How to remove several contacts Xiaomi Redmi Note 9: all working ways

Deleting multiple contacts on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 may seem like a simple task, but standard MIUI tools don’t always offer a convenient solution for mass cleaning. If you need to free up memory, get rid of duplicates, or just clean up the phone book, manually deleting each contact individually will take hours. Fortunately, there are both built-in and third-party methods for group contact management.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways, including using the standard Contacts app, syncing with Google Account, hidden MIUI Tools features, and specialized utilities. We will focus on nuances that will help avoid losing important data – for example, how to properly export a backup before mass deletion or why some contacts can be “recovered” after cleaning.

Important: the procedure may vary depending on the version of MIUI (for example, in MIUI 12 and MIUI 14, the contact menu interface is different). All the instructions below are relevant for Redmi Note 9 (models M2003J15SC, M2003J15SS and the like) with firmware based on Android 10/11.

1. Deletion through the standard “Contacts” application

The most obvious, but not always effective, way to do this is to use the built-in Contacts app (or Phone in global firmware), which has two approaches: single-delete and group-select. Unfortunately, MIUI doesn't have a one-click mass-delete feature, but it can speed up the process.

How to remove several contacts Step-by-step:

• 📱 Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person’s silhouette on the home screen or in the app menu).
• 🔍 At the top of the screen, click on the search icon (magnitude) or go to All Contacts section.
• ✅ Press and hold your finger on the first contact you want to remove, then tick the rest. MIUI For this, you need to first press on ⋮ → Choose.
• 🗑️ After selecting, click on the basket icon (or Delete in the bottom panel). Confirm the action.

Limitations of the method:

• ⚠️ You can’t delete contacts synced to your Google Account – you’ll have to clean them separately (see next section).
• 🐢 The process takes a long time if the contacts are hundreds: the application can “hang” with mass selection.
• 🔄 Remote contacts remain in the basket (on the menu) ⋮ → The basket) another 30 days before it is finally erased.

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If contacts are not ticked, try updating the Contacts app via Google Play or clearing its cache in Settings → Apps → App Management → Contacts → Clear the cache.

2. Massive deletion via Google Account

If your contacts are synced with your Google Account (which is the default on most Xiaomi devices), they are easier to clean through a web interface, which allows you to delete contacts in bundles of 250 pieces at a time – much faster than on your phone.

Instructions:

1. 🌐 Open contacts.google.com on your computer or phone and log in with the same account as you used on the Redmi Note 9.
2. ✅ In the upper left corner, click on the square next to the words Primary (or All Contacts) to enable Select Mode.
3. 🔍 Use search bar or filters (e.g. Duplicates, No phone) to quickly find unnecessary entries.
4. 🗑️ Click on the basket icon in the top panel and confirm removal. For mass cleaning, select Highlight All (maximum 250 contacts at a time).

Important nuances:

• 🔄 Once deleted, the contacts will disappear on the phone, but only after the next sync. To speed up the process, go to Settings. → Accounts. → Google → Sync your account and click Sync Now.
• 📥 Google Deleted Contacts Are Not Into the Recycle Bin» MIUI and permanently removed immediately after confirmation.
• 🔒 If your contacts are duplicated between your Google and Mi Account, you will need to clear them separately in both services.

3. Use of MIUI Tools (Hidden Functions)

MIUI has hidden tools for managing system data, including contacts, one of which is MIUI Hidden Settings, which allows you to massively delete records without the limitations of the standard interface, which requires activation of the developer mode.

How to turn on and use:

1. 🛠️ Activate Developer Mode: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Press 7 times in a row) Then in Settings → There will be a new item for developers.
2. 🔧 Turn on Debugging. USB developer menu.
3. 📱 Install the app MIUI Hidden Settings (available on Google Play or Xiaomi forums).
4. 🗃️ In the app, go to Contacts Manager, select unnecessary contacts and click Delete Selected.

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Faster than the standard app – allows you to delete up to 500 contacts in one operation.
• 🔍 See contacts from all sources (including: SIM-Map, Google and Mi Account).
• 🛡️ It does not require root rights (unlike some alternative utilities).

