How to transfer contacts from Android to Xiaomi via Bluetooth: Step-by-step instructions

Changing a mobile device, especially a new Xiaomi gadget, often involves transferring important information. One of the easiest and most time-tested methods is using Bluetooth wireless, which does not require an Internet connection, Google accounts or third-party apps, making it ideal for fast data transfer.

In this guide, we will discuss in detail how to transfer contacts from android to android xiaomi via bluetooth, paying special attention to the nuances of the MIUI security settings. You will learn how to properly export the database of numbers from the old device and, most importantly, how to correctly import it into the memory of the new smartphone to avoid duplicates or loss of records.

Preparing devices for wireless synchronization

Before you start the transfer procedure, you need to make sure that both devices are ready to work. On the old Android smartphone and the new Xiaomi, you should activate the wireless module. To do this, lower the notification curtain and click on the Bluetooth icon or go to Settings → Bluetooth, where you put the switch into the active position.

It's critical that the devices are in sight of each other. Usually, it's no more than 10 meters without obstacles, but for stable file transfer, it's better to keep the gadgets close. Make sure the screens of both phones are on, as some versions of the MIUI shell can interrupt transmission when the screen is locked to save energy.

The search process can take a while, so don't panic if the device isn't detected instantly.On the new Xiaomi in the Bluetooth menu, click the Device Search button to start the scan.The old phone should also be in visibility mode for everyone, which is usually turned on automatically when the feature is activated.

Once you find your new smartphone name on the list of available devices on your old phone, click on it to pair. Both devices will have a confirmation code that must match. Click Accept or OK on both devices to complete the secure link.

Exporting contacts on an old Android device

The next step is to prepare the file for transfer. The Android operating system has a standard format for storing phone books, VCF (vCard), which is universal and readable by almost any modern smartphone, including the Redmi and Poco models.

Open the Contacts app on your old device. The interface may vary depending on the manufacturer, but the logic of the action remains the same. You need to find the control menu, which is often hidden under three dots in the corner of the screen or the “More” button. In the list that opens, select Import/Export or Contact Management.

Next, select Export to Memory or Export to file.vcf. The system will prompt you to select a source (usually a Phone or account). SIM-It is recommended to save the file to internal memory to avoid problems with access rights.

⚠️ Note: If you have several thousand numbers in your phone book, the file creation process can take several minutes.Do not force the Contacts app to close during list formation, otherwise the file may be corrupted or not fully stored.

After exporting, the system usually reports the name of the created file, such as 00001.vcf or Contacts.vcf. Remember this name or path to the file, as this is the one we will be looking for for for transfer over Bluetooth.

Process of transferring a file via Bluetooth

Now that the contact file is created, it needs to be sent to the new Xiaomi, and you can use a standard file manager to do that, find the Files app, Explorer or File Manager on the old device, go to the folder where the export was saved, most often the root of internal memory or the Contacts folder.

Find the file you want with the.vcf extension. Click on it and hold your finger until the context menu appears. In the action list, select the Send or Share option, and then in the list of available methods, specify Bluetooth. The device will begin to search for a previously paired Xiaomi smartphone.

The receiving side, Xiaomi, will have a system notification of the incoming file. You need to unlock the screen and press Accept. The transfer speed depends on the volume of the phone book and the version of the Bluetooth module, but even for several thousand contacts, the process rarely takes more than a minute.

If the transfer is interrupted or the file is not sent, try clearing the Bluetooth service cache on both devices. Go to Settings → Apps → Show all apps → Bluetooth → Storage → Clear the cache. After that, repeat the pairing and sending procedure.

Import contacts on Xiaomi (MIUI/HyperOS)

Once the file is successfully transferred, it will be in the Downloads or Bluetooth folder on the new device, but it can't just be stored in memory — you have to import it into the phone book. Open the standard Contacts app on your Xiaomi.

In the application interface, find the settings menu, which is usually located in the upper right corner (three dots or gears). Select Import / Export contacts. Then the system will suggest selecting a data source. In this case, we need the option Import from storage or Import from a file.vcf.

The file manager will open. You need to find the transferred file. It can be in the Download, Bluetooth or folder. MIUI/bluetooth. Select a file and confirm the action. The system will ask where to save the contacts: in memory of the phone, in memory of the phone. SIM-map or Google account.

• 📱 Phone Memory: The Best Option for Fast and Sync with Xiaomi Cloud.
• ☁️ Google Account: Recommended to create a backup that won’t go missing when resetting settings.
• 💾 SIM-map: suitable only for base numbers, as it often crops long names and does not save additional fields.

Once you select the save location, the import process will begin, the progress bar may appear on the screen, and when you complete the save, you will see a notification of the number of entries added.

Solving Access Rights and Formats Issues

MIUI shell is known for its strict security system that can block the import of contacts from unknown sources.If you see an error message when you try to import or the process simply does not start, check the permissions for the Contacts or File Manager app.

Go to Settings → Applications → All applications, find the file manager you are using (like “Conductor”). Press Permissions and make sure that access to Contacts and Memory is enabled. Without these permissions, the application will not be able to write data to the phone book.

Another common problem is name encoding, and if you see a set of characters instead of names after importing, then the file was saved in the wrong encoding, in which case you can use the built-in import feature through your Google account on your old phone, and then just sync Xiaomi to the same account.

Also, some older Android models can create files that newer versions of Android can barely recognize, so you can try opening a.vcf file on an old phone with a text editor and checking its structure, but most often re-exporting with the All Contacts option helps.

Cleaning duplicates and final sorting

After transferring data, there is often a situation where duplicate records appear in the phone book, which happens if you have previously synchronized some numbers through the phone book. SIM-A card or other account. Xiaomi offers a built-in tool to solve this problem.

Open the Contacts app, click three dots in the corner, and select Organizer or Tools. Find the Unite Duplicates function. The system will automatically analyze the database, find the recurring numbers, and suggest combining them into one card, saving all available fields (email, addresses, additional phones).

Once combined, check several random records to make sure that the data is not lost. Pay special attention to contacts with multiple phone numbers - sometimes the system can mistakenly disconnect them.

Now your phone book is fully ported and optimized, and you can use your new smartphone without worrying about losing important connections.

Alternative methods and conclusion

While Bluetooth is a universal method, there is a more advanced tool for Xiaomi devices, the Mi Mover app, which allows you to transfer not only contacts, but also photos, applications and system settings over Wi-Fi Direct, which is much faster. However, Bluetooth remains indispensable if you need to quickly transfer only the phone book without installing additional software.

It is important to back up contacts regularly. In the Contacts app settings on Xiaomi, enable sync with Google or Mi Cloud. This ensures that even if your device is lost or broken, your numbers will be saved to the cloud and restored to any new gadget after login is entered.

⚠️ Warning: When using public Wi-Fi or Bluetooth networks in crowded areas (malls, airports), always turn off the visibility of the device after use. This will protect you from attempts to unauthorized file transfer or hack through protocol vulnerabilities.

Using Bluetooth to transfer contacts is a simple, free and reliable way that doesn’t require complex technical knowledge. Following the steps described above, you can easily migrate to the new Xiaomi while retaining your entire digital communication history.

💡

Tip: Before selling or transferring your old phone, make sure to complete a full Wipe Data reset. It is not enough to delete files - data can be recovered. Use the Settings Reset feature in the security menu.

💡

Synchronizing with a cloud account (Google or Mi Cloud) is a more reliable way to store contacts than storing only in the memory of the phone, as it protects against data loss when the device breaks down.