How to Delete All Contacts on Xiaomi with MIUI 12: Safe Ways

Xiaomi’s current MIUI 12 smartphones store contacts in multiple locations simultaneously: locally on the device, in a Google account, and sometimes in the Mi Account cloud. This makes it difficult to completely delete them — it’s not enough to just click “Delete All” in the Contacts app. If you’re selling the phone, transferring it to another person, or just want to clear the address book of unnecessary entries, it’s important to do it right to avoid duplicates or losing important data.

In this article, we will discuss three official ways to remove contacts on MIUI 12, including nuances for different models (Redmi Note 10 Pro, Poco X3 Pro, Mi 11, etc.) and learn how to avoid common errors, such as when contacts are “returned” after deleting due to synchronization with the cloud.

Before you start, check the MIUI version on your device. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version. If you have MIUI 13/14, some of the features may be located in other menus, which we will also mention in the relevant sections.

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1. Deletion of contacts through the "Contacts" application

The most obvious way is to use the standard Contacts app (an icon with a person's silhouette on a green background), but there are pitfalls here: by default, MIUI 12 hides the mass deletion option so that users don't accidentally erase important data, and you need to take a few extra steps to activate it.

Open the Contacts app and click on the three dots in the top right corner (menu). In the drop-down list, select Contact Management. If this is not available, then you have a different version of the app - try an alternative path: Contacts → Settings (cogs) → Import / Export → Delete contacts.

The Control Menu will include the option to Delete all contacts, but it will only be active for local contacts (those saved on your phone, not in Google or Mi Account).If you want to erase everything, including synchronized records, turn off sync first (for this in the next section).

• 📱 Local contacts: permanently deleted without recovery.
• ☁️ Cloud Contacts: Stay in Google or Mi Accounts if you don’t disable sync.
• ⚠️ Duplicates: After deletion, they may reappear the next synchronization update.

⚠️ Note: If you use Mi Account for backup, deleting contacts through the app will not affect their copies in the cloud. → Accounts. → Mi Account → Synchronize and manually disable the Contact option.

Disable sync with Google/Mi Account|

Backup of important contacts |

Check which contacts are local and which are cloud-based|

Close all background applications (Telegram, WhatsApp, etc.) that can block access to the address book-->

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2. Massive deletion via Google Account

If your contacts are synced to Google, they can be deleted centrally via a web interface, a method that is suitable if you want to clear the address book on all devices at the same time (for example, on your phone and tablet), the main advantage is the ability to selectively delete or completely clean.

Go to Google Contacts and log in with the same account as Xiaomi. From the left menu, select More → Delete Contacts. The system will suggest selecting range: Last 7 days, Last month or All Contacts. To clear, select the last option and confirm the action.

Then go back to your phone and manually update the sync:

1. Open Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Click on your account, then three dots in the top right corner.
3. Choose Sync now.

After 1-2 minutes, the contacts will disappear from the phone. If they remain, check if sync with Mi Account is enabled - it can overwrite data from the Xiaomi cloud.

Locally on the phone |

On Google Account |

In Mi Account|

V SIM-map|

I use another appendix (specify in the comments)-->

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3. Mi Account reset (for synchronized contacts)

The Mi Account automatically reserves contacts if you have your Contact Sync enabled. To delete them from there, you need to go to the Xiaomi cloud and manually clear the data, a method that is relevant for users who do not use Google or store contacts in both clouds.

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings. → Accounts. → Mi Account.
2. Click on Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud).
3. Scroll down to the Contacts section and click on it.
4. In the upper right corner, select Management → Delete all contacts.
5. Confirm the action with a password from Mi Account.

Then, disable the synchronization of contacts in Mi Cloud to avoid them reappearing.Please note: removal from the Xiaomi cloud does not affect contacts in Google or on the Internet. SIM-If you want to erase everything completely, you have to repeat the procedure for each source separately.

⚠️ Note: If you delete contacts from your Google Account and want them back, you have 30 days to recover. Go to the Recycle Bin on Google Contacts and select Restore Contacts. Mi Cloud does not have this option - the data is deleted irrevocably.

