How to completely remove all contacts on Xiaomi 11T: from manual cleaning to reset

Deleting all contacts on Xiaomi 11T can be necessary in a variety of situations, from selling a phone to basic memory cleaning. However, many users face unexpected difficulties - contacts are duplicated after synchronization, remain in the cloud or recover from backups. This article will help you understand how to completely and irretrievably delete all records, avoiding typical errors.

Xiaomi 11T is powered by MIUI, a proprietary shell that integrates with Google and Mi Account services, which means contacts can be stored in multiple locations simultaneously: locally on the device, in a Google account and in the Xiaomi cloud. Simply tapping “Delete All” in the phone book is often not enough. We’ll look at all possible methods, from the elementary to the radical, including resetting to factory settings.

It’s important to understand that if you’re planning to sell or transfer a phone, it’s not enough to simply erase contacts, you also need to disable syncs and delete linked accounts, otherwise the new owner can recover your data through Settings → Accounts.

Before you start, check where your contacts are stored. To do this, open the Contacts app, click on the three dots in the upper right corner, and select Contact Management → Sources. Here you will see all the accounts that are synced with the data.

Method 1: Remove contacts through the "Contacts" application

The most obvious method is to use Xiaomi’s built-in Contacts app, but it only works for local contacts not tied to Google or Mi accounts. If your records are synced to the cloud, they will return after the next data update.

To remove all contacts through the app:

1. Open Contacts on the main screen.
2. Click on the three vertical dots in the upper right corner.
3. Select Contact Management → Delete contacts.
4. Check all contacts or select the necessary ones manually.
5. Confirm the action by clicking Delete.

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Note: If your source list shows a Google or Mi Account, this method will not remove your contacts from the cloud.

To test the success of the operation, close the application and reopen it. If the contacts are gone, the task is done. If not, move to the next method.

Method 2: Cleaning up your Google account (for synchronized contacts)

If your contacts are linked to a Google account, they can be deleted remotely via a web interface, which is guaranteed to clear data from all devices that are synced.

Instructions for removal:

1. Open contacts.google.com on your computer or phone.
2. Sign in with the same account as the Xiaomi 11T.
3. Click on the square to the left of the first contact, then select Allocate.
4. Click on the basket icon in the top panel.
5. Confirm the removal in the pop-up window.

After that, the contacts will disappear from your Xiaomi 11T within 5-10 minutes (with active Internet).

1. Go to Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Select your account, then click on account sync.
3. Turn off and switch on the Contact switch again.

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Attention: Deleted contacts stay in the Google shopping cart for another 30 days. To erase them forever, go to the Recycle Bin on Google Contacts and select Clear the Recycle Bin.

Turn off automatic synchronization in Xiaomi settings

Check backups in Google Drive

Download important contacts to the CSV file (in case of an error)

Make sure your phone has active mobile internet or Wi-Fi-->

Method 3: Delete via Mi Account (for Xiaomi Cloud users)

If you use Mi Account for backup, contacts can be stored in the Xiaomi cloud.

How to delete contacts from Mi Cloud:

1. Open on your phone Settings → Mi Account.
2. Go to the Xiaomi Cloud → Contacts section.
3. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Control.
4. Mark all contacts or highlight the ones you need, then click Delete.

After deleting, wait for sync (usually takes 1-2 minutes). To check the result, open the Contacts app and update the list (pull the screen down).

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Note: If you delete contacts from Mi Cloud, they will also disappear from all devices associated with that account (for example, from a tablet or other Xiaomi smartphone).

Method 4: Reset the phone book through the engineering menu (for power users)

For those who aren't afraid to dig into system settings, there's an engineering menu method that resets the system-level contact database, but it requires caution.

Instructions:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter the combination: ##4636###.
3. In the menu that opens, select Phone Information.
4. Scroll down and click Perform the ping test (this is needed to activate hidden options).
5. Go back to the main menu of engineering settings and select Equipment Testing.
6. Go to the Single Test → Contacts Provider Test.
7. Click Clear Contacts Data and confirm the action.

This method removes ALL contacts, including system and hidden contacts, that are not displayed in the standard interface. Use it only if other methods have not worked.

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Warning: Incorrect actions on the engineering menu can disrupt the phone. Do not change other settings unless you are sure of their purpose.

Method 5: Complete resetting (radical method)

If you not only need to delete contacts, but also completely clean your phone (for example, before selling), reset to factory settings. This method erases ALL data, including apps, photos and settings.

Step-by-step:

1. Make a backup copy of important data (photos, documents, messages).
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select to erase all data (reset to factory).
4. Enter the password from the lock screen (if installed).
5. Confirm the action by pressing Erase Everything.

It takes 5-10 minutes, and when it's rebooted, it's like new, without contacts, accounts, or personal files.

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Note: After resetting, Xiaomi 11T may request data from the last associated Mi Account (anti-theft protection). Make sure to remember the username and password, otherwise it will be difficult to unlock the device.

What to do if contacts are restored after removal?

If you deleted the contacts, but they reappeared, it's likely automatic sync is enabled. Here's how to fix it:

1. Turn off sync:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Accounts.
• 🔄 Choose Google or Mi Account.
• ⚙️ Turn off the contact switch.

2. Delete backup copies:

• 🖥️ For Google: Go to Google Drive → Backups and delete copies of contacts.
• ☁️ For Mi Cloud: In Settings → Mi Account → Xiaomi Cloud → Backups Remove Recent Copies.

3. Check third-party applications:

• 📲 Some messengers (such as WhatsApp or Viber) keep their own copies of contacts. Go to the settings of these applications and clear the cache.

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If you are selling a phone, don’t forget to delete it too. SIM-card and memory card, and even after the reset, they may still have personal data.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing contacts on Xiaomi 11T

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Before any contact deletion method, turn off automatic sync in account settings, which will prevent data from being recovered from the cloud.