Changing a smartphone is always an exciting process, especially when it comes to saving important data. Often users are faced with a situation where a new phone is already in their hands, but the old one SIM card has not yet been activated or is completely missing from the device. In such cases, a reasonable question arises about how to transfer contacts from Android to Android via Bluetooth without a SIM card, so as not to lose a single number.
Fortunately, the ecosystem Android provides many built-in tools for data exchange that do not depend on the presence of a mobile operator or Internet access. Technology Bluetoothdespite the emergence of faster protocols, remains one of the most reliable and universal methods of transmitting small amounts of information, such as a phone book. This method works autonomously and does not require installing third-party applications or registering with cloud services.
In this article we will analyze in detail the entire process of preparing devices, setting up visibility and directly transferring a file with contacts. You will learn about the nuances of working with format files .vcf and how to avoid common mistakes that can interrupt the connection halfway.
Preparing devices for pairing
Before starting the procedure, you need to make sure that both smartphones are ready for use. The first thing you need to do is activate the wireless module on both devices. Go to Settings and find the section responsible for connections. In modern shells, this item is often hidden inside the menu Connected devices or placed in the “curtain” of quick settings.
Make sure that the function Bluetooth is enabled not only programmatically, but also hardware. On some models Xiaomi or Samsung there is an energy-saving mode that can block the search for devices if the screen goes dark. It is also critical to make your phone visible to other devices.
☑️ Ready to transfer
By default, many smartphones hide themselves from prying eyes for security purposes. You need to go to the Bluetooth settings and select the option Visibility or Discoverability. Set the mode "Visible to all devices" for a period of 2 to 5 minutes. This time is usually allocated by the system for searching and pairing.
⚠️ Attention: Do not try to pair devices if one of them has Flight or Airplane mode enabled. Even if you manually turn on Bluetooth, the connection stability in this mode is not guaranteed and the transfer may be interrupted.
Exporting the phone book to a VCF file
To transfer the data, it must first be packaged into a single file. Direct transmission of "live" recordings via old protocols sometimes causes encoding errors, so using the format VCF (vCard) is the gold standard. This format is supported by all versions of Android and ensures that names, numbers and additional fields are preserved.
Open the standard application Contact or Phone on your old device. Click on the three dots in the corner of the screen or the Menubutton to bring up an additional menu. Select item Contact management or Import/Export contacts. We are interested in export.
The system will prompt you to select a data source. If you store numbers in your phone's memory, select Device memory. If they are synchronized with your account Google, select the appropriate account. After that, press the button Export to .vcf file. The phone will ask where to save the file - by default, this is the internal memory in the folder Contacts or Downloads.
What to do if there are a lot of contacts?
If you have more than 5000 numbers, the process of creating a single file may take several minutes. Do not close the application or lock the screen until the success notification appears. In rare cases, the system may offer to split the database into several files - agree, this will speed up the transfer.
After the operation is completed, you will receive a file with the name of 00001.vcf or contacts.vcf. This file is now ready to be sent. Remember that the size of such a file, even with a thousand contacts, usually does not exceed 1-2 MB, which makes transfer via Bluetooth fast and easy.
The process of pairing and data transfer
Now we move on to the most important stage - establishing communication between the devices. On the receiving device, enable visibility as described earlier. On the sending device, press the button Search for devices or Update in the Bluetooth menu.
The name of your new smartphone should appear in the list of found devices. Usually this is the device model, for example Galaxy S21 or Redmi Note 10. Click on it. A pairing confirmation code will appear on both screens. Check the numbers and click Confirm or OK.
After successful pairing, the status will change to "Connected". Now return to the file manager or Contacts application, find the file you created earlier .vcf. Tap and hold on it to select it. In the menu that appears, select Share and the icon Bluetooth.
Select a paired device from the list. The receiving phone will ask you to receive the file. Be sure to click Accept. The transfer speed depends on the Bluetooth version: on older versions 2.0-3.0 it will be low, and on modern 5.0 and higher the file will “fly away” in a matter of seconds.
Importing contacts on a new device
Receiving the file is only half the battle. For numbers to appear in the phone book, they need to be imported. Typically, after downloading a file, Android automatically prompts you to open it. If you click Open, the import wizard will launch.
