Recovery of remote contacts on Xiaomi Redmi 8: all working methods

Remove important contacts on Xiaomi Redmi 8 and don't know how to get them back? This situation is familiar to many: one careless click and the phone book is empty. Fortunately, even if you didn't back up in advance, there are chances of recovery. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways, including official MIUI tools and third-party solutions that work specifically for the Redmi 8 model (codenamed olive).

The rule of thumb is that the faster you start to act after removal, the more likely you are to succeed. The MIUI system on Redmi 8 has synchronization features that you can use to your advantage. We'll also show you how to avoid losing contacts in the future - it takes only 5 minutes, but saves you from hours of nervous recovery work.

Note: If you have used two SIM-Redmi 8 cards, check if the contacts on the second card are saved, sometimes they are duplicated automatically.

1. Recovery via MI Cloud (official way from Xiaomi)

MI Cloud is Xiaomi's cloud storage that automatically saves contacts if the feature is activated. On Redmi 8, it turns on by default when the phone is first set up, but many users turn it off to save space.

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Xiaomi account → MI Cloud
• 🔍 Scroll to the "Synchronization" section and find the Contacts item
• ⏳ If you have a tick next to it and the date of the last synchronization, you are in luck!

If the synchronization is active, follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → MI Cloud → Data Recovery.
2. Select the most recent backup (note the date – it must be until the contacts are deleted).
3. Click Restore and confirm the action. It takes 1-3 minutes.
4. After completion, restart the phone: Power → Reboot.

Make sure your phone is connected to Wi-Fi | Charge your battery at least 50% |Remember your current contacts (they can overwrite) |Disable VPN if it is active-->

Important: MI Cloud only stores the last 3 backups of contacts, and they are automatically deleted after 30 days without activity. If more than a month has passed, this method will not work.

⚠️ Note: If you changed your Xiaomi account after deleting contacts, backups of your previous profile will not be available.

2. Use of Google Contacts (if synced with Google)

Many Redmi 8 users are setting up sync with their Google account instead of MI Cloud, especially if you use Gmail or Google Workspace, and you can check for a backup on any device:

• 🌐 Open in the browser contacts.google.com and log in.
• 🔍 On the left menu, select "More" → "Re-establish contacts".
• ⏳ The system will show the available versions for the last 30 days.

If you have contacts on Google but don’t show up on your phone:

1. On Redmi 8, go to Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Select your account and enable Contact Sync.
3. Wait until the process is completed (it can take up to 10 minutes).
4. Open the Contacts app and update the list (pull the screen down).

Tip: If you don't remember which sync you used, check both. Sometimes the contacts are duplicated in MI Cloud and Google, and you can recover them partially from both sources.

In the cloud. MI Cloud|On Google Contacts|Nana SIM-map|Locally on the phone.|Not keeping.-->

3. Restore from local backup (without the Internet)

MIUI on Redmi 8 lets you create local backups of contacts that are saved directly to your phone. If you've ever used Backup in your settings, try this method:

1. Open Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.
2. Select Local Backups.
3. Find the file with the date before the contacts were deleted (name will be in format) backup_YYYYMMDD).
4. Click on the file and select Restore, ticking only "Contacts".

Where to look for backups manually?

Files are stored along the path:

/MIUI/backup/AllBackup/

You can connect Redmi 8 to your computer and check that folder through Explorer. Look for files with the.bak extension.

⚠️ Attention: Local backups take up space in the phone's memory.In case you've never cleaned a folder MIUI/backup, There may be copies of it in a few years – check the oldest ones, maybe there are the right contacts.

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If the phone doesn’t see local backups, try renaming the file by adding a date in the GYGG-MM-DD format (for example, the first date, 2023-10-15_backup.bak). Sometimes it helps the system to correctly recognize the copy.

4.Programs for recovery of deleted data (if no copies)

If none of the previous methods worked, then you have to use third-party tools that scan the phone's memory at the file system level and can find traces of remote contacts.

• 🛠️ Dr. Fone (Wondershare) - Supports MIUI 10-12, runs without root, but requires a PC connection.
• 🔍 EaseUS MobiSaver – can restore contacts even after resetting (provided that the data has not been overwritten).
• 📱 DiskDigger is an Android app that works directly on your phone, but requires root rights for deep scanning.

Step-by-step instructions for Dr.Fone (on the example of a PC):

1. Download and install Dr.Fone on your computer.
2. Connect Redmi 8 to USB, enable Debugging over USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times click on the version, then go back to Additional → For Developers).
3. In the program, select Data Recovery Android → Contacts.
4. Start the scan. It'll take 10 to 30 minutes.
5. After completion, mark the necessary contacts and click Restore.

Limitations:

• Without root rights, programs only see cache and residual data (not all contacts).
• If more than 2-3 weeks have passed after deletion, the chances are minimal – the data is overwritten with new information.
• Some programs (such as DiskDigger) require payment to restore contacts.

Re-establishment of contacts with SIM-map

If you have kept in touch with the SIM-The card (not the phone's memory) can be easily returned. On Redmi 8, it's done this way:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Press three dots (menu) → Contact management.
3. Select Import/Export → Import from SIM-card.
4. Please indicate where to save your contacts (to your phone or Google/Xiaomi account).
5. Confirm the import.

Important nuances:

• SIM-card stores only name and number (without photos, mail, addresses).
• Usually, no more than 250-300 contacts are placed on the SIM.
• If you've changed SIM-Postcard, contact may not be retained.

To check if there are contacts on SIM, paste it into another phone and open the phone book, and if contacts are displayed, you can transfer them back to Redmi 8.

6. Appeal in support of Xiaomi (extreme case)

If all methods are exhausted and contacts are critical (for example, these are customer numbers for business), you can try contacting official Xiaomi support.

1. Collect proof of ownership of the device: Check or box from Redmi 8. IMEI phone (you can find out by command *#06#).
2. Write in support through: 🌍 Official website (section "Contact Us"). 📧 Email: support.global@xiaomi.com.

• When and how the contacts were removed.
• What recovery methods have you tried before?
• Attach screenshots of MI Cloud and Google Contacts settings.

What to expect:

• ⏳ The answer may come in 3-7 days.
• 🔄 Recovery is possible only if the contacts are synchronized with the MI Cloud, but you have lost access to your account.
• 💰 Some services (e.g. data recovery after reset) may be charged.

⚠️ Warning: Don't trust "specialists" who promise to recover data for money through remote access. These are scammers! official Xiaomi support never asks for passwords or access to your phone.

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If the contacts were deleted due to the phone being reset to factory settings, the chances of recovery are minimal, in which case only a pre-backup or professional services (costs from 5,000) will help. ₽).

How to Prevent Loss of Contact in the Future

To never run into a remote contact problem again, set up automatic backups on Redmi 8:

• 🔄 MI Cloud: Enable Contact Synchronization in Settings → Xiaomi account → MI Cloud. Set Autosynchronization (once a day).
• ☁️ Google Contacts: Add a Google Account to Settings → Accounts: Enable Contact Sync and set Backup in your account settings.
• 📱 Local Copy: Once a Month, Back Up Through Settings → Additionally. → Backup. Save the copy file to your computer or flash drive.
• 📤 Export to file: In the Contacts app, select Export → File in. VCF. Send the file to your own mail or save it to the cloud (Google Drive, Yandex Drive).

Additional measures:

• Install the Super Backup & Restore app from Google Play – it lets you create copies of contacts, SMS and call logs on schedule.

Set up a backup will take no more than 10 minutes, but it will save you hours of nerves and searching for lost numbers.

FAQ: Frequent questions about reconnecting with Redmi 8