Where to look for contacts from a SIM card on Xiaomi: a complete guide with pictures and life hacks

You bought a new one Xiaomi, inserted an old SIM card, and the contacts disappeared somewhere? Or, after resetting the settings, the phone does not show the numbers saved on the SIM card? This problem is familiar to many owners of smartphones Redmi, POCO and other brand lines. Unlike the iPhone, where contacts from the SIM are automatically copied to iCloud, on Android (especially with the shell MIUI) this process often requires manual intervention.

In this article you will find 5 working methods find, view and transfer contacts from the SIM card to Xiaomi — from standard MIUI tools to hidden functions of the engineering menu. We will also look at why the phone may not see SIM contacts, how to restore them after a failure, and what applications will help automate the process. All instructions are relevant for devices on Android 10–14 with a shell MIUI 12–14, but most methods can be used on older versions.

Before you start searching, check two key points: 1) Make sure that The SIM card is correctly inserted into the tray (chip side up, beveled corner matches the mark on the phone). 2) Open Settings → SIM cards and mobile networks and make sure that the SIM card is active (a green checkmark is lit next to the operator name).

If these conditions are met, but contacts are still not displayed - read further.

1. Standard method: contacts through the “Phone” application

The most obvious way is to use the built-in application Phone (handset icon). However, the MIUI interface is slightly different from “pure” Android, so many users do not find the desired section. Here are the step-by-step guide:

1. Open the application Phone (do not confuse with Contacts!).

2. Tap on the three dots in in the upper right corner (or swipe left on some models).

3. Select Contact → Manage contacts.

4. Scroll down to the section Import/Export and click Import from SIM card.

5. Select a SIM card (if there are two) and confirm the import.

⚠️ Attention: On some models Xiaomi (for example, Redmi Note 10 Pro or POCO X3 Pro) item Import from SIM card may be hidden behind an additional menu. If you don’t find it, try clicking on the gear icon (Settings) in the upper right corner of the contacts screen.

After import, contacts will appear in the main list, but they will be marked as “SIM” (usually in gray) so that they are displayed along with other numbers:

1. Open Contact → Settings (gear).

2. Select Display contacts.

3. Make sure that all available accounts are checked, including SIM card.

Check that the SIM card is not locked with a PIN code|Reboot the phone|Try inserting the SIM into another slot (if any two)|Update the Contacts application in Google Play-->

2. Alternative method: through the phone's "Settings"

If the application Phone does not show the import option, try doing it through the system settings. This method works even on devices with customized firmware (for example, after root access).

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Manage applications.

2. Find Contact (or Contacts) in the list and tap on it.

3. Select Storage → Manage data.

4. Scroll down to the section Import/Export contacts.

5. Click Import from SIM card and follow the prompts.

🔹 Note: On some firmware (for example MIUI Global for the European market) this path can. If you don't find the section Data management, try an alternative route:

Settings → Google → Backup → Import contacts

This will work if your SIM contacts were previously synchronized with your Google account. However, this option is not suitable for everyone - if synchronization is disabled, the contacts will remain only on the SIM.

3. View contacts directly from the SIM card (without importing)

If you just need view the numbers on the SIM card without transferring them to the phone, use this method. It is useful when you want to check whether the contacts are saved on the SIM card before replacing it.

How to do this:

1. Open the application Contact.

2. Tap on the three horizontal lines (menu) in the upper left corner.

3. Select SIM card (the name may differ, for example, SIM 1 Contacts or Phone book SIM).

4. You will see a list of all contacts saved on SIM.

⚠️ Attention: In this mode, you will not be able to edit contacts - only view and call. To change the number or name, you will first have to import it into the phone's memory.

On some models Xiaomi (for example, Redmi 9A or POCO M3) the interface is simplified, and the section SIM card can be hidden. In this case:

• 🔍 Try entering a query in the contact search bar sim: (with a colon) in the contacts search bar - this will display all the numbers from the SIM card.
• 📱 Go to Settings → About phone → MIUI version and tap 7 times on the line with the version to unlock developer mode. Then go back to Settings → Advanced → For developers and enable the option Show SIM contacts (if there is one).

4. Using the engineering menu (for experienced users)

If standard methods do not work, you can try to access contacts through engineering menu (Engineer Mode). This method is suitable for advanced users and requires caution - incorrect actions can disrupt the operation of the phone.

Instructions:

1. Open the application Phone and enter the combination: ##4636## or ##36446337## (for some models Xiaomi).

2. You will be taken to the testing menu. Select Phone information or Phone Information.

3. Scroll down to the section SIM Card or USIM.

4. Information about contacts may be displayed here (depending on the model). If you see an item Read SIM Contacts -tap on it.

⚠️ Attention: Not all models Xiaomi support viewing contacts through the engineering menu. In addition, in some firmware (for example, MIUI China) this section may be blocked. If nothing happens after entering the code, it means that your model does not support this function.

💡 Tip: If the engineering menu opens, but there are no contacts there, try enter another combination:

##7465625##

This will open the SIM card lock menu, where information about saved numbers is sometimes displayed.

What to do if the engineering menu does not open?