The wizard will prompt you to select a save location. You can save contacts to your phone memory, SIM card (if installed), or Google Account. For reliability and the possibility of subsequent synchronization, it is better to choose Google Account or internal memory.
| Parameter | Phone memory | Google Account | SIM card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | Unlimited | Unlimited | Limited (usually up to 250) |
| Name length | Up to 50 characters | Up to 100 characters | Often cut to 10-15 |
| Additional. fields | All fields (email, address) | All fields + photo | Only name and number |
| Risk of loss | High on reset | Minimal (cloud) | Medium (physical wear and tear) |
If the automatic suggestion does not appear, go to the application Contact on the new phone. Through the menu, select Import from .vcf file. The system will find the downloaded file in the folder Downloads or Bluetooth. Select it and confirm the action.
After import, go to the contacts settings and enable synchronization with Google, even if you saved them to the phone memory. This will create a cloud backup in case the device is lost in the future.
Solving visibility and connection problems
Sometimes the process does not go smoothly. One of the common problems is that devices simply do not see each other. This may be due to the fact that one of the devices is already paired with another gadget (headphones, watch) and is in standby mode, not responding to discovery requests.
Try turning off Bluetooth on both phones, wait 10 seconds and turn it on again. Also check if the power saving mode is enabled, which limits the operation of the wireless modules. On some models Huawei or Honor you must additionally allow file transfer in the access settings.
⚠️ Attention: If you are trying to transfer contacts between phones from different manufacturers (for example, from Sony to Meizu), name encoding conflicts may occur (crazy words instead of letters). In this case, check several contacts after importing. If the names are garbled, try exporting contacts in CSV format via a computer, and then converting back to VCF.
Another reason for failures is the receiving device's memory is full. If there is no free space on the phone, it will not be able to save the incoming file. Free up at least 50-100 MB before starting the procedure.
Alternative methods without using a SIM card and the Internet
Although Bluetooth is the classic method, modern Android smartphones offer faster solutions that also work without a SIM card and mobile data. Direct transfer technologies, such as Google's (now Quick Share) or Google's Quick Share, use a combination of Bluetooth for handshaking and Wi-Fi Direct for data transfer. This allows you to transfer contacts and even large photo galleries much faster. The principle is the same: turn on the function in the “blind”, select contacts and click “Share”. The device itself will find a nearby phone. However, if you have very old models (produced before 2016-2017), this function may not be available, and then Bluetooth is the only option. Nearby Share (now Quick Share) from Google or Mi Share, Samsung Quick Share, use a combination of Bluetooth for handshaking and Wi-Fi Direct for data transfer.
This allows you to transfer contacts and even large photo galleries much faster. The principle is the same: turn on the function in the “blind”, select contacts and click “Share”. The device itself will find a nearby phone. However, if you have very old models (pre-2016-2017), this feature may not be available, leaving Bluetooth as your only option.
Bluetooth is universal and is available on any phone, but technologies like Quick Share are 10-20 times faster and more convenient for transferring large amounts of data if both devices support them.
You can also use creating a local Wi-Fi access point, but this requires more complex settings and is usually justified only in the absence of a Bluetooth module, which is extremely rare in 2026.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it possible to transfer contacts if both phones do not have SIM cards?
Yes, absolutely. A SIM card is not required at all for Bluetooth to work and to transfer files. Phones communicate directly through their wireless modules. A SIM card is needed only for calls and mobile data, but not for local data transfer.
Why does the transfer freeze at 99%?
This is a common problem when the connection is unstable or if the screen of one of the phones has gone dark and the system has put Bluetooth into sleep mode. Stop the transfer, unpair in the Bluetooth settings for both devices and start the process again without turning off the screens.
Have your old contacts disappeared after importing new ones?
Most likely, you selected the “Replace” option instead of “Add” when importing, or you imported contacts into another account. Check in the Contacts app settings to see which account or storage is currently listed. Try changing the display filter to “All contacts.”
How to transfer contacts if the Bluetooth on your old phone is broken?
If the hardware module is faulty, wireless transfer is not possible. In this case, you will have to remove the SIM card (if contacts are stored on it) or connect the old phone to the computer via a USB cable, copy the .vcf file to the PC, and then transfer it from the PC to the new phone.
Is it safe to receive .vcf files from unknown devices?
Contact files themselves are safe and do not contain viruses. However, always check the sender's name. Attackers can disguise malicious files as contact names, although modern Android antivirus apps usually block such attempts. Receive files only from trusted sources.