Previous articleMissing all contacts on Xiaomi: what to do and how to restore numbers

You opened a phone book on your Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5 Pro, and instead of hundreds of saved numbers, you had a blank screen? You know, contacts suddenly disappear after a MIUI update, a setting reset, or even for no apparent reason. 80 percent of the time, the problem is solved in 10 to 15 minutes, if you know where to look for backups and how to sync the data correctly.

In this article, 7 working methods of recovery, from simple (checking) SIM-cards) to advanced (removal from the backup through ADB). We will explain why Xiaomi contacts are missing, how to return them from Google Account, Mi Cloud or local copy, and what to do if the phone does not see. SIM-Let's focus on the hidden function. MIUI, It automatically backs up contacts once a week, and less than 15% of users know it.

Why Xiaomi contacts are missing: 5 main reasons

Before you can retrieve the numbers, it's important to understand what caused them to disappear, so you can avoid losing the data again.

• 📱 Resetting to factory settings is the most common reason. Many users forget that when resetting through Settings, they're resetting to factory settings. → The phone. → Resetting all local contacts if they are not synced to the cloud.
• 🔄 Update MIUI — In 2023, users of Xiaomi 13 Ultra massively complained about the disappearance of contacts after upgrading to the previous version. MIUI 14.0.5.
• 🗃️ Sync error with Google Contacts or Mi Cloud, for example, if you changed your password from your Xiaomi account and your phone didn’t request a re-authorization.
• 📶 Problems with SIM-card: physical damage, improper installation or failure of the communication module (relevant to Redmi) 9A and POCO M4 Pro with hybrid slots).
• 🛠️ Repair or replace the motherboard, in which case the contacts may disappear if the master did not transfer the data from the old memory chip.

If the contacts are lost after rooting or installing custom firmware (for example, LineageOS), they will not be restored using standard methods - you will need to extract from the backup via TWRP or ADB.

⚠️ Note: If you have used the Privatization function in MIUI (available on Xiaomi 12T And newer, check if the contacts are hidden. → Privacy → Private mode and disable the option.

Method 1: Verification SIM-Maps are the fastest method

If the contacts are missing only on the phone, but remain on the phone SIM-And this is a map that you can easily import back, and it works even without an Internet connection.

How to check:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Contact management.
3. Select Import/Export Contacts → Import from SIM-card.
4. Mark the numbers you need and click Import.

If SIM-The card is empty or the phone can't see it:

• 🔧 Reset the device.
• 📱 Remove and re-insert. SIM-card (preliminary cleaning of contacts with a dry cloth).
• 📡 Check if the mode is on. 2G/3G/4G In Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks.

Method 2: Restore from Google Account

If you’ve ever signed in to a Google Account on your Xiaomi, chances are your contacts are automatically synced to the cloud, and you can check this on any device:

Instructions:

1. Open contacts.google.com on your computer or other phone.
2. Sign in with the same account as Xiaomi.
3. If you have contacts, go back to your phone, go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google and enable Contact Sync.

If you don’t have any contacts in Google, but you’re sure that sync has been enabled:

• 🔍 Check the Recycle Bin folder on Google Contacts (stored for 30 days).
• ⏳ Return to the old version of contacts via Version Management (available on the left menu).

Important: On some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi 10C), sync with Google may be blocked due to energy saving settings.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Google Contacts.
2. Choose the Battery. → No restrictions.
3. Enable AutoRun and Secondary Start.

Method 3: Recovery from Mi Cloud (for Xiaomi users)

Mi Cloud is a cloud storage from Xiaomi that automatically saves contacts if the appropriate setting is enabled.

Steps:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Mi Account.
2. Make sure you're logged in. If not, log in.
3. Go to Mi Cloud → Contacts and enable synchronization.
4. If contacts do not appear, click Restore and select the latest backup.

If Mi Cloud is not working:

• 🌐 Check your internet connection (better to use Wi-Fi).
• 🔄 Update the Mi Cloud app on Google Play.
• 📱 On some firmware (for example, MIUI 13 for Xiaomi 11T) Manual access to contacts required: Settings → Annexes → Mi Cloud → Permits.

⚠️ Note: If you reset your phone to factory settings and do not remember the password from the Mi Account, you can only restore access through the attached email or phone number. SMS It does not work on all models (for example, on the POCO F4 confirmation is required by email).

Method 4: Local backup (hidden MIUI function)

Few people know, but MIUI automatically creates local contact backups once a week, and these files are stored in the phone's memory and can save the day even if cloud sync is turned off.

How to find and restore:

1. Connect your phone to your computer via USB (in File Transfer mode).
2. Go to Internal Storage → MIUI → Backup → AllBackup.
3. Find the file with the.bak extension and the latest date (e.g., the file with the file file file file file file file file file, contacts_20260515.bak).
4. Copy it to your desktop and rename it to contacts.vcf.
5. Import the file back to your phone via Contacts → Import/Export → Import from the file.

If the AllBackup folder is not:

• 🔍 Check the root directory for Backup folder (on some firmwares, the path may be different).
• 📁 Use a file manager with root rights (such as Root Explorer) if the standard explorer doesn’t show hidden folders.

💡

If the.bak file doesn’t open, try renaming it.vcf and importing it via Gmail: open email, create a new email, attach the file, and save it as contacts.

Method 5: Recovery through ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods have failed and contacts are critical, you can try extracting them via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that requires command line skills and is suitable for unlocked USB debugging devices.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on Developer Mode on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times).
2. Activate Debugging by USB in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Connect your phone to your computer and install ADB drivers.
4. Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (Mac/Linux) and type:

adb devices

(Your device should be displayed)

adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/contacts2.db

This command will copy the contact database to the computer.

1. Use DB Browser for SQLite to open the contacts2.db file.
2. Export the table raw_contacts in.csv or.vcf format.

If the adb pull command gives a Permission Denied error:

• 🔓 Try to get root access through Magisk.
• 📱 On some firmware (for example, MIUI 14 for Xiaomi 12 Pro requires disabling MIUI Optimization in the Developer Settings.

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB This can result in a loss of warranty if the phone has not been officially unlocked through the Mi Unlock Tool. on devices with a locked bootloader (e.g., Redmi Note 11 Pro).+ 5G) This method won't work.

Method 6: Contact Xiaomi Service Center

If none of the methods worked and contacts are critical (e.g., customer work numbers), contact Xiaomi's official service center, and in some cases engineers can extract data directly from the device's memory even if the phone doesn't turn on.

What you need to know before your visit:

• 📄 Bring checks or a warranty card (if the device is warranty).
• 🔐 If your phone is locked with a pattern lock, tell your engineers it will speed up the process.
• 💾 Check if the service provides a logical data recovery service (not all centers do this).

The cost of restoring contacts in the service center:

Before visiting the service, it is necessary to:

1. Back up all remaining data (photos, messages) through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.
2. Check by phone if the center is working with your model (e.g., the POCO F5 may require special equipment).

💡

Official Xiaomi service centers in Russia can be found on the website mi.com/ru/service. Avoid informal workshops – they often use uncertified recovery techniques that can damage data.

How to Avoid Losing Contacts in the Future: 5 Rules

To never face the problem of missing numbers again, follow these recommendations:

• ☁️ Enable automatic sync with Google Contacts and Mi Cloud. for this, go to Settings → Accounts and sync and activate the option for both services.
• 📅 Create local backups once a month: Contacts → Settings → Exports/imports → Export to your device. Save the.vcf file to the cloud (e.g. Google Drive or Yandex.Disk).
• 🔄 Update. MIUI Be careful: check the forum reviews before installing a new firmware (for example, 4PDA) contact bugs.
• 📱 Use hybrid slots for the SIM-If you have a card with a smart card, then your Redmi or POCO two-way SIM-card SIM + microSD, keep a backup of contacts on the second card.
• 🔧 Turn off battery optimization for Contacts and Mi Cloud apps to keep sync running in the background.

For owners of Xiaomi root-access:

• 🛠️ Install Swift Backup for automatic backup of contacts (and other data) on Google Drive.
• 📂 Set up a task in Tasker, which will export contacts to.vcf every Monday.

💡

If you change phones frequently, use cross-platform services to store contacts, such as Sync.me or Truecaller, which automatically reserve numbers and allow you to restore them even when you change your smartphone brand.

FAQ: Frequent questions about missing contacts on Xiaomi