How to transfer contacts from Android to POCO: all methods with nuances

Moving to a new smartphone POCO is always an exciting moment, especially when it comes to the safety of important data. Contacts accumulated over the years of using an old Androiddevice can become a real headache if you don’t know how to transfer them correctly. Unlike iPhonewhere the synchronization process is often automated through iCloud, Android there are more options - but also nuances.

In this article we will look at 5 working methods contact transfer, including official methods from Google and alternative solutions for cases when standard tools do not work. We will pay special attention to models POCO X5, POCO F5 and other popular devices of the brand, since their firmware MIUI (even in the "light" version for POCO) has specific synchronization settings. You will learn how to avoid duplicate contacts, why profile photos sometimes disappear, and what to do if your new phone does not see old entries.

Before you begin, check two key points:

• 🔋 Battery charge on both devices - not lower than 50%. Data transfer can take up to 30 minutes, and interrupting the process can lead to losses.
• 📶 Stable Internet connection (for methods with the cloud). If you use mobile data, disable the background restriction for the application Contact.

1. Synchronization through a Google account is the most reliable method

This method is suitable 90% of usersas it does not require additional applications and works on any version Android (including POCO s MIUI 14+). The main condition is that on the old phone, the contacts must be linked to the account Google, and not saved only in the device memory.

How to check if the contacts are synchronized:

1. Open the application Contact on the old one phone.
2. Tap on three dots (⋮) → Manage contacts → Import/Export.
3. If there is an item in the list Google Account with the number of contacts, the data is already in cloud.

If synchronization has not been set up previously, follow these steps:

Add a Google account to your old phone (Settings → Accounts)

Open Settings → Accounts → Select your Google account → Turn on the "Contacts" switch

Wait for synchronization to complete (may take up to 10 minutes)

Check your contacts on the web version of Google Contacts (contacts.google.com)

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Now let's transfer the data to POCO:

1. Turn on the new smartphone and connect to Wi-Fi.
2. When you first start, the system will prompt you to log in to your account Google - use the same one as on the old phone.
3. If the phone is already configured, go in Settings → Accounts → Add account → Google.
4. After authorization, enable contact synchronization manually: go to your account → Account synchronization → activate Contact.
5. Wait for the process to complete (the notification will appear in the curtain).

⚠️ Attention: On POCO s MIUI by default, duplication of contacts via Mi Cloudcan be enabled. To avoid chaos, disable synchronization from Mi Account to Settings → Accounts → Mi Account → Synchronization, leaving only Google.

Advantages method:

• 🔄 Automatic update of contacts on all devices.
• 📱 Works even if the old phone is broken (just remember the login/password from Google).
• 🛡️ Data is protected by two-factor authentication.

Problem	Solution
Contacts are not synchronized	Check your Internet connection, update the application Google Contacts, restart your phone.
Duplicate entries	Use the tool Merge and correct to Google Contacts.
No photos of contacts	Photos are synchronized separately. Check if the option Photo synchronization is enabled in your account settings.

2. Transfer via SIM card - if there is no Internet

This method is relevant for owners of old Androiddevices (up to version 9) or in situations where there is no Wi-Fi at hand. However, it has serious limitations:

• 📇 The SIM card only stores name + number (without email, addresses, photos).
• 📱 Maximum number of contacts — 250 records (depending on the operator).
• 🔠 Russian characters may be displayed in crappy format (encoding problem).

Instructions for the old phone:

1. Open Contact → Settings (⋮) → Import/Export → Export to SIM card.
2. Select contacts to export (or press Select all).
3. Confirm saving. The process will take 1-2 minutes.

Instructions for POCO:

1. Insert the SIM card into the new phone.
2. Go to Contact → Settings → Import/Export → Import from SIM card.
3. Select a save location (we recommend Google Account for further synchronization).

⚠️ Attention: On some models POCO (for example, POCO X3 Pro), the import from SIM option is hidden. To find it, use the search in the settings for "SIM contacts".

3.

Bluetooth devices are suitable for transmission 10–50 contacts, since the process is manual and time-consuming. But it does not require the Internet and works even between phones of different brands.

Step-by-step guide:

1. On both phones, turn on Bluetooth (in the notification shade or through Settings → Connections).
2. Make phones visible: on POCO go to Bluetooth Settings → Device visibility.
3. On your old phone, open Contact, select the required records (or click Select all).
4. Tap on Share (arrow icon) → Bluetooth → select your POCO from list.
5. On POCO confirm receipt of the file (usually .vcf).
6. After transfer, open the received file - contacts will be added automatically.

Method limitations:

• ⏳ Transferring 100 contacts will take ~20 minutes.
• 📎 Photos of contacts are not always transferred.
• 🔄 No synchronization - if you change the number on your old phone, the new one will not be updated.

What to do if Bluetooth does not find device?

1. Restart both phones.

2. Remove previously paired devices in the Bluetooth settings.

3. Check if the power saving mode is enabled (it may block data transfer).

4. data-i="185">disable the "Automatic Bluetooth off" option in POCO disable the "Auto-turn off Bluetooth" option in Settings → Bluetooth → Advanced.

