How to combine phone numbers on Android Xiaomi: the complete guide

Why Xiaomi is creating duplicate contacts and how to fix it

You noticed that in the phone book Xiaomi Redmi, POCO Or is Mi the same person displayed multiple times with different numbers? SIM-Maps or syncs with Google and Mi Accounts, and the system automatically creates separate entries for each number, even if they belong to the same person.

In this article, we will analyze 3 ways to combine contacts on Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12/13/14 shells and the new HyperOS.

• 🔄 Combine duplicates manually through the "Contact" app"
• 🤖 Automatically drain records using built-in tools
• ☁️ Synchronize data without loss between accounts
• 📱 Set up the main number for calls

Special attention will be paid to the hidden MIUI feature, which allows you to link up to 5 numbers to a single contact without losing your call and message history, a feature that is not available in standard Android, but is available on all Xiaomi smartphones since the Redmi Note 7 (2019).

Preparation before the union: what to check

Before you start merging contacts, follow 3 mandatory steps:

Create a backup copy of the phone book|Check the version. MIUI/HyperOS|Turn off automatic synchronization with the clouds|Close all background applications-->

Backup will save your data if something goes wrong.

1. Open Contacts. → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports
2. Select Export to File and Save VCF to Memory Card
3. Check the file through any file manager (should weigh 10KB)

The firmware version affects the options available, for example, in HyperOS (2026+), the contact pairing interface has changed — now it is hidden in Settings → Additional. On older versions of MIUI (up to 12.5), this feature may not be available at all.

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If you have a smartphone POCO F5 or newer, use the proprietary application POCO Contacts – it has a convenient visual editor for merging duplicates.

Method 1: Manually linking through the "Contacts" application

This is the most reliable method that works on all Xiaomi models regardless of the MIUI version.

1. Open the Contacts app (a human silhouette icon)
2. Find a duplicate contact and tap it.
3. In the upper right corner, press ⋮ → Unite
4. Select a second contact to merge from the proposed list
5. Confirm the action by pressing Ready

The system automatically transfers all data (numbers, email, addresses) to the main record, and it's important that if contacts have different names, the first name you choose will be the first one to change the main name.

1. Open a joint contact
2. Slip on the name → Edit
3. Enter the correct name and keep it.

On Xiaomi 13/14 models with HyperOS, the interface is slightly different:

• 📱 Long press on contact → Edit
• 🔗 Chain icon in upper right corner → duplicate
• 💾 Save changes takes up to 30 seconds (don’t close the app)

Method 2: Automatic merger via MIUI settings

Xiaomi's branded shell has a built-in tool to find and combine duplicates.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Contacts → Contacts Combination
2. Activate the Autounification slider
3. Click Find duplicates and wait for the scan to be completed.
4. Review the proposed pairs and confirm the merger

The algorithm analyzes:

• 👤 Name matching (even with typos)
• 📞 Phone numbers with the same last 5 digits
• ✉️ Email addresses and other related data

Manual fusion|Automatic through settings|Imports/exports VCF|I don't unite, I leave it as it is.-->

⚠️ Attention: Automatic integration can create "Frankensteins" - contacts with data from different people if the algorithm is wrong!

On the Redmi Note 12 and later, an advanced setting is available:

Settings → Memory → Contacts → Additional → Similarity Threshold

Here you can specify the sensitivity of the search for duplicates (recommended value: 80%).

Method 3: Connecting through Google Contacts (for synchronized accounts)

If your contacts are synced with your Google Account, it is more convenient to use the web interface:

1. Open contacts.google.com in your browser
2. On the left menu, select Duplicates.
3. Click Combine All or selectively merge pairs
4. Wait for synchronization (can take up to 10 minutes)

Advantages of this method:

• 🌐 It works on any device (even with PC)
• 🔍 More accurate algorithm for finding duplicates
• 📤 Opportunity to cancel merger within 30 days

For Xiaomi with HyperOS, after combining through Google, do:

Settings → Accounts → Google → Contact Synchronization → Forced Synchronization

⚠️ Note: If you use Mi Account for backup, after changes to Google Contacts, start manual sync in Settings → Accounts. → Xiaomi, otherwise the data will be dispersed.

Problem Solving: What to Do When Contacts Are Not Connected

Sometimes the merger process ends in error. Let's look at the typical scenarios and their solutions.

For Xiaomi Mi A1/A2 models (with pure Android), the only working way is to use Google Contacts, as these devices lack proprietary MIUI features.

If duplicates continue to appear after all the manipulations, check:

• 📱 Settings of the "Phone" application (Settings) → Annexes → Phone. → Memory. → Clear the cache)
• ☁️ Synchronization with third services (WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram)
• 🔄 Auto-update of contacts in messengers

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On POCO X3 and Redmi 9 smartphones, it is often helpful to reset the Contacts app settings (without deleting data) through Settings → Apps → Contacts → Storage → Reset.

Additional settings: Selecting the main number for calls

Once the contacts are joined, it is important to set up a priority number from which outgoing calls will originate.

1. Open a joint contact
2. Put it on the right number. → Establish as the primary
3. In the settings SIM-maps (Settings) → SIM-Maps and mobile networks select:

• 📞 Preferred SIM call-in
• 💬 Preferred SIM for SMS
• 🌐 Preferred SIM mobile data

On Xiaomi 12T and newer, the Smart SIM option is available:

Settings → SIM- map → Smart Selection SIM → Include

The system will automatically select SIM for calls based on:

• 🕒 Time of last contact with the subscriber
• 📍 Geolocations (for international calls)
• 💰 Tariff plan (savings)

For business users, the Contacts Sharing feature is useful (available on Xiaomi 13 Pro and Mi 11 Ultra):

Settings → Privacy → Sharing contacts → Create a profile

This allows you to have separate phone books for work and personal use with different SIM-map.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions