How to delete multiple contacts on Xiaomi phone: all ways of 2026

Why standard contact removal on Xiaomi is inconvenient

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a problem: the MIUI interface does not offer an obvious way to massively delete contacts. Unlike competitors (such as Samsung or Google Pixel), where there is a feature of highlighting several records, the standard Contacts app on Xiaomi only has one-to-one deletion, which turns into anguish if you need to clear the phone book of 50+ unnecessary numbers - for example, after importing from an old device or synchronizing with social networks.

The problem is complicated by the fact that MIUI It integrates with Google and Mi Account services, and can be duplicated between accounts, stored in different sources (SIM-A map, a device, a cloud, and deleting them in one place doesn't always sync with others, like you can delete a number from your local memory, but it will stay in Google Contacts and come back after the next sync. In this article, we will analyze 5 proven methods of mass removal – from embedded tools to hidden functions MIUI Tools.

Before you start, make sure you have a backup of important contacts. Even if you plan to delete only junk records, allocation errors can lead to data loss. In MIUI 14 and later, the mass deletion feature is hidden behind a long tap on the contact - this gesture works unintuitively and is often ignored by users.

Method 1: Mass removal through the standard Contacts app

The most obvious method is to use the built-in Contacts app (a human silhouette icon on a green background), but there are pitfalls: the interface varies depending on the version of MIUI, and in some firmware, there is no mass allocation function at all. Consider the universal algorithm for MIUI 12-14:

1. Open the Contacts app and go to the All Contacts tab (usually it opens by default).
2. Press and hold any contact in the list for 1-2 seconds until the selection box appears.
3. Check all unnecessary recordings. At the top of the screen, a toolbar will appear.
4. Click on the basket icon (or Remove button) and confirm the action.

If the long press doesn’t work, try an alternative route:

• 🔍 Open Contacts. → press three points (⋮) top-right.
• 📋 Select Contact Management → Mass operations.
• 🗑️ Mark unnecessary entries and click Delete.

Note that this method only removes contacts from local storage. If the records are synced with Google or Mi Account, they will return when the next update is done. To avoid this, turn off sync before deleting (see the section on cloud accounts).

Backup contacts | Disable sync with Google/Mi Account | Check the storage source (SIM/device/cloud) | Make sure there is free space on your device-->

Method 2: Delete via Google Contacts (for synchronized records)

If your contacts are linked to a Google Account (which is the default when Xiaomi first starts), they can be deleted en masse via the web interface, a method that is more reliable than working through an app on your phone, since it allows you to filter and sort records more accurately.

Instructions:

1. Open contacts.google.com on your computer or phone and log in with the same account as you do on Xiaomi.
2. In the left menu, select Other contacts (here often accumulate unnecessary numbers from messengers).
3. Check the box next to the contacts you want to remove. To highlight everyone, click on the box in the list cap.
4. Click on the basket icon (🗑️) in the top panel and confirm the removal.

Advantages of this method:

• 🔍 Filtering by group, label or source (e.g., WhatsApp contacts only).
• 📱 Synchronize changes on all devices that use this Google Account.
• 🔄 Cancel function (up to 30 days) – if an important number is accidentally deleted, it can be restored.

💡

Before mass deletion via Google Contacts, sort the entries by the date of the last change (the latest ones in the sort menu) so you can quickly find old or duplicate numbers.

Important: Deletion via Google Contacts does not affect records saved on the SIM-To clear them, use Method 4 to clear them.

Method 3: Disabling synchronization before deletion

One of the most common mistakes is to delete contacts without turning off sync, which means that numbers disappear for a while, but come back after another server update.

How to turn off synchronization:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts and Synchronization.
2. Select Google (or Mi Account if you use it).
3. Turn off the slider near Contacts.
4. Return to the Contacts app and delete unnecessary entries (see Method 1).
5. After cleaning, turn on the synchronization again if you need it.

If you use multiple accounts (e.g. Google + Mi Account + Exchange), repeat the procedure for each to check where duplicate contacts come from:

• 📱 Open any contact in the Contacts app.
• 🔍 Scroll down to the Source block - there will be an account or SIM-map.
• 🗂️ If the source is Google or Mi Account, delete it via the web interface (see Method 2).

