How to Clean the Call List on Xiaomi: All Ways

The call list on Xiaomi smartphones is not just a log of incoming and outgoing calls, but also a potential source of confidential information leakage. Even after deleting individual records, traces can remain in the device’s memory, accessible through system applications or backups, a problem that is especially relevant for users who often hand over the phone to third parties or sell it in the secondary market.

In this article, we will discuss all possible methods for cleaning the history of calls on Xiaomi, Redmi and other devices. POCO — From basic to hidden system functions, you'll learn how to delete records selectively or completely, how to set up automatic cleanup, and how to make sure that data is indeed erased without recovery. MIUI 12, 13, 14 and 15 (including global and Chinese firmware versions).

Why Standard Removal Doesn't Always Work

Many users mistakenly believe that clicking the "Clear" button in the call log completely erases data.

• 📱 The Phone app cache can store temporary copies of records even after they are removed from the interface.
• ☁️ Sync with Mi Account automatically restores your call history the next time you log in (if the feature is enabled).
• 🔄 Backup copies MIUI save the call log in the cloud or locally, allowing you to restore it after resetting your settings.
• 🛠️ System logs (e.g., system logs, /data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/) may contain traces of deleted records before rewriting.

What’s more, in some versions of MIUI (especially on Xiaomi 12/13/14 with HyperOS), the call log is integrated with the Contacts app, making it difficult to clean it completely. For example, if you delete a log entry, it may remain in the “Recent” section inside the contact.

Method 1: Standard cleaning through the application "Phone"

The simplest method that works for most users is to remove the recordings from the visible interface, but it doesn't guarantee that the data is completely erased from the device.

1. Open the phone app** (pipe icon).
2. Go to the Journal tab** (or Recent, depending on the MIUI version).

On some models (e.g. POCO F5 or Redmi Note 12), instead of the “Clear” button, there may be an option to “Edit”**.

1. Click "Edit"**, tick all the records (or select the necessary ones).

Disable sync with Mi Account|Close all background applications |Check backups |Reboot phone after cleaning-->

⚠️ Note: If you have Mi Cloud sync enabled, deleted records can be restored the next time you connect to the Internet. To avoid this, turn off contact sync and call log in your Xiaomi account settings before clearing.

Method 2: Remove via the settings of the “Phone” application

This method allows you to reset all application data, including cache and temporary files, which increases the chances of a complete history deletion.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the listing for “Phone” (or “Contacts” if the log is integrated there).

After this procedure, the Phone app will reset to factory settings and you will need to reconfigure the settings (e.g. lock numbers or fast dial).

Method 3: Automatically clean the log (MIUI setting)

MIUI allows you to set up automatic deletion of old entries from the call log, which is useful if you don’t want to manually clear your history, but you don’t plan to keep it for longer than a certain period of time.

1. Open the phone» → ⋮ → «Settings».

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI 14 Global), this section may be called “Manage Log”**.If you don’t have an option, then your version of MIUI doesn’t support automatic cleanup – in which case, use Tasker or Automate to create an automatic rule.

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If you frequently call the same numbers (such as colleagues or relatives), add them to Favorites in the Contacts app, which will allow you to quickly find them in the log, even if the rest of the entries will be automatically deleted.

Method 4: Cleaning through ADB (for power users)

If you want to securely remove all traces of the call log, including system files, you can use the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) command, which requires connecting the phone to your computer and enabling debugging mode.

Warning: improper use of ADB can cause phone malfunctions. Follow the instructions carefully!

1. Turn on Developer Mode on your phone: Go to Settings → About Phone. Press 7 times on MIUI Version** until the notification “You are a developer” appears.

USB-debugging

• Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
• Turn on the slider "Debugging by USB"**.
• Connect the phone to your computer and confirm the debugging permission.
• Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:

adb shell pm clear com.android.dialer


adb shell pm clear com.android.contacts

These commands will completely reset the phone and contact data, including the call log, selected numbers and settings, and once executed, the phone will restart and the apps will return to factory status.

⚠️ Note: pm clear commands will delete all application data, including saved contacts (unless they are synced to a Google or Mi Cloud account!

Method 5: Completely reset your phone (if nothing helps)

If you're selling or transferring your phone to another person, the only surefire way to erase your entire call history is to reset to factory settings.

• 📱 Internal memory (if not encrypted) can be restored by specialized programs. For complete cleaning, use formatting via Fastboot.

Resetting instructions:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select “Erase all data”**.
3. Enter a password (if required) and confirm the action.
4. Wait for the process to be completed (it will take 5-10 minutes).

Additional measures: how to prevent data recovery

Even after cleaning the call log, experienced users can recover some of the data using specialized utilities (for example, Dr.Fone or EaseUS MobiSaver).

• 🔒 Encrypt your phone before resetting: Settings → Lockdown and protection → Encrypting the phone, making data recovery almost impossible.
• 🗃️ Rewrite the memory after reset: fill the internal drive with large files (like videos) and then delete them.
• 🛡️ Use Safe Mode to clean: boot your phone in Safe Mode (hold the power button) → «Reboot in Safe Mode) and re-clean the log.This will eliminate the impact of third-party applications.

If you are transferring your phone to another person, it is best to combine several methods:

1. Disable sync with Mi Cloud and Google.
2. Clear the data of the “Phone” application through settings.
3. Perform a reset to factory settings.
4. Encrypt the phone and re-write the memory.

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The most reliable way to clean the call log is by combining factory reset, shutdown synchronization, and memory encryption, which is the only way to ensure that the data is not recovered.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning up the call log on Xiaomi