How to create a group in a Xiaomi phone: 5 proven ways

Creating contact groups on Xiaomi smartphones is a useful feature that helps you structure your address book, quickly send messages to multiple people at once or manage notifications. However, many users face difficulties: where to find this option in MIUI, why it disappears after an update, and how to synchronize groups between devices. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to create groups, from standard tools to bypassing restrictions through third-party applications.

It's important to understand that the functionality depends on the firmware version and the phone model. For example, on the Redmi Note 12 with MIUI 14 algorithm is different from POCO X5 Pro on MIUI 15. We've taken these nuances into account and developed universal instructions that work on 90% of the brand's devices. MIUI: Why Google Contact Groups Are Not Shown in the Standard Messages App and How to Fix It.

1. Creating a group through the standard “Contacts” application

The most obvious way is to use the built-in Contacts app (aka People in global firmware) which works on all Xiaomi devices, but with the caveat: groups will only be visible in this app and will not sync with Google Contacts by default.

To form a group:

1. Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person’s silhouette on a green background).
2. Slip along three horizontal lines in the upper left corner (menu).
3. Select a Group item → To form a group.
4. Enter the name of the group (e.g., “Work” or “Family”).
5. Click Add Participants and tick the necessary contacts.
6. Save the changes with the Ready button in the upper right corner.

Now you can send an SMS to the entire group at once: open the Messages app, click on the pencil icon (new message), then select the created group in the recipient list.

⚠️ Note: If the group does not appear in the Messages app after you create it, check the sync settings. → Google accounts → Synchronize contacts and turn on the option. MIUI Not synced with Google – this is a firmware restriction.

The Contacts app (not Phone) is open

Synchronization of contacts in the Mi Account is enabled

Contacts are stored in your phone’s or SIM’s memory, not just Google’s.

Checked update of the application “Contacts” in Google Play-->

2.Alternative method: groups in MIUI via "Fast Teams"

A little-known feature of MIUI is to create groups through Quick Commands (formerly called Duplicates and Combination), which is suitable if the standard group interface is hidden or unavailable after the update.

Instructions:

1. Open Contacts → Menu (three lines) → Contact Management.
2. Choose Quick Commands (or Contacts Combination in older versions).
3. Click Create a group at the bottom of the screen.
4. Add participants and save.

The advantage of this method is that groups are created directly in the MIUI system and can be used for mass SMS mailings. However, they will still not be visible in Google Contacts or other services.

WhatsApp and Telegram Groups: When Standard Methods Are Not Enough

If you want a full-fledged chat, you need to use messengers. WhatsApp and Telegram groups are created in seconds and support advanced functionality: file sharing, voice chat, surveys.

Creating a group on WhatsApp:

• 📱 Open the app and go to the Chats tab.
• 👥 Click on the icon of the new chat (pencil in the lower right corner) → New group.
• ✅ Select participants from the contact list (maximum 1024 people).
• 📝 Enter the group name and add an avatar (optional).

Creation of a group in Telegram:

• 📱 Launch Telegram and tap the pencil icon at the bottom of the screen.
• 👥 Select a new group and add members.
• 🔒 Set up administrator rights and restrictions (for example, who can send messages).
• 🌐 If you wish, convert the group into a supergroup (up to 200,000 members).

The advantage of messengers is that groups are saved in the cloud and available on all devices, and Telegram allows you to create channels for one-way notifications (useful for work teams or family alerts).

WhatsApp

Telegram

Viber

Other-->

4. Group sync with Google Contacts: bypassing MIUI restrictions

One of the main problems Xiaomi users have is that they can't synchronize their contact groups with their Google account, and that's a firmware limitation: MIUI stores groups locally, and Google Contacts just can't see them, and there's a workaround through the web.

How to synchronize groups:

1. Open contacts.google.com on your computer and log in.
2. Create a new group: click Tag Management (tag icon) → Create a label.
3. Add the contacts you want to use (they should be saved to Google, not just your phone!).
4. On your phone, open Contacts → Settings → Accounts and enable sync for Google.

Groups will now be available in Google Contacts, but not in Xiaomi’s standard Messages app, and you’ll need to use third-party apps like Pulse SMS or Textra to send mass SMS messages.

⚠️ Note: If you delete a group in Google Contacts, it will disappear on your phone after syncing, but the contacts will remain intact - only the tag (group) is deleted).

5. Third-party applications for group management

If the built-in MIUI tools don't suit you, consider alternative applications that offer advanced functionality: cloud sync, bulk mailing, social media integration.

Top.-3 contact-group applications:

• 📌 Truecaller: automatically grouping contacts into categories (for example, "Banks", "Delivery"), supports mass contact groups SMS The downside is that you need access to your call history.
• 📌 Contacts+: It allows you to create smart groups according to the rules (for example, “All contacts from Moscow”), synchronizes with Google and Outlook.
• 📌 GroupMe: specializes in group chats with the ability to attach files and voice messages.

Before installing, check the application permissions in Settings → Apps → Permissions. Some programs (like Truecaller) request access to SMS and call logs — this can be critical for privacy.

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If you send often SMS In groups, set up message templates in advance. SMS You can create work notices, congratulations, or promotional mailings, which will save time and reduce the risk of typos.

6. Problem Solving: Groups do not persist or disappear

Xiaomi users often encounter bugs when working with groups, and here are the most common problems and solutions:

Problem 1: Groups are created but not maintained

• 🔄 Restart your phone – sometimes a simple reboot helps.
• 📲 Update the Contacts app via Google Play.
• 🗑️ Clear the app's cache: Settings → Annexes → Contacts → Memory. → Clear the cache.

Issue 2: Groups are not displayed in the Messages app

• 🔗 Make sure that the contacts are stored in the phone’s memory, not on the phone. SIM-map.
• 🔄 Switch to standard. SMS-Annex: Settings → Annexes → By default. → Communications.
• 📥 Check if the synchronization is disabled in Settings → Google accounts.

Problem 3: After the MIUI update, the bands disappeared

• 🔙 Restore backup from Settings → Memory. → Backup.
• 📤 Export contacts to the file VCF and import back.
• 📧 If the groups were in Google Contacts, sync your account again.

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If none of these works, try resetting the Contacts app to factory settings. Go to Settings → Apps → Contacts → Storage → Reset. This won’t delete contacts, but will return the standard group settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi groups