Shift. SIM-The switch to a new Xiaomi smartphone or a map is always an exciting moment, with the risk of losing important data, and device owners often wonder how to quickly and error-free move the contact list from an old SIM card. Unlike older push-button phones, modern Android-based smartphones and shells MIUI HyperOS offers flexible tools for data migration, but the process requires attention to detail.
The main difficulty is that SIM-The cards have limited storage and an outdated storage format that doesn’t support saving extra fields like email or photos, and importing contacts from a SIM card to a phone is the first step to creating a full-fledged digital phone book. In this article, we will discuss not only standard methods, but also the nuances of working with different versions of firmware, as well as ways to avoid duplication of records.
Before taking action, make sure that the new SIM-If you change the device, make sure that the old SIM is physically compatible with the new slot or use an adapter. Before mass import, it is recommended to make a backup of current data to avoid accidental overwriting.
Preparation of SIM-card and compatibility check
The first step is to physically install the card and check its display in the system. Modern Xiaomi often have combined slots, so make sure that the card is inserted into the correct connector. After turning on the device, go to Settings → About the phone and check the status of the network. If the network appears, you can go to the software part.
Note that SIM cards from different operators may have different degrees of internal memory filling. Some operators limit the number of characters in the contact name, which can lead to the trimming of long names when transferring. The format of storage on the SIM card is usually limited to only the number and name, without the possibility of adding addresses or dates of birth.
- 📱 Make sure that SIM-The card is set to slot 1 or 2 (if there are two) and is determined by the system.
- 🔒 Unlock the card pin, if installed, before the import procedure begins.
- 📶 Check for network signal, which confirms correct operation of the chip.
⚠️ Attention: If SIM-The card is physically damaged (scratches on the chip), the data reading process may be interrupted, which will lead to partial loss of numbers.
In some cases, especially when switching from very old standard cards 3G new 4G/5G The system may be different, the data may be different. MIUI It's usually automatically detecting the type of carrier, but manual control is fine "SIM-No card found, try restarting the device or wipe the contacts of the card with a soft cloth.
Import contacts through the standard "Contacts" application
The most common and reliable way to transfer data is to use the built-in functionality of the Contacts app, which does not require an Internet connection and works even in flight mode, since the reading is done directly from the SIM card chip. Open the Contacts app on the home screen or in the Tools folder.
In the app interface, find the settings menu, which can be arranged differently in different versions of HyperOS, usually three dots in the top corner or the Settings button at the bottom of the screen, and you need to find Import/Export contacts, and that's where the key to managing the phone book lies.
☑️ Pre-import checks
After selecting the import point, the system will prompt you to select the data source. SIM-map, "SIM 1" or "SIM 2) You then need to select a destination, and it is recommended that you save contacts not in your phone memory, but in your Google or Mi Account account, so that they sync in the cloud.
| Parameter | Description | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Source | SIM-map | Choose an active SIM |
| Appointment | Google / Mi Cloud / Phone | Google or Mi Cloud |
| Duplicate | Create or combine | Combine automatically |
| Format | vCard or system | Automatically. |
Press the "Import" or "Copy" button, which can take anywhere from seconds to a couple of minutes depending on the number of recordings, and during the operation, don't turn off the screen or switch to other heavy applications to avoid interrupting the reading process.
Using Mi Mover to migrate from another smartphone
If you change your phone as a whole, rather than just a SIM card, Mi Mover is an indispensable tool, designed specifically for the Xiaomi ecosystem, and allows you to transfer contacts, messages, photos, and even app placement across your desktop, and you can find it in the Tools folder or search in settings.
To get started, install the app on both devices (if the old phone is not Xiaomi, it can be downloaded from Google Play). Run Mi Mover on both smartphones. On the new device, select "I am the recipient" and on the old one, "I am the sender." Scan QR-The code will create a secure communication channel.
What should I do if the transmission is interrupted?
In the list of data transmitted, be sure to mark Contacts. The uniqueness of this method is that it transfers not just numbers, but the entire structure of contacts, including binding to messengers, if the Android version allows it, the transfer speed is much faster than using Bluetooth or cloud services.
- 🚀 High speed data transfer without using the Internet.
- 🔄 Opportunity to select specific data types for transfer.
- 🛡️ Secure connection via local Wi-Fi network.
Once the process is complete, the new device will receive a success notification, the contacts will be automatically integrated into the phone book, and if you see duplicates, the system may suggest combining them, which is standard practice for keeping the database clean.
Sync with Google Account and Mi Cloud
The most modern and reliable way to store contacts is cloud sync. This eliminates the dependence on a physical SIM card. If your contacts are already saved to Google, just add an account to the new Xiaomi. Go to Settings → Accounts and sync.
Choose Google and make sure that the Contacts slider is activated. The system will pull all the records from the cloud itself. Similarly, Mi Cloud, which is deeply integrated into the MIUI shell, works with a Mi Account. The benefits of cloud storage are obvious: contacts will not be lost even if the phone is completely broken.
It's important to understand the difference between on-premises storage and cloud storage, and when you store it on a SIM card, you're limited to the size of it (usually up to 500 contacts), the cloud is almost limitless, and when you reset your settings to a factory (Hard Reset), local data is deleted and the cloud data is restored automatically.
⚠️ Note: When syncing with Google, make sure you select the right account if there are more than one.
For users who change devices frequently, it is recommended to set up automatic sync, in which case every new contact added to the phone instantly flies to the cloud, ensuring that your phone book is always up-to-date and accessible from any device, including your computer through a browser.
Solving problems with coding and duplicates
A common problem when transferring from SIM cards is incorrect display of names, especially if Cyrillic characters are used.Interrogation marks or cracosyabras may appear instead of letters, this is due to differences in encoding between the old phone and the new Xiaomi, which can be solved by changing the encoding when exporting or using third-party apps to edit vCard files.
Duplicating records is another common headache. When you import contacts from a SIM and they are already on your phone, copies are created. MIUI has a built-in cleaning tool. Go to Contacts, click on the menu, and select Contact Organization (or Contact Management).
Here you'll find the "Joint Duplicates" function, and the system will analyze the database and suggest gluing records with the same numbers or names, which is a secure operation that doesn't delete the data, but only structures it, and when combined, the phone book will be cleaner and easier to use.
💡
Use the Google Contacts app to clean up duplicates more advancedly and fix name formatting if Xiaomi’s built-in tools fail.
If the encoding problem is not solved by standard methods, you can try exporting the contacts from the SIM card to the.vcf file, opening it on your computer through a text editor (for example, Notepad++), fixing the encoding to UTF-8 and then importing back. This method requires technical savvy, but gives 100% result.