How to permanently remove phone numbers from your Xiaomi phone: the full guide

Why is the standard contact removal on Xiaomi not working?

Have you ever noticed that after deleting your phone number through the Contacts app, it suddenly reappears? It's not a bug in the system, but a feature of MIUI, Xiaomi's proprietary shell, because numbers can be stored not only in the phone's memory, but also in:

• 📱 Google Account (Sync is enabled by default)
• ☁️ Xiaomi Cloud (Mi Cloud Service)
• 📲 SIM-card (if the contact is saved there)
• 🔄 Application cache (such as WhatsApp or Telegram)

Even after manually deleting through the interface Contacts → Select → Delete data can be restored the next time you log in to your account or connect to the Internet. To guarantee that you erase numbers forever, you will have to use system tools and disable synchronization. Below are proven methods for all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models (including Redmi Note 12, Xiaomi 13T, POCO X5 Pro, etc.).

Method 1: Complete removal via MIUI settings

The safest method is to use built-in MIUI tools, which is suitable if you want to delete individual numbers or the entire phone book without resorting to a reset.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Contacts app (a icon with a person's silhouette).
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Contact management.
3. Choose Import/Export → Delete contacts.
4. Tick the numbers that need to be erased, or click Select All.
5. Confirm the action with the Remove button.

⚠️ Note: If the numbers are back after this, they are synced with Google or Mi Cloud. → Accounts and sync and disable automatic sync for both services.

Disable synchronization with Google|Disable Mi Cloud|Export backup copy (optional)|Verification SIM-card

-->

Method 2: Clean up your Google Account (if your contacts are synced)

If you use Google Contacts, deleting your phone numbers may not work — the data will be restored the next time you update it. To erase it forever, do so via the web version of the service:

• 🌐 Go to contacts.google.com from your computer or phone.
• 🔍 Enter the name or contact number that you want to delete.
• 🗑️ Press the contact. → basket icon (Delete).
• 🔄 For a complete cleaning, go to the Recycle Bin (left) and click Clean the Recycle Bin.

Important: After that, turn off contact sync in your phone settings (Settings → Accounts → Google → Account Sync) and delete the Contacts app cache (Settings → Applications → Application Management → Contacts → Storage → Clear Cache).

💡

If you are afraid of losing important numbers, export them to the file.vcf before mass deletion: in Google Contacts click More → Export and save a backup to the disk.

Method 3: Remove via Mi Cloud (for Xiaomi users)

Mi Cloud is Xiaomi's cloud storage that automatically saves contacts if sync is enabled. To delete numbers from there:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Mi Account (or Xiaomi Account).
• ☁️ Go to Mi Cloud. → Synchronize and turn off the slider opposite Contact.
• 🗑️ Return to Mi Cloud, select Contacts → mark out → Delete.
• 🔄 Click Clean the Cart (on the Mi Cloud web version at i.mi.com).

⚠️ Note: If you are using Xiaomi with two SIM-Check if the contacts are saved on one of them. → Settings → Show contacts with and select SIM 1/SIM 2. Remove the numbers separately from there.

Method 4: Remove via ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a low-level system management tool that is suitable for root users or those who are willing to connect their phone to a PC.

Instructions:

1. Download ADB Tools and unpack it on your computer.
2. Turn on USB Debugging on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times to activate Developer Mode) → Return to Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging on USB.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and type in the command line: adb shell pm clear com.android.contacts adb shell pm clear com.miui.contacts
4. Reset the device.

⚠️ Note: pm clear commands will reset all settings of the Contacts app, including call histories.If you have additional modules installed (such as Magisk), this may cause crashes. TWRP or Mi PC Suite.

Method 5: Reset to factory settings (last resort)

If none of these things work, you'll have to reset completely, and it will delete all the data from your phone, including contacts, photos, apps, and settings, and only use this as a last resort!

How to reset:

1. Back up important data (photos, documents) through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset → Local backup.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select to erase all data (reset to factory).
4. Enter a password (if required) and confirm the action.

Once reset, the phone will reboot to its original state. Don't restore data from the backup if you want to get rid of old contacts forever, they can return deleted numbers.

💡

Factory reset is the only way to guarantee that you will remove all traces of contacts, including hidden system files, but remember: this is an irreversible process!

How to prevent the restoration of deleted numbers?

To prevent numbers from returning after deletion, follow these rules:

• 🔄 Turn off automatic synchronization in Settings → Accounts. → Google/Mi Account.
• 📱 Check it out. SIM-A card for the presence of saved contacts (sometimes they are duplicated there without your knowledge).
• ☁️ Clean the cart in Google Contacts and Mi Cloud after deleting.
• 🔒 Use alternative contact apps (such as Simple Contacts) that don’t sync with the cloud.

If you are selling or transferring your phone to another person, be sure to reset to factory settings and delete all accounts (Google, Mi Account, Samsung, etc.) through Settings → Accounts.

FAQ: Frequent questions about deleting contacts on Xiaomi