How to download contacts with Xiaomi to your computer if the screen is broken: Step-by-step instructions

Xiaomi's broken screen is always stressful, but even worse, when important contacts are at risk, such as your colleagues', your loved ones', or your customers', and fortunately, even with a completely broken display, there are ways to export your phone book to your computer, and the key is to stay calm and follow proven patterns.

In this article, we’ll discuss 5 working methods that can save contacts with Redmi, POCO or Mi — from standard Mi Account features to advanced tools like ADB. Some of them you may not even have heard of, and find out what to do if the phone does not turn on at all or requires unlocking.

Important: Before you start, check whether your smartphone is responsive to charging or connecting to a PC. If so, the chances of success are higher. If not, don't despair: even then, there are solutions.

1. Method: Synchronization via Mi Account (if enabled)

The easiest way is to use Xiaomi cloud sync, and if you have Mi Account activated on your phone and your contacts synced, you can access them from any device.

How it works:

1. Go to the Mi Account website and log in under the same login as on your smartphone.
2. In the Services → Cloud → Contacts section, you will see all the saved numbers.
3. Click Export and select the.vcf format (standard for phone books).

✅ Pros: No need to plug in the phone, it works even if the screen is completely dead.

❌ Cons: if the synchronization was turned off, the method will not work.

⚠️ Warning: If the phone had a password and the screen was not responsive to touch, it may require a factory reset to unlock it, but it will delete all data except those in the cloud!

Authorization in one account on a PC and a smartphone|Availability of backup copies of contacts in the cloud|Export format (.vcf for compatibility)|Emails linked to Mi Account-->

2. Method: Connect via USB and ADB (for power users)

If the sync with the cloud is not configured, but the phone is defined by the computer as a device, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB).This method requires pre-activation of USB debugging on the smartphone.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install ADB Tools.
2. Connect your phone to your PC via USB (use the original cable!).
3. Open the command line in the ADB folder and type: Adb devices If the device is displayed, move on to the next step.
4. Copy contacts with the command: adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/contacts2.db Contacts2.db file will be saved in the folder with ADB.
5. Convert the database to a readable format using SQLite-to-VCF.

🔹 Important: if the debugging is USB It wasn’t enabled in advance, it won’t work, and some Xiaomi models (like the Redmi Note 10 Pro) may need to unlock the bootloader.

Method 3: Export of contacts through SIM-map

If the screen reacts to touch (albeit partially), but the image is missing, you can try to transfer contacts to the screen. SIM-This method is suitable for older Xiaomi models (up to the previous one). MIUI 12), because in the new versions of the export function of the SIM frequently.

Algorithm of action:

1. Put the work in. SIM-smartphone-card.
2. Blind Set: Settings → System and device → Import/export contacts → Export to SIM (On MIUI 13/14, the path may differ: Contacts → Management → Import/export).
3. Confirm export (usually you need to click OK or Ready at the bottom of the screen).
4. Extract. SIM and insert it into another phone or use it. SIM-PC reader.

⚠️ Limitations:

• 📵 Nana SIM a limited number of contacts (usually up to 250).
• 📛 Only numbers and names are saved (photos, emails and notes are lost).
• 🔄 On new Xiaomi models, the function may be disabled.

💡

If you can’t press exactly, use Google Assistant (activated by “OK, Google” voice or long-term home button retention), which can open settings and give commands to export contacts.

Method: Use of Mi PC Suite (official software)

Mi PC Suite is Xiaomi's official utility that allows you to manage your phone's data from your computer. It can help even if the screen is broken, but the phone is determined by the PC and allows you to access files.

Instructions:

1. Download and install Mi PC Suite.
2. Connect your smartphone to your computer via USB.
3. In the program, go to Contacts (if the phone is unlocked) or Backup (if a password is required).
4. Export contacts to.vcf or.csv format.

🔸 nuance:

• 🔓 If there is a pattern lock on the phone, Mi PC Suite can request it to be entered, in which case try to connect via Mi Account (see method 1).
• 🖥️ On some PCs, the utility works unstable - try running it on behalf of the administrator.

5. Method: Retrieval of contacts through backup (if any)

If you have ever done a backup through Settings → System system → Backup, chances of getting contacts back up. backups MIUI stored in a folder MIUI/Backup/AllBackup internal memory or SD-map.

How to restore:

1. Connect your phone to your PC in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Find a backup folder (usually a file with the.mbk extension).
3. Copy it onto your computer and use MiuiBackupExtractor to extract contacts.

Critical: MIUI backups are encrypted with a Mi Account password, and without it, you can't recover data.

❓ What to do if there is no backup?

• 🔍 Check the Download folder – sometimes contacts are exported there manually.
• 📁 Use data recovery software such as Dr.Fone or EaseUS MobiSaver (works if the phone is defined as a drive).

💡

Backup copies MIUI They store the contacts in encrypted form, without a password from Mi Account or PIN-The phone code cannot be removed - it is a security measure.

6. Method: Contacting the service center (extreme case)

If none of the methods worked, and contacts are critical, you can contact Xiaomi Service Center.

💰 Cost: from 1,500 to 10,000 rubles depending on the complexity.

⏳ Timeframe: 1 to 5 days.

⚠️ Note: Not all service centers work with damaged screens, and check in advance if they have blind unlock equipment (e.g. Octoplus Box or UFi Box).

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When trying to save contacts, users often make critical mistakes that lead to data loss.

• 🔒 Repeated attempts to enter a password. On some Xiaomi models, after 5 wrong attempts, the data is erased.

🔹 Tip: if the phone is still turning on, but the screen is not working, try connecting it to an external monitor through the phone. USB-C to HDMI (works for Mi 10/11, Redmi K40/K50).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions