How to delete contacts on Xiaomi phone: all ways of 2026

A cluttered phone book on Xiaomi is a problem that every second user faces. Over time, hundreds of unnecessary numbers accumulate in the device’s memory, from random calls to duplicates from messengers. But how to properly delete contacts on Redmi, POCO or Black Shark so as not to lose important data and not disrupt synchronization with the cloud? In this article, we will analyze all the current methods, from basic deletion through the Contacts app to mass clearing through Google Account and MI Cloud.

Xiaomi smartphones are very well integrated with the MIUI ecosystem, where contacts can be stored in three places at once: on the device, in Google account and in Mi Account, which makes it harder to delete, but gives you more flexibility, for example, you can delete the number only from your phone, leaving it in the cloud, or vice versa. We will explain in detail how each method works, and we will warn against the typical errors that cause users to lose important data.

1. Delete contacts through the standard “Contacts” application

The most obvious and quick way is to use the built-in Contacts app (or Contacts in global firmware), a method that is suitable for removing single contacts or small groups. Importantly, if a contact is synced with Google or Mi Account, it will also be deleted from there. To avoid this, first disable sync (more on this below).

Step instructions:

• 📱 Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person’s silhouette on the home screen or in the app menu).
• 🔍 Find the right contact through the search bar or scroll through the list manually.
• ✏️ Click on the contact to open his card. In the upper right corner, tap the icon «⋮» (three dots) or "Edit" (pencil).

If you need to delete multiple contacts at once, use the selection mode:

1. Press your finger on any contact in the list and a checkbox will appear.
2. Check all unnecessary numbers.
3. Click on the basket icon (🗑️) top-panel.

Disable sync with Google/Mi Account

Make a backup of important contacts

Check duplicates through the Contact Management menu

Make sure that the numbers that are being deleted are not tied to the messenger accounts.-->

⚠️ Note: When you delete a contact through the Contacts app, it will disappear from all devices that sync with the same account. If you want to save a number in the cloud, export it to the.vcf file first (instruction in section 4).

2 Mass removal of contacts through “Contact Management”

When you have hundreds of unnecessary entries in your phone book, it's not rational to delete them one at a time. MIUI has a hidden Contact Management tool that allows you to filter and delete groups of contacts according to different criteria: duplicates, unnamed numbers, unused records, etc.

How to open this section:

1. Launch the Contacts app.
2. Put the badge on «⋮»** (three points) in upper right corner.
3. Choose contact management (Manage Contacts).
4. Go to the Cleanup tab.

Here you will see a few options:

• 🔄 Duplicate contacts – the system automatically finds repeated records and suggests combining or removing them.
• 📞 Contacts without names – numbers saved without a name (often left after calls through Truecaller or messengers).
• 🗑️ Unused contacts – records that have not been interacted with for more than a year.
• ☁️ Non-account contacts – numbers not linked to Google or Mi Account (stored only on your device).

For mass removal:

1. Select a category (e.g., Duplicates).
2. Check the unneeded entries or click Select All.
3. Remove and confirm the action.

💡

Before mass deletion, check the Backup tab in the same menu.The system can automatically create backups before cleaning, but it is better to make a copy manually (section 4).

3. Delete contacts through Google Account (synchronized records)

If your contacts are synced to your Google account, they can be deleted not only via your phone, but also from your computer or other device, which is convenient when you need to clean your phone book remotely or restore accidentally deleted numbers (they are stored in the Google Contacts shopping cart for 30 days).

Instructions for deleting through the browser:

1. Open contacts.google.com on your computer or phone and log in with the same account as you do on Xiaomi.
2. Find the right contact through search or scroll through the list.
3. Check the posts you want to delete (to highlight a few, press Ctrl on your PC or use the selection mode on the mobile version).
4. Click on the basket icon (🗑️) top-panel.

Features of this method:

• 🔄 Changes are synchronized with the phone within 5-10 minutes (with active Internet).
• 🗑️ Remote contacts are placed in a cart that is stored for 30 days. To delete them permanently, go to the Recycle Bin and select Clean the Recycle Bin.
• 📱 If sync with Google is disabled on Xiaomi, the changes will not apply. To enable it: go to Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Google → Synchronize contacts.

