Where to find SIM-card contacts on Xiaomi: all ways for MIUI

Contacts to SIM-The map is a relic of the push-button era, but still many users store important numbers there. MIUI access to these contacts is not always obvious: they may be hidden in the depths of the menu or not displayed at all without additional settings. SIM Suddenly โ€œdisappearedโ€ from the phone book.

In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to find, view and transfer contacts from the Internet. SIM-Xiaomi cards including Redmi models, POCO, Black Shark - Relevant for versions MIUI 12-15 and Android 11-14 if your phone can't see SIM-Contacts โ€“ here you will find a solution.

Important: Modern smartphones by default save contacts in the Google or Mi Account, not on the Internet SIM. If you are looking for numbers that have been moved to the cloud, you should restore them through the appropriate services, not through the menu. SIM-map.

๐Ÿ“Š Where do you usually keep your contacts?
Nana SIM-map
Google account
In Mi Account.
On the phone (locally)
Another option

1. Standard method: the menu "Contacts" in MIUI

The easiest method is to use the built-in Contacts app (or Phone on global firmware), but there are nuances: by default, MIUI hides contacts with SIM to avoid duplication with cloud records.

To see them:

  1. Open the Contacts app (an icon with a personโ€™s silhouette).
  2. Tap it on three points (โ‹ฎ) top-right โ†’ Select Settings.
  3. Scroll to Contact Management and click Show Contacts.
  4. Activate the switch next to SIM-map SIM 1/SIM 2, if you have two cards).

Afterwards, contact with SIM will appear in the general list, but will be marked with a special icon (usually this symbol) SIM-Note that you can't edit these contacts directly, just view or copy them to your phone's memory.

โ˜‘๏ธ Preparation for the viewing SIM-contact

Done: 0 / 4

Is there a problem? SIM-The map is not in the settings, so your firmware does not support this feature (relevant for some regions, such as India or China.

2. Through phone settings: section "SIM-maps and mobile networks"

In some versions of MIUI (especially older models like the Redmi Note 8 or Mi 9), SIM contacts are available through system settings, which works even if the Contact app doesnโ€™t show numbers.

Instructions:

  1. Go to Settings. โ†’ SIM-maps and mobile networks.
  2. Choose yours. SIM-map, SIM 1).
  3. Tap on the contact. SIM-Maps or Contact Management (name depends on version) MIUI).
  4. Here you will see all the saved SIM numbers with the ability to view and edit.

On newer models (Xiaomi 13, Redmi Note 12) this path may not be available. If you don't find a partition, try an alternative method through the Xiaomi 13. USSD-codes (described below).

Why aren't contacts displayed?
Some MIUI firmware has been obscured by Googleโ€™s policy of deeming SIM-based contact storage obsolete, and the problem may be incompatibility with the SIM format (old cards with a 250-pin limit are not supported by modern phones).

3. USSD-access-code SIM-contact

If the menus don't show contacts, you can use service commands, which works on 90% of Xiaomi devices, but requires knowledge of special codes.

Enter the phone (as if dialing) one of the commands:

  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ ##4636## โ†’ Go to Phone Information โ†’ scroll down to the section SIM-contact.
  • ๐Ÿ”ข ##7465625# (code for verification) SIM-Data does not work on all models).
  • ๐Ÿ”„ **05* - Universal code for exporting contacts with SIM (press "Call" after entering).

Once you enter the code, you may have a menu that can view, edit, or copy contacts. On models with a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip (such as POCO X3), these commands are triggered more often than on devices with MediaTek (Redmi 10A).

๐Ÿ’ก

If, after input, USSD-If you don't have a code, try adding a symbol or # at the end. For example: ##4636##*#.

4. Export SIM contacts to your phone or to the cloud

If you need to transfer your SIM contacts to your phoneโ€™s memory or Google Account, do the following:

Method 1: Through the Contact Application

  1. Open Contacts โ†’ Settings โ†’ Import / Export.
  2. Select Import with SIM-map.
  3. Tell me where to save it: on the phone or Google.
  4. Confirm the action โ€“ the contacts are copied automatically.

Method 2: Through Settings SIM-map

  • ๐Ÿ“ฒ Go to Settings. โ†’ SIM-maps and mobile networks โ†’ Yours. SIM โ†’ Contact management.
  • ๐Ÿ”„ Click Export and select the target storage.
  • โ˜๏ธ To back up to the cloud, select Google or Mi Account.

