How to add contact to the phone book on Xiaomi Redmi 9: all ways

Adding contacts to the phone book on Xiaomi Redmi 9 seems like a simple task – until you encounter the nuances of the shell MIUI. Unlike “pure” Android, there are its own features: duplicate applications (“Contacts” and “Phone”), binding to a Google account or Mi Account, as well as hidden synchronization settings. This guide will help you understand all the ways to add contacts – from basic manual input to import from the SIM-card-backup.

It is important to understand that on Redmi 9 (models M2003J15SC/M2004J19C), the process may vary depending on the version of MIUI (12, 13 or 14) and regional firmware. For example, the global version uses Google contacts by default, and the Chinese version uses the local book Mi Contacts. We will look at universal methods that work on all versions, and also point out the “pitfalls” that are often missed even by experienced users.

1. Method 1: Adding a contact through the Contacts app

The most obvious method is to use the standard Contacts app (an icon with a person's silhouette on a green background), which can be called differently on Redmi 9:

• 📱 «Contacts** – if you use Google version (global firmware).
• 📱 «Mi Contacts"** - in Chinese or Indian firmware (with yellow icon).
• 📱 «Phone** – some users confuse it with a phone book, but it’s a separate app.

To add a new contact:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Click the + (plus) button in the lower right corner or select New Contact in the menu.
3. Fill in the fields: 👤 Name and surname (required for search). 📞 Telephone - enter the number in the format +7XXXXXXXXXX or 8XXXXXXXXXX (It is automatically converted into an international). 📧 Email, Address, Birthday – Optionally.

Save.

Whether country code is specified (+7 or 8)|Selected the right account for synchronization|Number entered without spaces and dash|Added photo (optional)-->

On Redmi 9, when you save a contact in Google, it automatically syncs with other devices, but can take up to 5 minutes. Local contacts (save on the phone) are not backed up in the cloud!

2. Method 2: Keeping contact right during the call

If you have a call from an unknown number and you want to save it to your phone book, you don't have to open the Contacts app.

1. Open the phone application (pipe icon).
2. Go to the Journal (or History) tab.
3. Find the right number and click on it.
4. In the window that opens, select Save or Add to Contacts.
5. Fill in the data (name, surname) and click Ready.

This method is convenient when you need to save a number quickly, but it has a limitation: if the log shows a short number (for example, 123 instead of the full), the system may not save it correctly, in which case it is better to manually edit the number after saving.

Through the “Contact” annex"|During the call.|Import with SIM-map|Synchronization with Google|Other-->

3. Method 3: Import contacts from SIM-card

If you switched to Xiaomi Redmi 9 from another phone and want to move contacts from the new phone to the new one SIM-maps, do the following:

1. Put it in. SIM-Card to phone (Nano-SIM and Micro-SIM with adapter supported).
2. Open Contacts. → Settings (⚙️) → Contact management → Imports/Exports.
3. Select Import with SIM-map.
4. Tick the necessary contacts or click Select all.
5. Specify your account for saving (Google, Mi Account or phone).
6. Confirm the import.

It's important: SIM-cards usually store only the name and number (without photos, email or other data). SIM They are written in an incorrect format (e.g. with extra characters), they may not be imported, and then you have to edit them manually after importing them.

4. Method 4: Synchronize contacts with a Google account

If you use a Google account, all contacts are automatically synced between devices.To enable this feature on Redmi 9:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Select your account (or add a new one).
3. Activate the Contact Switch.
4. Wait until the synchronization is complete (may take a few minutes).

💡

If contacts are duplicated after syncing with Google, use the Connect and Correct function in the Contacts settings. It automatically finds and deletes duplicate entries.

5. Method 5: Adding contact via Mi Account (for Chinese firmware)

On the Redmi 9 with Chinese firmware (MIUI China), Mi Account can be used by default instead of Google.

1. Open Mi Contacts (yellow icon)
2. Press + and fill in the data.
3. When saving, select Mi Account (not Google or phone).

The advantage of this method is that contacts are synchronized with other Xiaomi devices (for example, with the Pad 6 tablet or Xiaomi Book laptop).

• ⚠️ Contacts will not be available on phones from other brands (such as Samsung or iPhone).
• ⚠️ When resetting your phone without a backup, contacts may be lost.

💡

For reliability, it is recommended to duplicate contacts in both Google and Mi Account, so they will be available on any device.

6. Solve contact issues on Xiaomi Redmi 9

Sometimes contacts can disappear, duplicate or not be saved. Consider typical problems and their solutions:

If your contacts are lost after the MIUI update, try:

1. Reboot the phone.
2. Check the synchronization settings in Settings → Accounts.
3. Restore contacts from backup (if it was created).

💡

Before resetting your phone to factory settings, be sure to export contacts to the.vcf file via Settings → Contact Management → Export.

7 Additional functions of working with contacts

Redmi 9 has some useful touch management features that many people don’t know about:

• 🔍 Search T9: In the Contacts app, you can type a name on the keyboard with numbers (like in old phones). 4-8-2-6.
• 📎 Note attachment: Text notes can be added to each contact (e.g., “Working Number”, “Call After 18:00” or “Call After»).
• 🔕 Hidden contacts: In the settings, you can turn off the display of contacts without phone numbers.
• 📞 Quick dial: Press the number on the phone keyboard to call the saved contact (e.g. 1 is first on the list).

Redmi 9 also supports Favorite Contacts**, which can be attached to the home screen as widgets.

1. Click on the free space on the main screen for a long time.
2. Pick the Widgets.
3. Find the Contacts widget and drag it to the screen.
4. Select contacts to display.

FAQ: Frequent questions about contacts on Xiaomi Redmi 9