Where to look for blocked contacts on Xiaomi: hidden menus and number recovery

Have you accidentally blocked an important contact on Xiaomi and now you can’t find where it is stored? Or suspect that someone close to you has added your number to a blacklist? In Redmi, POCO and Mi smartphones, blocked contacts are hidden in plain sight — they are not in the main list of the phone book, but they do not disappear without a trace. In this article, we will analyze all possible places where Xiaomi stores locked numbers, including hidden system menus, cloud backups and even ways to restore deleted records.

The manufacturer does not advertise the location of the blacklist, so many users lose hours searching. MIUI o o omits some nuances, for example, that blocked numbers can be duplicated in Settings SIM-cards or that they can be exported through ADB. We have collected all the working methods, including those not mentioned in the standard instructions.

Important: If you use Google Contacts instead of the standard Mi Contacts app, the algorithm for finding blocked numbers will be different, we will look at both options, and we will also tell you how to check if your own number has been blacklisted by another subscriber (this can be done indirectly!).

1. Standard method: blacklist in the Contacts app

The most obvious way is through the built-in Mi Contacts app (or Contacts in Russian firmware). However, there are pitfalls: the menu interface differs depending on the version of MIUI (12, 13, 14 or HyperOS), and on some POCO models, the item can be hidden deeper.

Instructions for MIUI 14/HyperOS:

1. Open the Contacts app** (an icon with a human silhouette).
2. Tap it on three points (⋮) top-right → Select Settings.
3. Scroll down to the Blocking Numbers or Blacklist section (name depends on localization).
4. All blocked contacts with the possibility of unlocking or deleting will be displayed here.

On MIUI 12/13, the path may look different:

• 📱 Contacts → Three points (⋮) → Contact management → Blacklist.
• 🔍 On some Redmi Notes, you need to first click on your profile at the top of the screen, then select Settings. → Lockdown.

⚠️ Warning: If you don't see the "Blacklist" section, check if it's hidden due to parental control restrictions. → Annexes → Permits → Contact and make sure the app has access to the phone book.

Alternative path: settings SIM-map

Few people know, but Xiaomi duplicates the number lock in the menu SIM-This is true if you blocked the contact directly during the call (click on "Block") or through the call log, in which case the number may not appear in the main blacklist, but will remain in the operator's settings.

How to check:

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks.
2. Choose yours. SIM-card (if there are several).
3. Slip on Call Block or Locked Numbers.
4. There may be numbers that are not on the main blacklist!

The main feature of this method is that the blockage works at the level of the SIM-cards, so if you change your phone, the numbers will remain locked (unlike the lock via Mi Contacts, which is tied to the device).

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If you use two of them SIM-Check the blacklist for each individually – locks are not synchronized between slots!

3. Cloud Backups: How to Find Locked Contacts in Mi Cloud

If you've ever synced contacts with Mi Account, locked numbers could be saved in the cloud, which is especially useful if you've reset your phone to factory settings or changed your device. Here's how to restore them:

Steps to check the cloud:

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Make sure that the contact sync is enabled.
3. Open the web version of Mi Cloud on your computer or other device.
4. Go to the Contact section → Basket or Archive (if any).
5. Blocked numbers can be stored here for up to 30 days after deletion.

One important caveat: Mi Cloud doesn't always store lock information, it depends on the firmware version. On MIUI 14 and later, blacklist data syncs, but on older versions it doesn't. If you can't see blocked contacts in the cloud, try the following method.

4. Hidden system files: where the locked numbers are physically stored

For advanced users, blocked contacts are stored in Android system files, which can be found through the root file manager or ADB. This is true if you want to back up the blacklist or restore it after a reset.

The path to the lock file:

/data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/contacts2.db

This database stores all contacts, including those that are blocked, to retrieve them:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable USB Debugging (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times tap to unlock the developer mode).
2. Use the ADB command: adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/contacts2.db
3. Open the file with SQLite Browser and find the table blocked_numbers.

⚠️ Warning: Changing system files without backup can result in the loss of all contacts! ADB, Use the standard methods from the previous sections.

5. How to check if another subscriber has blocked you on Xiaomi

Do you suspect that your number has been blacklisted by another Xiaomi user? There is no direct way to check this, but there are indirect signs:

• 📞 Calls are dropped after 1-2 horns (without forwarding to voice mail).
• 💬 Communications in SMS Mi Messages are not delivered (no status "delivered»).
• 📱 V WhatsApp/Telegram The internet has not been updated recently (but it may be due to privacy settings).
• 🔔 Notices of messages read are not received (if they have been received before).

To be 100% sure, you can:

1. Call from another number – if the call passes, your number is likely blocked.
2. Send an SMS asking you to confirm receipt (but this will only work if the subscriber does not use automatic spam blocking).
3. Ask a mutual friend to check if your number is visible in their contacts.

On Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 14+, when you lock a number, the system automatically deletes all SMS from that subscriber from the device’s memory (but not from Mi Cloud backups).

6 Recovery of Remote Blocked Contacts

If you accidentally delete a number from a blacklist or reset your phone, you can try to restore it.

Check the cart in Mi Contacts (stores remote contacts for up to 30 days)

Export current contacts to.vcf file (in case of error)

Disable synchronization with Mi Cloud (to avoid overwriting data)

Try to restore your contacts via Google (if you have synced)-->

Method 1: Recycle Bin in Mi Contacts

The Contacts app has a hidden shopping cart where deleted records (including blocked ones) are stored:

1. Open Contacts. → Three points (⋮) → Contact management → Basket.
2. Find the number you want and click Restore.
3. Return to the blacklist and block the contact again.

Method 2: Recovery with Mi Cloud

If synchronization has been activated:

1. Go to i.mi.com → Contacts → Settings → Restore.
2. Select the backup date (before the contact is deleted).
3. Confirm the recovery – the blocked numbers will return to the blacklist.

Method 3: Third-party programmes

If standard methods don't work, you can use tools like Dr.Fone or Tenorshare UltData, which scan your phone's memory for deleted data, but require root permissions for deep analysis, and note that these programs can cost anywhere from 500 to 2000 rubles, and the result is not guaranteed.

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The most reliable way to avoid losing blocked contacts is to regularly export them to the.vcf file via Settings → Import/Export contacts.

FAQ: Frequent questions about blocking contacts on Xiaomi