How to transfer contacts, SMS and call log from Xiaomi to your computer

Changing your smartphone or having to back up important data is always a worrying issue. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices often face the issue of securely storing phone books and correspondence, and losing numbers or important messages can be a critical problem if not taken care of in advance.

There are several proven methods of synchronizing data with cloud services or direct transfer of files to the hard drive. We will consider both built-in MIUI tools and third-party solutions that allow you to quickly create a backup. The choice of the particular method depends on the amount of information and your preferences for using the software.

Modern Android operating systems offer flexible options for managing personal data, you can choose to automatically sync in the background or manually export files to store on an external medium, the main thing is not to ignore this process, as a physical breakdown of the phone can happen at any time.

Using the Mi Cloud cloud service for synchronization

The most integrated way to save data is to use the manufacturer’s native cloud.Mi Cloud is deeply embedded in the MIUI shell and allows you to save contacts, messages and call history without installing additional software.

Once you log in, you need to activate switches against the right data categories, and the system automatically uploads information to the company's servers when you have an Internet connection, which is convenient because the process is almost invisible to the user.

To upload data to your computer, you need to go to the official website of the cloud service, where you can view saved numbers and messages, as well as export them in a convenient format.

• 📱 Open Settings and go to the Mi Account section.
• ☁️ Select Sync with Mi Cloud and activate the necessary switches.
• 💻 Log in to i.mi.com from your computer and log in under your login.
• 📥 In the web interface, select contacts and click the export button in vCard format.

It’s important to consider the free storage limits that Xiaomi provides: It’s usually 5GB of free space, which is quite enough for thousands of contacts and text messages, but may not be enough for multimedia.

⚠️ Note: When you delete data from the cloud via the web interface, it will automatically be deleted from your phone the next time you sync.

Synchronize contacts through Google Account

Google’s ecosystem is the standard for the Android operating system.Most users already have an account linked to the device, making it much easier to back up. Contacts are saved in a Google Contacts profile accessible from any device.

To make sure your numbers are saved, check your sync settings. Unlike local storage, this is where the data is tied to an email, not a specific device, making it easy to restore the phone book on any new smartphone.

To transfer to a PC, you just need to go to the Google Contacts service via the browser. The interface allows you to manage groups, combine duplicates and export the entire database in CSV or vCard format.

• 🔐 Go to Settings. → Accounts and synchronization.
• 📧 Select your Google account and make sure that the checkmark is on the Contact point.
• 🌐 Open the website contacts.google.com on your computer.
• 💾 Click on the export menu and select the Google format CSV vCard.

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Syncing with Google is the most reliable way to save contacts, as they are not tied to the phone brand and are recoverable on any Android or iOS platform.

Call logs and SMS are less common with standard Google tools and often require additional backup features to be activated in your system settings, but for a phone book, this solution is optimal in speed and reliability.

Exporting data through the built-in Security application

The MIUI shell features a powerful system application called Security, which includes a local backup feature, which allows you to create a full snapshot of data, including SMS and call logs, and store it in internal memory.

The backup process takes a few minutes depending on the amount of data, and once completed, the backup file needs to be manually moved to the computer, as it remains in the phone's memory by default, which is a good way to create a complete backup before flashing.

You can find the file you created in the root directory of internal memory, and the path to the file is usually MIUI/backup/AllBackup, and that's the file you want to copy to your computer's hard drive.

To recover data from such a file on a new device, you will need to use the Security application and the import function again. The backup file is protected, and you will not be able to edit its contents directly without special utilities.

⚠️ Attention: Local backup files MIUI Not directly compatible with other Android brands, and you can only recover data from them on Xiaomi, Redmi or Poco devices.

Using the Mi PC Suite application for data management

The official Mi PC Suite is designed to control a smartphone from a computer, and while support for some new models is limited in the official version, it is a convenient way for many devices to upload data, allowing you to see the structure of the file system and manage multimedia.

The functionality of the program may vary depending on the version MIUI In some cases, the utility allows you to backup contacts and messages directly through the interface of the program on the PC. USB-cable.

If the official version doesn’t see your device, you can try alternative builds or a web version of the controls, which are often built into the developer menu.

Third-party applications for detailed reservation

When built-in tools are not enough, specialized applications from Google Play come to the rescue. SMS Backup & Restore. It allows you to create detailed XML-mailing-room.

The application works automatically on schedule or on demand. You can send the created file to an email, download it to Google Drive or simply copy it to your computer via USB. XML format allows you to read the content even in a text editor if you need it.

Another advantage of these programs is that they can selectively recover, so you can only return certain conversations or calls for a specific date without affecting the rest of the system, and this gives you the flexibility that you can't get from the cloud.

• 📲 Download the app SMS Backup & Restore from Play Market.
• ⚙️ Start creating a new backup by selecting data types.
• 💾 Save the file to your phone’s memory or send it to cloud storage immediately.
• 🖥️ Connect your phone to your PC and copy the archive file to a secure location.

Using third-party software requires permissions, the app will request access to all your messages and calls, which is necessary for it to work correctly, trust only trusted developers with high ratings.

Direct copying of database files (for advanced ones)

Users with Root rights have direct access to system databases. sms.db and contacts.db files are stored in a secure system folder /data/data/. Copying these files gives a full copy of the data in native format.

Without superuser rights, this method is not available through a standard file manager. However, using ADB (Android Debug Bridge), you can try to back up data applications unless the firmware developer has banned this feature.

This method is suitable for advanced users who understand the structure of Linux file systems. Error when working with system files can lead to unstable phone operation, so the method is considered risky for beginners.

adb backup -noapk com.android.providers.contacts com.android.providers.telephony

The team above is building a data archive of contacts and the provider, and unpacking that backup requires additional tools, but it also guarantees that the data structure is preserved.

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Before any manipulation of system files or obtaining Root rights, be sure to make a full backup via Mi Cloud or local save to have a rollback point.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)