The transition to a new smartphone, in particular to a brand model Xiaomi, often involves the need to transfer important information. The most critical element for many users remains the phone book. Despite the fact that modern technologies offer synchronization via cloud services Google or Mi Cloud, many owners still prefer to store numbers directly on SIM card. This ensures independence from accounts and availability of data when changing devices without access to the Internet.
However, the procedure for exporting numbers to physical media in the shell MIUIinstalled on smartphones Redmihas its own nuances that can be confusing untrained user. The interface of the contacts application changes periodically, and the limitations of the SIM card itself impose certain limits on the number of saved entries and the length of names. In this material, we will analyze in detail how to correctly carry out the transfer so as not to lose a single important number.
It is worth immediately noting that the process consists of two stages: first you need to download data from the internal memory of the old phone (if you still have it in your hands) or from the cloud to the current one Xiaomi, and then write them to the card. Sometimes users confuse these concepts, trying to immediately find the “Copy to SIM” button without having pre-loaded contacts into the device’s memory. It is important to understand the difference between import and export to successfully complete the operation.
Preparing the device and checking SIM card restrictions
Before you begin manipulating the phone book, you need to make sure that your SIM card is ready to receive data. Older cards may have strict limitations not only on the number of numbers stored (usually from 250 to 500), but also on the length of the contact name. Often names are truncated to 10-15 characters, and special characters may not be supported at all.
Insert the SIM card into the slot of your smartphone Redmi and wait for the network to appear. Make sure that the card is active and is detected correctly by the system. If you are using a dual-SIM device, pay attention to which slot the card on which you plan to record is installed, since the system will prompt you to select a media during the export process.
⚠️ Attention: The SIM card memory is significantly less than the internal memory of the smartphone. If you have more than 500 contacts saved, a complete transfer is not possible without losing some data. In this case, it is recommended to transfer only the most important numbers or use cloud synchronization.
It is also worth checking whether recording to the SIM card is blocked by the operator’s settings, although such cases are extremely rare. For standard user tasks, it is enough to simply ensure that the card is physically intact and correctly inserted into the tray. Having a stable battery charge above 30% is also recommended to avoid accidentally turning off the phone at a critical moment of data recording.
Before starting the transfer, clear the SIM card of old unnecessary entries through the contact management menu to make room for new numbers.
Export contacts from internal memory to SIM to MIUI
Basic the transfer process is carried out through the standard Contacts application, which is preinstalled on all devices Xiaomi. The interface may differ slightly depending on the version MIUI (12, 13, 14 or new HyperOS), but the logic of actions remains the same. You need to find the subscriber list management function.
Open the application and go to the settings menu. It is usually hidden behind the three dots icon in the upper right corner or behind the gear. In the list of options, select Import and export contacts. This is where all the tools for working with external media and cloud storage are concentrated. The system will offer several options for action, among which we are interested in export.
- 📱 Click on the item Export to SIM card in the control menu.
- 📋 The system will offer to select contacts for transfer: you can mark everything at once or select specific numbers manually.
- 💾 Confirm the action by clicking the button
OKor Export in the dialog box that appears.
After confirmation, the copying process will begin. A progress indicator will appear on the screen. Do not close the application or lock the screen until the operation is complete. If there are a lot of contacts, this may take from a few seconds to a couple of minutes. Upon completion, you will receive a notification about successful saving or an error message if the card memory is full.
☑️ Check before export
Importing contacts from a SIM card into the Xiaomi phone memory
The opposite situation often arises: you inserted a SIM card with already recorded numbers into a new one Redmi, and you need to transfer them to internal memory or account Google for ease of use. Storing numbers on a card is considered an outdated method as it does not allow you to add photos, addresses and additional numbers to a single contact.
To import, go to the menu Import and export contacts in the phone book application again. This time select the Import from SIM cardoption. The system will scan the media and display a list of found records. You will be able to preview them before final saving.
An important step is choosing a destination. When importing, the phone will ask where to save the data: to the device memory, to the account Google or to the account Mi. It is recommended to select an account Googleas this will ensure automatic synchronization and protection against loss when changing devices in the future. Click on the desired account and confirm the action.
| Parameter | SIM card | Google Account | Phone memory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts limit | ~250-500 | Unlimited | Depends on memory |
| Name length | Limited (10-15 characters) | Full support | Full support |
| Add. fields (email, address) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Synchronization | Absent | Automatic | Local only |
After the import is complete, the contacts will appear in your shared phone book. You can edit them by adding missing information that does not fit on the SIM card. This will make your address book more functional and convenient for use in instant messengers and social networks.
What to do if contacts are duplicated?
