Many users, when switching to a new smartphone, are faced with the need to restore the phone book. Often old recordings are stored directly on SIM cardwhich was used in the previous device. Owners of brand devices Honor should take into account that the import process may differ depending on the version of the MagicOS or EMUI shell.
Modern smartphones offer several ways to complete this task: from standard contact settings to using cloud services. It is important to understand that the SIM card has limited memory capacity and does not support storing additional data such as photos or email addresses. Therefore, transferring to the internal memory of the phone is a mandatory step for full use of the address book.
In this article we will analyze in detail all the available methods for importing numbers, the features of working with different versions of Android and solve typical problems that arise when copying. We will look at both automatic and manual methods so that you can choose the most convenient option for your situation.
Preparing the device and checking compatibility
Before starting the procedure, make sure that the SIM card is correctly installed in the slot of your device. If you are using a model with two SIM cards, determine which slot the media with contacts is inserted into, as the system will prompt you to select a source.
In some cases, especially on older Mini-SIM cards, you may need to use an adapter. Make sure that the contacts are physically stored on the chip, and not just in the memory of the old phone. To do this, you can temporarily insert the card into any other device and check for records.
⚠️ Attention: If your SIM card is very old (issued more than 10 years ago), it may not support storing Cyrillic names or long numbers. In this case, you may see garbled characters when importing.
Also check the battery level. Although the copying process is energy-efficient, a sudden power outage while data is being written to the phone's memory may damage the contacts database. It is advisable to have at least 20-30% charge.
Before importing, create a backup copy of your current contacts via Google Account to avoid accidental data loss when merging lists.
Standard import method through the Contacts application
The most common method of transferring data is built directly into the standard application call management. The interface may differ slightly depending on the firmware version, but the logic of actions remains the same for all smartphones Honor.
Open the application Contact and find the control menu. It is usually hidden behind an icon with three dots or horizontal lines in the corner of the screen. In the list that opens, you must select Manage contacts or Import/Export contacts.
The system will prompt you to select the direction of transfer. You need to specify the option Import from SIM card. After that, the phone will ask you to select a destination storage location: internal storage, Google account or Honor account. It is recommended to select a Google account for automatic synchronization.
- 📱 Click on the "Contacts" application icon on the desktop.
- ⚙️ Go to the settings section through the menu (three dots).
- 📥 Select "Import from SIM card".
- 💾 Specify the target account to save the data.
After confirmation, the system will begin reading the data. The process time depends on the number of records. Upon completion, you will see a notification about the successful import, and the new numbers will appear in the general list.
Import through the smartphone system settings
If the action cannot be performed through the contacts application, you can use deep system settings. This method is often more stable when working with large amounts of data or damaged entries on the card.
Go to the main menu Settings of your smartphone Honor. Scroll down the list to the section System and updates or find the item Contact directly if it is included in the main menu. In some versions of MagicOS, the path may look like Applications → Contacts.
Inside the contact settings section, find the block Import and export. All operations for moving the phone book are available here. Select Import from SIM card. The system may ask for permission to access the storage - confirm it.
| Action | Menu path (MagicOS 7/8) | Menu path (EMUI) |
|---|---|---|
| Opening settings | Settings → Contacts |
Settings → Applications → Contacts |
| Management section | Import and export |
Import/Export contacts |
| Select source | Import from SIM card |
Import from SIM card |
| Select recipient | Phone / Google Account |
Phone / Google Account |
Please note that in new versions of the shell the interface may be simplified. If you do not find the item you need, use the search bar at the top of the settings menu by entering the query "import".
☑️ Check before import
Features of working with two SIM cards
Owners of smartphones Honor with support for two SIM cards are often faced with the issue of choosing a data source. When you start the import procedure, the system automatically detects both cards and displays a list for selection.
You need to look carefully at the card identifiers, which are usually displayed as “SIM 1” and “SIM 2”, or by the names of telecom operators. An error in the selection will result in you trying to read an empty card or a card without the required numbers.
⚠️ Attention: When importing from one of the cards, the second remains active for calls. Make sure that you do not remove the cards during the process, even if you are working with only one of them.
If both cards have contacts, the procedure will have to be repeated twice. First select Import from SIM 1, wait for it to complete, and then repeat for Import from SIM 2. The system will automatically combine the entries into a single database, but may warn about duplicates.
In case of name conflicts (when the same numbers with different names are recorded on different cards), the phone will offer to choose which entry to save, or merge them. Carefully study the system offers so as not to lose important clarifications to names.
What to do if the system does not see the second SIM?
Make sure that the second slot is activated in the network settings. Sometimes when transferring data, the system temporarily disables the second card for connection stability; this is normal.
Problem solving and common errors
The process does not always go smoothly. Users may experience a read error message or an empty contact list after importing. Most often this is due to the format of data storage on the card or a software glitch.
If the phone says that no contacts were found, although the old model had them, try inserting the SIM card into another phone and exporting them to the format .vcf, and then transfer the file to Honor. Direct reading of older formats may be limited in new Androids.
A common problem is the appearance of duplicates. After importing, go to the contacts application, open the menu and select function Manage contacts → Merge duplicates. The system will automatically find matches by numbers and offer to merge them.
- ❌ "Insufficient memory" error: clear the Contacts application cache in the application settings.
- 🔄 Import failure: restart your smartphone and insert the SIM card again.
- 👻 Empty names: check the encoding on the old device, the names may be written in the wrong format.
In rare cases, resetting the Contacts application and Contacts storage helps. This will not delete your data, but will return the app to its factory state, which may eliminate software conflicts.
If direct import does not work, use an intermediate: export contacts to a file on your old phone and transfer it via Bluetooth or instant messenger.
Alternative ways to synchronize data
Direct copying from SIM is not the only and often not the most effective method. Modern ecosystems offer more reliable methods of transferring a phone book that save all information, including photos and addresses.
Using an account Google is the preferred option. If synchronization was enabled on your old phone, you just need to enter the same login and password on the new one Honor. Contacts will be loaded automatically within a few minutes.
For users switching from other devices, Honor offers a special application Phone Clone (Phone Cloning). It allows you to transfer your entire phone book, messages and settings over a Wi-Fi channel without using a SIM card as a carrier.
⚠️ Attention: Application interfaces and menu item names may be updated by the manufacturer. If you do not find the items described, check the official user manual for your specific model.
You can also use export to file .vcf. Find this file in the memory of your old phone, send it to yourself by email or to the cloud, and on your new device just open this file. The system will offer to import all entries found in it.
Is it possible to restore contacts if I accidentally deleted them from the SIM?
Unfortunately, the SIM card does not have a recycle bin. If you delete a contact directly from the card, it is impossible to restore it using the phone software. However, if you have a backup on Google or on an old phone, you can import it again.
Why do some numbers appear as unknown after import?
This may be due to differences in the number format (for example, with or without a country code). Try editing such a contact manually by adding the country code (+7 for Russia) so that the system can associate it with the call log.
How many contacts can a modern SIM card hold?
A standard modern SIM card (USIM) usually holds from 250 to 500 entries. Old cards may have a limit of only 50-100 numbers. This is why storage in the cloud or phone memory is preferable.
Is it safe to store contacts on a SIM card?
No, this is considered an outdated method. If your card is lost or damaged, you will lose all numbers. In addition, the SIM card is not protected by the device password as reliably as the encrypted memory of the smartphone.