How to delete all contacts with Android Xiaomi at once

Cleaning the phone book on Xiaomi smartphones is sometimes a must, especially when preparing a device for sale or transfer to another user. Deleting records on one takes a tedious time, especially if the list has accumulated several hundred or even thousands of numbers. Fortunately, the Android operating system and the MIUI shell (or HyperOS) provide built-in tools for mass processing of data, allowing you to complete this task in minutes.

In this article, we’ll take a look at all the available methods, from the standard features of the Contacts app to deeper methods through Google’s web interface and engineering menu. Complete deletion requires caution, as it won’t be possible to recover data after cleaning without a pre-built backup. We’ll look at the nuances of working with synchronization so you don’t accidentally erase important numbers stored in the cloud if you plan to use them on another device.

Before you start taking drastic action, make sure you understand exactly where your records are stored: SIM-This is the choice of method and the consequences of the operation. Below are detailed instructions that will help you quickly and efficiently vacate space or prepare the gadget for a new owner.

Preparation and backup of data

Before you start mass deletion, it is critical to protect yourself from losing valuable information. Even if your goal is to erase everything, accidentally deleting the desired number can be a nuisance. It is recommended to back up your contacts by exporting them to a.vcf file. This is a universal format that can be opened on any smartphone or computer.

To create a copy, go to the Contacts app, click on the menu (three dots or stripes) and select Import/Export Contacts. Then select Export to Device Memory or Export to Storage. The system will create a file that is best copied to your computer immediately or sent to your messenger. The local storage of the phone will be cleared after the reset, so external file saving is mandatory.

⚠️ Note: If you delete contacts synced to your Google account, they may disappear from your other devices (tablets, laptops) that log in to the same account. Check your sync settings before clearing.

It’s also worth checking if smart cleaning or third-party antiviruses are enabled, which can automatically delete duplicates or old records while you’re running.Make sure the device is at least 20-30% charged so the process doesn’t get interrupted by battery drain, although the risk of data loss here is minimal compared to flashing.

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Keep the backup file (.vcf) not only in your phone’s memory, but also send it to your email or cloud storage (such as Mi Cloud or Google Drive) to access numbers even after you have cleaned the device completely.

Removing contacts through the standard MIUI application

The easiest and most obvious way to clean a phone book is to use the built-in functionality of the Contacts app in the shell. MIUI. This method does not require an Internet connection and works even in air mode, but it is effective only if your numbers are stored in the device's internal memory, not on the device's internal memory. SIM-map.

Open the Contacts app and find the menu button. Depending on the firmware version, it can be a three-dot icon in the top right corner or three horizontal bars. In the list that opens, select the Edit or Edit option, and you can select all the entries at once.

Click on the "Select All" button (often looks like a box with a tick or a separate button at the bottom of the screen). The system will highlight all available numbers. After that, click the "Delete" button (basket icon). Confirm the action in the pop-up window. The process can take several seconds if the database is large.

• 📱 Open the Contacts app on the home screen.
• ⚙️ Click on the menu (three dots) and select "Edit».
• ✅ Tap "Choose All" to highlight the entire phone book.
• 🗑️ Click "Delete" and confirm the operation.

If the Select All button is missing or inactive, you may have a stripped-down version of the app or a specific regional firmware installed, so you can try pinching your finger on one of the contacts to activate the selection mode, and then use the mass selection button if it appears in the top menu.

Cleaning the phone book through Google Contacts

The most reliable and manageable way to delete all contacts on Android is to use the Google Contacts web interface, which is ideal because it not only cleans the current device, but also remotely, and has a “Cancel Changes” feature that saves you in case of an error within 30 days.

First, make sure your Xiaomi has logged in to your Google account and enabled contact sync. Then, from your computer or directly from your phone (via the browser in full version of the site), go to contacts.google.com. This displays all the numbers associated with your inbox.

On the left side of the screen, find a list of groups or categories. Select Contacts or create a new group by moving all numbers there if you want to selectively clear. To completely remove, click the selection icon (square) at the top of the list to the left of the search, and it will appear "Selected 1 of N", click on it and select "Select All (N)".

Once all the entries have been highlighted, click on the basket icon in the top panel. All contacts will be moved to the Recycle Bin section, where they will be stored for 30 days before final deletion. To erase them immediately, go to the menu on the left, select Recycle Bin and click Clear Recycle Bin.

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Using the web version of Google Contacts is the safest method, as it allows you to roll back changes ("Cancel Changes") for 30 days if you accidentally delete the extra.

Deletion of numbers saved on SIM-map

Contacts stored on SIM-These cards are not always displayed in the general list or removed by standard methods of cleaning the phone's memory. SIM-This is an important step if you want to completely clean the device before selling.

Go to Settings of your Xiaomi smartphone. Search by settings (top line) type the word «SIM» or "Contacts." You need to contact the SIM-map or similar, which may be in the "System Applications" section» -> «Contacts. This will show you a list of numbers that are physically written on the SIM chip.

Control interface SIM-It's usually ascetic. You'll see a list of numbers and maybe a menu button. Click on it and select "Delete" or "Erase." If you have the "Select All" option, use it. If you don't have that option, unfortunately, some older versions of the interface require manual selection, but on modern versions, you can use it. MIUI Mass removal is usually available.

⚠️ Note: When removing contacts from SIM-They disappear permanently and don't get into the Google shopping cart, and you can only recover them by sophisticated technical methods or from a backup if it included a backup. SIM-map.

After cleaning. SIM-The card recommends restarting the device so that the system can properly update the cache of the phone book, which ensures that when searching or dialing a number, ghost entries from the old database will not pop up.

Resetting the settings of the “Contacts” application and cache

Sometimes users want to not just delete numbers, but fix bugs in the application when contacts are duplicated or not displayed, in which case cleaning the application's data helps, and importantly, this step will only delete those contacts that are stored locally in the application memory and are not synchronized with the cloud.

Go to Settings -> Apps -> All Apps. Find Contacts (may be multiple, such as Contacts and Contact Storage) in the list. Select the main app. Click Clear (or Memory) and select Clear All Data.

This operation will reset the application to factory status. The local database will be destroyed. If you have sync with Google or Mi Account enabled, the next time you run the application, your contacts will again be pulled from the cloud, so to completely remove this method you need to combine with the cleaning of the cloud account, which was discussed above.

• 📂 Go to the application settings on Xiaomi.
• 🔍 Find the Contacts app and Contact Storage app».
• 🧹 Click on “Clear Data” for each of them.
• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone to apply changes.

Radical method: Complete reset of the device (Hard Reset)

If your goal is to sell your phone or give it to another person, manually deleting contacts may not be enough.Residual files, account cache and other data may remain in memory. The only way to guarantee that all contacts and any other personal information are deleted is to perform a complete reset to factory settings.

This process completely erases the device’s internal memory, returning it to the “out of the box” state: all apps, photos, messages and contacts will be destroyed. Before you start, make sure you know the password from your Google account, since after the reset, the system will require it to confirm ownership (FRP protection).

To perform the reset, go to Settings -> About Phone -> Reset. Select "Delete All Data." The system will warn you of the consequences several times. Enter the unlock password and confirm the action. The phone will reboot and begin the cleaning process, which can take 5 to 15 minutes.

Settings → About phone → Reset settings → Delete all data

Once the procedure is complete, the phone will turn on as new. There will be no data on the welcome screen. This is the most reliable way to protect privacy. SIM-MicroSD card and memory card before selling the device.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)