4. Applications for quick transfer: SHAREit, Xender, Mi Mover

Third-party applications speed up the process, especially if you need to transfer not only contacts, but also photos, music or messages. For POCO three options are optimal:

Application	Speed	Additionally transfers	Features
Mi Mover (from Xiaomi)	⚡ Very fast	Photos, videos, messages, applications	Requires OTG or Wi-Fi Direct cable. Works only between Xiaomi/POCO/Redmi devices.
SHAREit	🚀 Fast	Files of any type	Creates a local Wi-Fi network. Sometimes it shows ads.
Xender	🐢 Average	Documents, contacts, multimedia	Supports transfer between Android and iOS.

Consider transfer via Mi Mover (the most reliable for POCO):

1. Install Mi Mover on both phones from Google Play or App Gallery.
2. On the old phone, select I'm giving, on POCO — I get.
3. Connect phones via Wi-Fi Direct or cable OTG (if supported).
4. On the old device, check the box Contact and press Send.
5. Wait for completion (usually 2-5 minutes for 500+ contacts).

⚠️ Attention: When using Mi Mover on POCO F4 and newer, you may need to disable the option Data transmission protection in the application settings, otherwise the process will be interrupted at 90%.

For SHAREit or Xender algorithm similar:

• 📱 Install the application on both devices.
• 🔗 Create a connection via QR code or device search.
• 📋 Select Contact in the list of data to transfer.
• 🚀 Start transfer and wait for the notification of successful completion.

5. Transfer via a VCF file (vCard) is a universal method

Format .vcf (or vCard) is a standard file for storing contacts that is supported by all modern smartphones. Its advantage is that it saves all information: numbers, email, addresses, photos and even notes.

How to export contacts to VCF on an old phone:

1. Open Contact → Settings (⋮) → Import/Export.
2. Select Export to file or Save as VCF.
3. Specify the save location (for example, Internal memory → Download).
4. The file will be called contacts.vcf or similar.

How to import to POCO:

1. Move the file to new phone (via cable, cloud or messenger).
2. Open the file contacts.vcf —the system will offer to import contacts.
3. Select an account to save (we recommend Google for synchronization).

If the file is large (more than 1000 contacts), break it into parts:

Advantages of the VCF method:

• 📄 Saves all information about the contact, including custom fields.
• 🔄 You can edit the file manually (for example, delete unnecessary entries through a text editor).
• 📱 Works even if the phone does not have a SIM card or Internet.

6. Problems when transferring contacts to POCO and their solutions

Even if the instructions are followed correctly, users POCO face typical problems. Let's look at the most common ones:

Problem	Cause	Solution
Contacts are duplicated	Synchronization via is simultaneously enabled Google and Mi Cloud.	Disable synchronization in Mi Account and merge duplicates in Google Contacts.
Photos of contacts are not displayed	Photos are saved in the phone memory, not in the cloud.	Export contacts to VCF with the "Save photos" option enabled.
Not all contacts were transferred	Limitation on the number of entries (for example, when transferring via SIM).	Use the cloud or VCF file for a complete transfer.
Contacts are displayed in hieroglyphs	Encoding problem when importing from SIM.	Transfer contacts to VCF, open the file in a text editor and save in encoding UTF-8.

If after transferring contacts disappeared from the new phone:

1. Check if they are hidden: open Contact → Settings → Display contacts → select All contacts.
2. Make sure synchronization is enabled: Settings → Accounts → Google → Synchronization.
3. Restart your phone - sometimes it helps to reset the application cache Contact.

⚠️ Attention: On POCO c MIUI there is a bug: when you first import contacts from VCF, photos may not be displayed, but they appear after the device is rebooted. If this does not happen, check the permissions for the application. data-i="314">Is it possible to transfer contacts from iPhone to POCO? Contact V Settings → Applications → Manage permissions.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about transferring contacts to POCO

Is it possible to transfer contacts from iPhone to POCO?

Yes, but not directly. First, export contacts from iPhone to iCloud, then log into Google Contacts on your computer, click Import and select the file from iCloud. After that, synchronize Google account with POCO.

Why POCO X5 Pro does not display contacts from the SIM card?

V MIUI 14+ import from SIM option is hidden. To find it:

1. Open the application Contact.
2. Tap on the magnifying glass (search) and enter "SIM".
3. Select Import from SIM from the search results.

If that doesn’t help, use an adapter to read SIM on your computer and export contacts to VCF through a app like SIM Card Reader.

How to transfer contacts from your phone to POCO without a Google account?

Use:

• 📇 SIM card (limited to 250 contacts).
• 📱 Bluetooth (for a small number of entries).
• 📄 VCF file (save to a flash drive or send via messenger).
• 🔗 Applications like Xender (do not require an account).

After the transfer, contacts are displayed without names, only numbers. What should I do?

This happens if the contacts were saved in a format that is not supported. MIUI. Solutions:

1. Export contacts to VCF, open the file in a text editor and check the encoding (should be UTF-8).
2. Import contacts via Google Contactsand then sync with your phone.
3. Install an alternative contacts application (for example, Simple Contacts) and import data through it.

Is it possible to transfer call history along with contacts?

Yes, but not through standard means. Use applications:

• Mi Mover (transfers call history between Xiaomi/POCO devices).
• Super Backup & Restore (saves the history to a file and restores it on the new phone).

Please note: call history is not synchronized via Google or Mi Cloud.