How to remove multiple contacts on Xiaomi Redmi 9: all the working ways

Removing unnecessary contacts one at a time is time-consuming, especially if the phone book has hundreds of entries from old ones. SIM-Maps, duplicates from messengers or spam numbers. owners of Xiaomi Redmi 9 face this problem more often than others: MIUI It doesn't offer a built-in mass removal feature, and standard methods through Google Contacts don't always work because of the features of the firmware. In this article, we'll discuss 5 proven ways to clean a phone book in a few minutes - from hidden features. MIUI side-to-side.

Feature of Redmi 9 (model M2003J15SC/M2004J19C) It's because even after you reset, contacts can still be in your Mi Account or Google account, so before you clean them up, it's important to know where the records are stored. SIM-We will look at options for all cases, including the problem of gray contacts that are not deleted by standard methods.

1. Delete via the standard Contacts app (limited functionality)

In MIUI 12/13, Redmi 9 has a hidden ability to highlight multiple contacts, but it works in a non-intuitive way. Many users don't notice this feature because the interface doesn't tell you it exists. Here's how to use it:

1. Open the Contacts app** (an icon with a human silhouette).
2. Slip on three dots in the top right corner → select Contact Management.
3. In the menu that opens, click Select Contacts (not to be confused with Import/Export).
4. Hold your finger on any contact for 2 seconds to activate multiple choice mode.
5. Tick unneeded entries → click Remove (basket icon).

⚠️ Important: This method only works for contacts stored in the device's memory or Mi Account. SIM-You can't delete a map or a Google account in this way. MIUI 14+ The interface may be different – instead of “Contact Management” look for Settings → Delete contacts.

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If the "Select contacts" button is inactive, check if one contact editing mode is enabled, close all open cards and try again.

Another nuance: when you delete the MIUI in bulk, it can freeze for 10 to 30 seconds, especially if the contacts you select are more than 50. Don't force the application to close, wait until the operation is complete, otherwise some of the records may remain in the system as "damaged".

2. Mass deletion via Google Contacts (for synchronized records)

If your contacts are synced to your Google account, the most reliable way to clean up is through the web version of the service, which is suitable for Redmi 9 regardless of the version of MIUI, as it works at the cloud level.

1. Open contacts.google.com on your computer or phone and log in.
2. In the left menu, select Other Contacts (if you want to delete non-main entries) or All Contacts.
3. Click on the first contact in the list, then hold the Shift and click on the last one – so you highlight the entire range.
4. Click on the basket icon in the top panel → confirm removal.

🔹 Advantages of the method:

• 🔄 It works even if the phone is turned off or dropped.
• 📱 Deletes records from all devices linked to Google account.
• 🔍 Allows you to filter contacts by tags (for example, remove only "Workers" or "Spam").

⚠️ Attention: After mass deleting through Google Contacts on Redmi 9, there may be a problem with "ghost" entries - they will disappear from the list, but will be displayed in the call history:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Contacts and Phone → clear the cache and data for both.

3. Use of MIUI Tools (Hidden Firmware Functions)

MIUI has a hidden tool called MIUI Tools that allows you to manage system data, including contacts, which is suitable for advanced users, because it requires activation of the developer mode.

1. Activate Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (Tap 7 times)
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Install MIUI Tools on PC (Windows 7+ is required).
4. Connect Redmi 9 to USB, start the program and select Contacts Manager.
5. In the utility interface, mark unnecessary contacts → click Delete Selected.

📌 Features of the method:

• 🛠️ Allows you to delete contacts in packs of 50–100 pieces at a time.
• 🔧 It works even with “blocked” records that are not deleted in standard ways.
• ⚠️ Risk of removing system contacts (e.g. operator service numbers).

MIUI Tools can conflict with antiviruses – temporarily disable protection (such as Avast or Kaspersky) before use to avoid false positives.

4. Third-party applications for mass disposal

If the built-in methods don't work, specialized utilities will come to the rescue.

🔹 How to choose an application:

• 🧹 For a single cleaning, Contact Remover (free version) is suitable).
• 🔄 If you need regular optimization, it is better to buy Simpler Merge.
• 🚨 Use Cleanup to remove spam contacts (analyzes call history).

⚠️ Warning: Before using third-party applications, check their permissions. SMS, Call logs or geolocations without obvious cause are a cause for concern. Redmi 9 may also be triggered by protection. MIUI, blocking the background activity of these programs, to avoid problems:

Open Settings → Applications → Permissions → Autostart and add the selected utility to the exclusion list.

Create a backup copy of contacts|Checking App Reviews in Google Play|Disable sync with Google during cleaning|Checking of annex permits|Testing for 1-2 contacts before mass removal-->

5. Resetting the phone book through the engineering menu (extreme method)

If contacts are not deleted by any means (for example, after an unsuccessful import from a.vcf file), you can resort to resetting the phonebook database through an engineering menu. This method is risky - if you do the wrong thing, you can reset not only contacts, but also other data.

1. Open the Phone app and enter the code: ##4636###

🔴 Effects of the method:

• 🔄 Linked accounts (Google, Mi Account) will remain intact – contacts from the cloud will return after syncing.

On some versions of MIUI for Redmi 9 (e.g. 12.5.3), the engineering menu may not open through the code, in which case use an alternative method: install the MTK Engineering Mode app from Google Play and repeat the steps through it.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

💡 Recommendation: For most Redmi 9 users, the best option is a combination of Google Contacts (for cloud records) + Contact Remover (for local duplicates) If contacts are less than 100, a standard application will suffice. MIUI. Use the engineering menu only as a last resort.

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Before mass deletion, always back up your contacts via Settings → Google → Backup or export them to.vcf. This will take 2-3 minutes, but save you from accidentally losing important numbers.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When you delete contacts on Redmi 9, users often face typical problems:

1. Contacts are returned after deletion Reason: sync with Mi Account or Google is enabled. Solution: disable it in Settings → Accounts before cleaning.
2. Contacts with the SIM-Cause: MIUI block out SIM-Solution: Use the old app SIM Contacts Manager (available at APKMirror).
3. There is a "Contacts are not responding" error, "Cause: database overload. Solution: clear the Contacts cache in the settings."

⚠️ Note: if after mass removal all contacts, including the necessary ones, are missing, check:

• 🔍 Recycle Bin folder in Google Contacts (records are stored there for 30 days).
• 📥 Incoming SMS — Some operators send backup copies when changing SIM.
• ☁️ Other cloud services (for example, Yandex Drive or Mail.ru Cloud, if you previously did backup).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions