The transition to a new smartphone is often accompanied by a desire to restore the familiar environment as quickly as possible, and the first thing the user does is look for a way to get his phone book back. Device owners Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO may encounter shell features MIUI or HyperOSthat differ from stock Android. The process of transferring data from physical SIM cards to device memory seems trivial, but has its own nuances that affect the safety of information.
The main problem with old SIM cards is their extremely limited memory and outdated data storage format. No more than 250 records are usually placed on the chip, while long names are often cut off, and additional numbers (work, home) are simply not saved. Therefore, the import procedure to Android is a critical stage in setting up a new gadget so as not to lose valuable connections.
In this article we will analyze in detail the algorithm of actions for different firmware versions, explain the difference between local storage and synchronization with the cloud, and also consider typical errors that may arise in the process. You will learn how to properly merge duplicates and why storing contacts exclusively on a SIM card is considered bad practice in today's world.
Preparing a SIM card and checking compatibility
Before you begin technical manipulations in the smartphone menu, you need to make sure that the storage medium is in physical condition. If your SIM card has a non-standard size or was cut with scissors from the Mini-SIM to Nano-SIM format, the contacts may be read with errors or not be read at all. Damage to the chip or oxidation of the contact pad often leads to the fact that the phone sees the network, but cannot read the address book.
It is also worth considering the age of the SIM card. Telecom operators periodically change encryption technologies and memory structures on chips. Very old cards, released more than 10 years ago, may use a file system that modern controllers in processors Snapdragon or MediaTek interpret incorrectly. In this case, before transferring, it is recommended to contact the operator's showroom for a free SIM replacement with a new one, preserving the number and data.
⚠️ Attention: Do not try to remove the SIM card tray while the phone is performing data writing or reading operations. Interrupting the process can lead to damage to the address book file system and loss of some entries without the possibility of recovery.
Make sure that the SIM card is installed in the correct slot if your smartphone supports two active lines. In the settings Xiaomi you can choose which card to import from, which is convenient if you have a personal and work number. Check to see if your carrier is displayed in the status bar, as a lack of network may block access to some contact management functions.
Before starting the procedure, take a photo of the contact list screen on your old phone (if it is still working). This will serve as insurance in case of import failure.
Standard import method via the Contacts application
The most reliable and easiest way to transfer records is to use the standard application Contactpre-installed in the system MIUI. The interface may differ slightly depending on the shell version, but the logic of actions remains the same for all devices of the brand. You do not need to install third-party software or obtain root accessas the function is built in at the system level.
First, open the application Contact and go to the settings menu. It is usually hidden behind the three dots icon in the top right corner or behind the gear icon. In the list that opens, you need to find the item Import/Export contacts. The system will ask you to confirm the action, since this operation may lead to the creation of duplicates if the entries already exist in the phone's memory.
After selecting the data source, the system will prompt you to specify where exactly you want to copy the information from. Select item Import from SIM card. If your device has two SIM cards, you will be asked to select a specific card (SIM 1 or SIM 2). Next, you will be asked to specify the destination: phone memory, account Google or account Mi Cloud.
- 📂 Device memory: contacts are saved locally, they can only be accessed from this phone, there is a risk of data loss when resetting the settings.
- ☁️ Google Account: instant synchronization with the cloud, access from any device, automatic backup.
- 🔒 Mi Account: synchronization in the Xiaomi ecosystem, convenient for users of several gadgets of this brand.
- 💾 Internal storage (file): creating a backup copies in .vcf format for subsequent manual transfer.
Having selected the destination storage, confirm the operation by pressing the button OK or Import. The process can take from a few seconds to a couple of minutes depending on the number of records. Upon completion, you will see a notification that the copy was successful, after which it is recommended to check several random numbers to ensure that the names and numbers were transferred correctly.
☑️ Checking the import of contacts
Import through Android system settings
If for some reason the standard application does not display the necessary items or does not work correctly, you can use the deep Android system settings. This method is often more stable because it accesses the system user management module directly, bypassing graphical shell add-ons. It is especially relevant for devices with custom firmware or a heavily modified interface.
Go to the main smartphone settings menu by selecting the icon Settings. Scroll down the list to the section Applications or use the search in settings by entering the request "Contacts". You need to find the item Contact management or Import and export, which can be located in the subsection System applications.
In this menu, the algorithm of actions is similar to working through the app: select Import from SIM card. The system may request permission to access storage or contacts - be sure to provide it, otherwise the process will be blocked by the security policy Android. After selecting the target account, the process of reading data from the chip will begin.
| Option | Via Contacts application | Via System Settings | Via file manager |
|---|---|---|---|
| Difficulty | Low | Medium | High |
| Speed | High | High | Depends on the file |
| Reliability | High | Maximum | Average |
| Requires Internet | No (for local) | No | No |
Using the system menu sometimes allows you to see contacts that for some reason are hidden in the normal application interface. This is useful if the SIM card contains entries in a specific format that the standard launcher ignores. After the import is complete, do not forget to restart the device so that the media file indexer updates the contact database.
Working with duplicates and merging records
A common problem after data transfer is the appearance of duplicates: the same person can appear in the list twice or three times. This happens if some of the numbers have already been saved in your Google account, and you duplicated them by importing from a SIM card. Xiaomi provides a built-in tool to solve this problem, which works quite effectively.
Open the application Contact, click on the three dots in the corner and select the item Organizing contacts or Managing contacts. In this section, find the option Merging duplicates. The system will automatically scan the database and offer a list of pairs or groups of contacts that have matching names or phone numbers.
