Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners often face a limited number of records that can be stored. SIM-Unlike a Google cloud account or internal device memory, a carrier chip has tight limits, often preventing you from saving long names or multiple numbers for a single subscriber. When memory is overflowing, the system stops offering to save new contacts for the SIM, which creates inconvenience when switching to a new phone or having to vacate space.
The cleaning process can be confusing, as the standard MIUI or HyperOS interface sometimes hides the direct option of deleting all SIM card entries at once, preferring to work with internal memory. Deleting contacts requires care not to accidentally erase important numbers from the cloud or phone memory. In this article, we will examine all available methods, from standard settings to the use of hidden engineering codes.
Before taking drastic action, you need to clearly understand the difference between storage sources. Android allows you to synchronize data from different places, and an inexperienced user can get confused in the lists displayed. We will look at how to filter the display to see only what you need to delete, and how to safely transfer data before cleaning.
Preparation and creation of backup copies of data
Any mass deletion operation carries the risk of losing important information before you start cleaning. SIM-It's critical to back up all the numbers, and even if you're sure that all the important contacts are saved in your Google account, checking is never superfluous, especially given the nature of the shell. MIUI.
The most reliable way is to export contacts to a.vcf file. This file can be saved to the phone's internal memory or sent to yourself by email. In the standard Contacts app, you need to go to the settings, select Import/Export Contacts and click Export to Storage.
⚠️ Note: If you delete the contact with SIM-If you don't export your cards beforehand, you can't recover them with standard means.
Once you create a file, check the contents of the file by opening it on your computer or other device, make sure that all the necessary numbers and names are present in the list, and then you can move on to direct management of the entries on the SIM card.
☑️ Preparation for contact removal
Standard method of removal through the Contacts app
The basic way to manage records is built into the standard MIUI Contacts app. However, the interface may vary depending on the firmware version. First, open the app and go to the settings menu, which is usually hidden under three dots or "Make contacts" option.
You need to select the option to display only those contacts that are on the SIM-This will avoid confusion. Once you filter the list, you will only see the records that are physically located on the operator's chip, and the allocation takes a long tap on the first contact, after which you can select the rest of the list.
- 📱 Open the Contacts app and click on three dots in the corner of the screen.
- 📂 Select the item "Display contacts" and specify your SIM-map.
- ✏️ Click on “Contact Management” or “Edit”, then “Select All".
- 🗑️ Click the "Delete" button and confirm the action.
In some versions of the shell, direct deletion of the entire list may not be possible at once, in which case you will have to delete contacts in groups or one at a time. This is inconvenient if the SIM contains several hundred numbers, but this is a standard security limitation of Android.
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If the Remove button is inactive or hidden, try temporarily switching the display to All Contacts, highlighting the ones you need, and then filtering them again. SIM-map.
Use of older versions of Google Contacts
Users often notice that in updated versions of the Google Contacts application, the functionality of working with the Internet is used. SIM-This is due to Google's policy to move to cloud storage, however, if you install an older, lightweight version of the application (for example, the version of the application). 3.x), You can access the full control menu.
That's gonna require a download. APK-The file of the old version of the application is from a trusted source, because only the current version is available in the Play Market, and after installing the old version, the system can request permission to use contacts - this must be provided. In the menu settings of the old application often appears a separate item "Contact management" SIM" or “Copy contacts".
The interface here is more functional for working with local SIM memory. You can select the option "Delete all contacts with SIM" with one click. This is the fastest way if the standard Xiaomi application does not provide the desired functionality.
Where can I find older versions of apps?
Cleaning through engineering menus and hidden codes
If the GUI doesn't work, system commands come to the rescue. Xiaomi smartphones have access to an extended testing menu. Enter the phone app code ##4636##. If the code doesn't work, it's possible that your firmware version or phone model is blocking this path.
In the Testing menu that opens, select "Phone information." You can find information about the status of the SIM here, but direct deletion of contacts through this interface is rare and depends on the specific modem. A more effective method is to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) from a computer, but this requires developer rights.
For advanced users, there is a command via ADB that allows you to interact directly with the contact database, however, this requires an accurate knowledge of the SIM card ID. The standard path through the phone's settings remains the most secure for the average user.
| Method | Difficulty | Risk of data loss | Necessary rights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annex Contacts | Low. | Low. | No. |
| The Old Google Contacts | Medium | Medium. | APK installation |
| Engineering menu | Tall. | High-pitched | No. |
| ADB Teams | Expert | critical | Root/ADB |
Addressing the problem of duplicate contacts
Users often want to clean up. SIM-The reason is that the phone book has duplicates, and the same number is displayed twice or three times, and that happens when one contact is saved to Google, the other one is saved to Google. SIM, The third one is in the memory of the phone, and the system combines them visually, but physically, they exist separately.
To solve this problem, you don't have to delete everything manually. The Contacts app from Google (which can be installed additionally) has a function called "Currelate and Manage", which allows you to find and combine duplicates, and also offers you to move contacts from the site to the site. SIM-maps to Google account.
After moving all the records to the cloud, SIM-You can clean the card, because all the data is stored securely on the Internet, and this is a modern approach that eliminates the binding to the physical media, synchronization ensures that when you change the phone, all the numbers will automatically recover.
⚠️ Note: When combining duplicates, the system can select the primary name from one record and the photo from another.
Why are contacts saved on SIM instead of on the phone?
Xiaomi owners often wonder why new numbers are flying to the SIM by default. This behavior can be changed in the settings. Go to the Contacts app, click on the settings and find the default Save Place.
Change the meaning of c "SIM-map" to "Google Account" or "Phone" to prevent future problems with overflowing SIM memory. SIM-The map is usually all 10-15 signs, which leads to cropping of names and loss of readability.
Additionally, it is often impossible to save additional fields on a SIM card, such as email, address, birthday or second phone number.Switching to storage in Google Contacts gives access to all these fields and cross-platform use opportunities.
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The best strategy is to keep 0 contacts on the SIM-using the card only to identify the operator in the network, and keep the entire phone book in the cloud.