How to remove multiple contacts from Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite: all working methods

Why is the standard Mi 9 Lite pin removal inconvenient?

Owners of Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite often face a problem: the standard application “Contacts” from MIUI does not allow you to delete several records at once, you have to erase each contact separately – long and uncomfortable, especially if the phone is clogged with unnecessary numbers after synchronizing with social networks or instant messengers.

The problem is compounded by the fact that the Mi 9 Lite (codename pyxis) was released in 2019 with MIUI 10 on board, and later received updates to MIUI 12/13. In each version, the contact management interface changed, and there is no universal solution for “all firmware”; in addition, some contacts can be stored locally, and some in Google Account, which adds to the confusion.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to remove contacts, including hidden MIUI features, Google Contacts, and third-party utilities, and how to avoid common mistakes when cleaning a phone book, such as accidentally deleting linked accounts or losing important numbers.

Method 1: Remove via Contacts (for MIUI 12 and later)

If your Mi 9 Lite is running MIUI 12 or more, the built-in Contacts app supports group sampling.

1. Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person’s silhouette on the home screen).
2. Touch three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select “Contact Management».
3. Click on the Select icon (usually located at the top right or left of the search bar).
4. Check the unneeded contacts. Use the "Select All" function (if available) to speed up the process.
5. Click on the basket icon (🗑️) and confirm the removal.

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 11 and older, the group removal function may not be available.

Backup your contacts through Settings → Google → Backup

Check if your contacts are synced with your Google Account

Turn off synchronization with messengers (Viber, WhatsApp, Telegram)

Close all background applications to avoid crashes-->

If the “Select All” option is not available, try to bypass the restriction:

• 📱 Scroll down the list and hold your finger on the first contact, then tap on the rest – so you can select multiple entries at a time.
• 🔍 Use search: enter a part of a name or number (for example, +7) to filter the contacts and then delete them by group.
• 📁 Sorting by Group: If contacts are grouped (e.g., Work, Friends), delete entire groups.

Method 2: Clean up Google Contacts (for synchronized accounts)

If your contacts are synced with your Google Account, it is easier to delete them via the web version of Google Contacts, which works independently of the MIUI version and allows you to manage records even from a computer.

Instructions:

1. Open your browser on your phone or PC and go to contacts.google.com.
2. Sign in with the same account that is linked to the Mi 9 Lite.
3. Click on the Select icon (square in the top left corner) and mark unnecessary contacts. Use Ctrl+A (on PC) or a long tap on the mobile version to highlight the item.
4. Click on the basket icon (🗑️) and confirm the action.

🔹 Advantages of the method:

• 🖥️ It is easier to work on a large PC screen.
• 🔄 Changes are synced automatically with the phone (if sync is enabled).
• 📊 There are filters for tags, duplicates and incomplete contacts.

💡

Before mass deletion, export your contacts to a CSV file: Google Contacts click More → Export, which will help you recover your data if something goes wrong.

⚠️ Warning: If contacts are left on your phone after deleting, check your synchronization settings:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts → Google → [your email] → Account Sync.
2. Make sure the slider opposite the Contact is active.
3. If sync is disabled, turn it on and wait for the data update (it can take up to 10 minutes).

Method 3: Use MIUI Cleaner (for local contacts)

Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite is equipped with a built-in utility “Clean” (MIUI Cleaner), which can delete unnecessary data, including contacts, this method is suitable for local records (not synchronized with Google).

How to use:

1. Open the Cleanup app (the badge with the broom).
2. Go to the Deep Cleanup or Data Management tab (name depends on the MIUI version).
3. Select the “Contacts” or “Other Data” section.
4. Mark unnecessary entries and click "Clear".

📌 Limitations of method:

• ❌ It does not work for contacts synced with Google or Mi Cloud.
• ❌ You may not be able to see all the records (depending on version) MIUI).
• ✅ Quickly remove duplicates and empty contacts (no names or numbers).

Method 4: Third-Party Applications for Mass Deletion

If the built-in MIUI tools fail, third-party utilities will come to the rescue, and we recommend two proven applications:

🔧 How to use (example: Contacts Optimizer):

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Please provide access to your contacts (required!).
3. In the main menu, select “Mass actions”.
4. Mark unnecessary contacts or apply a filter (for example, “No Names” or “Dublicates”).
5. Click "Delete" and confirm.

⚠️ Note: Before using third-party apps, be sure to back up contacts through Settings → System system → Backup or export it to.vcf. Some utilities can delete data without recovery!

Through the standard "Contact" app

Via Google Contacts (web version)

With MIUI Cleaner

Third-party applications

Manual removal one by one-->

Method 5: Reset contact settings (extreme case)

If none of these methods worked, and the phone is full of thousands of unwanted contacts, you're left with the Contacts app reset, a radical way that brings the app back to the factory settings, but doesn't affect the other data on the phone.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the “Contacts” list (or com.android.contacts) and tap it.
3. Select "Storage» → «Clear the data».
4. Confirm the action. After that, all local contacts (not synced with Google) will be deleted.

🔹 What happens after the discharge:

• ✅ All local contacts (not linked to accounts) will disappear).
• ✅ Display settings, sorting and groups will be reset.
• ❌ Contacts from Google Account or Mi Cloud will remain intact (they will recover the next time you sync your account).

💡

Resetting the Contacts app is not a complete phone reset! it only affects the data of that app without deleting photos, messages or other files.

⚠️ Warning: If the contacts reappear after the reset, they were synchronized to the cloud to remove them forever:

1. Open Settings → Accounts.
2. Select Google or Mi Cloud → Delete your account (don’t worry, it will only untie your phone).
3. Add your account again and set up sync only for the data you want (e.g., exclude contacts).

How to avoid the accumulation of unnecessary contacts?

To avoid having to clean your phone book again, follow these tips:

• 🚫 Turn off automatic synchronization with messengers: WhatsApp: Settings → Account. → Synchronization of contacts → Turn it off. In Viber, more → Settings → Synchronization → Select “Never” on Telegram: Contacts are not automatically synced, but check your settings in Contacts → Three points. → Synchronization settings.
• 🔄 Set up filters in Google Contacts: Create tags for important contacts (e.g., “family”, “work”). Check the “Other contacts” folder regularly – numbers from emails and instant messengers get there.
• 📱 Use alternative contact apps, such as Truecaller (filters spam and duplicates), Drupe (knows how to group contacts into categories).

💡 Useful Lifehack: If you get calls from spammers often, blacklist their numbers directly from the call log:

1. Open the phone» → «Journal».
2. Find the spammer number, tap it and select “Add to blacklist.”
3. MIUI also has a global lock: Settings → Number Lock.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing contacts on Mi 9 Lite