Creating a new contact on a Xiaomi smartphone seems like a simple task — until you encounter nuances. Users often wonder where the number is saved (on the phone, SIM-Map or Google account, why contacts are duplicated after syncing, and how to avoid data loss when changing devices, POCO and other Xiaomi models with a shell MIUI 14/15, Discover the secrets of effective phone book management.
Xiaomi smartphones are very well integrated with Google services and its own Mi Account ecosystem, which means that if you don't set up your contacts correctly, they can multiply, lose, or be saved in unexpected places, such as if you add a number directly to your phone. SIM-It's not synced to the cloud, it's gone when you move it to another phone, but Google Contacts allows you to access numbers from any device, but only if you have a stable Internet connection.
In this instruction you will find:
- 📱 3 ways to add contact (via app, call, SIM-map)
- 🔄 How to avoid duplication of contacts during synchronization
- ☁️ Hidden backup settings in MIUI
- ⚡ Quick teams for import/export of phone book
Method 1: Adding a contact through the Contacts app
The most obvious and universal method is to use the standard Contacts app (an icon with a human silhouette on a green background), which works on all Xiaomi models, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and Black Shark 5, regardless of the version of MIUI.
To create a new contact:
- Open the Contacts app (if it isn’t on the home screen, search through App Search swipe down).
- Click on the + button (usually located in the lower right corner) or select New Contact in the menu.
- Fill in the fields: 👤 Name and surname (you can miss it) 📞 Phone (mandatory field; for the second number, click Add more) 📧 Email, Address, Birthday (optional)
- 📁 Device (only on this phone)
- ☁️ Google (synchronized with the account)
- 📶 SIM-map (limited to 250 contacts, no photos)
- Click "Save" (check in the upper right corner).
What to do if contacts are not imported?
A critical mistake many users make is importing contacts to the device itself (not Google) without backing up, and if you reset your phone to factory settings, those contacts will be lost without recovery.
How to avoid duplication of contacts in MIUI
One of the most common problems with Xiaomi is the appearance of duplicate contacts after synchronization with Google or Mi Account, which occurs because the system creates separate records for the same number stored in different accounts (for example, on the device and on Google).
To prevent duplication:
- 🔗 Combine accounts: go to Settings → Accounts and sync and disable contact sync for unnecessary accounts (e.g. Mi Account if you only use Google).
- 🧹 Clean duplicates manually: Open Contacts → ⋮ → Contact management → Connect contacts. The system automatically finds possible duplicates and suggests that they be combined.
- ☁️ Set Save Priority: In Contact Settings, select Contacts to display → Google (or other primary account) to keep new numbers there by default.