The MIUI operating system installed on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones provides users with ample opportunities to manage personal data. Often there is a situation when you need to completely clean the phone book before selling the device, when transferring the gadget to another family member, or simply to fix software errors associated with synchronization. The procedure may seem simple, but in the Android ecosystem there are many nuances that even experienced users forget about.
Incorrect deletion of records can result in the loss of important numbers if they were not stored in cloud storage or on the Internet. SIM-Data security comes first, so it's important to understand where the information is physically stored on your device. In most cases, contacts are scattered across multiple sources at once: the phone's internal memory, Google account, Mi Account and the device itself. SIM-map.
In this guide, we will take a look at all the cleaning methods available, from manual removal through a standard application to radical measures like a complete reset, and learn to distinguish and manage storage types effectively, avoiding situations where mysteriously deleted numbers return after another synchronization.
Determination of the source of data storage
Before you start mass deletion, you need to figure out where your records are stored. MIUI By default, synchronization with a Google account is used, but many users still save numbers in the memory of the phone or on the phone. SIM-If you start cleaning one source while ignoring others, the result will be incomplete.
Open the standard Contacts app and go to the display settings, and you can see filters that show which groups are currently active on the screen. The local storage of the device is often filled with duplicates that occur when you transfer data from your old phone, and that's where cleaning starts most often.
Note the sync status. If you have Mi Cloud or Google enabled sync, removing the contact on your phone will automatically remove it from the cloud, too. This is a critical point for those planning to keep a backup for the future. Check account settings under Settings → Accounts and Sync.
There is also the possibility that some numbers are imported from messengers such as Telegram or Viber and displayed in a common database. Deleting such records through a standard interface can be blocked or require additional confirmations. Understanding the storage architecture is the key to successful lossless cleanup.
Mass removal through the Contacts app
The most obvious and affordable way to clean a phone book is to use the app's built-in functionality. MIUI allows you to allocate contact groups to perform batch operations, which greatly speeds up the process, especially when you count hundreds of records.
To start, open the Contacts app and find the menu icon or edit button, which is usually located at the top of the screen. Depending on the shell version, you may need to click on the three-dot icon or the Manage button. Once the edit mode is activated, checkboxes will appear to select.
⚠️ Note: Deleting contacts through this menu will only affect the entries that are displayed in the current filter. Make sure that all sources are displayed so that you do not miss hidden numbers.
The algorithm for selective or complete cleaning is as follows:
- 📱 Click on the “Manage” button or long tap on the first contact to enter the selection mode.
- ✅ Select the “Select All” option in the top menu to mark all entries in the current list.
- 🗑️ Click on the basket icon and confirm the action in the dialog window that appears.
Once confirmed, the system can request a screen unlock password or fingerprint for security purposes, which is a standard procedure to protect against the accidental deletion of sensitive information, and it can take some time if there are thousands of records in the database.
☑️ Pre-deletion check
It's worth noting that in some versions of Android, the "Select All" feature may not be available or not work correctly with a very large number of entries, so you can use alphabetical search to highlight contact groups as you scroll through the list, which is a more time-consuming but reliable method.
Clearing contacts with SIM-map
SIM-The card remains a popular, albeit obsolete, carrier for phone books, with limited capacity, and no data format supports saving photos, extra numbers, or email addresses. However, many users continue to store important numbers there, forgetting about them when cleaning the smartphone.
To manage the records on SIM-You can use a special import/export menu, direct editing from the SIM via the standard contact interface is often limited. You need to go to the contact application settings or use the control menu. SIM-card.
Sequence of actions for cleaning SIM-map:
- 💾 Open Contacts, click on three dots in the corner and select Import and Export Contacts».
- 📲 Select the item “Delete contacts with” SIM-maps” or similar.
- 🔘 Allocate all available numbers and confirm the removal operation.
It is important to understand that the removal of SIM-The card is instantaneous and not always recoverable through the basket that is available in the cloud.
Why do contacts return after deleting from SIM?
After cleaning, it is recommended to remove SIM-And then you put it in another phone to check the results, and it makes sure that the memory is really empty, and it doesn't contain any hidden or corrupted records that might interfere with the correct operation.
Managing through Google Account and Mi Cloud
The most effective way to manage a contact book is through the web interfaces of cloud services, which allows not only to delete data from the phone, but also to clean up its backups, preventing them from reappearing after a reset or change of the device.
Google Contacts is available to users of the Google ecosystem, and once you access your contact site through your browser, you can select all the entries (using checkbox at the top of the list) and delete them, and the changes will instantly affect all the devices that log in to that account.
Xiaomi owners also have access to Mi Cloud, and if contact sync is enabled, your numbers are stored on the company's servers to delete them:
- Go to i.mi.com and log in.
- Select the "Contacts" section.
- Use the “Clear” function or highlight all records manually.
⚠️ Note: Deleting contacts in the cloud will cause them to disappear on ALL devices associated with this account.
Sometimes there is a sync conflict when Google and Mi Cloud try to pull data from each other, in which case it is recommended to temporarily disconnect the Internet before deleting local copies, and then clean the cloud storage, which will break the chain of automatic recovery.
Comparison of cleaning methods
The choice of method of deletion depends on your ultimate goal: whether you need to save the data for yourself, transfer the phone to another person or just clean up. Each method has its advantages and risks, which are worth assessing in advance.
Below is a table comparing the main approaches to cleaning the contact book on Xiaomi devices:
| Method | Difficulty | Risk of data loss | Impact on the cloud |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual removal | Low. | Medium. | Synchronizes |
| Cleaning up the SIM | Low. | High (no basket) | It doesn't. |
| Through Google/Mi Cloud | Medium | High (all devices) | Complete cleaning |
| Resetting settings | Tall. | Critical (all data) | Depends on the settings. |
As you can see from the table, the safest way to clean locally without touching the cloud is to remove manually with pre-disconnected synchronization, but a comprehensive approach is needed to ensure complete privacy before selling a phone.
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Use the Incognito mode in your browser when logging into the cloud services of someone else’s phone so that your password is not stored in the device memory.
Radical method: Reset to factory settings
If your goal is to fully prepare your smartphone for sale or transfer to a new owner, manually deleting contacts may not be enough, in which case the only right solution is to completely reset the device to the factory settings (Factory Reset), which deletes absolutely all user data.
Before you reset, it is critical to disable your Google and Mi Accounts. Factory Reset Protection (FRP) will work if you don’t, and the new owner won’t be able to activate the phone without your password. Delete your accounts through Settings → Accounts and Sync.
The discharge procedure looks like this:
- 🔧 Go to Settings. → The phone. → Resetting settings.
- 📉 Select the option “Erase all data».
- 🔒 Enter a pattern lock or password and confirm the action.
Once rebooted, the phone will look like new, just out of the box, all contacts, photos, apps and settings will be permanently deleted, ensuring that the customer does not gain access to your personal information, including hidden or system records.
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A full reset is the only way to guarantee 100% deletion of data before selling a device, but it requires prior disabling of accounts to avoid being blocked.