Modern smartphones, including the popular Xiaomi Redmi 8, accumulate huge amounts of information, and the phone book is no exception. Over time, the list of subscribers can grow to hundreds of names, which often include duplicates, old numbers of former colleagues or simply mistakenly stored records. Clearing the contact list is not only a matter of aesthetics, but also a way to simplify navigation and speed up the search for the right person in an emergency.
Owners of MIUI shell devices often face the need to process records massively, as standard methods of deleting one by one take too long. Fortunately, Android provides tools for group data management. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to delete multiple contacts at once using built-in smartphone features and cloud services.
The process can vary depending on the firmware version and the source of the number storage, and it's important to understand where your records are: in your phone's memory, on your phone. SIM-It's a question of how you choose to use a map or Google account, and how you can recover it in case of an error. We'll look at all the details of working with a Redmi 8 phone book.
Preparation for deletion and backup
Before you start taking drastic measures to delete the accumulated records, you need to protect yourself from losing the really important numbers. Accidental allocation of an extra item in the list is a common mistake that can lead to the removal of the desired contact.
The most reliable way to save data is to sync with a Google account, which allows you not only to create a copy, but also to manage contacts through a browser on your computer, which is often more convenient, and you can also use a built-in security application or export to a.vcf file.
⚠️ Note: Remote contacts without prior synchronization are extremely difficult to restore, and sometimes impossible, especially if they were stored only on the Internet. SIM-map.
To create a local copy, go to the Contacts app, click on the menu (three dots or bars) and select Import/Export. Here you can select Export to Memory of Device or Export to Drive. The file you create will contain all your current records.
☑️ Preparation for contact cleaning
Removing contacts through a standard application
The basic method of managing the phone book is built into the Contacts or Phone app itself, which is preinstalled on the Xiaomi Redmi 8. The interface may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI, but the logic of actions remains the same for all models of the brand.
To start the process, open the app and go to the Contacts tab. The top right corner of the screen usually has a menu button or three-dot icon. When you click on it, you will see a drop-down list where you need to select the Edit or Contact Management option.
Once you activate the edit mode, you'll see a selection circle next to each name, so you can manually mark the entries you want to delete. To speed up the process, you can often choose all or range selection, which allows you to massively delete contacts in one session.
- 📱 Open the Contacts app on the home screen.
- ✏️ Press the menu button and select editing mode.
- ✅ Check the unneeded numbers or select all.
- 🗑️ Press the basket icon and confirm the action.
Once confirmed, the system will request final permission to delete, which is an Android security mechanism that prevents accidental data loss, and if you singled out the extra, you can still cancel the operation at this stage.
What to do if the removal button is inactive?
Contacts with your Google account
The most effective way to manage large listings is to use the Google Contacts web interface, which is especially useful if your contacts are synced to the cloud, and you can work with them from a computer using a large screen and keyboard, which greatly speeds up the process.
First, make sure your Redmi 8 is synced. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google and make sure the checkmark opposite Contacts is active.
| Parameter | Description | Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Interface. | Web browser on PC or phone | Comfortable highlighting with a mouse |
| Synchronization | Automatic over the Internet | Instant updates on all devices |
| Recovery | The basket is kept for 30 days. | High data security |
| Filters | Search by date, name, group | Quick search for duplicates |
Go to contacts.google.com from any device, select the contacts you want by pressing Ctrl (for selecting) or Shift (for selecting range). In the top menu, click on the basket icon. Changes will apply on your smartphone as soon as you connect to the network.
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Using the web version of Google Contacts is the fastest way to delete hundreds of entries at once using a keyboard and mouse.
Cleaning duplicates and combining records
Often the problem is not the number of contacts, but the duplication. On Xiaomi Redmi 8, you can experience a situation where the same number is saved several times: once on SIM, another in the phone’s memory, a third in the Google account.
In the Contacts app, find the Connect Contacts or Offers function, and the algorithm will analyze the list and suggest combining the records with the same names or phone numbers, which allows you to delete unnecessary copies, saving all the information (photos, emails, addresses) in one card.
If automated search doesn’t find all the duplicates, you can use third-party apps from Google Play that specialize in cleaning the phone book, but be careful: by giving access to contacts to third-party software, you potentially risk data privacy.
- 🔄 Use the built-in association function in MIUI.
- 🔍 Check system offers before merger.
- ⚠️ Beware of third-party apps with questionable permissions.
- 💾 Always backup before a mass reunion.
Once the duplicates are combined, the list will become much cleaner and it will take seconds to find the right subscriber, which is especially true for users who often change their names. SIM-maps or data transfers from old phones.
Removal of contacts with SIM-map
Contacts stored on SIM-They have limited functionality and often lack additional fields, such as a photo or an email address, but many users tend to keep numbers there.
To manage them, open the Contacts app, go to the display settings and select Contacts on SIM-Here you will see a list of the numbers available for editing. Highlight the ones that are not needed and press the delete button.
⚠️ Attention: SIM-The card has a limited amount of memory and often does not support long names or Cyrillic characters in full.
For the transfer of numbers from SIM-In the memory of the device, use the menu "Import / export". Select "Import from the device". SIM-maps" and specify destination - Google account or phone memory. After a successful transfer, you can safely delete the entries from the SIM, freeing up space and simplifying the management of the device.
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After importing the contact with SIM-Check if all the symbols of the names are correctly preserved, especially if Cyrillic is used.
Display setting and list filtering
Sometimes it seems like too many contacts, but in fact, the list displays entries from all possible sources at once. On the Xiaomi Redmi 8, you can flexibly adjust the filtering to see only the right groups.
In the contact settings menu, look for Contacts to Display. You can select a specific account or phone book here. This doesn't delete contacts, but hides them from the general list, which makes navigation easier. If you want to delete contacts from just one source, filter them first.
Also worth paying attention to is the Favorites folder, which often gets old numbers that are automatically added when you make frequent calls, and cleaning up your favorite list also helps to clean up communications.
Checking your display settings regularly helps keep your phone book in order without having to permanently delete it, which is especially useful if you’re using multiple work accounts or corporate profiles.