How to Change Your Contact Name on Xiaomi Phone: The Complete Guide

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a situation where you need to quickly edit the data in the phone book.This can be due to correcting typos, adding a name or simply wanting to systematize the list of callers. MIUI offers a wide range of options for managing the contact list, but the editing menu is sometimes hidden or not as intuitive as users accustomed to pure Android expect.

Changing a subscriberโ€™s name is a basic but critical feature for a user-friendly experience. Xiaomi smartphones allow you to not only rename records, but also combine duplicates, making the phonebook clean and convenient. In this article, we will discuss all the nuances of working with contacts, including hidden synchronization settings and features of displaying names in different applications.

Before you start editing, you need to know where your data is stored. SIM-It depends on whether the changes will continue after resetting or changing the device, and if you manage these settings correctly, you will save you from losing important numbers in the future.

Direct editing via the Phone app

The fastest way to change your name is to use the standard call app, which is pre-installed on every device in the brand, which is ideal if you need to urgently rename your number during or immediately after a call. Open the Phone app and go to the Contacts tab at the bottom of the screen.

Find the list entry you want, or use the search bar at the top. Tap the subscriber's name to open the full card. The menu that opens, usually in the lower right corner, has an edit button that's presented as a pencil or an icon that says "Change."

  • โœ๏ธ Click on the edit button to activate the fields for text input.
  • ๐Ÿ“ Enter a new name, surname or patronymic in the appropriate columns.
  • ๐Ÿ’พ Click the โ€œSaveโ€ button or โ€œTickโ€ to fix the changes.

โš ๏ธ Note: If the name has not changed in the list of recent calls after saving, try clearing the cache of the Phone application through the system settings, as there may be a cached version of the data.

When editing, pay attention to the contact location box. Often users don't notice that they're editing a copy of the record tied to a particular messenger (like WhatsApp or Telegram) rather than the main entry in the device's memory. Make sure the correct storage is selected at the top of the screen, usually marked as "Phone" or "Google."

โ˜‘๏ธ Pre-editing checks

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Use of Xiaomi System Contacts

In the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS, a separate system application is responsible for managing records, which is often ignored by users in favor of the call. System Contacts has advanced functionality to manage groups, selected numbers and display settings, and can be found in the Tools folder or through a system search.

You can add prefixes, suffixes, phonetic name (for voice search) and even audio for a specific subscriber to the name. To enter editing mode, click on the pencil icon or select the "Edit" menu item.

The thing about this app is that it's mass-controlled, you can single out multiple contacts and take actions on them, although the renaming is usually done individually for each record, and the interface is more rigorous and has more technical fields than the simplified version.

Hidden fields in the contact card
In the advanced editing mode, you can add fields for adding a website, dates of birth (with integration into the calendar), and the ability to add several numbers of the same type (for example, two work phones), and assign a special ringtone to the contact, which will only sound when you call from this person.

Remember that changes made through the system application are automatically synced with other services if the corresponding option is enabled, which means that by renaming the contact here, you will see a new name in both messengers and social networks associated with this number. MIUI Aims to Unify Data across all apps.

Managing through Google Contacts account

The most reliable way to store and edit contacts is through Google. Google Contacts ensures that your phone book is not lost when your phone breaks or sells it. If you want to change the name of a contact that is synced to the cloud, you better do it through a web interface or a separate Google app.

To access the advanced settings, go to contacts.google.com from your computer or open Googleโ€™s Contacts app on your smartphone, and itโ€™s more minimal, but functional, and find a subscriber and click the edit button.

ParameterDescriptionWhere it's displayed
Name and surnameSubscriber's basic dataEverywhere (Calls, SMS, Messengers)
nicknaimShort name or nicknameGoogle Assistant, Smart Search
CompanyName of organizationBusiness directories, post office
NotesTextual informationOnly when you look at the card.

The main advantage of cloud storage is the history of changes. Google saves previous versions of contacts, and if you accidentally delete a part of the number or change the name to the wrong one, you can roll back the changes.

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Tip: Check the โ€œCurrent and Manageโ€ section of Google Contacts regularly, and the system will find duplicates and unnamed contacts by offering to combine them or add missing information.

Working with duplicates and combining records

A common problem with Xiaomi users is the appearance of duplicate contacts, when the same number is written several times under different names or with small variations. MIUI has a built-in mechanism to combat this, but sometimes manual intervention is required. Duplicates create confusion and prevent you from quickly finding the right number.

To combine the records, open the contact you want to leave the main one. Press the menu button (three dots or stripes) and select the option "Combine" or "Connect contacts" and the system will suggest select from the list similar entries that can be attached to the current one.

  • ๐Ÿ”— Choose the contact base that contains the most complete data.
  • ๐Ÿ‘ฅ In the list of proposed duplicates, note those that need to be combined.
  • โœ… Confirm the action and all numbers and addresses will merge into one card.

โš ๏ธ Note: When combining contacts from different sources (e.g, SIM And Google, make sure you don't lose important data, and you'd better copy the contact with the user first. SIM-card in memory of the phone, and then to perform manipulations.

Once combined, the contact name may not be updated immediately in all applications. This is normal, since background sync services take time to process changes. Usually, the process takes from a few seconds to a couple of minutes. If the name is not updated, restart the device.

๐Ÿ“Š Where do you most often keep your contacts?
In the memory of the phone
Nana SIM-map
Google account
In Mi Account.
In other clouds

Configure the display of names and formatting

An important aspect is how names are displayed in the list, and in the Contacts app settings, you can choose the order of display: "First name" or "First name," which is especially true for users who have many business contacts in their phone book.

To change settings, go to the app menu (three dots or gear) and select Settingsยป โ†’ ยซContact display. You can also filter out which contacts to show, from your phone only, from your phone only. SIM-Filtering helps to remove unnecessary entries from messengers if they interfere with you.

You should also pay attention to font and text size if standard settings seem uncomfortable. Although this is a global system setting, it directly affects the readability of the phone book. Go to Settings โ†’ Screen โ†’ Text Size to customize the look.

Some users prefer to use third-party themes that change the look of the contact list beyond recognition. If after changing the topic, names no longer read or overlap, return the standard theme in the Topics app.

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Properly configuring the contact display saves time when searching for the right number and makes the phone interface more neat and structured.

Solution and synchronization

Sometimes users experience a contact name being permanently reset or displayed incorrectly, often due to a sync conflict between Mi Account and Google. If you have sync enabled on both services, the system may try to update data from different sources, choosing one or the other option.

To solve the problem, go to your account settings and check where the problem contact is stored. It is recommended to store the main database in Google, and use the Mi Account only to back up system settings. Turn off synchronizing contacts in one of your accounts to avoid conflicts.

If the contact is stuck and not edited, try to delete it completely and create it again.Be sure to write the number in a notebook before deleting it or take a screenshot to avoid losing data. Once you create a new record, the problem usually disappears.

Why is the name of the contact not changed on WhatsApp?
WhatsApp uses its own contact database. Once you rename it in your phone book, open WhatsApp, go to a new chat, click three dots, and select Update. If that doesn't work, check the permissions for the WhatsApp app in your phone settings.
How to rename a contact group?
In the standard Xiaomi app, creating and renaming groups (tags) is available through the Groups menu. Click on the group name, select Change Group and enter a new name. The changes will apply to all contacts within this label.
Can I recover a remote contact name?
Yes, if you've been syncing with Google. Go to Google Contacts, click on the settings gear and select "Cancel Changes." You can roll back the status of the phone book 10 minutes, an hour or a day.