Why Xiaomi is not in contact: all the reasons and solutions

Are you trying to add a new number to Xiaomi’s phone book, but the system stubbornly refuses to stay in touch? Or do the changes just disappear after the reboot? This problem occurs on devices with MIUI versions of different versions — from the old Redmi Note 4X to the fresh Xiaomi 14 Pro. 80% of the time, it is not hardware malfunctions that are to blame, but software failures that can be fixed on your own.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible reasons why contacts aren’t saved on Xiaomi, from the banal lack of permissions in the Contacts app to deep sync errors with Google Account. You’ll get step-by-step instructions with screenshots, a solution compatibility table for different versions of MIUI, and answers to frequent questions at the end.

1. Checking the rights of the "Contacts" application

The first thing to do is make sure that the system application Contacts (com.android.contacts) has all the necessary permissions, and often after updating MIUI or resetting these rights are reset.

How to check:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Annexes → Application management
• 🔍 In search, type “Contacts” and select the system application (not Google Contacts!)
• 🔒 Go to Permits and make sure it is included: 📞 Contacts (reading/modifying) 💾 Storage (for backup copies) 📡 Telephone (for identification) SIM)

If you don't have permissions, turn them on and restart your phone. Importantly, some firmware (e.g. MIUI 13 Global) may require additional "Change System Settings" permission to activate it manually through Settings → Special Features → Special Features Permissions.

2. sync failure with Google Account

One of the most common causes is the conflict between local contact storage and cloud sync via Google, where if your account settings are synced but it doesn’t work properly, new contacts may disappear after you reboot or even immediately after you save them.

How to diagnose the problem:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google
2. Check if the contact sync is enabled (the slider should be green)
3. Click on your account → Account Sync → Contacts
4. If you see the error "Synchronization stopped" - try to disable and turn it on again.

If the synchronization is not restored:

Delete your Google account and add it again|Clear the cache of the application "Google Play Services"|Checking the Internet connection (Wi-Fi/mobile)|Update of Google Contacts app in Play Market-->

⚠️ Note: When you delete your Google account, all synced contacts will temporarily disappear from the phone book. They will recover after re-entering, but it is better to back up beforehand through Settings. → System and device → Backup.

3. Damage to the contact database

Sometimes the contact database file (contacts2.db) is corrupted due to a sudden power outage, incorrect updates or virus attacks, in which case new contacts will not be saved, and old ones may be displayed with errors.

Signs of damaged base:

• 🔄 Contacts are duplicated or displayed in hieroglyphics
• 📵 New numbers are saved, but disappear after the reboot
• ⚠️ When you open the contact, an error occurs when reading"

Decisions:

1. Cache Cleanup: Settings → Apps → Contacts → Storage → Clear the cache
2. App data reset (remove all local contacts!): Settings → Apps → Contacts → Storage → Clear data
3. Recovery through MIUI Recovery (for advanced users): Recovery Instructions via Recovery 1. Turn off your phone and pinch Power + Volume up 2. Select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache Partition 3: Reboot the device ⚠️ This won’t delete user data, but it can help with system failures.

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Before resetting the Contacts app data, export the current phone book to a file. VCF: Open the "Contact" appendix" → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports → Exports to the vault.

4. Conflict with SIM-card-slot

On Xiaomi smartphones with two SIM-Cards (Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro, etc.) sometimes have problems with maintaining contacts on the SIM. It's connected to:

• 📶 Wrong choice. SIM default
• 🔌 Physical damage to contacts SIM-map
• 🔄 Conflict between SIM and internal memory

How to set up the correct preservation:

1. Open the Contacts app → press + to add
2. In the Save in box, select Phone or Google (not SIM!)
3. If you need to keep it SIM: Check that SIM Insert into slot 1 (main) format SIM through settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Settings SIM → Format

5 Mistakes of MIUI firmware and their correction

Some versions of MIUI have critical bugs related to the operation of the phone book, such as:

• MIUI 12.0.3 – Contacts disappear after OTA update
• MIUI 12.5 Enhanced – it is impossible to keep contact with Cyrillic symbols
• MIUI 13 (Global) – freezes when more than 500 contacts are added

Decisions depending on the situation:

If the problem has occurred after the update:

1. Reverse to the previous version through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → ⋮ → Select a Service Package
2. Or wait for a patch (usually coming out within 2-3 weeks)

If the bug is associated with regional firmware:

• Install Global ROM instead of China ROM (requires unlocking the bootloader)
• Use Xiaomi.EU – unofficial firmware with fixed bugs

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Before flashing, make a full backup via Mi PC Suite or TWRP. Unofficial firmware can lead to a loss of warranty.

6. Viruses and malware

An unlikely but possible scenario is a viral infection that blocks access to your contact database, especially if you’ve installed an APK from unverified sources or connected your phone to public Wi-Fi networks.

Signs of infection:

• 🛡️ Google Play Protect (Google Play Protect) is a warning
• 🔋 Unusually fast battery discharge
• 📱 Unintentional opening of applications
• 📵 Contacts disappear after a specific installation APK

How to check and clean:

1. Run the scan through Security → Scan (built-in antivirus) MIUI)
2. Install Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light for deep check
3. Check the list of installed applications for suspicious ones (for example, with names like “Contact Manager Pro”)
4. In extreme cases, reset to factory settings (Settings → About phone → Reset settings)

⚠️ Warning: Some "optimizers" and "cleaners" (e.g. Clean Master) can themselves be the source of problems.

7. Hardware malfunctions (what to look for)

If all software methods have been tried, but contacts are still not saved, hardware problems may occur:

The most likely causes are:

• 🔋 Worn flash memory (especially on older Redmi models) 4X/5A after 3-4 years)
• 🔌 Damaged memory controller (symptoms: phone accidentally reboots, apps crash)
• 📶 Faulty slot SIM-Cards (contacts are not only stored on the SIM)

How to diagnose:

1. Check Memory Health with AIDA64 (Memory → NAND State)
2. Try to keep contact with another SIM or internal memory.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and try adding contact via Mi PC Suite

If a hardware malfunction is confirmed, contact the service center. On models with eMMC memory (Redmi 6/7 series), data recovery after a hardware failure is almost impossible - regularly back up!

FAQ: Frequent questions about contact issues