You can agree to have all matches found automatically merged or go through the list manually, controlling the process. When merging cards, the system saves all unique fields: if one record contained only a mobile number, and the other contained a work phone number and email, the resulting card will contain all this information. This allows you to create a complete digital business card without losing data.
⚠️ Attention: Before mass merging duplicates, make sure the matches are actually from the same person. Sometimes different people may have the same names (for example, “Alexander”), and the automatic merge will confuse their numbers.
If the built-in tools do not cope with the task, you can use the web interface Google Contacts. Go to contacts.google.com from your computer and log in with the same account as on your phone. There, the Merge and Fix feature works in even more detail, allowing you to see photos and change history before confirming the merge.
Why do duplicates occur?
Duplicates appear when your phone syncs with multiple sources at the same time. For example, you have contacts in WhatsApp, in your phone memory and on your SIM. When importing from SIM, the system does not always understand that this number already exists elsewhere and creates a new entry. Regular cleaning through Google tools solves this problem automatically.
Synchronization with Google and cloud services
A modern approach to managing contact data involves abandoning the storage of information on physical media in favor of cloud technologies. Saving contacts in Google Account ensures that if your smartphone is lost, stolen or broken, your phone book will remain safe and will be instantly available on any new device after logging in.
To activate synchronization on Xiaomi, go to Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Google. Make sure that the switch opposite the item Contact is active. If you imported numbers into your phone's memory and not directly into the cloud, you can change where existing records are stored through the export and subsequent import function into your Google account.
An alternative is to use Mi Cloud. For owners of the Xiaomi ecosystem, this is a convenient option that allows you to synchronize contacts between your phone, tablet and even the brand’s smart watch. However, it is worth remembering that the amount of free storage is limited, and if it is full, synchronization may stop. Google provides 15 GB for free, which is more than enough for tens of thousands of contacts.
Regularly check the synchronization status in the notification shade or in your account settings. If you see an error icon, try clearing the application cache Google Play Services or reconnecting your account. Reliable cloud storage eliminates the need to manually transfer contacts every time you change SIM card or phone.
Storing contacts in the Google cloud is the gold standard for data security. Unlike a SIM card, the cloud has no restrictions on the length of the name, the number of numbers and allows you to store photos, addresses and notes.
Possible errors and ways to solve them
During the process of data transfer, users may encounter various technical failures. One of the most common errors is the message "Failed to import contacts" or simply the process silently ending without result. Often the reason lies in the lack of permissions for the application Contact to read the SIM card or write to the storage.
To correct the situation, go to Settings → Applications → All applications → Contact → Permissions. Check whether access rights to Contacts, Phone and Storage. If the rights are granted, but the error persists, try clearing the application cache (not the data, but the cache) and restart the smartphone.
Another common problem is displaying contacts in the form of hieroglyphs or character sets. This indicates an encoding mismatch between the SIM card and the phone. Unfortunately, fixing this after the fact is difficult, and it is often easier to re-enter the important numbers manually. Also make sure that the SIM card is not locked with a PIN code before starting the import procedure, as the system may not have access to read the data without unlocking.
⚠️ Attention: The interface and menu item names may vary depending on the version of MIUI (12, 13, 14) or the new HyperOS. If you do not find the described items, use the settings search or check the official manual for your specific model.
If none of the software methods helped, there may be a physical problem with the SIM reader or the card itself. Try installing the SIM card in another phone and check if the contacts are readable there. If everything works in another device, the problem may be a software failure of yours Xiaomi, and in extreme cases, you may need to reset the settings to factory settings (after creating a full backup).
What to do if there are a lot of contacts?
If more than 200-250 numbers are recorded on the SIM card, the import process may freeze. In this case, break up the procedure: copy some of the contacts, then delete them from the SIM card (after saving a backup copy), and import the next batch. However, it is better not to store more than 50 contacts on SIM.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it possible to transfer contacts from iPhone to Xiaomi via SIM card?
Technically this is possible, but it is highly not recommended. iPhone allows you to export contacts to SIM, but it truncates names and loses additional data. It is better to use the application Move to iOS (it does not work in the opposite direction) or, more effectively, synchronize your iPhone contacts with your Google Account through the iCloud settings, and then log into this account on Xiaomi.
Why, after transfer, are some names displayed as "Unknown"?
This happens if the phone number in the record is saved in an international format (for example, +7...), and the incoming call arrives in local format (8...), or vice versa. The system cannot match the two records. The solution is to bring all numbers to a single standard through editing contacts or using applications to normalize numbers.
Is it safe to store contacts on a SIM card in 2026?
No, this is an outdated method. The SIM card is not protected from physical damage or loss and has a tiny amount of memory. If you lose your card, you lose all numbers. Modern security standards require storing data in an encrypted cloud with two-factor authentication, which is not available for a regular SIM card.
How to delete contacts from a SIM card after transfer?
In most modern Android smartphones, the function of deleting contacts directly from the SIM card through the phone menu is missing or hidden. To clear a SIM card, the easiest way is to install it in an old push-button phone where this function is in the menu, or use special engineering codes if they are supported by your model. Xiaomi.
Will contact photos be transferred from the SIM card?
No, the SIM card does not support storing graphic data. Only text names (of limited length) and digital number sequences are stored on the chip. Photos, addresses, emails and links to social networks can only be saved in the phone memory or cloud account.