How to safely transfer contacts from Xiaomi to iPhone: all the ways 2026

Moving from Xiaomi to iPhone is not only about changing the ecosystem, but also about moving important data. Contacts are often the main headache: how to move them quickly, without duplicates and losses? In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways – from the classic (via the classic) SIM-Map and Google Account to modern (using iCloud and specialized applications), pay special attention to the nuances that are rarely mentioned in standard instructions, for example, why not all contacts can be transferred through iCloud, and how to fix it.

Many users mistakenly believe that it is enough to sync accounts — but in practice, there are often problems with encoding, duplication or missing parts of numbers. We tested each method on Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12 and iPhone 15 devices to ensure that the instructions are up to date. If you are afraid of losing data, make sure to back up before you start — how to do this correctly, read the section on preparation.

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Preparation for the transfer: backup and check contacts

Before you start the transfer, make sure your contacts on Xiaomi are free of errors or duplicates. To do this, open the Contacts app, click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Contact Management. → Combine and fix. This feature automatically finds the duplicate records and prompts them to merge.

The next step is backup, and even if you're confident in the transfer method you've chosen, the technical failures have not been reversed, and the most reliable way is to export contacts to a.vcf file:

1. Open Contacts on Xiaomi.
2. Click on three points → Import / Export → Export to file.
3. Select a save location (e.g., Internal Memory → Download).
4. Send the resulting contacts.vcf file to an email or cloud (e.g. Google Drive).

⚠️ Attention: If you are using MIUI 14 and later, the export of contacts may be hidden in the Settings menu → Annexes → Contacts → Permits → Warehouse. Without the memory access permission, you can't export.

Also check where your contacts are stored on Xiaomi:

• 📱 Locally on the device: visible only on the phone, not synchronized.
• ☁️ Google Accounts: synced with Gmail.
• 📱🔄 Xiaomi Account: synced through Mi Cloud.

If contacts are scattered across different accounts, combine them in one place (for example, in Google Account) before transferring them to avoid losses.

Method 1: Transfer through Google Account (most universal)

This method works on 100% of Xiaomi and iPhone devices, regardless of the version. MIUI The main condition is the presence of an active Google Account and a stable Internet.

Step 1. Synchronize contacts on Xiaomi:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Select your account and turn on the Contacts switch.
3. Click Sync Now (if the option is available).

Step 2. Transfer to iPhone:

1. On iPhone, go to Settings → Contacts → Accounts → Add an account → Google.
2. Enter the same account as Xiaomi.
3. Turn on the Contact switch and wait for the synchronization to be completed.

⚠️ Note: If not all contacts are displayed on the iPhone after synchronization, check:

• 🔍 Contact Groups: Google groups may be hidden by default on iPhones. Open Contacts to show them → Groups and enable display.
• 📵 iOS restrictions: iPhone does not support some contact fields from Android (such as additional dates or custom tags.

Important: If you use two-factor authentication on Google, temporarily disable it or prepare backup codes before adding an account to your iPhone.

Method 2: Use of the SIM-Cards (for small number of contacts)

This method is suitable if you have fewer than 250 contacts (limitation). SIM-maps) and no Internet access, but it has significant disadvantages:

• ❌ Loss of formatting (for example, contact photos will not be transferred).
• ❌ Limiting the number of characters in a single contact (can cut long notes).
• ❌ No support for additional fields (e.g. multiple emails or addresses).

Instructions for Xiaomi:

1. Open Contacts. → ⋮ → Imports/Exports → Exports to SIM-map.
2. Select contacts for export (or click Allocate).
3. Confirm the export and wait until it is completed.

Instructions for iPhone:

1. Put it in. SIM-iPhone-card.
2. Go to Settings. → Contacts → Import contacts with SIM-map.
3. Choose where to save contacts (for example, in iCloud or on your device).

⚠️ Attention: If yours SIM-Nano-SIM card, and Xiaomi uses a hybrid slot (for example, in Redmi Note 11), temporarily transfer it to the micro-SIM adapter for export contacts.

Note: Some iPhone models (e.g. iPhone 14 Pro) have an import option with SIM-The card may be hidden, in which case you use an adapter to connect. SIM Import contacts to your computer via iTunes.

Method 3: Transfer over iCloud (the official method from Apple)

Apple offers its own solution for transferring data from Android to iPhone, the “Switch to iOS” app, but it only works when you first set up your iPhone (after resetting). If your iPhone is already configured, use an alternative method through iCloud.

