change one Xiaomi smartphone to another (or switch from another Android to Xiaomi), the developers have created a specialized application Mi Mover. This tool allows you to transfer not only contacts, but also photos, applications, system settings and even placement of icons on the desktop.
The application works by creating direct Wi-Fi communication between devices, which ensures high data transfer speeds without using mobile traffic. The interface of the program is as simple as possible and guided by a master who will take you through the entire process Step-by-step.
☑️ Preparation for transfer via Mi Mover
Run the app on both devices. On the old phone, select the role "Sender" and on the new one, "Receiver." QR-If you have a code or manual connection, the device will create a secure communication channel, and then you can select the Contact category and start the copying process.
The main advantage of Mi Mover is that it retains the data structure, including linking numbers to specific accounts if possible, and the app is able to combine duplicates if they are detected during the transfer, which makes the phone book cleaner.
Transfer of contacts from SIM-card
This method is considered obsolete due to limited functionality. SIM-It remains the only universal way to transfer numbers between smartphones with different operating systems, for example, from Android to iPhone or push-button phone. SIM-The card stores only the number and name, ignoring photos, addresses and additional numbers.
Before starting the procedure, you need to copy all the numbers from the phone's memory to the SIM card. Note that names are written in Latin or in a stripped-down format if the card is old. There is also a limit on the number of characters in the contact name.
| Parameter | Phone Memory/Cloud | SIM-map |
|---|---|---|
| Number of fields | Unlimited (address, email, photo) | Just a name and one number. |
| Length of name | Up to 200+ characters | Usually up to 15-20 characters |
| Coding | UTF-8 (Emoji support, any language) | Often only Latin or basic Cyrillic |
| Risk of loss | Low (in synchronization) | High (in case of physical card failure) |
After copying the data on SIM-You can take out the card and paste it into the new phone. From the new device's contact menu, select import from the new device. SIM-The system will suggest selecting an account to which the numbers will be saved, and it is recommended to copy them to Google or Mi Cloud immediately after importing them for security.
What to do if the names are displayed by the Krakozabras?
Solving and dealing with duplicates
A common problem with data transfer is the appearance of duplicate records, which occurs when the same contact is stored in different sources, such as in the memory of the phone and in the Google account simultaneously. Modern Xiaomi smartphones have a built-in tool to combine such records.
To clean the phone book, open the contact app, go to settings, and find “Combine duplicates” or “Clear contacts.” The system will automatically analyze the database, find matches by phone number or name, and suggest combining them into a single card.
- 🧹 Open Contacts and go to Settings.
- 🔍 Select Clear Contacts or Combine Duplicates.
- ✅ Confirm the recording merger operation.
- 🗑️ Remove unnecessary empty contacts if they are left.
Another common problem is the lack of photos of contacts after transfer. SIM-In such cases, the photos will have to be re-uploaded manually or used with a full backup through Mi Mover.
⚠️ Warning: Before mass deletion or consolidation of contacts, make sure to make a backup copy. Cancel the merger after its confirmation is often impossible.
If you find contacts out of sync, check your date and time settings. Incorrect system time can cause security certificate errors, which can cause Google or Mi Cloud servers to refuse to connect, and it is also worth trying to clear the cache of the Contacts app through the application menu.
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Regularly checking the phone book for duplicates and the relevance of data helps to avoid problems when changing devices in the future.