Why it is impossible to keep contact on Xiaomi Redmi: systemic reasons and ways to fix

You try to add a new number to the Xiaomi Redmi phone book, but after rebooting or updating the application, the contact disappears without a trace? This problem is familiar to thousands of users of MIUI-based smartphones - from the budget Redmi 9A to the flagship Redmi K60 Pro. In 80% of cases, it is not hardware defects that are to blame, but software conflicts between system services.

In this article, we will discuss 7 Key reasons why Xiaomi Redmi refuses to keep contacts – from the banal lack of rights in the application “Contacts” to hidden bugs in the firmware MIUI 14/15. You will learn how to diagnose the problem for 2 The first minutes of what settings to check first, and what to do if standard methods do not help. 13/14.

1. Account Conflict: Google vs Mi Account

The main reason for the disappearance of contacts on Redmi is simultaneous synchronization with two accounts: Google and Mi Account. MIUI default tries to duplicate contacts in both clouds, but in case of a conflict of rights, one service "overwrites" the other, erasing fresh changes.

How it manifests itself:

• 📱 Contacts are saved but disappear after rebooting
• 🔄 In the list of contacts appear duplicates with different data
• ⚠️ When editing the number, an error is issued "Can not be saved"

To check which account is "guilty":

1. Open Settings → Accounts
2. Select Google → Account Sync → Disable Contacts
3. Repeat to Mi Account (Section of Xiaomi Cloud)
4. Try to keep the test contact.

⚠️ If your contacts return after you disable sync with Google, there is a conflict between the versions of the CardDAV protocol. MIUI Solution: Update the Contact App to version 14.1.5+ via Google Play.

2. Contacts app and MIUI cache errors

In 30 percent of cases, the com.android.contacts app itself, which is deeply integrated with system services in MIUI, is to blame.

• 🖥️ When you keep contact, the application "flys out"
• 📲 The "Save" button is inactive (grey)
• 🔄 After editing, changes do not apply

Cleaning instructions:

Open Settings → Applications → Application Management

Find "Contacts" (or "Contacts")

Click Clear Cache → Clear Data

Reboot the phone.

Try to keep the contact back.-->

If the cleaning didn’t help, check the app’s permissions:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Contacts → Permissions
2. Make sure it's on: 📞 Access to contacts 📁 Storage (for backup copies) 📡 Internet (for synchronization)

💡

If all contacts are gone after cleaning the data, don't panic, they're stored in the cloud. Restore them through Settings. → Accounts. → Google/Mi Account → Synchronization

3. Damage to the contact database

The most insidious bug is the damage to the contacts2.db file, which stores all phone records.

• ⚡ Incorrect update MIUI
• 🔌 Excessive power outage during conservation
• 📱 Use of cleaners like Clean Master

Signs of base damage:

• 📵 Contacts are displayed but not edited
• 🔍 Contact search doesn't work
• 📊 The list shows "0 contacts", although they are

The solution is to recover via ADB (requires PC):

adb shell


su




cd /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases




rm contacts2.db




rm contacts2.db-journal




reboot

⚠️ Warning: This command will completely remove the local contact database! Before executing, make sure you have a backup in Google Contacts or Mi Cloud. Once rebooted, contacts will automatically recover from the cloud.

In the phone book.

V SIM-map

On Google Contacts

In Mi Cloud

Another way.-->

4.Problems with SIM-card

If you keep contact with the SIM-map, the problem may be in the:

For diagnosis:

1. Try to keep in touch with another. SIM-map
2. Check if your SIM supports contact retention (some operators block this feature)
3. Insert SIM into another phone – if the problem recurs, the card is faulty

5. Failures after MIUI update

Updates MIUI 14.0.5-15.1.2 contain a critical contact migration bug that affects the Redmi Note 11/12, Redmi 10 and POCO X4. After the upgrade, the system incorrectly converts the old contact database to the new format, which leads to:

• 📥 Disappearance of all contacts after update
• 🔄 Infinite synchronization (synchronization icon spins for days)
• 📵 Inability to add new contacts

The official decision from Xiaomi:

1. Make a backup through Settings → About Phone → Backup
2. Perform a reset (Settings → Additional → Resetting)
3. When you first set up, do not restore data from a backup!
4. Sign in to Google Account and wait for automatic contact sync

⚠️ Note: If your contacts are not restored after reset, check your Google Contacts settings on the web (contacts.google.com.

6. Viruses and malware

Malware of the Android.Trojan.SmsSend family and Android.Spy.ContactStealer specifically attack the contact databases on Xiaomi, since MIUI stores them in an unencrypted form.

• 📵 Contacts disappear after installing a new app
• 📤 Unknown emails to your contacts
• 🔋 Fast battery discharge in standby mode

How to check and clean:

Install Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light

Run a full scan.

Remove detected threats

Check the list of installed applications for suspicious ones (for example, "Cleaner Pro", "Battery Saver Master")

Disable the installation from unknown sources (Settings) → Privacy → Special permits)-->

For deep cleaning:

1. Go to Settings → Applications
2. Sort by installation date – the last 3-5 apps are the most suspicious
3. Check everyone’s permissions: if a flashlight requests access to contacts, delete it.

Hardware malfunctions

If all software methods have been tried and contacts are still not saved, the problem may be the damage to the flash memory (especially relevant for Redmi 8/9 with eMMC 5.1 memory).

• 💾 Errors of recording in other applications (photos, notes)
• 📱 Spontaneous reboots while maintaining contacts
• 🛠️ Diagnostics with ##6484## shows memory errors

To verify:

1. Enter the code ##6484## → Manual Test → eMMC Test
2. If the test does not pass, contact the service center.
3. Try to keep contact with another SIM or the cloud.

Provisional decision:

• 📱 Use cloud services (Google Contacts, Mi Cloud)
• 💾 Move your contacts to SD-card (through export to.vcf)
• 🔧 Turn off memory optimization in Settings → Battery → Optimization MIUI

💡

If your phone is warranty, don’t try to repair your memory yourself! contact Xiaomi’s authorized service with the results of the diagnosis (##6484###).

FAQ: Frequent questions about contact issues on Redmi