A situation when the screen of a Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone lights up when calling, but instead of the expected contact name, only a dry digital number is displayed, can cause irritation to any owner. This is not just an aesthetic defect of the interface, but a serious functional failure that can lead to the skip of an important conversation if the number is not stored in memory or written in another format. MIUI different versions and the new HyperOS.
The main reason lies in the dissynchronization between the system phone book and the incoming call processing module. The Android operating system in conjunction with proprietary software from a Chinese manufacturer sometimes incorrectly processes requests for the contact database. This can occur after updating the firmware, resetting settings or due to conflicts of third-party applications-callers. subscriber identification stops working if the application “Phone” is selected the necessary permissions or cache is overflowed.
In most cases, the problem can be solved by software methods without resorting to complex manipulation of the engineering menu. You will need to consistently check the display settings, access rights and state of system processes. It is important to understand that ignoring this error can aggravate the situation, up to the complete failure of the communication module. Below we will discuss all effective ways to restore the normal operation of the number detector.
Checking the basic settings of the display of contacts
The first step should always be to review the settings of the Phone app itself. Often users accidentally change the display format, choosing to show only numbers or limiting the visibility of contacts to a certain group. Go to the call app, click three dots in the corner and select Settings. Here you are interested in the Incoming Calls or Display section. Make sure that the item "Show Contact Name" is activated, not "Number Only".
Xiaomi smartphones are able to synchronize data with Google account, Mi Cloud, Telegram, Viber and other devices. SIM-If you have a filter in your synchronization settings, for example, "Show only contacts with the SIM», You can choose between "All contacts" and "All devices" and this will ensure that the entire database is scanned when the signal arrives.
⚠️ Note: If you use a third-party theme, it may block the display of names due to errors in the interface modification code. MIUI check out.
It is not superfluous to check the format of saved numbers. The system may not match the incoming call with the contact if the number is written in the international format (+7...), and comes in the urban (8...), and vice versa. Although modern versions of MIUI can automatically give formats, old databases can be errors. Go through important contacts and make sure that they are written in a uniform manner, preferably with the country code.
Configure access rights and system permissions
The most common reason why a call doesn’t show who is calling Xiaomi is because the Phone app doesn’t have the right to read contacts. In modern versions of Android, security is increased, and once the system is updated, permissions can be reset. To check this, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find in the list “Phone” (or “System Calls” if a standard set is used) and click “Permits”.
In the list that opens, make sure the switch opposite the Contacts item is activated. Without this right, the application cannot physically access the address book and substitute a name for the number, and it is also recommended to check the permissions for the Contacts and MIUI Optimization application (if available in your region), as they are involved in the identification process.
☑️ Permit verification
Sometimes, a complete permission reset for all applications helps if you can't find a specific one. This is done through a developer menu or special commands, but it's easier to just recheck each item manually. Note that some "optimizers" and antiviruses may block access to the database in the background, considering this suspicious activity.
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Use the Auto Start feature for the Phone app so that the system doesn’t kill its process in the background, which also affects the speed of determining the number.
Cleaning the cache and data of the phone application
Accumulated garbage in the form of temporary files often becomes the culprit of interface glitches. If the cache of the Phone application is overflowing or damaged, searching for matches in the contact database can take too long or not at all. To clean up, go to Settings → Applications → All applications → Phone → Memory. Press the button “Clear cache”.
If a simple cache cleanup didn't work, you can try a more radical method called Clear Everything (or Reset) that will delete the call history and setup of Quick Dial, but will not affect the contacts themselves if they are synchronized with the cloud. Once the data is reset, the application will return to factory state, which often eliminates software conflicts. Be sure to back up important settings before this action.
| Action. | What's removed | Security | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clearing the cache | Temporary files | Safe. | Low. |
| Clearing the data | Settings, history, magazine | Safe for contact. | Tall. |
| Removal of updates | Annex version | It requires caution. | Medium |
| Resetting phone settings | All device data | Extreme measure | Maximum |
Once the data is cleaned, it is recommended to force the application to stop and run it again. The first few calls can be processed slowly until a new cache is formed. Don't be alarmed if the interface freezes for a moment on the first call - this is a normal process of initializing a database.
What to do if the “Clear Everything” button is inactive?
Synchronization and work with Mi Cloud and Google
The problem may be that your contacts are being desynchronized in the cloud. If your contacts are stored in Google Contacts and the Phone app is trying to count them from local memory or Mi Cloud, no matches will be found. Open the Contacts app, click on the profile or menu, and select Sync Settings. Make sure the tick is in front of the account you want.
Often contacts get stuck in the boot process. Try temporarily disabling sync, wait a minute and turn it on again. Also check if Read-Only mode is on for some contact groups. SIM-It is worth checking whether the contacts are not tied rigidly to one of them, while the call goes to the other.
- 📱 Open Contacts and select Contact Filter».
- ☁️ Make sure you select “All Contacts” and not just SIM or just the phone.
- 🔄 Click on “Sync Now” in the Google account menu.
- 📂 Check the folder “Other contacts” or “Archive”, there may have been important numbers.
If you've recently changed your phone or been restored from a backup, the indexing process can take time. In the background, the system analyzes thousands of records, at which point the number detector may not work correctly. Give the device 15-20 minutes after turning on Wi-Fi to complete the background processes.
Conflicts with number identifiers and third-party applications
Installing applications like GetContact, NumBuster, or Truecaller often conflicts with the system detector. These applications intercept the incoming call to check the number on their database, and if it crashes, the call screen may not show up at all or only show the number. Go to Settings → Applications → Setup → Applications and find the “Other permissions” → “Master on top of other applications”.
Be careful: the Phone system application needs this access, but third-party detectors can temporarily restrict it for verification, try to delete third-party calls or temporarily disable them, sometimes changing the default dialing application in the system settings helps.
⚠️ Attention: Antivirus programs (Dr.Web, Kaspersky, Avast) have their own spam protection modules. They can block the display of a name if they think a number is suspicious, even if it is in your book.
Also worth mentioning is the Antispam feature inside MIUI itself. It can be too aggressive. Go to the Security app → Antispam → Settings (cogs). Check lock lists and smart definition settings. Sometimes switching anτισpam engine (for example, from local to cloud or vice versa) helps.
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Third-party number detectors are a common cause of conflict, and if a problem occurs after installing such an app, remove it for verification.
Resetting network settings and extreme measures
If the software methods didn't work, maybe the failure lies deeper in the system configuration files of the network. Network reset won't delete your personal photos or contacts, but will return the settings of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile networks to factory. → Connection and sharing → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile networks and Bluetooth.
Once reset, the phone will reboot, you will need to re-enter Wi-Fi passwords, a step that helps when the problem is caused by incorrect operator parameters that may have stuck to the profile. SIM-This is especially true for users who have changed operators but have kept the old access point settings.
In the most advanced cases, when even a factory reset does not help, you may need to flash the device through your computer using the Mi Flash Tool utility. However, this is an extreme measure that requires unlocking the bootloader and carries the risk of loss of warranty. Before this step, be sure to contact an authorized service center, as the problem may be hardware (failure of the communication module).
- 📉 Make a full backup of the data before any reset.
- 🔋 Make sure your battery is above 50% before starting the procedure.
- 💾 Save important files to external media or to the cloud.