Renaming contacts on Xiaomi smartphones seems like a simple task – until you encounter the nuances MIUI, In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to change the contact name, including hidden phone book functions, working with cloud services and solving typical errors, POCO and flagships of the Xiaomi series 13/14, where the interface is different.
It is important to understand that the process depends on where the contact is stored: in the local memory of the phone, on the phone. SIM-Map or Google Contacts, for example, renaming a post on SIM It will not be reflected in the cloud, and a change in Google may not immediately sync with the cloud. MIUI. We will look at each scenario based on the latest updates. MIUI 14/15 Features of firmware for global and Chinese versions of devices.
1. Standard method: through the "Contacts" application
The most obvious method is to use the built-in Contacts app (or Contacts on English firmware), which works on all Xiaomi devices, regardless of model, but may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI.
To rename the contact:
- 📱 Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person’s silhouette on the home screen or in the app menu).
- 🔍 Find the right contact through the search bar or scroll through the list manually.
- ✏️ Click on the contact, then tap on the pencil icon (Edit) in the upper right corner.
- 📝 Change your name in the name field, and you can also edit your name, middle name or nickname.
- 💾 Save the changes with the Ready or Save button.
An important nuance: if the contact is linked to Google Account, after saving, a synchronization notification may appear. On models with MIUI 14+, the process takes 1-2 minutes, on older versions (for example, Redmi Note 8 with MIUI 12) it can take up to 5-10 minutes.
New name written without typos|Contact is not duplicated in the list|Select the right account (Google or Xiaomi)|Synchronization is enabled in account settings-->
Rename the contacts to SIM-map
Contacts saved on SIM-This method is relevant for users who move numbers between devices without using accounts. Note: Xiaomi limits the number of characters in the name on the user. SIM — usually up to 14–16 characters (including spaces).
Instructions:
- Open Contacts. → click on the tab SIM (or SIM-contact).
- Select the contact you want and hold it with your finger for 1-2 seconds until the context menu appears.
- Choose Edit (or Edit).
- Enter a new name in a limited field. Some firmware may show Cyrillic characters as "???" - this is a MIUI bug that is fixed by rebooting the phone.
- Save the changes.
Warning: SIM-If you lose your card or move it to another phone, all changes will disappear.We recommend you move important numbers to Google Contacts or local memory Xiaomi.
Why are there no changes to the SIM?
3. Editing through Google Contacts (cloud)
If the contact is synced with Google Account, you can rename it not only on your phone, but also through the web version of the service, which is convenient if you need to massively edit the records or fix errors on several devices at the same time.
How to do this:
- 🌐 Open your browser on your PC or phone and go to contacts.google.com.
- 🔑 Sign in with the same account as Xiaomi.
- 🔍 Find contact through search or manually.
- ✏️ Click on the entry, then on the pencil icon (Change).
- 📝 Edit the name and save the changes.
Changes are synced to the phone within 1-5 minutes, if no updates appear:
- Check your Internet connection.
- Open Xiaomi settings → Accounts and sync → Google and enable Contact Sync.
- Reboot the phone.
On the phone itself.|Through the web version of Google Contacts|I'll use both options.|I don’t edit, I just add new ones.-->
4. Mass renaming of contacts
If you want to change the names of dozens of contacts (for example, bring to a single format or correct typos), manual editing will take too long. MIUI does not have a built-in mass renaming feature, but there are workarounds:
Method 1: Export/import through CSV
- 📤 Export contacts to.csv file via Contacts → Settings → Exports/imports.
- 🖥️ Open a file in Excel or Google Sheets and edit names in the Name column.
- 📥 Import the updated file back by selecting the option to Update existing contacts.
Method 2: Third-party applications
Google Play has utilities like Contacts Optimizer or Simpler Merge that allow you to:
- 🔄 Automatically correct the format of names (for example, Ivanov Ivanov" → "Ivan Ivanovo").
- 🧹 Remove duplicates.
- 📊 Grouping contacts by category.
💡
Before mass editing, back up your contacts! in MIUI, you can do this through Contacts → Settings → Backup.
5. Problem Solving: Contact is not renamed
Sometimes, after editing, the changes don't persist or the name "rolls back" to the old version.
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The name goes back to the old one after the reboot. | Conflict between the local and cloud versions of the contact | Remove duplicate in Contacts → Settings → Combine Contacts |
| You can’t edit the contact (gray pencil) | Contact saved in Read-Only (e.g. from a corporate account) | Copy the number into a new contact or request permission from the account administrator |
| Changes are not synchronized with Google | Synchronization or weak Internet is disabled | Enable synchronization in account settings and check the connection |
| When saving, an error appears "failed to update" | Contacts app cache damaged | Clear the cache in Settings → Applications → Contacts → Memory |
Critical case: If the contact doesn’t open for editing at all, try:
- Remove and re-introduce contact.
- Disable and enable sync with Google again.
- Update the Contacts app via Google Play.
💡
If the problem persists after all manipulations, reset the Contacts app settings (without deleting data!) in the Settings menu → Apps → Contacts → Reset.
6. Features on different Xiaomi models
The interface for editing contacts may vary depending on the model and version of MIUI. Below are the key differences:
Older models (Redmi 4/5, Mi A1/A2):
- 📱 The Contacts app may be called People (on Android One firmware).
Modern flagships (Xiaomi 13/14, POCO F5):
- 🎨 The design of the application Contacts adapted to MIUI 14/15 (round icons, animations).
- ☁️ Support for sync with Mi Cloud (besides Google).
Chinese firmware (without Google services):
- 🚫 No integration with Google Contacts – only local storage or Mi Cloud.
- 📱 The Contacts application may have a sinaized interface (e.g., characters in the menu).
- 🔄 To transfer contacts to such a device, use export to.vcf.
How to turn on Google Contacts on Chinese firmware?
7 Additional functions: Nicknames, pronunciation, groups
In MIUI, you can not only rename the contact, but also configure additional parameters that will simplify the work with the phone book:
Nicknames and pseudonyms:
- 👤 In the contact card, click additionally → nicknaim.
- 🗣️ Here you can specify a short name (for example, "Mama" instead of "Mama Anna Petrovna"), which will be displayed in the call and SMS.
Pronunciation of the name (for voice assistant):
- 🎤 In the contact edit, find the Pronunciation field (or Phonetic name).
- 📝 Indicate how the name is read correctly (e.g., "Ivan" instead of "Ivan" for foreign contacts).
Contact groups:
- 👥 Create a group in Contacts → Groups → To form a group.
- 🏷️ Assign contacts labels (e.g., "Work", "Family", "Friends").
- 🔔 For groups, you can customize unique ringing or vibration melodies.
Important: these features may not be available on budget models (Redmi 9A, POCO C50) or firmware with reduced functionality (for example, for the European market).