Managing the phone book on Xiaomi smartphones often becomes a task that requires not just knowledge of the interface, but also an understanding of the specifics of the shell MIUI or new HyperOS. Users are often faced with the need to quickly delete dozens of duplicates, transfer numbers to a new SIM card, or send a list of friends via instant messenger. The standard Contacts application contains powerful functionality that allows you to manipulate records in batches, saving the user’s time.
However, intuitive actions on other Android devices may work differently on gadgets of the Chinese brand. For example, a long press does not always activate select mode, and the menu button may be hidden behind an icon with three dots. In this article, we will analyze in detail the algorithms for mass selection of records, the features of working with groups and the nuances of synchronization, which will help you put the phone book of your Xiaomi smartphone in perfect order. But if your goal is to select several specific subscribers from a list, the interface offers a special interaction mode. First, open the app Xiaomi smartphone.
Basic algorithm for manual record selection
To perform simple operations, such as deleting one number or viewing details, a standard single tap is sufficient. But if your goal is to select several specific subscribers from a list, the interface offers a special interaction mode. First open the app Contact and make sure that the Contact List tab is displayed and not the Favorites or Groups tab. It is in the general list that the full range of control functions is available.
To activate the multiple selection mode, you must long press on the first entry in the list. The screen will change: a top panel will appear with a counter of selected elements (for example, 1 selected) and a set of action icons. You can now briefly click on other names, adding them to the highlighted group. This method is ideal when you need to select scattered contacts that are not in a row.
Please note that this mode changes the functionality of the bottom navigation bar. The “Back” button can turn into a “Cancel” button, and clicking on an unselected contact will open its card only after exiting the editing mode. Visual indication selected elements are usually implemented by changing the background color of the line or the appearance of a check mark in the round icon to the left of the avatar.
⚠️ Attention: When deleting selected contacts, the system may request confirmation only once for the entire group. Be extremely careful not to accidentally erase important numbers along with junk entries.
Use the “Search” function before highlighting if the necessary contacts are scattered throughout the alphabet. Enter the first letter of the last name to filter the list and quickly find the names you need to select.
Bulk selection of all contacts at once
When the user is faced with the task of exporting the entire phone book or clearing the device memory of all entries, clicking on each name one by one becomes ineffective. Xiaomi developers have provided the “Select All” function, which is activated immediately after entering the editing mode through a long press. This option allows you to instantly cover hundreds of records, regardless of where they are stored: in the phone memory, on a SIM card or in a Google account.
After activating the selection mode (long tap on any contact), look at the upper right corner of the screen or at the bottom of the toolbar. There is often a text link or an icon with the inscription Select all. Clicking on it automatically ticks absolutely all available entries in the current view. If you have multi-account synchronization enabled, make sure that all the desired sources are selected in the display filter.
It is important to understand the difference between physically deleting and hiding. Bulk selection is often used for filtering. For example, you can select all contacts and then uncheck only the ones you want to keep, thus inverting the selection. This approach is useful when clearing lists of temporary numbers of couriers or delivery services.
☑️ Preparing for mass deletion
If you plan to export the selected contacts, after clicking the “Select all” button, go to the menu (three dots) and select Export. The system will offer to save the file in .vcf format to internal memory. This file can later be imported to any other device, restoring the entire list in a matter of seconds.
Working with groups and tags in MIUI
The Xiaomi shell offers an advanced system for organizing contacts through groups, which in some firmware versions are called “Labels” or “Tags”. This function allows you to logically group people into categories: “Family”, “Work”, “Friends”. Managing groups greatly simplifies the selection process, since you don't have to search for each name manually - just select the entire category.
To create a group, go to the Groups tab at the bottom of the Contacts application screen. Click on the “+” icon or “Create a group”, give it a name and add members. After the group is formed, entering it opens a list of only those subscribers who are included in it. By using a long tap here and the “Select all” function, you will instantly select all members of this category to send an SMS or call.
| Group type | Purpose | Selection features |
|---|---|---|
| Custom | Manual distribution of contacts | Full control over the composition |
| Favorites | Quick access to important numbers | Automatic addition via asterisk |
| Duplicates | System folder for merging | Offered automatically by the system |
| SIM card | Contacts on the operator chip | Limited editing functionality |
The use of groups is especially important when setting up sound profiles. You can assign a unique melody to the entire “Work” group to immediately understand the nature of the incoming call. When selecting contacts within a group, the same actions are available as in the general list: delete, copy, send. However, it is worth remembering that deleting a contact from a group does not completely delete it from the phone book, it simply ceases to be marked with this label.
What happens when deleting a group?
Deleting the group (folder) itself does not lead to deleting the contacts that were in it. The entries remain in the general “All contacts” list, simply losing their categorization.
Selecting contacts on the SIM card
Contacts stored directly on the SIM card have a number of technical limitations compared to entries in the phone memory or the cloud. The interface for working with them in Xiaomi may differ. To access these entries, you need to go to the settings of the Contacts application and select the item Display contacts, making sure that it is in front of your SIM card.
The selection process here is similar: a long press activates the selection mode. However, the functionality of actions may be reduced. For example, you won't be able to add a photo or link a social network to a contact on a SIM card without first copying it to the device's memory. Often, users are faced with the need to select all contacts on a SIM card in order to transfer them to the phone when purchasing a new device.
To transfer, select all the desired entries (using the “Select all” button in edit mode), then press the Copy or Movebutton. The system will prompt you to select the target storage: “Phone” or Google account. This operation is critical when changing carriers or phones, since the capacity of the SIM card is limited and it does not support extended fields (addresses, birthdays).
⚠️ Attention: When moving contacts from the SIM card, names may be truncated to 10-15 characters due to limitations of the old on-chip data storage format. It is recommended to check and edit long names after the transfer.
Automatic selection and merging of duplicates
One of the most common problems of users is the appearance of duplicate entries when the same person is saved twice with different numbers or name variations. Xiaomi has a built-in smart system that automatically scans the database and suggests merging such records. You do not need to select them manually - the system will do it for you.
Go to the contact settings and find the section Organizing contacts or Tools. Select item Merge duplicates. The smartphone will analyze the list and show a screen where pairs of suspicious entries will already be highlighted. All you have to do is confirm the action by pressing the button Merge. As a result, the two cards will merge into one, preserving all unique numbers and addresses.
This method is the safest way to “select” problematic contacts. Manually selecting and deleting duplicates is fraught with error: you can delete the current number, leaving an outdated one. An automatic algorithm takes into account the coincidence of names and numbers, minimizing the risk of data loss. After the procedure, it is recommended to check the “Favorites” section, as some links may be lost.
Regular use of the “Merge Duplicates” function keeps the database clean and speeds up the search for the desired subscriber, preventing confusion when calling.
If automatic merging did not work for some pairs (for example, due to typos in the name), you will have to return to manual mode. Select both contacts with a long press (hold the first one and tap the second one), select the menu and press Merge. The system will prompt you to choose which data to leave as priority in the final card.
Export and import of selected contacts
Selecting contacts is often an intermediate step before saving them to a file. The format vCard (.vcf) is a universal standard that is understood by all modern phones, email clients and services. To export selected records, activate the selection mode, mark the desired names and click on the menu icon (three dots).
In the drop-down list, select Export contacts. You will be prompted to select a location for the file. It is recommended to save the file to the internal memory in a folder Downloads or immediately send it via Bluetooth/messenger. If you choose to save to memory, use a file manager to find the file Contacts.vcf and transfer it to a computer or another phone.
Default file path:/Internal memory/MIUI/backup/AllBackup/contacts/
or
/Internal memory/Downloads/Contacts.vcf
When importing, the procedure is reversed. In the contacts menu, select Importing contacts, specify the source of the file (device memory, SIM card or account). The system will prompt you to select the target account where the imported data will be written. This is a convenient way to quickly fill out the phone book of a new Xiaomi after resetting the settings or purchasing.
Is it possible to select contacts only from a specific account?
Yes, in the contact display settings you can uncheck all sources except the one you need (for example, only Google or only Phone). After this, the Select All function will only apply to visible entries.
Why is the Select All button grayed out?
This may happen if there are no contacts in the current view (the list is empty) or if you are in view of one specific card rather than a list. Return to the main list.
How to restore contacts after accidental deletion?
If synchronization with Google is enabled, go to contacts.google.com, open the menu on the left and select “Undo changes.” You can restore the state of the database for up to 30 days ago.
Does the selection of contacts affect the battery charge?
No, the process of highlighting and marking entries in the application interface consumes a minimal amount of energy and does not affect the overall battery life of the smartphone.
Is it possible to send selected contacts via SMS?
Direct sending by text is not possible, but you can send them as a vCard attachment via MMS or instant messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram) using the "Share" button after selection.