How to permanently remove default contacts on Android Xiaomi: from simple ways to radical

System contacts on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones are often a source of irritation: duplicate numbers, irrelevant entries from the operator or pre-installed services like Mi Account or Google Contacts. Especially annoying are those contacts that cannot be deleted by standard methods – they return after synchronization or reboot of the device.

The problem is compounded by the fact that in MIUI 14 and later, some system contacts are tied to Xiaomi’s branded services and are deleted only through hidden settings or ADB-In this article, we will discuss all working methods, from secure (hiding, disabling synchronization) to radical (editing a database via SQLite or ADB). Each method is tested on current firmware and does not require deep technical knowledge.

Important: Before any manipulation of contacts, back up your contacts via Settings → Google → Backup or export your contacts to.vcf via the Contacts app, which will save you from losing important data when you crash.

Why do default contacts appear and can they be permanently deleted?

System contacts on Xiaomi fall into three categories, each requiring a different approach to removal:

1. Contacts of the operator – are added automatically when installed SIM-cards (for example, MTS technical support numbers, Beeline or MegaFon) can be hidden, but complete deletion is often blocked by firmware.

2. Xiaomi service contacts are records like Mi Cloud, Xiaomi Service or 10086 (Chinese support) tied to system applications and recovered after a reset.

3. Google Contacts – sync with your Gmail account and can be duplicated if you have used multiple devices.

Since MIUI 12, Xiaomi has tightened security policies, with some system contacts protected from kernel deletion, but there are still workarounds, from disabling synchronization to manually editing the database.

⚠️ Note: Removal of system contacts through ADB or editing SQLite can cause the Contacts or Phone app to crash. On devices with a bootloader blocked, some methods will not work.

Method 1: Hiding contacts through filters (without removal)

If you're just getting in the way of unnecessary contacts, but you don't have to delete them forever, use built-in filters, which work on all versions of MIUI and doesn't require superuser rights.

How to hide unnecessary contacts:

1. Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person’s silhouette).
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner and select Settings.
3. Go to the Contact Management section → Display contacts.
4. Take the boxes off of unnecessary sources: 📱 SIM-Card – hides the operator’s contacts. ☁️ Mi Account – removes Xiaomi system records. 🔄 Other accounts – disables synchronization with Google, Facebook, etc.

Save the changes and restart the application.

This method doesn't physically remove contacts, but it makes them invisible in the main list.

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If hidden contacts are still displayed, clear the Contacts app cache through Settings → Apps → App Management → Contacts → Clear the cache.

Method 2: Disable sync with Mi Account and Google

Many system contacts are created by automatically syncing with cloud services, and by disabling them, you prevent the return of deleted records.

Instructions for Mi Account:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Mi Account.
2. Turn off the slider opposite Contact.
3. Confirm the action by clicking Disable Synchronization.

Instructions for Google:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Select your Gmail account.
3. Turn off the contact sync.
4. Return to the Contacts app and delete unnecessary entries manually.

When you turn off sync, remote contacts will not recover, but you will lose access to cloud backups. If you need to save important numbers, export them to the.vcf file in advance.

Export contacts to file|Remember passwords from Mi Account and Google|Check for important numbers in SIM-map|Take screenshots of the contact list-->

Method 3: Delete via the Contacts app (for non-system records)

Some contacts, despite being system contacts, can be deleted in the standard way, most often with carrier records or Google Contacts duplicates.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Find unnecessary contact and hold your finger on it for 2-3 seconds.
3. In the menu that appears, select Remove (or basket icon).
4. Confirm action. If the contact is secure, a notification will appear.

If the contact is still returned after the reboot, it is tied to the system application, in which case only one of the following methods will help.

Method 4: Radical removal via ADB (for power users)

This method is suitable for removing all system contacts, including those blocked by firmware, USB-cable and on-debugging USB.

Preparation:

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (shap 7 times)
2. Activate USB Debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Download ADB Tools on PC and unpack it into a folder.

Removal of contacts via ADB:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and confirm access via USB.
2. Open the command prompt (Win + R → cmd) and go to the folder with ADB:
3. Enter the command to delete all contacts (carefully! this will clear ALL records):
4. Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Attention: The content delete command without filters deletes all contacts, including personal contacts. To remove only system ones, use a modified command indicating account_type and account_name. Xiaomi Contacts Example: Adb Shell Content Delete --uri content://com.android.contacts/raw_contacts --where "account_type='com.xiaomi.account'"

Method 5: Editing the SQLite database (for advanced)

If ADB has not helped or you need to delete specific contacts, you can manually edit the contacts2.db database. This method requires root rights or access through ADB with superuser rights.

Instructions:

1. Install the DB Browser for SQLite program on PC.
2. Download the contact database from your phone: adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/contacts2.db
3. Open the contacts2.db file in DB Browser.
4. Go to the table. raw_contacts and find the records from account_type="com.xiaomi" or account_name="SIM".
5. Remove unnecessary lines and save the changes.
6. Download the database back to your phone: adb push contacts2.db /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/
7. Reset the device.

Table: Key fields in the contact database

⚠️ Attention: Incorrect editing of the database can result in the loss of all contacts or the failure of the Phone application. contacts2.db.

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SQLite editing is the most powerful, but also the riskiest method, and only use it if other methods have failed and you are confident in your actions.

What to do if contacts are returned after deletion

If the system contacts reappear, they are synchronized from an external source.

Reason 1: Synchronization with SIM-card

• 📱 Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → [Yours. SIM] → Contacts SIM.
• Turn off the option to import contacts automatically.

Reason 2: Update the firmware

• 🔄 After updating MIUI Some system contacts are restored. To avoid this, turn off sync with Mi Account before the update.
• 📦 Create a backup of “clean” contacts through Settings → System system → Backup (exclude system records).

Reason 3: Pre-installed annexes

• 🛠️ Some apps (such as Mi Pay or Mi Home) add their contacts. Delete or freeze them through Settings → Annexes.

If the problem persists, try resetting the Contacts app settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Contacts.
2. Press Warehouse. → Clear the data.
3. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing contacts on Xiaomi