Through the standard Contacts app|Through Google Contacts in the browser|I use third-party apps.|I don't manage it, it's all stored as it is.-->

Synchronization can cause not only duplicates, but also zombie contacts, numbers that you delete but they come back again, because of a conflict between local and cloud copies, in which case a complete reset of synchronization will help:

⚠️ Note: If your contacts are completely lost after the sync is turned off, they are stored only in the cloud, and you can restore them within 30 days through Google Contacts (Basket section).

Method 4: Clearing contacts from SIM-card

Contacts saved on SIM-They're separated from the rest of the maps. MIUI consider SIM It's like an independent vault to clean it up:

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Press three points (⋮) → Contact management → Imports/Exports.
3. Select SIM Contact Management (or similar, depending on the MIUI version).
4. Mark unnecessary numbers and click Delete.

Limitations SIM-map:

If you SIM-There are no important contacts, it is easier to erase all records:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks.
• 🔄 Choose yours. SIM-map → Contacts SIM → Delete everything.

⚠️ Note: Some operators (for example, MTS or Beeline) block editing contacts on the Internet. SIM You'll have to use third-party apps or call the phone.

Method 5: Third-Party Applications for Mass Deletion

If embedded tools MIUI You don't like it, you can use specialized utilities, and they offer advanced features: duplicate filtering, regular expression search, export to the public. CSV/VCF. Let's look at the top.-3 tested applications:

1. Contacts Optimizer (free, there is a Pro version)

• 🔍 Automatic detection of duplicates and empty records.
• 📊 Grouping of contacts by source (Google, SIM, device).
• 🗑️ Mass removal with confirmation.

Download: Google Play

2. Simpler Merge (paid, 7-day trial)

• 🔄 Merging of duplicate contacts into one.
• 📱 Support for backup before changes.
• 🌐 Export/import format VCF Excel.

3. MIUI Tools (requires root rights)

• 🛠️ Advanced functions for working with system data MIUI.
• 🗃️ Clearing the contact cache and resetting the database.
• ⚠️ Only for experienced users!

Before installing third-party apps, check their reputation on forums (such as 4PDA or MIUI SU).Some utilities request access to Contacts and Warehouse, which can be a privacy risk.

What to do if contacts are not deleted

Sometimes even after all the manipulations, the contacts stay in place or come back.

Problem 1: Contacts are deleted but reappear.

• 🔄 Reason: Sync with Google or Mi Account enabled.
• 🛠️ Solution: Turn off sync (see Method 3), delete contacts, then turn it back on.

Problem 2: You can't remove contacts from the SIM-map.

• 🔒 Reason: Operator blocked editing (relevant for MTS, Tele2).
• 📱 Solution: Use third-party applications (for example, SIM Card from Simpler Apps or contact the salon.

Problem 3: The Contacts app freezes when it is removed in mass.

• 🐢 Reason: Too many records (1000)+), memory.
• ⚡ Solution: Break down deletion into 50-100 contacts or use Google Contacts in your browser.

Problem 4: All contacts are lost after the deletion.

• 😨 Reason: Error in allocation or resetting of storage.
• 🔙 Solution: Restore contacts from backup (see section below) or through the Recycle Bin in Google Contacts (30 days available).

💡

If contacts are linked to an Exchange account, they cannot be deleted in the standard way: contact your domain administrator or delete your account from your phone settings.

How to make a backup copy before deleting

Before you manipulate your contacts, make sure you back them up. MIUI has built-in tools for doing this, but they're not always reliable. Let's look at three ways:

1.Export through the “Contact” app

1. Open Contacts. → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports.
2. Select Export to the file and specify the location of the save (for example, Internal Memory).
3. The file will be saved in.vcf (business card) format.

2. Backup through Google

• 🔗 All contacts synced with Google are automatically backed up in the cloud.
• 📤 To make sure of this, check contacts.google.com – there should be an up-to-date version of your phone book.

3. Third-party backup applications

• 📦 Super Backup & Restore – Keeps Contacts, SMS and call logs XML or VCF.
• 🔐 Swift Backup (requires root) – creates full backups with encryption.

Store your backups in a safe place, such as the cloud (Google Drive, Mi Cloud), on your computer or external drive..vcf files can be opened on any device, including your iPhone or Windows.

⚠️ Warning: If you use Mi Account for backup, make sure you have enough space in the cloud.Free fare is limited to 5GB and contacts + Photos fill it up quickly. Check the free space in Settings → Mi Account → Cloud.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing contacts on Xiaomi