If you notice duplicate entries after importing, use the "Merge duplicates" function in the Contacts application settings. The system will automatically find matches by numbers and names and offer to merge them into one card.
Solving problems with encoding and displaying names
One of the most common problems when transferring contacts to SIM card is the incorrect display of Cyrillic names. Instead of Russian letters, the user may see strange symbols, question marks or gibberish. This is due to differences in encodings used by different operating systems and phone manufacturers.
Smartphones Xiaomi based Android use standard encoding UTF-8, while how some old phones or specific firmware could write names in a different encoding. When reading such information with a modern device, a conflict arises. Unfortunately, it is not possible to directly correct the encoding on the SIM card itself, as this is a technical limitation of the data storage format on the chip.
⚠️ Attention: If you see unreadable names after import, the only reliable way to fix the situation is to manually rename the contacts after they are transferred to the phone's internal memory. Automatic encoding converters for SIM cards are extremely rare and work unstable.
To minimize risks, try not to store contacts on a SIM card for a long time, especially if you often change devices of different brands. Use the card only as a temporary transfer buffer. If a problem occurs when exporting from Xiaomi to a card for insertion into a push-button phone, try shortening the names to Latin or translit, since older devices often do not support the Cyrillic alphabet at all.
Alternative methods of transferring a phone book
If the standard method via a SIM card seems inconvenient to you or you are faced with restrictions on the number of rooms, it is worth considering more modern methods. Ecosystem Android provides many tools for quick and complete data transfer without loss of quality and additional fields.
The easiest option is to use an account Google. Make sure contact syncing is enabled on your old device. Then on the new one Redmi just log into the same account, and the entire phone book will be downloaded automatically in a few seconds. This method does not require physical interaction with the card and supports an unlimited number of entries.
- ☁️ Google Contacts: Synchronization via the Internet, complete data safety.
- 📲 Mi Mover application: Proprietary utility Xiaomi for wirelessly transferring data from an old phone to new.
- 📂 VCF file: Export all contacts into one file and transfer it via Bluetooth or instant messenger.
Using a file format .vcf is also an excellent solution. You can export all your contacts into one file, send it to yourself via email or messenger, and then open it on a new device. The system will automatically recognize the file and offer to import all entries into the phone book. This is faster and more reliable than manual copying to a SIM card.
Contact management and data security
After successfully porting numbers, it is important to clean up your phone book. Remove duplicates that may have resulted from multiple imports or synchronization failures. The application Contact in MIUI has a built-in cleaning tool that greatly simplifies this task.
Regularly create backup copies of your phone book. Even if you use cloud services, having a local copy in the format .vcf on a memory card or in reliable storage will not be superfluous. This will protect you from situations where your account may be blocked or synchronization may fail.
Be careful when using third-party contact management applications downloaded from unverified sources. They may ask for unnecessary permissions and potentially share your personal data with third parties. Standard tools Xiaomi and Google are quite sufficient for all necessary operations.
⚠️ Attention: The settings interface and the location of menu items may differ depending on the firmware version MIUI or HyperOS. If you do not find the described item, use the search in the phone settings by entering the request “Contacts” or “Import”.
Remember that the SIM card is an obsolete storage medium. A modern smartphone, such as Xiaomi Redmi, reveals its potential only when using digital accounts. Transferring contacts to a card should be considered only as a necessary measure or a temporary solution, and not as a primary data storage strategy.
Using a Google account to store contacts ensures their safety if you lose your phone and simplifies the transition to any new Android devices.
Is it possible to transfer contacts from an iPhone to a Xiaomi SIM card?
Direct transfer from iPhone to SIM card is not possible since iOS does not support exporting contacts to SIM. You need to first synchronize your iPhone contacts with your Google account through your mail and accounts settings, and then log into this account on Xiaomi to download the data.
Why are names cut off when exporting to SIM?
This is a technical limitation of the data storage format on the SIM card. The GSM standard allocates a limited number of bytes for a contact name (usually 14-16 characters in GSM 7-bit encoding or less for Unicode). Long names do not physically fit into the card's memory cell.
What to do if the phone does not see the contacts on the SIM card?
Check in the Contacts application settings whether displaying entries from the SIM card is selected. Go to settings → displayed contacts and make sure the checkbox is next to your SIM card. Also try rebooting the device.
Is it safe to store passwords in contact notes on SIM?
No, it is not safe. The SIM card does not encrypt note data, and when inserted into another device, anyone can read this information. In addition, the amount of memory for notes on the SIM card is extremely small or non-existent.
How to merge contacts after transferring from different sources?
Open the Contacts application, click on the three dots in the corner and select “Merge duplicates”. The system will offer to automatically merge cards with the same numbers or names. You can also do this manually by editing each contact.