⚠️ Note: If you delete a contact through Google Contacts and then add it again on your phone, a duplicate may appear. To avoid this, check before adding if the old entry is left in the Google shopping cart.

Only on the phone.

Synchronizing with Google

Using Mi Cloud.

I keep it in messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram)

Another option-->

4. How to delete contacts via Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud)

Mi Cloud is Xiaomi’s own cloud storage, which automatically backs up contacts if sync is enabled. Deletion via Mi Cloud is convenient when you need to clear the phone book on all Xiaomi devices associated with a single account (for example, on a smartphone and tablet).

Step-by-step:

1. Open your phone Settings → Mi Account (or Xiaomi Account in global firmware).
2. Sign in if you have not already logged in to your account.
3. Go to the Mi Cloud section → Contacts.
4. Click Contact Management (or Manage Contacts).
5. Select unnecessary records and tap Delete.

Important nuances:

• ☁️ Remote contacts are placed in the Mi Cloud Recycle Bin, which is stored for 30 days. → Basket.
• 📱 Changes will apply to all devices that enable sync with Mi Account.
• 🔄 If the contact is synced with both Google and Mi Cloud, deleting from one cloud will not affect the other.

A unique feature of Mi Cloud is that if you delete a contact incorrectly, it can be restored not only from the cart, but also through the Data Recovery feature in your account settings. Go to Mi Cloud → Data Recovery → Contacts and select a backup date.

5. Removal of contacts from messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber)

Many users don’t know that instant messenger contacts (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) can be duplicated in a phone book, because apps automatically add numbers from chats to system contacts, and you need to delete such records carefully — if you just erase them from the phone book, they can appear again the next time you update the messenger.

How to remove contacts from messengers forever:

• 📲 WhatsApp: Open the contact chat. Tap the name at the top of the screen. Scroll down and select Delete the contact. Confirm the deletion in the system window.
• 💬 Telegram: Open your contact profile (stick on the avatar in the chat «⋮»** → Delete the contact.In the system application Contacts find this number and delete it manually (it can remain there after deleting in Telegram).

Viber:

1. Go to Contacts inside the application.
2. Find the number you want and swipe left (or press «⋮»** → Delete).

⚠️ Note: In WhatsApp and Viber, removing a contact from the messenger does not always remove it from the phone book. To avoid duplicates, after cleaning the messenger, go to system Contacts and manually check for the remaining records.

6. Export and backup of contacts before deletion

Before you delete your contacts, make sure to back up. MIUI has built-in tools to export your phone book to a.vcf file, which you can import back or open on another device, and you can also use Google Contacts or third-party apps like Super Backup.

Methods of backup:

• 📱 Through the Contacts app: Open Contacts → «⋮»** → Contact management. Select Import/Export contacts. Tap Export to file and specify the location of the save (for example, internal memory or Google Drive). The file with the extension.vcf can be sent to the mail or copied to the computer.

Through Mi Cloud:

1. Go to Settings. → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Enable contact backup (if disabled).
3. Click Backup now.

To import contacts back:

1. Copy the.vcf file into your phone’s memory.
2. Open Contacts. → «⋮»** → Contact management → Imports/Exports.

💡

Backup.vcf contacts are compatible with any device: Android, iPhone, Windows Phone, and can be opened even on your computer through Outlook or Google Contacts.

7 What to do if the contacts are not deleted?

Sometimes users find that contacts are not deleted or returned after cleaning, and this happens for several reasons, from the sync enabled to the MIUI failures.

Problem 1: Contact is removed but reappears.

• 🔄 Reason: Google or Mi Cloud sync enabled and the number is restored from the cloud.

Problem 2: You can’t delete the contact – the button is inactive.

• 🔒 Reason: Contact is secure (for example, it is a system record from a carrier or messenger).
• 🛠 Solution: Try to delete it via Google Contacts or Mi Cloud. If it is an operator contact (e.g., "0611" for a beeline), it cannot be deleted - only hidden in the Phone app settings».

Problem 3: After resetting the settings, the contacts are gone.

• 🗑️ Reason: Contacts were stored only on the device, without syncing with the cloud.
• 🛠 Solution: Check if there is a backup in Mi Cloud or Google Drive. If there is no backup, try to recover data through programs like Dr.Fone or EaseUS MobiSaver (root access required).