Changing the ecosystem is always stressful for the user, especially when it comes to moving from a closed iOS to a more open Android. The main pain when migrating from an iPhone to a Xiaomi Redmi or Poco is traditionally considered to be saving the phone book. Many are afraid of losing important connections, duplicates or specific recording formats. However, modern tools allow you to solve this problem in minutes without losing data.
The transfer process depends on the version of the operating system on both devices, the availability of a stable Wi-Fi connection and the chosen method of synchronization. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, from the built-in Mi Mover application to manual unloading via.vcf files. You will learn how to avoid common mistakes when numbers are stored not in the memory of the phone, but on the phone. SIM-symbol-bound.
Before you start, make sure both devices are at least 50% charged.It is critical to back up your iPhone contacts via iCloud before starting any operations to have a rollback point, which will protect you from accidental data loss in the event of a transmission failure.
Preparing iPhone for data transfer
The first step is to properly prepare the original device. On iPhone, contacts can be stored in different accounts: iCloud, Gmail, Exchange, or locally in memory. To successfully transfer to Xiaomi, you need to get the database in order. Go to Settings → [Your name] → iCloud and make sure that the switch opposite the Contacts item is activated. This ensures that all records are synchronized with the Apple cloud.
If you plan to use Google’s cloud services for migration (as discussed below), then this is the stage where you can install the Google app from the App Store, which allows you to perform initial synchronization of contacts with your Gmail account, which will be the most reliable bridge between iOS and Android.
Also check if any contact groups are hidden. In the Phone or Contacts app on iOS, click Groups and make sure that all sources are ticked, which will eliminate the situation when some numbers simply "missing" after moving.
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Before transferring, remove duplicate contacts on your iPhone so as not to clog the phone book on the new Xiaomi Redmi.
Mi Mover Method: A Standard Solution for Xiaomi
The fastest and most native way to migrate is to use the Mi Mover app, which is pre-installed on all Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi smartphones running MIUI or HyperOS. iPhones will require you to download a similar app from the App Store, which is good because it transmits data over a local Wi-Fi channel without consuming mobile traffic and providing high speeds.
Run the app on Xiaomi's new smartphone. Select Recipient. QR-The code and the name of the hotspot you create. Now take your iPhone, open Mi Mover, click Send, and scan. QR-The devices will connect automatically.
In the iPhone data selection menu, select Contacts. You can also select photos, videos and calendars. Click Send and wait until the process is complete. Progress status is displayed as a percentage. Once complete, the system will prompt you to import data into Android internal memory.
- 📲 Speed: High, transmission goes over a direct Wi-Fi channel between devices.
- 🔒 Security: Data does not leave the local network, encryption during transmission.
- 🔄 Compatibility: It works on iOS 12+ Android 6.0+.
- ⚡ Energy efficiency: Minimum battery life compared to cloud-based methods.
☑️ Check before launching the Mi Mover
⚠️ Warning: Do not switch to other apps or lock the iPhone screen while Mi Mover is running, otherwise the connection may break and the process will have to start again.
Synchronization through Google account
Google’s ecosystem is native to Android, so moving contacts through Gmail sync is one of the most reliable methods. It’s especially useful if you plan to actively use Google services on the new Xiaomi Redmi.
First, install Google or Gmail on your iPhone. Sign in. Go to your account. Go to the app settings and find "Sync" or "Contact Sync." Make sure the switch is active. The system will suggest sync contacts -- OK. After that, all the numbers from the iPhone will fly to the Google cloud.
Now, pick up the new Xiaomi. When you first set up or in the Settings menu → Accounts and sync, add the same Google account. In the sync settings, make sure that the checkbox is ticked for Contacts. In a couple of minutes, the phone book will automatically fill in.
This has one huge advantage: it's two-way, and if you change the number to your iPhone, it'll also be updated to Xiaomi if you're syncing, but you have to keep in mind the 25,000 contacts limit per Google account, which is a pretty unlimited resource for the average user.
Import via VCF (vCard) file
The universal.vcf (vCard) format is the industry standard for sharing contact information, and is supported by all smartphones, regardless of operating system, which is ideal if you can’t install apps or use the cloud.
On your iPhone, open the Contacts app. Select any contact, click Share Contact, and then select Select All (or just drag and drop to highlight a group). Press Share and select the way to send Save to Files. Create contacts.vcf.
Now you have to transfer this file to Xiaomi, you can send it to yourself on Telegram ("Favorites"), by mail or Bluetooth. Once you get a file on Android, just click on it. The system will suggest importing contacts. Select your target account (better Google or Phone), and all the entries will be added to the book.
| Parameter | Description | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Format | vCard 3.0 / 4.0 | Use vCard 3.0 for maximum compatibility |
| Coding | UTF-8 | It is necessary to preserve the Cyrillic alphabet (Russian letters) |
| File limit | Depends on the OS. | Breaking into parts if contacts > 5,000 |
| Expansion | .vcf | Standard extension for imports |
What to do if the names become crocoshy?
Transfer of contacts from SIM-card
The oldest and least recommended, but still working method is the use of the SIM-This is only suitable if you have few contacts (usually up to 250) and do not contain long names or additional fields (email, addresses).
On iPhone, go to Settings → Contacts. Find "Import contacts with SIM." The phone will copy the numbers from the card to the device's memory. Then, on the same menu, select "Export contacts to SIM." Note that when exported to SIM, long names can be cropped and Russian letters can turn into question marks if the card is old.
Then remodel it. SIM-Map in Xiaomi Redmi. Go to the Contacts app, click on three dots (menu) and select Import/Export" → "Import with SIM-The system reads the records and offers to save them to the memory of the phone or account.
⚠️ Attention: SIM-The card does not store contact photos, second numbers, email addresses, or social media. Use this method only as a last resort.
The main disadvantage of the method is the loss of metadata. If you have an iPhone contact "Mom" had a photo, a job address and two numbers, you can use it. SIM-The map will only have one number and a cropped name, which is considered obsolete in modern smartphones.
Addressing problems and duplicates
After the transfer, users often face the problem of duplicate records, which occurs when contacts are imported from both Google and the file, and from the user. SIM-Xiaomi has a built-in tool to combat this.
Open the Contacts app on Redmi. Click on the menu (three dots or a hamburger menu) and select Contact Management → Combine Repeats. The phone will automatically find the entries with the same numbers or names and suggest combining them into one card, which will clear the phone book and make the search convenient.
You may also have a problem with the image display. VCF or SIM-Photo cards are often lost, and to get them back, the easiest way to do this is to sync Google Photos or Telegram/WhatsApp, who pull up avatars from their databases if the numbers match.
- 🧹 Cleaning: Check your phone book regularly for "unnamed" numbers.
- 🔗 Linking: Combine contacts from different social networks into one card.
- 💾 Reserve: Always store your current copy in the cloud.
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The best way to avoid duplicates is to clear the contacts on the new Xiaomi device completely before starting the transfer, if it has already been used.