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4. Alternative method: resetting the phone to factory settings

If you not only need to delete contacts but also completely clean your phone (like before selling), the easiest way to do a hard reset is to erase all data on your device, including apps, photos and settings, so use it only as a last resort.

Procedure:

1. Back up important data (photos, videos, documents) on your computer or in the cloud.
2. Open Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select to erase all data (factory recovery).
4. Enter the password from the lock screen (if installed).
5. Confirm the action and wait for the process to be completed (5-10 minutes).

After the reset, the phone will reboot to its original state, as after the purchase. All contacts, including those synced with Google or Mi Account, will be deleted from the device but will remain in the cloud services. If you do not want them to reappear the next time you log in, turn off sync before reset (see section 2).

Important: On some models (e.g. Redmi Note 9 Pro with MIUI 12.5), you may need to re-activate the device via Mi Account after reset. Make sure you remember the username and password, otherwise the phone will remain locked.

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Remove before resetting SIM-card and memory card (if any) this will speed up the process and protect the data on external media from accidental deletion.

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5. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Many users experience contacts being “returned” after being deleted, because of automatic synchronization with cloud services, and to avoid this, follow these rules:

• 🔄 Turn off synchronization in advance: before removing contacts, turn off the option in Settings → Accounts. → Google/Mi Account → Synchronization of contacts.
• 📱 Check several sources: contacts can be duplicated in Google, Mi Account and on the Internet. SIM-Delete them everywhere.
• ⏳ Give time to update: after you turn off sync, wait 5-10 minutes before you delete contacts.
• 🔍 Use search: in the Contacts app, click on the magnifying glass and enter "*" (asterisk) - so you will see all records, including hidden ones.

Another common mistake is trying to delete contacts through the file manager. In MIUI 12, the address book is stored in a secure system folder /data/com.android.providers.contacts, and access to it is only possible with root rights, without which you risk damaging system files, which will lead to malfunctions in the phone.

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6 How to Recover Remote Contacts (If Something Goes Wrong)

If you accidentally erase important contacts, you can try to get them back, and the way you restore them depends on where the data was stored.

For Google Account:

1. Go to contacts.google.com.
2. On the left menu, select the basket.
3. Mark the necessary contacts and click Restore.

The storage period in the cart is 30 days, and then the data is deleted irrevocably.

For Mi Account:

Unfortunately, Xiaomi does not provide tools to restore remote contacts from the Mi Cloud. The only chance is if you have a backup created through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.

1. Reset the phone to factory settings.
2. When you first set up, select Restore from backup.
3. Specify the backup file (it should be stored on a memory card or in the cloud).

For local contacts:

If the contacts were only saved on the phone and not synced with the cloud, the chances of recovery are minimal. You can try specialized programs like Dr.Fone or EaseUS MobiSaver, but their effectiveness depends on the model of the phone and the degree of data overwriting.

⚠️ Warning: Do not install data recovery software on the same phone that deleted the contacts! This can overwrite the remaining pieces of information. Use a computer or other device.

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7. Additional Contact Management Tips for MIUI 12

To avoid contact problems in the future, follow these guidelines:

• 🔗 Centralize Storage: Select one source for all contacts (e.g., Google only or Mi Account only) and disable sync in other services.
• 📤 Backups regularly: export contacts to.vcf via Contacts → Settings → Imports/Exports → Export to device.
• 🚫 Avoid duplicates: Use the contact merge function in the Contacts app (Management menu) → Combine duplicates).
• 🔒 Protect your data: set a password to the Contacts app through Settings → Application lockdown.

If you often share your phone with others (such as children or colleagues), consider creating a guest profile. MIUI 12. It's done this way:

1. Open Settings → System and device → Multiplayer mode.
2. Click Add Add User → Guest.
3. Set up access restrictions (for example, hide contacts or messages).

In guest mode, all changes (including deleting contacts) do not affect the main profile.

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Before any manipulation of contacts, disable automatic sync in Google and Mi Account, which will prevent them from reappearing after deleting.

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FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions