Connecting contacts on Xiaomi: why you need and how to use it

Have you ever encountered a situation where the same person is displayed in your Xiaomi phone book two or three times? SIM-Not only does it take up space, it makes it harder to find the right number, and the solution is to connect contacts, which many users either don't notice or are afraid to use.

In this article, we will discuss in detail what is the association of contacts on Xiaomi, how it works on firmware. MIUI 14 and MIUI 15, what the pros and cons of this feature are, and most importantly, how to combine duplicates without losing important data, and you will learn why contacts sometimes automatically disconnect after a system update and how to avoid this. And we will reveal a few hidden features of the application Contacts, which are not written even in the official instructions.

What is the connection of contacts with Xiaomi and why is it necessary?

The linking (or linking) feature on Xiaomi smartphones allows you to glue multiple records about a single person into a single profile, for example if you have:

• 📱 Contact Ivan Petrov from Google account (with mail and primary number)
• 📞 Contact Vanya from SIM-cards (with additional number)
• 🔄 Contact Petrov_I from Telegram or WhatsApp (with messenger data)

The system can combine them into a single record, where all the numbers, mails and other data are displayed, and the original contacts are not deleted, they are simply linked.

The main reasons why you should use this function:

• ✅ Search Engine: You don’t have to scroll through multiple records for one person.
• ✅ Save space: Only one entry is displayed in the contact list.
• ✅ Data synchronization: Changes to one contact automatically apply to all associated contacts.
• ✅ Integration with messengers: in MIUI You can link profiles from WhatsApp, Telegram and other applications.

But there are pitfalls, too, like if you don't connect your contacts properly, it can be hard to separate them without losing data. MIUI Ligaments can be discharged - we will talk about this below.

How to combine contacts in MIUI: technical

In the firmware MIUI 12-15 The contact association function operates on the basis of unique identifiers (UID). When you link two contacts, the system creates a logical connection between them, but it doesn't physically connect the records in the database:

• 🔗 The original contacts remain in their sources (Google, SIM, Mi Account).
• 📎 Only one entry is displayed in the interface, but when exporting, you will receive all the original data.
• 🔄 If one of the associated contacts is removed, the communication will be severed, but the second contact will remain.

Important nuance: in MIUI There are two types of association:

1. Manual – when the user manually chooses which contacts to link.
2. Automatic – when the system itself offers to combine similar records (for example, with the same names or numbers).

Automatic connection is on by default, but it doesn't work perfectly, for example, it might suggest linking Ivan Ivanov and Ivan Petrov just because they have the same name, so it's better to check the system's sentences manually.

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After the update MIUI Your contacts are disconnected, don't panic: no data is lost. Just go to the Contacts app settings and re-connect them manually.

Step-by-step: how to combine contacts on Xiaomi

The process of connecting contacts on Xiaomi takes no more than a minute, if you know where to look for the right settings. MIUI 14/15:

1. Open the Contacts app (a icon with a person's silhouette).
2. Find the contact you want to connect with another. Click on it.
3. Tap it on three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Edit.
4. Scroll down to the Linked Contacts block and click Link.
5. Select a contact to combine from the list of suggested ones or find it through a search.
6. Confirm the link by pressing Ready.

If you want to connect several contacts at once:

Make sure that all contacts have unique names (so as not to confuse them)

Backup Contacts Through Settings → Google → Backup

Make sure sync with Mi Account is enabled (Settings) → Xiaomi account → Synchronization)

Close all messengers that can block access to contacts-->

For mass unification go to Settings → Contact management → Combine and fix. Here, the system will suggest that you automatically link similar records. Check each option carefully, because automatic sentences are not always accurate.

Problems and mistakes in the combination of contacts: how to fix

Despite the convenience, the link-up feature on Xiaomi sometimes fails, and here are the most common problems and solutions:

One of the most frustrating things is when you're merging, you're missing photos of your contacts. MIUI Prioritizes an image from one source (usually Google) while ignoring others:

1. Separate the contacts.
2. Save the photo from the desired contact to the device.
3. Reunite the contacts and manually assign the saved photo.

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If notifications from messengers (such as WhatsApp) stop coming after the contacts are merged, check if the notification settings for the associated profile are lost. Sometimes the system resets them to default values.

How to disconnect contacts on Xiaomi without losing data

If you've combined contacts incorrectly or changed your mind, you can disconnect them, but there's a caveat: if you delete the link in a careless way, some of the data may be lost. Here's a safe way to do this.

1. Open the joint contact and click Edit.
2. Scroll to the Linked Contacts block and tap on the icon ❌ near-link.
3. Confirm disconnection by pressing OK.

If the disconnect button is inactive or the contacts are stuck, try:

• 🔄 Reset the settings of the Contacts application (Settings) → Annexes → Contacts → Reset).
• 📱 Delete and re-add the account (e.g. Google) with which your contacts are linked.
• 💾 Restore a backup copy of contacts (if any).

Important: If you disconnect contacts that have been synced to Google or Mi Account, the changes will apply to all devices that have synced, and to avoid this, temporarily disable it before disconnecting.

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Before disconnecting contacts, take a screenshot of the data screen so you can quickly recover information if something goes wrong.

The hidden possibilities of linking up in MIUI

Few people know, but in MIUI There are a few hidden functions that are associated with connecting contacts:

• 🔍 Search for duplicates: in Settings → Contact management → Combine and fix is a tool to find potential duplicates, and it analyzes not just names, but numbers, mails, and even birthdays.
• 📊 Contact statistics: if you combine contacts with your call and message history, you will see a Stats tab in your profile where you can see how often you communicate with this person.
• 🔗 Linking to social networks: in some versions MIUI You can link profiles from Facebook, LinkedIn and other social networks (setting is hidden in Edit contact) → Additionally).
• 📌 Securing important contacts: Joint contacts can be pinned at the top of the list so they are always at hand.

Another little-known trick: if you combine contacts with different dates of birth, MIUI You can then choose a primary date, but you can keep both in history, and then you can switch between them in your contact profile.

For owners of Xiaomi with MIUI 15 is available function "Smart association", which analyzes not only names and numbers, but also:

• 📧 Postal addresses (e.g. ivan)@mail.ru and i.petrov@mail.ru can be recognized by one person).
• 📍 Addresses (if the contacts have the same home or work address).
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family ties (for example, if two contacts have the same "parent").

Connecting Contacts and Security: What You Need to Know

At first glance, networking seems like a harmless function, but there are a few security risks:

⚠️ Note: If you combine contacts from different accounts (e.g. Google and Mi Account), data can be accessed through any of them. For example, if someone accesses your Mi Account, they will see all the associated contacts, including those that were only on Google.

To minimize the risks:

• 🔐 Use two-factor authentication for all contact-related accounts.
• 🚫 Do not combine your personal and work data in one profile.
• 📡 Check regularly which apps have access to your contacts (Settings) → Confidentiality → Permits → Contacts).

Another important point: if you sell or transfer your Xiaomi to another person, be sure to disconnect all contacts and reset the settings to factory ones, otherwise the new owner will be able to see your associated profiles even if you delete the accounts.

For complete cleaning:

1. Disconnect all contacts manually.
2. Delete all accounts (Google, Mi Account) in Settings → Accounts.
3. Perform a reset to factory settings (Settings → About Phone → Resetting).

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If you use Xiaomi for work, never combine corporate contacts with personal contacts, and if data is leaked, it can have serious security implications.

FAQ: Frequent questions about joining contacts on Xiaomi