How to Remove Duplicate Contacts on Xiaomi Redmi: From Hand-Brushing to Automatic Tools

Duplicate contacts on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones are a problem that one in three users encounter, which occurs when synchronizing Google accounts, transferring data from the user. SIM-map, restore from backup or even after updating MIUI. As a result, the phone book grows to hundreds of repeating entries, and the search for the right number turns into a quest.

Redmi

MIUI 12–15

5 Proven Methods

If you notice that the same names are displayed 2-3 times, and when you call several variants of the same number, this is a signal to action. Ignoring the problem leads not only to chaos in the phone book, but also to slow down the Contacts app, especially on the budget models of the Redmi 9A/10A with limited RAM.

It's important to understand that the method of deleting depends on the source of the duplicates, for example, repeated entries from Google Contacts are cleared differently than duplicates from the duplicates from the duplicates. SIM-We'll go through each case in detail so you can choose the best option without risking losing important data.

1. Built-in Connection Function in MIUI

MIUI has its own tool for working with duplicates, but it is hidden in the depth of settings, which is suitable if the repeated recordings appeared after synchronizing with a Google account or transferring data from another device.

To take advantage of the built-in function:

1. Open the Contacts app (a icon with a person's silhouette).
2. Slip on three dots in the top right corner and select Contact Management.
3. Go to the section "Connect Contacts".
4. The system will automatically find the duplicates and suggest that they be combined. Press Combine all or select the recordings manually.

⚠️ Note: If you have installed MIUI 14 or later, the path may be different. In some firmware versions, the section is called Contact Cleanup and is located in the Settings menu. → Additionally.

This method only works for duplicates that the system recognizes as identical (name and number match), and if the contacts differ from one character (for example, "Ivanov" and "Ivanov Ivan"), they will have to be combined manually or use third-party utilities.

2. Cleanup of duplicates through Google Contacts

If duplicate entries have appeared after syncing with a Google account, the easiest way to clear them is through the web version of the service, which is guaranteed to remove duplicate contacts from all devices associated with the account.

Instructions:

1. Open your browser on your PC or phone and go to contacts.google.com.
2. Sign in with the same account that syncs with Redmi.
3. In the left menu, select Dubbley, and the system will show all the repeated entries.
4. Click Combine All or select specific duplicates to merge.

After combining, the changes are synced with the phone for 5-10 minutes. If the takes are left, check the sync settings:

1. On Redmi go to Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Select your account and make sure the Contact Switch is active.
3. If necessary, click Sync now.

⚠️ Note: If you use multiple Google accounts on the same device, duplicates may appear due to overlapping contacts from different profiles, in which case it is recommended to leave only one main account to sync the phone book.

Make a backup of contacts (Export → Google CSV)

Check the active account in the synchronization settings

Disable autosynchronization during cleaning (Settings → Accounts → Disable “Data Autosynchronization”)

Ensure a stable Internet connection-->

3. Removal of SIM-card duplicates

Contacts saved on SIM-They are often duplicated when you copy them into your phone's memory, and unlike Google contacts, they can't be combined automatically, just manually deleted or rescheduled.

How to clear doubles with SIM:

1. Open the Contacts app on Redmi.
2. Tap on three points → Contact Management → Import / Export.
3. Select Import with SIM-cards (if the contacts are not already copied) or Exports to SIM-card (if you need to keep the cleaned version).
4. When importing, the system will prompt you to select an action in case of a name conflict: select Replace all duplicates.

If the phone has already been copied to the phone:

1. Go to Contacts → Three Points → Settings → Show Contacts.
2. Take the tick off SIM-map to hide repeated records.
3. Remove duplicates manually from the device memory (long press on the contact → Delete).

⚠️ Attention: SIM-Old-style cards (mini-SIM) support only a limited number of contacts (up to 250) and their names are saved in the name format. + When transferring to Redmi, these contacts are often duplicated due to the lack of unique identifiers.

4. Third-party applications for cleaning contacts

If the built-in MIUI tools fail, use specialized utilities that can find duplicates even with minor differences (for example, "+7 999 123-45-67" and "8 999 1234567").

Top.-3 Proven applications for Xiaomi Redmi:

• 🔹 Contact Cleaner – Analyzes contacts by several criteria (name, number, email) and suggests combining or removing duplicates.
• 🔹 Simpler Merge is a user-friendly interface with the ability to preview changes.
• 🔹 Deduplicate Contacts – Finds duplicates even in hidden fields (such as notes or extra phones).

How to use (for example, Contact Cleaner):

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Start it and give access to the contacts.
3. Click Scan - the utility will show all the duplicates found.
4. Select the entries to merge or delete (you can mark everything).
5. Confirm the action and wait for the process to be completed.

⚠️ Note: Before using third-party apps, make sure to back up your contacts. To do this, select Export/Import in the standard Contacts app. → Export to a file (.vcf format) Save the file to the cloud or PC.

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If you have duplicates reappeared after cleaning, check your sync settings in apps like WhatsApp or Telegram, which can automatically add contacts from chats to your phone book, and turn this off in your messenger settings.

5 Manual cleaning: When automatic methods do not help

In some cases, duplicate contacts differ so slightly that neither the system nor third-party utilities recognize them.

• 📞 «Ivan Petrov +79123456789 and Petrov Ivan 89123456789»;
• 📞 «Mom and Mom (home)»;
• 📞 «Office" with number +7 (495) 123-45-67 and "Work" with number. 8 495 1234567.

For manual cleaning:

1. Open the Contacts app and go to All Contacts section.
2. Sort the records by name (stick on the title of the column Name).
3. Look through the list for repetitions: 🔍 Same names with different numbers (maybe they are not doubles, but different people). 🔍 Different names with the same numbers (for example, “Woman” and “Anastasia»). 🔍 Contacts with empty fields (may be duplicates created by mistake).

Edit

Combining with another contact

⚠️ Note: It is easy to make a mistake and erase the contact you want with manual removal. To minimize the risks, use the Undo function (available within 5 seconds of deletion) or pre-export the phone book.

6 How to prevent the appearance of doubles in the future

Cleaning contacts -half-measure, if you do not eliminate the cause of their appearance.

Synchronization settings:

• 📱 Use only one Google account to sync your contacts.
• 📱 Turn off autosynchronization for unnecessary accounts: Settings → Accounts. → Google → Disable contact synchronization for secondary profiles.
• 📱 In apps like WhatsApp or Viber, turn off the “Show Contacts” option in your settings.

Contact management:

• 📵 Don't save the numbers on SIM-Map – Use only your phone memory or Google account.
• 📵 When adding a new contact, check if it is already in the phone book (use search).
• 📵 Avoid importing contacts from backups older than 6 months – they may contain outdated duplicates.

Backup:

• 💾 Regularly (once every 1-2 months) export contacts to.vcf via Contacts → Exports/imports.
• 💾 Store backups in the cloud (Google Drive, Mi Cloud) or on PC.

If you change your smartphone frequently or reinstall MIUI, clear the phone book of duplicates before transferring data, which will save you time and eliminate the need to clean the new device.

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The most common reason for duplicates on Xiaomi Redmi is simultaneous synchronization of contacts with a Google account and SIM-Disable synchronization from unnecessary sources to avoid problem.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the duplicate contacts on Xiaomi