Smartphone users today rarely think about where their text messages are stored. In the era of cloud syncs and instant messengers, SMS seems a thing of the past, but for many, it remains a critical channel for communication with banks, delivery services and government agencies. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices often face a situation where when changing phones or resetting settings there is an urgent need to access the archive stored directly on the carrier’s chip.
The problem is that the MIUI shell interface or the new HyperOS defaults to hiding the options for working with the SIM card memory. Developers rely on storing data in the device’s internal memory or in the Google cloud, considering the SIM as an outdated medium. However, if your important confirmation codes or memory sms were stored on the chip, standard methods through the main message menu will not find them.
In this article, we will explore all possible ways to extract information, from hidden engineering menus to the use of third-party utilities, you will learn why the control tab disappears and how to circumvent the software limitations of the system to regain access to your data. It is important to understand: physical memory SIM-The card is very small, usually it can accommodate no more. 20-50 So, keeping large volumes of correspondence there is technically impossible.
Why are SIM-card messages missing in MIUI?
Many users notice that after updating the system or buying a new smartphone Xiaomi the usual menu item SIM-It's not a mistake, it's not a failure, it's a conscious decision by the company's engineers. The standard Messages app in global firmware is often devoid of chip storage management functionality, because modern smartphones are thought to have enough internal memory.
In Chinese firmware, SMS functionality is often expanded, while in global versions (Global ROM), many functions are cut down to suit Google and local laws. If you reflashed the phone or upgraded to the latest version of Android, the system could automatically reconfigure storage priorities, shifting the focus to cloud services.
⚠️ Warning: Attempting to forcefully modify message application system files without root rights can lead to system instability or cyclical restart (bootloop.
Also, it is worth considering the technical aspect: modern Nano-SIM SIM cards have very limited memory, which is often filled with operator service information. The system may simply not see the free cells to display the list or ignore them, considering the data to be incorrect. In some cases, messages are physically present on the chip, but the MIUI interface does not have the tool to decode and display them on the screen.
Search for the hidden SIM control menu
Despite the stealth of the interface, the ability to access data on the chip often remains preserved in the depth of system settings. The first step that the owner of Xiaomi needs to take is to carefully check the standard application. Open the regular Messages app and pay attention to the top of the screen or the side menu caused by clicking on three dots.
In some versions of the shell, the path to the cherished feature is through the settings of the application itself. You need to click on the profile icon or menu, select Settings, and then search for the section associated with additional features or management. SMS. If there is an option “Settings” SIM» or “Communications on SIM-You are lucky, the functionality is active.
- 📱 Open the Messages app and click on the three dots in the upper right corner.
- 📱 Go to "Settings» → «Additional" (or "Advanced settings»).
- 📱 Look for the item “Message Management” SIM» or “Communications on SIM-map».
- 📱 If there is no item, try to pinch your finger on an empty spot in the dialog list.
If you don't have the right item in the standard menu, you can try searching by settings on your phone. Type the word "SIM" or "messages" into the settings search bar (cog in the menu). The system can give you a hidden shortcut that will redirect you to the desired section of the system application, bypassing the stripped-down interface of the main program.
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If you have a two-sim phone, switch to the second one. SIM-map in network settings, sometimes the message menu appears only when a certain slot is active.
Use of engineering menus and codes
When the GUI fails, special service codes come to the rescue. Xiaomi’s engineering menu is a powerful diagnostic tool that allows accessing hidden phone features. However, be prepared for the fact that in recent versions of Android, access to many partitions is closed to ordinary users without special rights.
To enter the engineering menu, you use a universal code. Open the Phone app and dial the combination ##4636#. If the code is entered correctly, the Verification menu will open. Here we are interested in the Phone Information or Phone Information section.
Inside this section there may be a “Run Ping test” button or other diagnostic tools, but we need to find the menu associated with the SMS. Unfortunately, there is often no direct command to view the SIM content in this menu, but here you can check the network registration status and type of card, which will help to understand whether the phone sees the chip correctly.
##4636##
#6484## (CIT - Equipment Testing Menu)There is also a code ##6484## that opens the CIT menu, which is designed to test hardware. Go through the test list, sometimes there is a "SIM Card Test" or "SMS Test" item that allows you to send a test message or check the card's reading, but does not always give access to the archive view.
Third-party SMS reading apps
If the built-in MIUI is not available, the most effective solution is to install a dedicated application from the Google Play store, and there are a number of utilities designed specifically to work with outdated but necessary features, such as SIM card memory management.
One of the most popular and reliable solutions is the SIM Card Messages app (or its counterparts, for example, from the developer kevo or Appxy), which creates its own interface on top of the system, ignoring the limitations of the standard “caller” and the message application Xiaomi.
| Title of the annex | Functional | Requirements | Ratings. |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIM Card Messages | Reading, copying, deleting | Android 5.0+ | 4.5 |
| SMS Backup & Restore | Backup (including SIM) | Android 4.4+ | 4.7 |
| Messages by Google | Basic reading (depending on model) | Android 5.0+ | 4.2 |
Once you install the app, you'll need to give it all the permissions you want to access your contacts and messages, and without that, it won't be able to "see" the contents of the chip, and once it's running, it'll scan the map and display a list of messages on the screen, even if they're not in the standard interface.
☑️ Checking of a third-party application
Copying and transferring messages
The main purpose of searching for SIM messages is often to save them or transfer them to a new device. The memory of the chip is unreliable: if contacts are damaged or voltage failures, data can disappear instantly. So if you were able to access the list, first copy important SMS to the phone memory.
Most of the third-party apps mentioned above have a copy to phone or a move to phone feature, select the message you want (or use the "select all" feature if the volume allows) and press the appropriate button, and then the message is duplicated into the internal memory of the smartphone.
⚠️ Note: When copying messages from SIM-The text on the phone may be cut off if it exceeds the standard length of one card. SMS (160 characters for Latin, 70 for Cyrillic, as the storage format on the chip is different from the modern one.
To transfer to another phone, it is better to use cloud services rather than Bluetooth (this is long and inconvenient for text). The SMS Backup & Restore app allows you to create an xml backup file and upload it to Google Drive. On the new Xiaomi, you just install the same application, restore it from copy, and all messages, including those on the SIM, will appear in the common database.
Technical limitations of the SMS format
Frequent problems and their solution
Even following the instructions, users may encounter errors, the most common problem being the message, "I couldn't read the messages." SIM-This often happens if the SIM card contact is contaminated or oxidized. Remove the tray, wipe the chip with a soft dry cloth (voilless), and insert back in.
Another problem is access rights: Android 11, 12, 13 and later has tightened security policies, so if an SMS reader application is not a system reader, the system can block direct access to the SIM card memory cells, in which case only installing an application through ADB with system rights or using root rights, which is a complicated procedure.
- 🛠 Reading error: Check if it is blocked SIM-map PIN-load-code.
- 🛠 Empty list: Make sure that messages are saved to the SIM, Not the phone memory.
- 🛠 App Departure: Try clearing the Messages app cache in your phone settings.
Also worth mentioning is the compatibility issue: Some older carrier SIM cards (released 10-15 years ago) use a file system that modern controllers at Xiaomi have trouble reading. If nothing works, ask your carrier’s phone to replace the card with a new one while maintaining the number, which sometimes solves the hardware compatibility problem.
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If no application sees the messages, it is likely that they are physically missing from the card or that the file system of the SIM chip itself is damaged.