The modern smartphone is a center of digital communication, and the correct organization of the phone book is not just a matter of convenience, but a necessity for effective communication. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices face the shell of MIUI or HyperOS, which has its own features in managing an address book, other than pure Android. Many users do not know that by default contacts can be stored in the memory of the phone, not in the account, which creates risks of data loss when changing devices.
In this detailed guide, we’ll cover all aspects of customization, from initial number import to fine-tuning display and call filtering. You’ll learn how to prevent duplicates, set up automatic sync with cloud services, and create user-friendly groups to quickly access the right subscribers. Understanding these processes will allow you to have full control over your contact list.
It is critical to check whether new numbers are saved to local memory or to a Google cloud account after you buy a new Xiaomi or reset, as this determines the safety of data in the future. Ignoring this point can lead to the fact that if you break your smartphone, you will lose all the accumulated number database.
Basic setting and choice of storage location
The first step in organizing a phone book is to determine the priority storage. Unlike some other manufacturers, Xiaomi often by default offers to save data to a Mi Cloud account or locally, but for most users, the most reliable and versatile solution is synchronization with Google Contacts.
To change the default settings, you need to open the Contacts app and go to the settings menu, which is usually hidden under three dots or a gear at the top of the screen. Here you are interested in the Display Settings or Accounts for Sync. This is where the entire address book system of your device is set.
It is recommended to activate synchronization with multiple sources at once if you use different services, but the main thing is to make Google.This will automatically upload photos, email addresses and additional phone numbers associated with the profile. Local storage ("Phone") should be used only for temporary records that are not sorry to lose.
Remember, storage choices also affect app speed: A phone’s overflowing local memory can slow down subscriber search, while cloud databases are optimized for instant access even with thousands of records. Check sync status regularly in Android system settings.
Import of contacts with SIM-maps and other devices
When you switch from an old phone to a new Xiaomi, you have to transfer the accumulated number base, and the simplest, albeit somewhat archaic, method is to import directly from the phone. SIM-This is a good way to store your numbers on a chip, not in the memory of an old smartphone.
To perform the import, open the Contacts app, click on the menu (three dots) and select Import Contacts. The system will prompt you to select a source. SIM-card, phone counts all records and offers to save them in the previously selected storage (recommended by Google).
- 📲 Open the Contacts app and find the menu button.
- 📥 Select the “Import Contacts” option from the drop-down list.
- 💾 Specify the source (SIM, Mi Drive, Google Contacts or File.vcf).
- ✅ Confirm the action and wait for the copying process to end.
A more advanced way is to use.vcf export files. If you have a backup of contacts in this format, you can simply send the file to your messenger or mail, open it on the new Xiaomi, and the system automatically prompts you to add all the numbers contained in it to the address book.
☑️ Import checklist
Consider the limitation SIM-maps: they often do not support long names, extra numbers or email addresses of a single contact. SIM-It is recommended to manually check the records and supplement them with missing information so that the address book is complete.
Removal of duplicates and consolidation of records
One of the most common problems with Android smartphones, including Xiaomi products, is the appearance of duplicate contacts, which occurs when the same subscriber is stored, for example, in the phone memory and in the Google account at the same time, or when synchronizing from different devices (tablet, old phone).
Modern versions of MIUI and HyperOS have a powerful tool built in to combat this, it can automatically detect repetitive records and suggest that they be combined. However, manual control is also necessary, especially if the names are written with typos or in different formats (for example, "Alexei" and "Lesha"). To access the management function, go to the contact settings and select "Contact Organization".
⚠️ Before mass contact combination, make sure that you combine duplicates of different people with the same names, so as not to lose unique numbers.
The process of merging records is simple: you pick a contact, the system shows the duplicates you find, and you confirm the action, all the numbers, mailing addresses and birthday information will be combined into one card, which makes it much easier to search and makes the list neat.
If the automatic search fails, you can use third-party aggregator apps that specialize in cleaning address books, but with built-in tools Xiaomi usually manages to solve 95% of the problems with duplicates without installing additional software.
Synchronization with Google and Mi Cloud
Xiaomi’s ecosystem offers two main backup paths: through a Google account and through its own Mi Cloud service. Understanding the difference between the two will help avoid confusion. Google Contacts is the industry standard available from any device (iPhone, another Android, computer), while Mi Cloud is better integrated into the brand’s devices.
To set up sync with Google, go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google. Make sure the switch opposite Contacts is active. Here you can start forced sync by clicking on the corresponding button or three points in the menu. Similar actions are performed for a Xiaomi account in the “Mi Cloud” section.
| Parameter | Google Contacts | Mi Cloud | Local (Phone) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access to PC | Yes (contacts.google.com) | Yes (i.mi.com) | No. |
| Compatibility | All Android, iOS | Only Xiaomi/Mi | Just this phone. |
| Recovery | When logging in to your account | When logging into a Mi Account | Only from backup. |
| Reliability | Tall. | Tall. | Low (risk of breakdown) |
It is recommended to keep synchronization with Google as the main one, and use Mi Cloud as an additional backup. This will create a “safety cushion”: if one service crashes or an account is blocked, the data will remain available through another channel.
What to do if the synchronization is suspended?
Creating groups and setting up the display
Managing hundreds of rooms becomes easy if you use a grouping, and you can create your own categories, like Work, Family, Gym, or Delivery, which allows you to quickly find the right person or, more importantly, set up Do Not Disturb modes.
To create a group, open the Group tab in the Contacts app, click the Add button (usually +) and name the new category. Then you can add contacts from a shared list to it. The MIUI shell also has smart groups created automatically by the system, for example, by email domain.
You'll pay special attention to the display settings. There's a "Contacts to Display" option in the contact menu. If you select a particular account or group here, you'll filter the list, which is useful if you want to see only work numbers or hide business contacts.
- 👥 Groups allow mass messaging to all participants at once.
- 🔇 Do Not Disturb mode can be set exceptions for select groups.
- 👀 Display filtering helps you focus on the right social circle.
And you can also assign a unique notification sound or vibration to each group or individual contact, so you can tell without looking at the screen who is trying to contact you, a colleague or a close relative.
Setting up a blacklist and filtering calls
With spam and fraudulent calls becoming more frequent, blocking becomes one of the most important functions in setting up contacts, and Xiaomi has a powerful engine for protecting against unwanted calls, which is based on cloud databases and manual user settings.
To access these settings, open the Security app (a green shield icon) and look for the Antispam or Blacklist section, where you can activate the locking of hidden numbers, foreign numbers, or anyone not listed in your phone book, which drastically reduces the amount of noise.
You can also manually add specific numbers to the blacklist directly from the call history or contact card. The blocked subscriber will hear the beeps, but your phone will not emit sounds and vibrations, and the call will not appear in the missed ones (if the appropriate option is enabled).
⚠️ Warning: Be careful when you turn on the “Block All Unknown Numbers” feature, you may miss an important call from a courier, doctor or new customer whose number is not yet in your database.
💡
Use Quiet Mode for contact groups, such as setting your phone so that at night only family calls are allowed, and all other calls are blocked or switched to silent mode.
Regularly update spam databases in Xiaomi antivirus settings, which ensures the relevance of information about new fraudulent schemes and numbers that are already marked by other users as dangerous.