Important: When exported to Google, contacts sync to your account and will be available on any device after logging in, and when copied to your Phone, they will only be stored locally.

๐Ÿ’ก

Exporting from SIM to your phone takes less time than manually entering, but it doesn't guarantee safety when resetting. Use cloud services for reliability.

5. Viewing. SIM-Contacts through the Engineering Menu (MTK)

On devices with a MediaTek processor (e.g., Redmi) 9A, POCO C31) You can use the engineering menu to access hidden functions. SIM-map.

Instructions:

  1. Enter the phone app code ##36446337## (or #3644633## on newer versions).
  2. Go to the Connectivity section โ†’ SIM.
  3. Select SIM Contacts or USIM Application Toolkit.
  4. All records with editing capability will be displayed here.

โš ๏ธ

Warning: Do not change other options in the engineering menu unless you know what they are intended for, which can cause network failures or total loss of communication.

If the code doesnโ€™t work, try an alternative for MediaTek:

##4636## โ†’ Phone information โ†’ Menu (three dots) โ†’ View SIM- Contacts

6. Solving problems: SIM-The card doesn't show any contacts.

If none of these methods worked, the reason could be as follows:

Problem.Reason.Decision
No point "SIM-"in"Outdated firmware or regional restrictionsUpdate. MIUI or use USSD-code
Contacts are displayed blankData damage on SIMTry inserting SIM into another phone and exporting contacts
Mistake "SIM-card not supported"Old SIM (2G format) in a 4G/5G phoneUpdate the SIM from the operator (for example, replace it with nano-SIM)
No access to the engineering menuManufacturer's lockUse applications like MTK Engineering Mode from the Play Market

โš ๏ธ

Attention: If yours SIM-The card was released before 2010, it can use an outdated format of storing contacts (limiting 250 entries of 11 characters per room.

If contacts are critically important but canโ€™t be read, try:

  • ๐Ÿ”Œ Insert SIM To an old button phone (e.g. Nokia 105) and copy the numbers from there.
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Use an adapter to connect SIM to the computer through the card reader (you need software like SIM Card Reader).
  • ๐Ÿ“ž Contact the operatorโ€™s salon โ€“ they have specialized equipment for reading damaged SIM.

FAQ: Frequent questions about SIM contacts in Xiaomi

Can I edit the contacts directly to SIM-mapping through Xiaomi?
Yes, but with limitations. โ†’ SIM-map โ†’ Contact management can be changed names and numbers, but: Number length is limited (usually 20 characters); You can not add photos or additional fields (email, address). SIM, It's not on your phone. For full editing, you'd better copy your contacts to your phone's memory or your Google Account.
Why did the MIUI update stop contacting SIM?
It's a well-known versioning problem. MIUI 13โ€“14 After major updates, the system resets the display settings SIM-Contacts. Solution: Go to Contacts โ†’ Settings โ†’ Show me the contacts. Turn on the display for SIM-If it doesn't work, reset the Contacts app settings to Settings. โ†’ Annexes โ†’ Application management โ†’ Contacts โ†’ Warehouse โ†’ Clear the data. โš ๏ธ After resetting, the application data will be deleted, but the contacts will be deleted. SIM will remain intact.
How to transfer contacts with SIM to the new Xiaomi?
The most reliable way: On an old phone, export your SIM contacts to a.vcf file (via Contacts โ†’ Import/Export). Move the file to the new Xiaomi (via Mi Cloud, Google Drive or cable). On a new device, import the file to Contacts. Alternatively, insert SIM into a new phone and use the instructions in section 4 of this article.
Can I restore remote contacts with SIM-map?
Unfortunately, no. SIM-If contacts have been erased: Check backups in Google Contacts or Mi Cloud. Contact the operator - some providers (such as MTS or Beeline) keep archives SIM-data up to 30 days. Use software to recover, like, SIM Card Data Recovery (not available on all models).
Does all Xiaomi models support the work with the SIM-contact?
No, there are exceptions: ๐Ÿ“ต Not supported: Xiaomi Mi A1/A2 (Android One), POCO F1 Global firmware, devices for China without Google services. โš ๏ธ Limited support: Redmi Note 7/8 on MIUI 12 and older (needed) USSD-code). โœ… Full support: Redmi 9/10, Xiaomi 11/12, POCO X3/X4. Before buying, check the presence of the function in the reviews of a particular model.