How to Save Contacts from a Broken Xiaomi Phone: Everything from Sync to Repair

A broken Xiaomi screen is one of the most frustrating situations for a smartphone owner, especially if the device has important contacts that were not stored in the cloud or on another media in advance. Fortunately, even with a completely broken display or sensor, there are several ways to extract the phone book. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, from simple (via a Mi Cloud account) to complex (using ADB or motherboard repair).

It’s important to understand that success depends on three factors: the condition of the phone (whether it’s on, whether it’s responding to a PC connection), the sync settings (whether contacts were linked to a Google or Xiaomi account), and the device model (some Redmi or POCO have nuances with unlocking the bootloader). If the screen doesn’t respond to touch, but the phone turns on, the odds are high. If the device doesn’t show signs of life, professional intervention will be required.

Before you start, check:

• 🔋 Battery charge: plug your phone into charging for 10 to 15 minutes, even if it doesn't turn on. Sometimes the discharged device doesn't show up on your PC.
• 🔌 Port USB: Make sure the cable and connector are in good working order (try another cord or port on your computer).
• 📱 Does the phone respond to buttons: Try pinching Power + Volume up for 10 seconds - it might reboot.

1. Recover contacts via Mi Cloud (if synchronized)

The easiest way to do this is to use the Mi Cloud cloud service if your phone has been enabled to sync contacts, which works even if the device is completely broken and not turned on, since the data is stored on Xiaomi servers.

To check if your contacts are saved in the cloud:

1. Go to i.mi.com from a computer or other phone.
2. Sign in with the same Mi Account that was linked to the broken device.
3. From the menu, select Contacts – if they are displayed, they can be exported to a.vcf file (for import to another phone).

If there are no contacts in the cloud, but you are sure that sync has been enabled, try:

• 🔄 Update the page in 5-10 minutes – sometimes the data is loaded with a delay.
• 📧 Check the folder Archive in Mi Cloud — it is possible that the contacts were recently deleted and are still stored there.
• 🔍 Enter a name or contact number in the search bar of a site – sometimes they don’t appear in the main list.

⚠️ Warning: If your phone has two-factor Mi Account login enabled and SMS- codes are coming to the broken device, it will be harder to restore access, in which case contact Xiaomi with the documents on the phone.

💡

Sync with Mi Cloud is the only way to get your contacts back if the phone is not switched on and detected by the PC.

2. Retrieving contacts through Google Account

If Xiaomi has a Google Account linked and your contacts synced, you can restore them through Google Contacts services, which works similarly to Mi Cloud, but uses Google’s infrastructure.

Instructions:

1. Open the Google Contacts page on your computer.
2. Sign in with the same account you had on your phone.
3. If contacts are displayed, click on More → Export and select the Google CSV or vCard format to import to another phone.

If there are no contacts, check:

• 🔗 Whether sync was enabled: on Xiaomi’s work phone, you can check in Settings → Accounts → Google → Contact Sync.
• 🕒 When was the last time the data was updated: Google Contacts has an Information button with the date of the last sync in the upper right corner.
• 📱 Have you used third-party contact apps (e.g. Truecaller) that block syncing with Google?

3 Transfer of contacts with SIM- card (if stored there)

Many Xiaomi users keep contacts on the SIM- card in the old-fashioned way, and if that’s your case, you can extract them from a completely broken phone by simply moving the SIM to another device.

How to do this:

1. Turn off the broken phone (clip Power + Volume up for 10 seconds).
2. Remove the tray for the SIM- card using a paper clip or a special key (located in the phone box).
3. Insert the SIM into another phone (preferably on Android, as the iPhone does not support importing SIM contacts).
4. In the new phone's contact settings, select Import/Export → Import with SIM- cards.

Please note:

• 📶 A single SIM- card typically stores no more than 250 contacts (depending on the operator).
• 📞 Numbers on SIM are saved without photos, email, or additional fields — only name and phone.
• 🔄 If the contacts are duplicated, they can be combined manually or with applications like Simpler Merge after import.

⚠️ Warning: If the SIM- card is damaged (for example, after a phone falls into water), do not try to dry it with a hairdryer or microwave. Contact the communications salon - they have special equipment to recover data from damaged chips.

💡

If you have a Xiaomi hybrid slot (SIM + microSD), check if you have a memory card inserted instead of a second SIM, in which case the contacts are not stored on it.

4. Connecting the phone to a PC and retrieving data via ADB

If the screen is not working, but the phone is turned on and determined by the computer, you can try extracting contacts using Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that requires pre-configuring the debugging over USB on the phone, but often saves in critical situations.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux.
• 🔌 USB-Type C Cable (original or high-quality analogue).
• 🛠️ Installed Xiaomi drivers (you can download from the official website).
• 📦 Archive from ADB and Fastboot (download from Android site).

Step-by-step:

1. Unpack ADB into a folder on your computer (e.g., C:\adb).
2. Connect your phone to your PC. If it's not detected, try restarting it in Fastboot mode (clamp Power + Volume Down).
3. Open the command prompt (Win + R → cmd) and go to the folder with ADB: cd C:\adb
4. If the list is empty but the phone is connected, try the command: adb kill-server && adb start-server
5. Download contacts to contacts.vcf: adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/contacts2.db adb shell content query --uri content://com.android.contacts/contacts > contacts.txt

If the adb device command gives an unauthorized error, then the phone did not debug using USB. In this case, the only way is to repair the screen or connect to another display via the HDMI- adapter (if the model supports Miracast).

Install Xiaomi drivers on PC| Download ADB and Fastboot| Connect phone with original cable | Check the command adb devices |Export contacts in file-->

5. Use of specialized programs for data recovery

If ADB didn't help or debugging wasn't enabled, you can try Android data recovery software, which works by scanning your phone's internal memory and finding deleted or inaccessible files.

• 🔧 Dr.Fone (from Wondershare) supports extraction of contacts, messages and media files.
• 🔧 Tenorshare UltData – specializes in recovering data from damaged devices.
• 🔧 EaseUS MobiSaver is a free version that allows you to scan your phone and export contacts.

How to use such programs:

1. Download and install the program on your PC (for example, Dr.Fone).
2. Connect your phone to your computer and select Android Data Recovery mode.
3. Follow the program instructions – you usually need to select the file type (Contacts) and start the scan.
4. Once the scan is complete, mark the contacts you want and export them to.vcf or.csv.

Limitations of methods:

• 💰 Most programs are paid (free versions are limited in functionality).
• 🔒 If the phone has enabled data encryption, recovery may not be possible.
• ⚠️ The risk of installing malware is that you only download it from official sites.

6. Contacting a service center: when nothing helps

If the phone doesn't turn on, isn't defined by the computer, and the cloud sync hasn't been configured, the only reliable way to do this is to go to the service center.

• 🔧 Connect the phone to an external display via HDMI or USB-C (if the model supports DisplayPort Alt Mode).
• 🔧 Replace the display or sensor (cost depends on the model – from 2 000 to 15 000 rubles).
• 🔧 Remove the memory chip and read the data using a programmer (the most expensive but effective method).

How to choose a service center:

• 🏢 Xiaomi’s official SCs guarantee the safety of data, but can refuse repairs if the phone was in water or broken intentionally.
• 🔨 Informal workshops – often cheaper, but the risk of losing data is higher (check reviews).
• 📄 Ask about data warranty – some centers give a written commitment to the safety of information.

Average prices for services (for 2026):

⚠️ Warning: If the phone has been in water or has been severely damaged (for example, after falling from a height), do not turn it on before visiting the service.

7 Prevention: How to avoid future contact loss

To avoid losing contacts again, follow the following simple rules:

• ☁️ Enable automatic sync with Mi Cloud and Google Account: Settings → Accounts → Mi/Xiaomi/Google → Contact Sync.
• 📱 Export contacts regularly to.vcf: Contacts → Settings → Export/Import.
• 💾 Use backup via Mi PC Suite or Google Drive.
• 🔐 Set up two-step authentication for accounts so you don’t lose access when your phone is stolen or broken.

Additional measures:

• 📧 Save important contacts in Google Contacts with Star or tags (e.g. Work, Family).
• 🔄 Check backups every 2-3 months – sometimes syncs can stop due to failures.
• 📲 Install a backup application, such as Super Backup & Restore (automatically saves contacts to a memory card).

💡

Regular backup of contacts takes 2-3 minutes, but saves days of nerves and money on data recovery.

FAQ: Frequent questions about reconnecting with Xiaomi