Why Contacts Are Automatically Copyed on Xiaomi Redmi: Reasons and Ways to Eliminate

Have you noticed that contacts on your Xiaomi Redmi smartphone have started to duplicate for no apparent reason? have even appeared other people's numbers that you did not save? This problem is familiar to many owners of Android devices, especially the Redmi line. Duplicate contacts are not just annoying - it can lead to chaos in the phone book, errors in calls and even leaks of personal data.

In this article, we will take a closer look at 7 main reasons why contacts are copied to Xiaomi Redmi, from synchronization with cloud services to errors in MIUI firmware. You will learn how to delete duplicates in 5 minutes, set up proper synchronization and prevent re-copying. And also – what hidden MIUI settings are responsible for managing contacts and how to properly configured them.

1.Sync with multiple Google and MI accounts

The most common reason for duplicate contacts on Xiaomi Redmi is simultaneous synchronization with multiple accounts. Xiaomi smartphones by default offer to link both a Google account and a Google account. MI-If both services are enabled, they can create copies of the same contacts, but in different "storage".

How does this work in practice? Let's say you save a number in a phone book, Google Contacts copies it to Google's cloud, and MI Cloud copies it to its storage, and as a result, two identical numbers appear on the contact list, but with different sources: one from Google, the other from Mi Account.

• 🔄 Double sync: both accounts are active and duplicate data.
• 📱 Local contacts: In addition to cloud contacts, there are copies stored directly on the device.
• 🔗 Version conflict: when editing a contact in one account, changes do not apply to another account.

To check which accounts sync contacts, go to Settings → Accounts and Sync. Here you will see all the connected services. Pay attention to the Google and Mi Account items, which should be next to the Contact Sync slider.

2 Mistakes in MIUI firmware: system bugs and glitches

MIUI is Xiaomi’s proprietary shell, known for its functionality but also for bugs. In some firmware versions (especially MIUI 12-14), there is an error in which the system willfully copies contacts from one store to another, which can occur after an update, reset settings, or even for no apparent reason.

Typical scenarios:

• 📲 After updating MIUI All contacts are duplicated, some with empty fields.
• 🔄 When editing a contact, a copy of it is created with another ID.
• 🚫 You can’t delete duplicates – they reappear after a reboot.

The most common problem occurs on the Redmi Note 10/11/12, Redmi 9/9A and POCO X3/X4 models, because these devices use a simplified version of MIUI (for example, MIUI Global), where the optimization of work with contacts is worse than in flagship firmware.

⚠️ Note: If the duplication started immediately after the update MIUI, Do not attempt to delete contacts manually, this can lead to data loss. First, check the firmware version in Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI Compare it to the latest stable releases on Xiaomi’s official website.

3.Import of contacts from SIM-card-backup

Many Xiaomi Redmi users face duplicate contacts after importing from the company. SIM-For example, you moved numbers from an old phone, and the system automatically created copies in the cloud. MI Cloud without removing old local contacts.

How it happens:

1. You're inserting. SIM-Card and import contacts through Contacts → Settings → Imports/Exports.
2. The system stores them in a local storage.
3. In parallel, Google Contacts or MI Cloud syncs their copies.
4. As a result, the same number is displayed 2-3 times.

Another trap is automatic importation when you first connect. SIM-Xiaomi sometimes offers to move contacts without warning, and the user agrees, not realizing that this will lead to duplication.

💡

Before importing contacts with SIM-Disable synchronization in Settings → Accounts. → Google/Mi This way you will avoid automatically creating copies.

4 Third-party apps: who is to blame?

Not everyone knows, but some apps have access to contacts and can create duplicates, and most often, the fault is:

• 📞 Messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber) – they can save subscriber numbers in a separate group.
• 🔄 Sync.me (Truthcaller) – automatically update contacts by adding new data.
• 📊 Super Backup (Titanium Backup) – Restore backups on top of existing contacts.
• 🛡️ Avast, 360 Security – scans contacts for viruses and sometimes duplicates them.

How to check which app is to blame?

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort by Permissions and find those who have access to Contacts.
3. Turn off permissions for suspicious programs and check if duplication has stopped.

Especially often problems are caused by Truecaller and Sync.me, which aggressively update the phone book by adding data from social networks and open sources, and if you don't use these features, it's best to remove such applications.

Open Settings → Applications → Application Management |

Sort by permission (see "Contacts")|

Disable access for unnecessary programs |

Remove messengers with auto-save number function-->

5 Conflict between Local and Cloud Contacts

On Xiaomi Redmi, contacts can be stored in three locations:

1. Local storage (only on the phone).
2. Google Contacts (synchronized with Gmail)
3. MI Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud)

If all three sources are active, the system can't prioritize and starts mixing data, like you edit a number in Google Contacts, and MI Cloud restores the old version, or the local contact is duplicated in the cloud and then downloaded back to the phone.

What does it look like in practice?

• 📇 The same contact is displayed with different avatars (one from Google, the other from Google). MI Cloud).
• 🔄 Only one copy is changed while the rest remain intact.
• 📱 The call list shows different names for the same number.

The solution is to put all contacts in one place.

1. Export contacts from all sources to the.vcf file.
2. Remove all duplicates manually or with services like Google Contacts.
3. Import the cleaned list back by selecting one primary account to sync.

6. Viruses and malware: a hidden threat

If contacts are copied without you, and you haven't set up sync, it could be viruses, some Trojans and spyware collect phone books and send them to remote servers, and they can duplicate contacts to hide their activity.

Signs of infection:

• 📱 Contacts are duplicated even after resetting the Contacts app settings.
• 🔋 Your phone is running out quickly, even though you don’t use it.
• 📡 Suspicious traffic appears in Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Traffic.
• 📎 In the list of installed applications there are unknown programs.

What to do:

1. Check your phone for viruses with Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light.
2. Remove suspicious apps in Settings → Apps.
3. Reset the settings to factory (Settings → About phone → Reset settings).
4. After reset, do not restore data from the backup – it can also be infected.

⚠️ Warning: If you suspect a virus, don't enter passwords from banking apps or social media until you clean the device.Some Trojans steal not only contacts, but also authorization data.

7. Mistakes when transferring data from iPhone to Xiaomi Redmi

Users who switch from iPhone to Xiaomi Redmi often experience duplicate contacts, and the reason is that data transfers through programs like Move to iOS or MI Mover are incorrect.

• 📱 Create copies of contacts in different accounts (Google and Google) MI Cloud).
• 🔄 Duplicate numbers when re-transferring.
• 📇 Keep contacts in the wrong format (e.g., with extra characters).

How to transfer contacts from iPhone to Xiaomi without taking:

1. On iPhone, export your contacts to iCloud (on icloud.com).
2. Download the.vcf file to your computer.
3. Import it to Google Contacts (contacts.google.com).
4. On Xiaomi Redmi, enable sync only with Google by disabling MI Cloud.

If you have already received the duplicates, use the Google Contacts merge tool:

1. Go to contacts.google.com.
2. In the menu, select Duplicates → Combine.
3. Confirm the merger of the same contacts.

💡

When transferring data from your iPhone to Xiaomi, never use programs like Move to iOS or MI Mover — they often create duplicates.

FAQ: Frequent questions about duplicate contacts on Xiaomi Redmi