If after entering the code the message "Unfortunately, the Phone application has stopped" appears, then your the firmware blocks access to the engineering menu. In this case, try:

1. Install an alternative application for dialing (for example, True Phone Dialer).

2. Enable developer mode and look for the option Enable Engineer Mode in the settings for developers.

3. Update the firmware to the latest version of MIUI (sometimes bugs are fixed in new builds).

5. Applications for working with SIM contacts

If the built-in tools MIUI fail, third-party applications will come to the rescue. They will not only show contacts from the SIM card, but will also allow you to edit them, create backup copies and export them in different formats.

Top 3 tested applications:

Application	Functions	Link (Google Play)	Features
SIM Card	View, edit, import/export	com.ekno.simcontacts	Supports dual-SIM, export to VCF
Contacts+	Smart search, merge duplicates, backup	com.contapps.android	Integration with social networks, cloud storage
Super Backup & Restore	Backup contacts, SMS, call logs	com.idea.backup.smscontacts	Export to XML, restore to a new phone

🔹 How to use:

1. Download and install one from applications (for example, SIM Card).

2. Open it and give access to contacts.

3. Select your SIM card (if there are several).

4. Click Import or Export depending on tasks.

⚠️ Attention: Some applications (for example, Contacts+) require registration for full functionality. Also, be careful with access rights - give permissions only to proven apps with a high rating (4.5+ on Google Play).

6. SIM cards

If the contacts from the Suddenly SIM card have disappeared (for example, after resetting the phone or replacing the SIM card), you can try to restore them. Please note that the chances depend on how long ago the loss occurred and whether the card was used after that.

Method 1: Through a telecom operator

Many operators (for example, MTS, Beeline, Tele2) store backup copies of contacts associated with the number. To restore:

1. Call support of your operator (numbers: 0890 for MTS, 0611 for Beeline).

2. Say that you want to restore contacts from the SIM card.

3. You will be sent an SMS with instructions or a link to your personal account where you can download a backup copy.

Method 2: Using a PC and card reader

If you have an adapter for SIM cards (or an old phone that supports your SIM card), you can try to read the data directly:

1. Remove the SIM card from Xiaomi and insert it into the card reader connected to the computer.

2. Download app SIM Card Data Recovery (for example, EaseUS Mobisafe or Wondershare Dr.Fone).

3. Follow the instructions of the app to scan and recover.

⚠️ Attention: Not all apps for recovering SIM contacts work with modern USIM cards (for example, nano-SIM). Also note that repeated recovery attempts may permanently damage the data on SIM card.

7. Why Xiaomi does not see contacts on the SIM card: common reasons

If none of the methods worked, the problem may lie in the SIM card itself or the phone settings. Here are the most common causes and ways to fix them:

Problem	Cause	Solution
Contacts are not displayed in the list	SIM card does not support storing contacts (for example, virtual eSIM)	Use cloud storage or internal phone memory
When importing, an error occurs error	Corrupted data on the SIM card	Try reading the SIM card on another phone or contact your operator
No import option in the menu	Outdated version of MIUI or custom firmware	Update the software or use third-party applications
Contacts are duplicated	Synchronization with multiple accounts (Google, Mi Account)	Disable auto-sync in Settings → Accounts

🔹 Additional checks:

• 📶 Make sure that the SIM card is not blocked by a PUK code (if the phone asks you to enter it, contact your operator).
• 🔄 Restart the phone in safe mode (hold the power button → Reboot in safe mode) and check if the contacts appear. If yes, the problem is in one of the installed applications.
• 🛠️ If the SIM card is physically damaged (scratches, chips), try gently wiping its contacts with an eraser (without pressing!).

💬 Advice from experienced users: If you often encounter synchronization problems, stop storing contacts on the SIM card. Use Google account or Mi Account —they are more reliable and automatically back up data.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about contacts on the SIM card Xiaomi

Is it possible to transfer contacts from a SIM card to a new Xiaomi without importing?

Yes, but for this you need a second phone. Insert the SIM card into the old device, export contacts to a file .vcf (via contact settings), then transfer this file to the new one Xiaomi and import it.

Why after importing contacts are displayed without names, only numbers?

This is a typical problem with the old ones SIM cards, where names are stored in an encoding that is not recognized MIUI. Solution:

1. Import contacts to your phone.
2. Open each contact and manually add a name.
3. Export the updated list back to SIM (if necessary).

How to copy contacts from SIM to Mi Account?

First import them into your phone (as described in the first section), then:

1. Open Settings → Accounts → Mi Account.
2. Turn on contact synchronization.
3. Wait for the process to complete (may take up to 10 minutes).

Now contacts are available on all devices linked to yours Mi Account.

Is it possible to edit contacts directly on the SIM card?

On most models Xiaomi edit contacts directly on the SIM card locked. You will have to:

1. Import the contact into the phone memory.
2. Make changes.
3. Export back to SIM (if required).

Exception - older models (for example, Redmi 4X), where this function is sometimes available.

What if the SIM card is not detected, but calls work?

This means that the phone recognizes the SIM card for calls, but cannot read its memory (where contacts are stored). Possible reasons:

• Damaged data section on SIM.
• Incompatibility with the USIM format (for example, if the card was issued before 2010).
• Software failure in the SIM reading module.

Solutions:

1. Try the SIM card in another phone.
2. Contact your operator for a replacement card (usually free of charge).
3. Reset the network settings: Settings → SIM cards and mobile networks → Reset network settings.

If your question is not covered in the FAQ, check the official documentation MIUI for your model or contact support Xiaomi via chat in the application Mi Community. Keep in mind that you often come across outdated instructions on forums - always check the current firmware version.