You accidentally deleted an important contact on a Xiaomi smartphone and now you don't know where to look for a remote number basket? Or just want to be safe for the future? Unlike the standard Contacts app on Android, the MIUI shell offers a unique feature - temporary storage of remote contacts in a special shopping cart. However, not all users know where to find it, and on some models this option may be hidden or absent.
In this article, we will discuss how to open the contact basket on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO phones, which versions of MIUI support this feature, and what to do if the basket is empty or unavailable. Also, you will learn about hidden synchronization settings that will help avoid data loss in the future. If you are a Xiaomi user with a firmware version older than MIUI 12, the chances of recovering remote contacts are much higher - more on this.
Why Xiaomi has a contact cart (and other Android phones don’t)
The Contact Cart feature is an exclusive MIUI shell feature that Xiaomi has implemented since MIUI 10. While the standard Contacts app on pure Android deletes numbers irrevocably (unless synced with Google is configured), Xiaomi developers have added an intermediate buffer.
- 🗑️ Restore Remote Contacts within 30 Days (Default).
- 🔄 Cancel mass deletion (for example, if you accidentally erase your entire phone book).
- 📱 Sync the shopping cart between Xiaomi devices when using one Mi Account.
However, there are nuances: on budget models (for example, Redmi 9A or POCO M3), the cart can be disabled by default due to memory limitations, and if a contact was deleted through a third-party application (for example, Truecaller or WhatsApp), it will not fall into the MIUI basket.
Where is the basket with contacts: step-by-step instructions
To open the cart, follow the following steps (instructions are relevant for MIUI 12-14):
- Open the standard “Contacts” app** (an icon with a human silhouette).
- Tap it on three points (⋮) in the upper right corner or swipe from right to left to open the side menu.
- Select the Recycle Bin (on some models – Remote Contacts).
- You'll see a list of contacts that you deleted in the last 30 days, and to restore a number, click on it and select Restore.
If the item is not on the menu, check:
- 📱 Version MIUI (Update the firmware if it is older than version 12).
- 🔧 Synchronization settings (more on this below).
- 🛠️ Root rights or custom firmware (they can block system functions).
Is the standard "Contacts" application open (not third-party)?
Is there an active internet connection (for synchronization)?
Is the firmware updated to MIUI 12 or newer?
Have you checked your Mi Account settings?
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Important: If you deleted a contact more than 30 days ago, it will be permanently erased from the cart, in which case, try to restore data through a backup of Mi Cloud or Google Contacts.
Table: Support for a basket of contacts in different versions of MIUI
| MIUI version | Possession of the basket | Storage period (days) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIUI 9 and older | ❌ No. | — | Remote contacts are erased immediately. |
| MIUI 10–11 | ⚠️ Partially. | 15 | The function in test mode may not be available on budget models. |
| MIUI 12–14 | ✅ Yes. | 30 | Full support, including mass recovery. |
| HyperOS (2026+) | ✅ Yes. | 30–90 | Advanced storage settings, integration with Mi Cloud. |
If your MIUI version doesn’t support the Recycle Bin, try alternative recovery methods (see next section). Also note that some regional firmware (e.g. Europe or India) may have the feature disabled by default.
What to do if the basket is empty or missing
If you didn’t find remote contacts in the shopping cart, the reasons may be as follows:
- The contact was deleted long ago (more than 30 days ago).
- A third-party application (such as Simpler Contacts or Drupe) was used.
- Synchronization with Mi Account is disabled.
- Resetting settings or flashing the phone.
In these cases, try the following methods:
How to Restore Contacts through Google Account
- 🔄 Recovery via Mi Cloud: Go to Settings → Accounts. → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Contacts. Click Restore and select backup date.
- 📱 Using third-party utilities: Apps like Dr.Fone or EaseUS MobiSaver can scan your phone’s memory for deleted data (root required for deep scanning).
- 💾 Local backup: if you have previously created a backup through Settings → Additionally. → Backup, restore it.