How to Remove Duplicate Contacts on Xiaomi: The Complete 2026 Guide

Duplicate contacts on Xiaomi smartphones are a common problem that occurs after synchronization with multiple accounts (Google, Mi Account, SIM-card), import from backups or malfunctions MIUI. Instead of 100 unique records, you can see 300 to 400 repeating names with different numbers, emails, or blank fields, which not only clutters the phone book, but also makes it harder to find the right subscriber.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to remove duplicates, from built-in MIUI tools to third-party apps and manual cleaning. We will focus on the nuances of synchronization with Google Contacts, as this is the most common source of problem. All instructions are relevant for Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones based on MIUI 12-14 (including global and Chinese versions of firmware).

Before you start, make sure you have a backup of your contacts – even if you plan to use automated tools. Go to Contacts → Settings → Import / Export → Export to file and save the.vcf file to your device or to the cloud.

1. Built-in merger function in MIUI

The quickest way is to use the merging tool that is in the standard Contacts app, which automatically finds duplicates by name, phone number or email and suggests combining them.

• 🔍 It only works with contacts stored in local memory or on the SIM-Card (not affecting Google Account).
• 📱 It is not always correct to determine the doubles if the names are written differently (for example, "Ivan Ivanov" and "Ivan Ivan.").
• ⚙️ After the merger, there may be “junk” in the form of empty fields (for example, duplicate notes or addresses).

To take advantage of the function:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Contact management.
3. Choose to Join Contacts.
4. Tick the doubles that need to be drained and click Combine.

If you don't have the option to connect, then your version of MIUI doesn't support it, so move on to the next one.

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Before merging, sort contacts by name (click on the filter icon in the upper right corner) to help you find and mark duplicates manually faster.

2. Cleanup of duplicates through Google Contacts

If your contacts are synced with your Google Account, chances are that the duplicates are due to cloud failures, and then you should clean them on the Google side, not on your phone.

1. Open the web version of Google Contacts on your computer or phone and log in.
2. In the left menu, select Doubles (if the section is missing, click More → Find and combine takes).
3. The system will automatically find the repeating entries. Press Combine all or select specific duplicates to merge.
4. Once completed, sync your contacts to Xiaomi: go to Settings → Accounts → Google → Sync and enable Contacts.

Important: If you use multiple Google accounts, duplicates may appear due to overlapping contacts from different profiles. Before cleaning, turn off sync for all accounts except the main one.

3. Use of third-party applications

If the built-in tools of MIUI and Google fail, specialized applications will come to the rescue. They offer more flexible merger settings and can work with multiple sources at the same time (for example, SIM + Google + local memory).

• 📱 Contacts Optimizer – Analyze contacts by 10+ parameter (name, phone, email, notes) and offers a preview merger.
• 🔄 Simpler Merge – Supports batch unification and cleaning of empty fields.
• 🛡️ Cleanup: Duplicate Contacts – has a backup function before cleaning.

How to use (for example, Contacts Optimizer):

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Give access to contacts.
3. Press Scan for Duplicates and wait for analysis.
4. Select the merger criteria (e.g., "Combine by phone number" or "Ignore register differences").
5. Confirm the merger and wait for completion.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (such as Cleanup) can delete contacts without recovery.Always back up before using third-party tools.

Create a backup of contacts in.vcf

Disable autosynchronization with Google/Mi Account

Check the reviews about the application (especially for data deletion)

Run the scan in test mode (if there is such an option)

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Manual removal of duplicates through export/import

This is a method that's suitable for users who want complete control of the process, and it takes longer, but it ensures that you don't lose important data.

1. Export contacts to.vcf or.csv (via Settings → Import/Export).
2. Open the file in a word processor (such as Notepad++) or spreadsheet processor (Excel).
3. Sort the data by column with names or phone numbers.
4. Remove duplicate lines manually. In Excel, you can use the Remove Duplicates (Data menu) function.
5. Save the file and import it back to your phone.

When working with a.vcf file, pay attention to the structure:

BEGIN:VCARD


VERSION:3.0




FN: Ivan Ivanov




TEL:+79123456789




END:VCARD

Each contact starts with BEGIN:VCARD and ends with END:VCARD. Duplicate blocks can be deleted completely or combined (for example, by adding a second phone number to one contact).

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Manual cleaning is the only way to get rid of duplicates if automatic tools can not cope with non-standard formats of names or numbers.

5. Reset the contact book to factory settings

An extreme measure that should only be applied if other methods have not worked: Reset will remove all contacts from the device, so be sure to back up in advance.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Contacts (or Contacts and Calls in newer versions of MIUI)
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the data.
4. Confirm the action. After that, all contacts will be deleted from the device.
5. Import backup backup (via Settings → Import/Export).

If you reset the doubles, the problem is sync with the cloud.

• Turn off contact sync in Google Account and Mi Account.
• Remove all contacts from cloud services via the web interface.
• Import a clean local copy to the cloud.

⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro), resetting the Contacts app may result in deleting and calling history. → Annexes → Phone. → Call history → Exports.

6. Prevention of the appearance of doubles in the future

To avoid recurring problems, follow these guidelines:

• 🔗 Turn off autosynchronization for unnecessary accounts. Just leave one main Google Account or Mi Account.
• 📱 Use a single contact source, for example, store all data only in Google Contacts and disable saving on your website. SIM-map.
• 🔄 Check duplicates regularly (every 2-3 months) through the web version of Google Contacts.
• 🚫 Avoid importing from older backups, especially if they were created on other devices (e.g. when switching from iPhone to Xiaomi).

It is also helpful to set up the format of phone numbers in MIUI to avoid duplicates due to different prefixes:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Number format.
2. Select International (e.g. +7 XXX XXX-XX-XX-XX instead of 8 XXX XXX-XX-XX).
3. Enable the option of Automatting numbers.

If you switch between devices frequently (e.g., using Xiaomi and an Android tablet), install one contact management app on all your gadgets. A good option is Google Contacts with Disabled Sync via Mi Cloud.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the duplicate contacts on Xiaomi