How to completely remove contact on Xiaomi Redmi: 5 proven ways

Why Removing Contacts on Redmi Is a Question for Users

Xiaomi Redmi smartphones run on the branded MIUI shell, which is integrated with Google’s ecosystem and its own Mi Cloud services. This layering often leads to confusion: users delete the contact in one place, but it “returns” from another source. For example, you erase the number in the Contacts app, but after an hour it reappears – because it is synchronized with a Google account or Mi Account.

Another common problem is duplicate contacts. MIUI can create copies of a single number if it's stored in both the phone's memory and the cloud, leaving a contact ghost after deleting, which interferes with search, and in this article, we'll look at how to guarantee that a contact is removed from all levels, from local storage to cloud services, and how to avoid it reappearing.

It is important to understand that the procedure differs depending on where the contact is stored:

• 📱 Locally – only in the memory of the smartphone;
• ☁️ Google account syncs with Gmail and other devices;
• 🌐 Mi Cloud: Xiaomi Cloud Linked to Mi Account;
• 📧 V SIM-The map is an outdated method, but still used.

Method 1: Delete via the standard Contacts app

The most obvious method is to use the built-in Contacts app (an icon with a person's silhouette on a green background), but there's a nuance here: if the contact is synchronized with the cloud, removing it from the local storage won't work.

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Find the right contact through search or scroll through the list.
3. Tap it to open the card.
4. Press three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Remove.
5. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

If the contact reappears after that, it's linked to one of the cloud services.

• 🔍 Open the contact card → press edit;
• 📌 At the top of the screen will be the source (e.g. Google or Mi Account);
• 🔄 If the source is cloud, removing it from local storage won’t help.

⚠️ Note: If the contact is kept in SIM-You can delete the card through the Contacts app and it may not work. SIM (see method 4).

Method 2: Delete via Google Account (for synchronized contacts)

If the contact card indicates a Google source, it must be deleted through the web interface or account settings, which ensures that the number disappears from all devices associated with this Gmail.

Instructions for removal via smartphone:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Select your account and go to Contact Sync.
3. Turn off the synchronization (slider to the off position).
4. Go back to the Contacts app, find the contact you want and delete it.
5. Turn the sync back on.

Alternative way - through the browser on the PC:

• 🌐 Go to contacts.google.com;
• 🔍 Find contact through search;
• 🗑️ Right-click on it. → Delete;
• 🔄 Update the page to make sure you delete it.

💡

If a contact is duplicated in Google and Mi Cloud, remove it from Google first, then from Mi Account (via Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Contacts).

Method 3: Delete via Mi Cloud (for Mi Account users)

If you use Mi Account and sync with Mi Cloud enabled, contacts can be stored in the Xiaomi cloud, and you need to delete them if:

• 🔄 Contact is returned after removal from local storage;
• 📱 You see it on other Xiaomi devices (tablet, smartwatch);
• ☁️ The contact card contains the source of the Mi Account.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Settings. → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Scroll down to the Contacts section and click on it.
3. Turn off the synchronization (move the slider to the left).
4. Go back to the Contacts app, find the contact you want and delete it.
5. Turn on sync back to Mi Cloud.

If you want to remove the contact directly from the cloud:

• 🌐 Go to i.mi.com and log in;
• 📊 Select the Contact section;
• 🗑️ Mark unnecessary contacts and click Delete.

Method 4: Removal of contacts with SIM-map

Although the maintenance of contacts SIM-The card is considered an outdated method, some users still use it, especially for owners of Redmi with two cards. SIM-cards where contacts can be duplicated between slots.

How to Remove Contact with SIM:

1. Open the Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks.
2. Choose. SIM-A card with which contact should be removed.
3. Click SIM Contact Management (the name may vary depending on the version of MIUI).
4. Find the contact in the list, tap it and select Delete.

Please note:

• 📵 Contacts to SIM They are not synchronized with the clouds;
• 🔢 Limitation on the number of characters in a name/number (up to 20 characters);
• 📱 When reshuffling SIM The other phone will remain in contact.

⚠️ Note: Removal of contacts with SIM irreversible – they cannot be restored through the cart or backups. Before cleaning, it is recommended to export contacts to the.vcf file (via Settings). → System system → Backup).

Method 5: Mass removal of duplicate contacts

If your Redmi has a lot of duplicate contacts (for example, after importing from different sources), they can be removed in batch. MIUI provides a built-in tool for merging and cleaning:

Instructions:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Press three points (⋮) top-right → Contact management.
3. Choose Clear Duplicates or Combine Contacts (name depends on the version of MIUI).
4. The system will automatically find the repeating recordings. Press Clear or Combine.
5. Confirm the action.

If the built-in tool fails, use third-party apps:

• 📲 Contacts Optimizer – Analyzes and removes duplicates;
• 🔍 Simpler Merge – offers manual or automatic merger;
• ☁️ Google Contacts – Web version with cleaning tool.

💡

Before mass removal of duplicates, be sure to back up contacts through Settings → System → Backup.

What to do if the contact is not removed

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the contact “does not want” to be removed: after clicking Delete, it stays in place or returns after a while.

If none of the methods worked, try resetting the Contacts app settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Contacts and open its settings.
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the data.
4. Reboot your smartphone.

⚠️ Attention: Clearing the Contacts app data will remove all locally stored numbers (not from the cloud!) pre-export them to the.vcf file.

How to Restore Accidentally Remote Contact

If you delete the contact by mistake, it can be returned within a limited time (usually 30 days).

For Google Contacts:

• 🌐 Go to contacts.google.com;
• 🔄 In the left menu, select Cancel Changes;
• ⏳ Please indicate the time period (up to 30 days ago);
• 📥 Confirm the recovery.

For Mi Cloud:

• ☁️ Open the Settings. → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Contacts;
• 🗑️ At the bottom of the screen, press the basket;
• 🔍 Find a remote contact and restore it.

For local contacts (without synchronization), recovery is possible only from a backup:

1. Go to Settings → System → Backup.
2. Select the last copy and click Restore.
3. Check the contact box and confirm.

💡

To avoid losing contacts, set up automatic backup in Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Autoback.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing contacts on Xiaomi Redmi