4.Export, edit and import via VCF file

If you need to filter out contacts (for example, leave only work or family contacts), the most convenient method is to work with a.vcf file.

Step-by-step:

1. 📤 Export contacts: Contacts → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Export to file Select a save location (e.g., Internal Memory) → Download) and.vcf format.
2. 💻 Connect your phone to your computer and copy the contact.vcf file.
3. 📝 Open the file in a text editor (for example, Notepad)++ or VS Code. Every contact starts with a code. BEGIN:VCARD ends END:VCARD. Remove unnecessary blocks manually or by search/replacement.
4. 📥 Import the edited file: Contacts → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Select edited.vcf and confirm replacement of existing contacts.

Tips for working with VCF:

• 🔍 To quickly find duplicates, use a search for FN: (name of contact; or TEL: (phone number).
• 📊 Specialized programs can be used for mass editing, for example, VCF Editor or Contacts+.
• ⚠️ Before importing, make sure to back up the original.vcf file!

Create a backup copy of contacts|Copy the file on a PC|Install a text editor with support for encoding UTF-8|Check the file for broken characters-->

5. Third-party applications for mass disposal

If you don't like the built-in MIUI tools, you can use third-party utilities, and we tested some of the popular apps and selected the most reliable ones for the Redmi Note 9.

Top.-3 contact-removal:

How to choose an application:

• 🔍 If you need to clean duplicates, choose Simpler Merge or Cleanup.
• 🗑️ Contacts Optimizer is suitable for mass removal (in the paid version).
• 🛡️ Before using, check the permissions of the application in Settings → Annexes → Permits and disable access to SMS/call if you don't need it.

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The application side may conflict with MIUI. If contacts are lost or duplicated after use, try resetting the Contacts app settings in Settings → Apps → Contacts → Storage → Reset.

Removal of contacts with SIM-map

Contacts saved on SIM-The Redmi Note 9 has a built-in tool for this, but with limitations: for example, you can not delete multiple contacts at the same time.

How to cleanse SIM-map:

1. 📱 Open the Contacts app and go to the section SIM (or SIM 1/SIM 2, if you have two cards).
2. 🔍 Look at the contact list. MIUI There is no mass choice function for SIM-contact.
3. 🗑️ Delete contacts one by one by clicking on each and choosing Delete.

Alternative way (for advanced users):

• 📱 Use the Engineering Mode to access low-level features SIM-maps: ##4636## → Phone information → Choose. SIM → Delete contacts ⚠️ Note: Engineering menus may vary depending on the firmware version.Unknown commands may cause network failures!
• 💻 Connect your phone to your computer and use programs like SIM Card Reader for Mass Contact Management.

Why? SIM-Contacts are not better used:

• 📞 Limit the number of characters in a name (often up to 14 characters).
• 🔢 No support for additional fields (email, address, photo).
• 🔄 On shifts. SIM-Contact cards will have to be re-transferred.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When you delete your contacts, Redmi Note 9 users often face some problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:

Problem 1: Contacts are returned after removal

This is due to automatic synchronization with Google or Mi Account.

• 🔄 Turn off sync before deleting: Settings → Accounts. → Google/Mi Account → Synchronization of contacts (disable)
• 🗑️ Delete the contacts, then clear the Recycle Bin in the Contacts app.
• 🔄 Turn the sync back on if necessary.

Problem 2: You can’t delete contacts from your work account

Some contacts may be protected by Exchange policies (e.g., if the phone is linked to a corporate account).

• 📧 Contact the administrator. IT-lock-out.
• 📱 Create local contact with the same data and remove the corporate one (if the company rules allow it).

Problem 3: Important contacts are missing after removal

If you accidentally delete the contacts you want, try to restore them:

• 🔙 In the Contacts app, go to ⋮ → Recycle Bin and Restore Records (available within 30 days).
• 📥 If your contacts have been synced to Google, check the Google Contacts archive (Section More) → Repeal the changes).

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Before any mass transactions with contacts, be sure to back up through Settings → System system → Backup or export backup VCF-file.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions