How to combine contacts Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro: 5 working ways

On the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro, duplicate contacts are a common problem, especially if you sync a phone book with multiple accounts (Google, Mi Account, SIM-Over time, the list accumulates repetitive entries with different numbers, email or photos, which makes it difficult to find the right subscriber. In this article, we will analyze all the ways of combining contacts - from standard functions. MIUI Manually edited through Google Contacts.

It’s important to understand that the process depends on the firmware version and the contact app used. The Redmi Note 8 Pro has Xiaomi’s branded Contacts app installed by default, but some users are installing alternatives like Truecaller or Simpler Contacts. We’ll focus on standard methods that work without third-party software.

If you're having trouble syncing or data loss after you've merged, don't panic. At the end of this article, there's a section on solutions to common errors and an FAQ on remote contacts.

1. Connecting contacts through the standard “Contacts” application

The easiest way is to use the built-in merger feature in the Contacts app. It's available on all versions of MIUI for the Redmi Note 8 Pro, but the interface may vary slightly depending on the updates.

To get started:

1. Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person’s silhouette on the home screen).
2. Tap it on three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Contact Management.
3. Go to Combine Contacts (or Find and Combine Duplicates in new MIUI versions).

The system will automatically scan the phone book and offer options for the merger, all you have to do is confirm the merger or manually select contacts for the merj.

Make a backup copy of contacts|Check sync with Google|Close background annexes|Connect to Wi-Fi to speed up the process-->

⚠️ Note: If you have Google sync enabled, the connected contacts will automatically update in the cloud. Before the merger, make sure you have a stable Internet connection, otherwise the changes may not persist.

After the combination, check if there are any orphan numbers left (for example, when one contact contains only an email, and the other one contains only a phone).

1. Open the contact card.
2. Tap it on three points (⋮) → Combining with another contact.
3. Select a second contact for the merger and confirm the action.

2.Use Google Contacts to merge

If the built-in MIUI feature didn’t work out duplicates, try using the web version of Google Contacts.This method is suitable if your contacts are synced with your Google account (which is recommended for backup).

Instructions:

1. Open your browser on your computer or phone and go to contacts.google.com.
2. Sign in with the same account as the Redmi Note 8 Pro.
3. On the left menu, select Duplicates (or Combine and Fix → Find Duplicates).
4. The system will show all the repeat contacts. Click Combine next to each pair.

Important: changes to Google Contacts are not instantly synced with your phone. After combining, wait for the data update (can take up to 10 minutes) or manually sync your account settings on the Redmi Note 8 Pro.

If you have duplicates on your phone after you combine them with Google Contacts, try:

• 🔄 Update data: go to Settings → Accounts. → Google → Synchronize contacts and tap on Synchronize.
• 📱 Reboot your phone – sometimes helps to reset the cache of the Contact app».
• 🗑️ Clear the cache: Settings → Annexes → Contacts → Warehouse → Clear the cache.

I only use the standard app.|Sync with Google Contacts|I use third-party applications (Truecaller, etc.)|I don't manage anything, it's all stored on SIM-map-->

3. Combining contacts with SIM-map

If your duplicates are associated with contacts imported from SIM-The process is a little different. MIUI By default, it does not allow you to edit or combine contacts directly into SIM — You need to copy them to your phone or Google account first.

How to transfer contacts with SIM and combine them:

1. Open Contacts. → ⋮ → Imports/Exports.
2. Select Import with SIM-maps and specify the target storage (e.g. Google Account or Device).
3. After importing, use one of the combination methods described above.

⚠️ Attention: Contacts to SIM-The number of characters in the card is limited (for example, the name cannot be longer than 14 characters) when imported into the phone book, these restrictions are removed, but when exported back, the data may be cut off.

If after importing, you notice that some numbers are displayed in an international format (for example, +7XXX instead of 8XXX), it is normal - MIUI automatically brings them to the E.164 standard.

• Open the contact for editing.
• Remove +7 and replace it with 8 (or vice versa if necessary).
• Save the changes.

4. Third-party applications for contact consolidation

If the built-in tools don't work, you can use specialized applications.

• 📱 Simpler Contacts – a convenient interface with the function of automatic search for duplicates.
• 🔍 Contacts Optimizer – Analyzes contacts and offers optimal options for mergers.
• 🛠️ Cleanup: Duplicate Contacts – focuses on removing duplicates.

Examples of Simpler Contacts:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. At the first start, give access to contacts.
3. Go to the Duplicates section and watch for app tips.

Third-party applications have the advantage of having more flexible merger settings, such as choosing which fields (number, email, address) are preferred when combining.

• 🚫 Some applications require a fee for full functionality.
• 🔒 Apps need access to contacts, which may not be secure (select trusted developers).
• 📱 After removing the application, some changes may not persist.

💡

Before using a third-party application, export contacts to a.vcf file (via Settings → Import/Export) to recover data if something goes wrong.

5. Manual coupling: when automation fails

Sometimes automatic tools miss duplicates — for example, if the contacts have minor differences in names ("Ivan Ivanov" vs. "Ivan I.") In such cases, manual pairing will help.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Contacts app and find the first duplicate.
2. Slip on the contact, then click Edit (pencil icon).
3. Scroll down and select Combine with another contact.
4. In the list, find the second contact for the merger and confirm the action.

When manually combining, pay attention to:

• 📞 Phone numbers: If both contacts have unique numbers, they will be stored in the combined record.
• ✉️ Email and other fields: make sure important data is not lost (such as address or birthday).
• 🖼️ Photos: If contacts have different avatars, the system will prompt you to choose one of them.

If you combine contacts with different names (for example, “Mama” and “Irina Petrovna”), after the merger, you can edit the name manually so that it appears as you like.

6 How to avoid duplicates in the future

To avoid the problem of duplicate contacts again, follow these tips:

• 🔄 Turn off automatic importation with SIM: In the contact settings, prohibit imports at each insertion SIM-map.
• 📱 Use one primary account: Select either Google or Mi Account to store contacts and disable sync with other services.
• 🚫 Avoid manual input: If importing from a file (.vcf or.csv) is possible, use it instead of adding contacts manually.
• 🔍 Check duplicates regularly: Search for duplicate contacts every 2-3 months through Google Contacts.

It is also useful to configure the display of contacts in the Phone application:

1. Open Contacts. → ⋮ → Settings.
2. Choose Display Contacts and tick only the right accounts (e.g. Google and Device).
3. Turn off the contact display with SIM-cards if they are not used.

If you frequently receive new numbers (such as via WhatsApp or Viber), these messengers can automatically add contacts to your phone book.

• WhatsApp: ⋮ → Settings → Contacts → Disable "Update contacts".
• In Viber: More → Settings → Contacts → Disable “Contact Sync”.

💡

Regular synchronization with Google Contacts and disabling unnecessary contact sources (SIMs) reduce the risk of duplicates by 90%.

7. Frequent errors and their solutions

When connecting contacts, users of Redmi Note 8 Pro often face the following problems:

If none of these methods helped, try resetting the Contacts app settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Contacts → Storage.
2. Click Clear Data (this will delete all local contacts, but save those that are synced with Google).
3. Reboot your phone and re-import your contacts.

In extreme cases, you can reset your phone, but this is a radical method – only use it if other methods have not worked, and be sure to make a backup beforehand.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions