Why Xiaomi doesn’t display the name of the caller – a complete elimination guide

You pick up your Xiaomi or Redmi, you display an incoming call, but instead of a contact name, it's just a number? This problem is familiar to many MIUI smartphone owners, and it can occur on both newer models (Xiaomi 13T, Redmi Note 12) and older devices (Poco X3, Mi 9), the reasons are rooted in system settings, synchronization errors or even hardware limitations.

In this article, we will analyze all possible reasons why it is not displayed who calls Xiaomi – from the banal failure of the “Contacts” application to problems with the mobile phone. SIM-You will receive step-by-step instructions with illustrations (for example, for the purpose of MIUI 12, 13 and 14), and learn how to prevent the problem from recurring. MIUI, which the manufacturer does not advertise in official documentation.

1. Check basic settings: contacts and phone book

Start with the simplest thing, make sure that the problem isn't about the contact display in general. Often users overlook that the Contacts app can be configured to only display numbers, not names.

• 📱 Open the Contacts app (a icon with a person’s silhouette).
• ⚙️ Click on three dots in the upper right corner → Settings → Contact display.
• 🔍 Make sure you choose your full name and surname, not just numbers.
• 📞 Check if Show Contacts with Doubles is enabled (sometimes duplicate entries interfere with correct display).

If this is OK, then move on to the next step, and note that some MIUI firmware (especially those localized in China) may not sync with Google Contacts, in which case the names of the callers will only be displayed for numbers stored in the local phone book.

2. Contact synchronization: Google, Mi Account and SIM-map

One of the most common reasons is the lack of synchronization between your accounts and your phone book, and Xiaomi maintains three main contact sources:

1. Google Account (Sync through the Cloud)
2. Mi Account (Xiaomi cloud)
3. SIM-map (local storage).

If the sync is disabled or there is a failure, the phone simply doesn't know which number the name corresponds to.

• 🔄 Go to Settings. → Accounts and synchronization.
• 📱 Choose Google or Mi Account → Make sure that the contact slider is on.
• 🔍 Click Sync Now (Wi-Fi connection may be required).
• 📶 For SIM-Maps: Open Contacts → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Check if the contacts are kept on SIM.

Important: If you are using a double SIM-map, names can only be displayed for the SIM that you've been contacted with, for example, if the number is saved under the SIM1, And the call is coming SIM2, name may not be visible.

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If the names don’t show up after syncing, try deleting your Google/Mi Account and adding it again, which often helps with data that is stuck.

3. Reset the settings of the application “Phone” and “Contacts”

Sometimes system application failures result in caller names being undetected, which can happen after a MIUI update or third-party launchers are installed, to get things back to normal:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Phone and Contacts apps (sometimes called com.android.contacts).
3. Do it for each of them: 🛑 Stop (if the button is active); 🗑️ Clear the cache; 🔄 Reset settings (do not delete data!).

Reboot the phone.

After the reboot, check if the callers' names have appeared. If not, move to the next section. Note: resetting your contacts won't delete your contacts, but it can reset individual settings (such as display settings).

Make sure your contacts are synchronized with the cloud|Remember the current display settings|Check for backup copy|Do not delete application data!-->

4. Problems with firmware and MIUI updates

Firmware errors are a common reason why Xiaomi doesn’t show who is calling, especially for custom firmware (such as Xiaomi.eu or Pixel Experience), where system components responsible for determining contacts can be removed.

Here's what we can do:

• 📲 Check the version. MIUI: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI. If it is outdated (for example, MIUI 12.5 at 14 available, update.
• 🔧 If the problem appears after the update, try to roll back to the previous version via Settings. → The phone. → Updating the system → Three points. → Select a Service Package.
• 🛠️ For custom firmware: make sure that you do not remove system applications such as MiContacts or MiDialer when installing.

If you suspect the problem is firmware but don’t want to do a full reset, try installing a patch through TWRP (for power users). For example, MIUI 13 has special fix-zip files that restore the phone book.

5. Conflicts with third-party applications

Many users install alternative calling apps (Truecaller, GetContact) or launchers (Nova Launcher, POCO Launcher), which can intercept caller detection but not work properly, to check this:

1. Go to Settings → Apps → Permissions → Autostart and turn off Autostart for all third-party phone apps.
2. In Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Optimization, add the Phone and Contacts apps to the exceptions.
3. If you use Truecaller: 📱 Open the app. → Settings → Call identification. 🔄 Turn off the option to replace the standard phone app.

Also check if you have Magisk modules (such as ViPER4Android or Xposed) that can interfere with system services.

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Third-party calling apps are the main cause of Xiaomi's name display problems, and even if you deleted them long ago, their settings may have stayed in the system, and always clean up the data of those apps before you delete them.

Hardware problems: SIM-map and communication module

If all software methods have been tried, but Xiaomi still doesn’t show who is calling, the problem may lie in the hardware:

• 📶 Bad contact. SIM-maps: remove the tray, wipe the contacts SIM-cards and a slot with alcohol, then insert back.
• 🔌 Damaged communication module: If the phone often falls or was exposed to moisture, the chip responsible for handling calls could fail.
• 🔄 Conflict of the two SIM-Cards: on some models (Redmi Note 10 Pro, Poco) F3) When two sims are activated, the definition of contacts for one of them is disabled.

To check the hardware:

1. Try inserting. SIM-Map to another phone – if there are names displayed, the problem is your Xiaomi.
2. If you have a two-sim phone, remove one. SIM-Check the map and see if the names appear.
3. Run the hardware test through the engineering menu: dial ##4636## → Phone information → check the SIM status.

⚠️ Warning: If the problem has occurred after a phone drop or moisture hits, don't try to disassemble it yourself.In Xiaomi, the communication module is often integrated into the motherboard, and repairing it requires soldering work.

7.Reset to factory settings: Last chance

If none of these methods work, you have to reset your phone completely, and it's a radical solution, but it's guaranteed to fix all the software failures.

• 📱 Create a backup of contacts through Settings → System and device → Backup.
• 🔐 Make sure you have access to your Google and Mi Accounts (required for recovery).
• 📡 Connect to Wi-Fi – after reset, the phone will require a Xiaomi account check.

To perform the discharge:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Erase All Data (not Reset!).
3. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot (it will take 5-10 minutes).

Once reset, the phone will look like new. Don't restore the data from the backup right away -- first check if the names of the callers are displayed. If so, the problem was the software conflict.

⚠️ Warning: On phones with a locked bootloader (Xiaomi for China), a reset may require you to enter a Mi Account tied to the device.If you don't remember it, the phone will become a "brick." Before reset, make sure that the account is not blocked!

FAQ: Frequent questions about the problem