How to transfer contacts from Android to Xiaomi: a complete guide

Buying a new smartphone is always a joy, but it is often accompanied by headaches associated with transferring personal data. A particularly critical issue is the preservation of the phone book, because the loss of important numbers can lead to serious inconvenience in work and personal life. Device owners moving from other smartphones (Samsung, Huawei, Honor) often wonder how to transfer contacts to a new device as quickly and without errors. Fortunately, the ecosystem provides several reliable and time-tested migration methods data. You don't need to be an IT expert to perform this procedure. We will consider all current methods: from cloud synchronization to direct cable and specialized software from the manufacturer. The choice of a specific method depends on the size of your database and the condition of the old device. Xiaomi, moving from others Androidsmartphones (Samsung, Huawei, Honor), people often wonder how to transfer contacts to a new device as quickly and without errors as possible.

Fortunately, the ecosystem Android provides several reliable and time-tested data migration methods. You don't need to be an IT expert to perform this procedure. We will consider all current methods: from cloud synchronization to direct cable and specialized software from the manufacturer. The specific method you choose depends on the size of your database and the condition of the old device.

The main rule before starting any manipulations is to make sure that both phones have enough battery power. The transfer process, especially if done over a wireless network or with an active screen, consumes a significant amount of energy. It is also recommended to free up some space in the memory of the new device if you plan to transfer not only numbers, but also the history of calls or messages.

Synchronization via Google account: the most reliable method

Using cloud storage Google is the “gold standard” for users Android. This method does not require the installation of additional software and works reliably even if you change your telecom operator or phone model. The essence of the method is that all your contacts are saved on the corporation’s servers, and when you log into your account on a new device, they are automatically loaded into the phone book.

First, you need to prepare your old phone. Go to the settings and find the section Accounts or Users and accounts. Select your profile Google and make sure that the switch next to the “Contacts” item is active. If synchronization was disabled, turn it on and click the "Sync Now" button. This action will forcefully send all local records to the cloud.

Now let's move on to the new smartphone Xiaomi. During initial setup, the system will ask you to enter your account information. Enter the same username and password as on the old device. During the setup process, you will be asked to restore your data from a backup copy - agree to this offer.

⚠️ Attention: If you change the region of your Google account or use an enterprise profile with security restrictions, automatic synchronization may be blocked by your administrator. In this case, check the access rights in the web version of Google Contacts.

After completing the setup, open the Contacts application on Xiaomi. If the numbers do not appear instantly, go to the application settings and find the “Display contacts” item. Make sure that "All contacts" or specifically your account Googleis selected, and not just "Phone" or "SIM card".

Using the Mi Mover application for direct transfer

The developers Xiaomi created their own solution for data migration called Mi Mover. This application is pre-installed on all brand smartphones and allows you to transfer not only contacts, but also photos, music, applications and system settings. The method works on the principle of creating a direct Wi-Fi access point between two devices, which ensures high transfer speeds.

Run Mi Mover on both devices. On the old phone (sender), select the “Sender” role, and on the new Xiaomi (recipient) - “Recipient”. The app on your new phone will generate a QR code. Scan this code with your old device's camera to establish a secure connection.

After pairing your devices, you will see a list of data categories available for transfer. Find the “Contacts” item in the list and check the box. You can also select additional data such as Blacklist, Favorites or call history if needed. Click the “Send” button and wait for the process to complete.

• 🚀 High data transfer speed thanks to a direct Wi-Fi connection without using the Internet.
• 📱 The ability to transfer not only numbers, but also photos and notes attached to them.
• 🔄 Automatic merging of duplicates if the system will detect identical records in the database.

It is important to note that to work Mi Mover on an old device, you may need to install an application from the store Google Playif it is not there. Make sure that the version of the application on both phones is up to date, as older versions may have compatibility problems with new shells MIUI or HyperOS.

Transfer via VCF file format (vCard)

The method of exporting to file VCF is universal and works even if you do not have access to the Internet or account Google. Format vCard is a text file containing structured information about contacts, which is understood by almost all modern phone books.

On your old device, open the Contacts application. Click on the menu (usually three dots or lines) and select "Import/export contacts". Select the "Export to .vcf file" or "Export to storage" option. The system will prompt you to select a save location - usually this is internal memory in the root directory folder.

After creating the file, it must be transferred to a new one Xiaomi. This can be done in many ways: send via Bluetooth, transfer via instant messenger (Telegram, WhatsApp), copy to a computer and then to a phone, or use a USB-OTG cable. The main thing is that the file physically ends up in the memory of the new device.

