Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the intrusiveness of popular number-definitions. Once installed, the app aims to become the main tool for working with contacts, intercepting calls and SMS. This can be annoying if you are used to the standard MIUI or HyperOS interface and do not want to share phone book data.
Complete removal is not always the desired solution, because functionality is sometimes required, but returning the system to process incoming connections with regular means is a paramount task for comfortable use of the gadget.
There are several levels of intervention, from simple switching in settings to deep clearing of access rights. It is important to understand that Android allows you to have multiple programs for one function, but only one will work, selected by the user or installed by default on the first installation.
Why the app is becoming the main calling app
The Android operating system is built on the principle of priorities, and when you first install and open the caller identification software, the system often suggests making it the primary means of communication, and if you accidentally confirm that choice or the application itself has embedded in the processes, it blocks the standard interface.
The developers of these tools use aggressive integration methods. They request rights to read contacts, manage calls and access SMS. Without these permissions, GetContact functionality would be useless, but they allow the application to intercept control of the phone. On Xiaomi smartphones with their MIUI shell, this process may be less noticeable to the user.
⚠️ Warning: Giving full rights to a third-party application potentially reduces the security of your personal data.Telephone book is meaningful information that can be used for targeted advertising or phishing.
In addition, the background processes of these programs can consume battery life. Even if you don't use the call function directly, the service continues to hang in memory, waiting for an incoming signal, which is one of the reasons why users want to return a regular dial.
Resetting application settings by default
The safest and most appropriate way to solve this problem is to use the built-in tools of the system. You don't have to remove the software, you just need to change the priority in the settings menu, and this action will return control to the standard MIUI interface.
To start, you need to go to the general settings menu of your device, find the gear icon on your desktop or in the notification curtain, and then the path is as follows: go to the App section, then select App Setup, and it stores a list of all the software installed.
☑️ Checking call settings
At the top of the screen or in the menu (three dots in the corner), there is often a default or default app option. When you click on it, you'll see a list of categories: browser, gallery, calls, messages. Find Dial or Phone. If you select GetContact, click on it and select MIUI Dialer or Google Phone.
The alternative path may look different depending on the shell version, and sometimes it's easier to click on the application itself in the list of all programs, select Default and click Clear Default Settings, and then the system will ask which program to use the next call, or automatically activate the system.
Managing permissions and access to contacts
Even if you change the call app, GetContact can continue to hang in the background and collect data, and to be completely secure, you have to restrict its rights, and it won't delete the program, but it will make it blind about what you're doing.
Go to Settings → Applications → All apps. Find the number detector you want in the list. Click on App Permissions (or just “Permissions”). Here you will see the access list: camera, microphone, contacts, phone.
- 📞 Phone: Disable this item so that the app can’t intercept incoming calls.
- 📒 Contacts: Disable access so your phone book doesn’t land on developer servers.
- 💬 SMS: a critical point, the disabling of which will protect the confirmation codes from banks.
Once the rights are disabled, the program may start to behave incorrectly or produce errors, but for your purpose this is the ideal result. The system dialer will continue to work stably, since it has built-in kernel level rights.
⚠️ Note: When you disable the permission "Phone" widget of the detector may stop showing the name of the caller on top of the lock screen, as he will not have access to the event of the incoming call.
Removal of widgets and interface elements
Often users confuse the app itself and its display on the desktop. A widget is a shortcut that can take up space and distract. Deleting the widget doesn't uninstall the program, but it will clear the desktop.
To remove the item from the screen, find it on the Xiaomi desktop. Press it and hold your finger until the menu appears on top or vibration. A basket or cross will appear. Drag the widget to the removal area. On some versions of MIUI, you need to click on the widget and select "Delete".
If the widget is locked in a notification curtain or lock screen, the situation is more complicated. Go to the lock screen settings via Settings → Wallpaper and personalization → Lock screen. Check if there are active widgets from third-party developers. It is also worth checking the Always On Display settings if this feature is enabled.
Why does the widget return after the reboot?
Deep cleaning and disabling autostart
In the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS, there's a powerful auto-start control tool, so if the app runs with your phone, it'll take up RAM, and to remove GetContact from that process, do the following.
Open the Security app (green lightning icon) that is preinstalled on all Xiaomi smartphones. At the bottom of the screen, look for the Permissions or Access Management icon. Select Autostart. From the list that opens, find the number detector and turn off the switch.
| Action. | The way is on the menu | The result |
|---|---|---|
| Shutting down autostart | Security → Permits → Auto Startup | The app doesn't start on its own. |
| Battery limitation | Settings → Battery → Savings | The system "kills" the process in the background |
| Clearing the cache | Applications → Management → Cleaning | Deletion of temporary files |
| Resetting settings | Settings → About the phone → Reset | Full return to factory parameters |
Additionally, it is recommended to limit background activity through battery settings. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance (or simply “Battery”). Find the right software in the application list and set a background activity limit. This will prevent it from working when the screen is off.
Complete removal of the application
If you no longer need the numbering function, it makes sense to completely remove the program, which will free up space in Xiaomi’s memory and guarantee that it will stop any activity, and standard deletion is done through desktop or settings.
Click on the app icon and hold until the menu appears. Select "Delete." If there are no icons on the table, go to Settings → Apps, find the list, click on it, and select the Remove button at the bottom of the screen.
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Before you delete the application, go to its settings inside the program itself and find “Delete Account” or “Deactivate” that will remove your number from the server database, if the developer provides such an option.
In rare cases, when the application is system (which happens on some global firmware with preinstalled software), the delete button may be inactive. ADB-commands for forced removal, but it requires a connection to a PC.
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.getcontact.androidThis command will delete the application for the current user without affecting the system partition. Once you reboot, there will be no trace of the program. Be careful when you type commands, checking the exact name of the package.
⚠️ Attention: Use ADB-The commands require the activated debugging mode on USB. Inexperienced users are better off limiting themselves to standard removal through settings to avoid system errors.
Alternative solutions to protect against spam
Once you remove GetContact, the issue of protection from unknown numbers remains relevant. Xiaomi smartphones already have a powerful anti-spam built in, which often works better than third-party counterparts, without requiring access to contacts.
To activate the built-in protection, open the Phone app (green handset). Click on three dots in the corner or the menu button, select Antispam or Antispam Settings. Enable Hidden Number Lock and update the spam database.
- 🛡️ Built-in filter: works at the system level, does not require unnecessary rights.
- 📉 Savings: Does not consume battery in the background.
- 🔒 Privacy: Your contacts are not shared with third parties.
There are also lighter alternatives, such as Yandex.C.D. or Kaspersky Who Calls, which have a more transparent privacy policy, but for most users, the features provided by the regular MIUI interface are sufficient.
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Xiaomi’s built-in protections are often more effective and safer than third-party apps, as they don’t require you to transfer your phone book to third-party servers.