Changing your smartphone is always stressful, not so much with getting used to a new gadget as with the risk of losing important data. Xiaomi ecosystem owners are in a better position, as the company has developed powerful built-in tools for migration. Moving contacts is a priority, because the phone book is a connection with loved ones, colleagues and services.
There are several proven synchronization methods, from cloud storage to local file transfer, and the choice of the specific method depends on the status of the old device, the availability of the Internet and the volume of records. In this article, we will discuss each option in detail so that you can quickly and easily activate a new Redmi or POCO.
Don't rely on chance or manually reprinting numbers, as this guarantees errors and time loss. Modern algorithms allow you to clone a phone book in minutes, saving even additional fields, such as email addresses and photos of subscribers.
Using the Mi Mover app for quick migration
The most efficient and quickest way is to use the branded Mi Mover tool, which is pre-installed on most of the brand’s modern devices and allows data to be transmitted over Wi-Fi Direct without consuming mobile traffic, and the transfer speed in this mode is much faster than with Bluetooth or cloud services.
To get started, you need to run the utility on both devices. On the old smartphone, select the role of "Sender", and on the new one, "Receiver". QR-code or manual connection to the created network will begin the process of data discovery.
⚠️ Warning: Do not interrupt the Mi Mover app or turn off device screens during transmission, as this may cause file damage or sync stalling.
In the data selection menu, make sure that (check) is opposite to the contact item, the system automatically determines the number of records and prompts you to start copying, the whole process takes from 30 seconds to several minutes depending on the volume of the phone book.
☑️ Preparation for transfer via Mi Mover
The advantage of this method is to preserve the structure of the data, and if you have contact groups or specific notes in your subscriber cards, they will also be transferred unchanged, which is especially important for business users who keep detailed records of the conversations.
Synchronization with your Mi Cloud account
The second most popular method is the Mi Cloud cloud storage, which is ideal if you don’t have both phones on hand at the same time or the old phone has already been reset to factory settings, but the data has been pre-saved.
To implement this plan, log into your Mi Account on your old device. Go to the sync settings and make sure the switch opposite the Contacts item is active. The system automatically uploads all numbers to the server.
- 📱 Open the settings on the new smartphone.
- ☁️ Log in to the same Mi Account as on the previous device.
- 🔄 Enable contact synchronization and wait for the download to complete.
- ✅ Check the phone book – all records should appear automatically.
It's important to note that free cloud space is limited, so if you have thousands of contacts with high-resolution photos, the space may run out, in which case the system will offer to clean up old backups or purchase additional volume.
What to do if your contacts are not synchronized?
The main advantage of the cloud method is automatic updates, and any change you add on one device will instantly affect all other gadgets associated with this account, which ensures that data is up to date in any situation.
Transfer via Google Contacts
The Android ecosystem is deeply integrated with Google services, making this method versatile. Even if you change a phone within the Xiaomi brand, using Google Contacts is a reliable insurance against data loss in the event of MIUI crashes.
The process starts by checking the old device. Open Settings, find Accounts, and select your Google account. Make sure the contact sync slider is activated. If the records are stored in the phone's memory instead of in the account, the system will prompt them to move.
| Parameter | Local storage | Google Account | Mi Account |
|---|---|---|---|
| Availability | Only on one device. | Any Android/iOS | Only Xiaomi devices |
| Risk of loss | High (when broken) | Minimum | Low. |
| Sync speed | Not required | Instant. | Instant. |
On a new smartphone, just enter your Google login and password when you first set up, and the system will prompt you to recover data from the cloud. If the phone is already configured, just add an account under "Users and Accounts."
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For maximum reliability, store copies of contacts simultaneously in Mi Cloud and Google Contacts, which will create a double level of protection in case of blocking one of the services.
Google is especially useful if you plan to switch to a smartphone from another manufacturer in the future. Your contacts will stay with you, regardless of the brand of the device, you remember the password from the mail.
Export and import via vCard (.vcf)
The manual export method is suitable for advanced users or situations where automatic synchronization is not possible due to the lack of Internet..vcf is a de facto standard for contact information exchange and is supported by all operating systems.
Open the Contacts app on your old phone. From the menu, select Import/Export Contacts and click Export to Internal Memory. The system will create a file with the.vcf extension containing all your records.
The resulting file must be transferred to a new device, which can be done via instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp), email or simply transfer via Bluetooth. Once you receive the file on the new Xiaomi, click on it, the system will prompt you to import the data.
⚠️ Note: When importing a large vCard file (more than one) 500-1000 The process can take several minutes. Do not open other heavy applications at this point, so as not to overload RAM.
The good thing about this is that it creates a physical copy of your phone book that you can store on your computer or a flash drive, and if you have a complete failure in the cloud, you will always have a backup file to recover.
Use of the SIM-data-card
Although this method is considered obsolete due to format limitations, it remains the only working option if both phones do not have internet access and do not support modern transmission protocols. SIM-The card has limited memory and often crops long names or does not support keeping multiple numbers per subscriber.
To start, copy the contacts to the SIM card from the old device through the contact management menu. Then move the SIM card to the new phone or select the option “Import with the new phone”. SIM-maps" if already installed.
- 📉 Limitation on the length of the name (usually up to the 15-20 symbolism).
- 🚫 Inability to save email addresses and additional fields.
- 📞 Support only one number per contact (most of the time).
- 💾 Risk of data damage when retrieving a card during recording.
Use this method only as a temporary solution or to back up the most important numbers. SIM-Maps to your phone or Google account to recover full information.
It is worth noting that modern SIM-The old cards can hold only 250 contacts, whereas the new ones can hold different memory capacity. USIM-The cards support more records, but still inferior to the internal memory of the smartphone.
Solution: duplicates and missing numbers
Once data is transferred, users often face the problem of duplicate records, which occurs when contacts are copied multiple times by different methods or synced with different accounts without combining. MIUI has a built-in tool to solve this problem.
Go to the Contacts app, click on the menu (three dots or bars) and select Contact Organizer, and it will have the "Combine Duplicates" function, and the system will automatically find the duplicate entries and suggest combining them into one card.
If some numbers are missing, check the display filter, and the contact list settings may have a "phone only" or "SIM only" restriction, which means that some of the records are hidden from view. Select the "All contacts" option to see the full phone book.
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Regular verification and consolidation of duplicates through the Contacts Organizer helps to keep the phone book clean and speeds up the search for the right subscribers.
In rare cases, you may need to reset your Contacts app settings, which will not delete your data if it is stored in your account, but will return the program to factory settings, which can eliminate software glitches.