Device memory → Downloads folder (or any other) → Contacts.vcf file

On the new smartphone, open the file manager and find the transferred file. Click on it - the system will automatically offer to open it through the Contacts application. You will be asked to choose a location to save the imported numbers: to the phone memory, to the SIM card or to the account Google. It is recommended to choose a Google account for future security.

What to do if the file does not open?

If the system does not offer import when you click on the file, go to the Contacts application settings, find the Import/Export section and select “Import from storage”, then manually specify the path to the file.

Import contacts from SIM cards

Although this method is considered obsolete due to limitations in memory capacity and quality of data storage, it is still relevant for users who stored numbers exclusively on a SIM card. This is the easiest method and does not require any network settings or accounts.

Physically move the SIM card from the old phone to the new one Xiaomi. Once your device boots up, go to the Contacts app. In the settings menu, find the section Import/export contacts. Select the “Import from SIM card” option.

The system will ask for confirmation and ask where exactly to save the numbers. It is best to choose saving to your account Google or to your phone memory. After confirmation, the copying process will begin. Upon completion, you will see a notification about the successful import.

⚠️ Attention: The SIM card has limited memory and does not support saving long names, contact photos and additional fields (address, email). When importing, this information may be lost or truncated.

If you have a dual SIM phone, make sure you select the correct SIM card to import in the application settings. Sometimes the system by default selects a slot in which there is currently no active card if the second one was recently removed.

Solving problems with duplicates and merging records

Often, after transferring contacts in various ways, users are faced with the problem of duplicate records. The same number can be saved from the SIM card, from the cloud, and from the VCF file. As a result, duplicate names appear in the phone book, which makes searching difficult.

The shell MIUI i HyperOS has a built-in tool to solve this problem. Go to the Contacts application, click on the menu and select Manage Contacts. Find the section “Merging duplicates.”

The system will analyze your database and offer a list of pairs of contacts that, in its opinion, are the same. You can review them and confirm the merge manually, or use the Merge All feature to automate the process. This action is irreversible, so it is recommended to first make sure that the proposed pairs are correct.

Transfer method	Saves photos	Internet required	Speed	Risk of loss data
Google Account	Yes	Yes	High	Minimum
Mi Mover	Yes	No (Wi-Fi Direct)	Very high	Minimum
VCF file	Yes	No	Average	Low
SIM card	No	No	Low	High (name trimming)

Common errors and how to resolve them

Despite the simplicity of the procedures, users sometimes encounter technical glitches. One of the common problems is Google synchronization error, when contacts are not loaded onto the new phone. Most often this is due to the fact that the device has power saving mode enabled, which blocks background services.

To fix this, go to Settings → Battery and performance. Find the Google Play Services and Contacts app, then set the power saving mode to No Limits. Also check if autostart is enabled for these applications.

Another problem is “broken” characters in contact names after importing via VCF. This happens due to a file encoding mismatch. If you experience this, try opening the file on your computer in a text editor and saving it as UTF-8 encoded before importing it back to your phone.

If none of the methods worked, try clearing the Contacts app cache and Contacts Storage in the Apps settings. This will not delete your numbers (if they are synced with the cloud), but it will clear possible software errors that prevent the list from being displayed.

What to do if the old phone does not turn on?

If the screen of the old smartphone is broken or the device does not turn on, but the SIM card is intact, you can remove it and insert it into the new phone for basic import numbers. If the numbers were saved only in the phone's memory, try connecting the device to the computer via USB and copying the contacts database file (usually located in hidden system folders), although this requires root access. The most reliable option in this case is to check the web version of Google Contacts; perhaps synchronization occurred automatically before the breakdown.

Is it possible to transfer contacts from iPhone to Xiaomi?

Yes, it is possible. The easiest way is to log into your iCloud account through a browser on your computer, export your contacts to vCard format, and then transfer this file to Xiaomi and import it. There is also the “Move to iOS” application from Apple, but for reverse transfer it is better to use third-party utilities or manual upload via iCloud.

Where are contacts stored after transferring to Xiaomi?

By default, new Xiaomi smartphones offer to save contacts to a Mi or Google account. You can check your current storage location by going to the Contacts app settings → Show contacts. It will indicate from which source the list is currently being displayed. It is recommended to store them in Google for cross-platform access.

Why are contacts displayed without names, only numbers?

This is a common problem after transfer. Most likely, the contacts are saved to the SIM card, and the phone displays contacts from memory or the cloud, and vice versa. Check the display settings in the Contacts application and make sure that the checkbox is in front of all available storage sources (SIM, Phone, Google).