Have you just bought a new Xiaomi smartphone or upgraded your MIUI firmware and suddenly found that you can’t find the Contacts app? or the icon has disappeared from your desktop and it’s not on the menu? This situation is familiar to many users — especially after resetting or installing a custom theme. In this article, we’ll look at all the possible ways to run the Contacts app on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, including hidden methods for cases when standard ones don’t work.
The manufacturer often changes the layout of system applications in new versions of MIUI (for example, MIUI 14 and HyperOS interface radically updated), so even experienced users sometimes get lost. We took into account all the nuances from basic actions to restore deleted icons and work with alternative launchers. If you are looking for a specific way, use the table of contents below.
1. Standard method: through the main application menu
The most obvious method is to search through the standard menu. On most Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T models), the Contacts icon is the default on your desktop or in the Google folder. If it is not available, follow these steps:
- 📱 Swipe your finger up from the bottom edge of the screen to open the app menu.
- 🔍 At the top of the screen will appear search bar – enter Contacts or Contacts (on English firmware).
- 📞 Click on the found app with the icon of a person’s silhouette on a green background.
- ⭐ If the application is found, but is not on the desktop – press the icon and drag it to a free place.
On some firmware (e.g., MIUI for the global market), the app might be called People or Phone — check all the options. If the search doesn't work, move on to the next one.
⚠️ Note: On HyperOS devices (such as Xiaomi 14), the app menu swipes down from the center of the screen, not up.
2. Quick access through the notification panel
MIUI and HyperOS have a hidden feature to quickly access contacts directly from the notification bar, which works even if the application icon is removed:
- Swipe your finger down from the top of the screen to open the notification bar.
- Click on the icon. ⚙️ Settings (cogs) in the upper right corner.
- In the search bar, enter the Control Panel or Control Center.
- Find the Edit Control Panel section and add the Contacts widget to the active elements.
Now, when you swipe down, you'll see a shortcut for quick contact opening, which is especially useful for models with large screens (such as the Xiaomi Mix Fold 3), where it's difficult to reach the app menu with one hand.
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If the Contacts widget is not available, upgrade to the latest version of the firmware – in MIUI 14.0.5+ and HyperOS 1.0+ it appears by default.
3. Search through a system search engine
MIUI and HyperOS have a powerful search engine built in that looks not only for apps, but also for contacts, messages, files.
- 🔍 Swipe your finger down the center of the desktop (on HyperOS) or tap the magnifying glass in the dock panel (on the dock). MIUI).
- 📝 Enter a request: contacts, phone book or people.
- 📱 In the search results, select the application (not a contact card!).
If the search doesn’t find the app, try:
- 🔄 Reboot your smartphone – sometimes the system cache is knocked down.
- 📲 Update Google Play Services to Settings → Annexes → Application management.
- 🛠️ Reset the launcher settings: Settings → Home screen → Reset the settings.
⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI In India, the default system search is disabled. Enable it in Settings. → Search → Include a global search.
4.Voice assistant and gestures
If you have Google or XiaoAI (Chinese firmware) enabled, you can open contacts with voice:
- 🎤 Say, OK, Google, open your contacts (for Google Assistant).
- 🤖 Or: (for XiaoAI on Chinese devices).
Also on some models (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi K60 Pro) gesture:
- 👆 Twice swipe up the lock screen – the “Phone” application with the “Contacts” tab will open».
- 📞 Press and hold the 1 button on the dial keyboard – the contact list will open.
On HyperOS devices, XiaoAI voice assistant can conflict with Google Assistant. If commands don't work, turn off one of the assistants in Settings → Applications → Application Management → Assistants.
5. If the icon is missing: recovery through settings
A common problem after updating or resetting is that the Contact icon disappears from your desktop. Here's how to return it:
Open Settings → Home screen → Hidden applications|Make sure that “Contacts” are not on the hidden list|Reboot the launcher (clamp home) + 5-second)|Install an alternative launcher (Nova, POCO)-->
| Problem. | Decision | Models where you meet |
|---|---|---|
| The icon is hidden | Settings → Home screen → Hidden applications → Remove the tick from “Contacts” | Redmi 10/11, POCO X3/X4 |
| Appendix removed | Reinstall through Settings → Applications → Management → Contacts → Install | Xiaomi 12/13 with custom firmware |
| The launcher dropped. | Reset the launcher settings: Settings → Home screen → Reset | All models on MIUI 12-14 |
| Contacts replaced by Google Contacts | Disable duplication in Settings → Accounts → Google → Contact Synchronization | Xiaomi with Global Firmware |
If none of these methods worked, it may have been disabled by the device administrator (e.g., in corporate smartphones).
- Open Settings → Passwords and Security → Device Administrators.
- Make sure there are no active policies blocking system applications.
What to do if your contact is completely deleted?
6.Alternative methods: third-party launchers and ADB
If the standard methods don’t work, try:
- 📲 Install an alternative launcher (e.g., Nova Launcher or POCO Launcher.They often display hidden system applications.
- 🔧 Use it. ADB for forced inclusion: adb shell pm enable com.android.contacts (requires enabled debugging by USB).
- 🌐 Open contacts through the browser at the link: intent://contacts/#Intent;package=com.android.contacts;end (insert in the address bar of Chrome).
For models with HyperOS (such as Xiaomi 14 Pro), an additional command may be required:
adb shell cmd package install-existing com.android.contacts⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB require an unlocked bootloader and can cause a data reset. Use only if you are confident in your actions!