Step 1. Export your contacts to.vcf:

1. Export contacts to the file as described in the Preparation section.
2. Send the contacts.vcf file to your computer (e.g. via email or Telegram).

Step 2. Import to iCloud:

1. Open iCloud.com in your browser and log in.
2. Go to the Contacts section.
3. Click on the gear in the lower left corner. → Import vCard.
4. Select the contacts.vcf file and wait for the import to be completed.

Step 3: Sync with iPhone:

1. On iPhone, check that sync with iCloud is enabled: Settings → [Your name] → iCloud → Contacts.
2. If contacts do not appear, restart the device or force the sync update by turning off and on the Contacts switch.

📌 Challenges and solutions:

💡

If you have many contacts, back up your current contacts before importing to iCloud: in iCloud.com, highlight all contacts and export them to the.vcf file in case of an error.

Method 4: SHAREit, Move to iOS, Copy My Data

If the previous methods seem complicated, you can use specialized applications, and we tested three of the most popular ones:

1. Move to iOS (official from Apple)

• ✅ It only works when you first set up your iPhone.
• ✅ It transfers not only contacts, but also photos, messages, mail.
• ❌ Often there are errors on Xiaomi with custom firmware.

How to use:

1. On iPhone, when setting up, select Data Transfer from Android.
2. On Xiaomi, install Move to iOS from Google Play.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen (enter the code from your iPhone to Xiaomi).

2. SHAREit

• ✅ It works without the Internet (via Wi-Fi Direct).
• ✅ Supports large files.
• ❌ Can transmit viruses (download only from the official website).

How to use:

1. Install Sharet on both devices.
2. On Xiaomi, select Send → Contacts.
3. On iPhone, select Receive and confirm transfer.

3. Copy My Data

• ✅ Simple interface.
• ✅ Supports the transfer of calendars and photos.
• ❌ Slower than Shareit.

⚠️ Warning: When using third-party apps, turn off battery optimization for them on Xiaomi:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the right application (e.g., Shareit).
3. Select Battery Limitations → No restrictions.

💡

Apps like SHAREit are easy to move quickly, but don’t guarantee 100% data security. Use Google or iCloud backup for important contacts.

Method 5: Computer Transfer (for power users)

This is a good option if you have access to a Mac or PC, You want complete control of the process. We're going to look at two options: iTunes and Google Contacts.

Option 1: Through Google Contacts and iTunes

1. Export your contacts to the.vcf file (as in method 1).
2. Import the file to Google Contacts on your computer (contacts.google.com).
3. Connect your iPhone to your computer and open iTunes (or Finder on your Mac).
4. In the Information section, enable synchronization of contacts with Google.

Option 2. Through Outlook (for Windows users)

1. Import.vcf to Outlook (File) → Open and export → Imports/Exports).
2. Connect your iPhone and sync your contacts via iTunes by selecting Outlook as the source.

⚠️ Note: When synced via iTunes, all existing contacts on the iPhone can be deleted unless the option to Join Contacts is enabled!

Note: On Macs with macOS Catalina and later iTunes, replaced with Finder. To sync contacts, connect your iPhone, open the Finder, select the device, and go to the Information tab.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even if you follow the instructions, you can have problems.

1. Contacts are not synchronized with Google/iCloud

• 🔄 Check if synchronization is enabled in your account settings.
• 📶 Make sure your device is connected to the internet (preferably via Wi-Fi).
• ⏳ Wait 5-10 minutes – sometimes synchronization occurs with a delay.

2. Contact photos are missing

• 🖼️ Contact photos are not transferred via.vcf or SIM-map.
• ☁️ Use Google Contacts or Move to iOS to transfer photos.

3.Duplicate contacts

• 🔍 In Google Contacts or iCloud, use the Find and Combine Duplicates feature.
• 📱 On iPhone, open Contacts → Groups and disable unnecessary sources.

4. no additional fields (e.g. dates of birth) are transferred

• 📅 Check if the chosen method supports extended field transfer (e.g. iCloud does not carry custom tags from Android).
• 📝 Manually add missing data to your iPhone after the main transfer.

5. "Cannot import contacts" error

• 📄 Check the integrity of the.vcf file (open it in the text editor – it should contain readable text).
• 🔧 Try breaking the file into parts (for example, 300 contacts).

💡

If contacts have been moved but are not displayed correctly (for example, instead of Cyrillic – question marks), the problem is encoding. Repeat export from Xiaomi by choosing encoding UTF-8 export-setting.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions