Contacts/merge

After you go to iCloud.com/Contacts and determine which device isn't syncing to iCloud properly, on that device, try Settings/Your Name/iCloud and slide off syncing. Wait a few minutes and then slide syncing on. Allow time for syncing to occur.

Contacts - Troubleshooting iCloud Contacts

Last resort - have you tried signing out of iCloud and then sign back in?

Hi corinne177,

Once all the missing contacts are moved into your iCloud, you won't have to walk through those steps again, since iCloud will sync across all the devices you have, and any that you may get down the road. You'll just need to be sure to sign into iCloud. This article will tell you more: Keep your contacts up to date on all of your devices with iCloud.

Have a great day!

Hello corinne177, 

Thanks for reaching out to the Apple Support Communities. I see that you’re having an issue where you’re not seeing all your Contacts on your iPad. I know how much I rely on my Contacts. First, check and see if they’re appearing on the iCloud.com website. To check, sign in > select Contacts and see if all are present. If you see all the Contacts which are on your iPhone there, this isolates the issue to the iPad. If you’re only seeing the same Contacts that you see on your iPad, this means that you may have your Contacts on your iPhone syncing from another account in addition to iCloud. 

If you’re seeing more on your iPhone than you do on the iCloud website, check to see if you have multiple accounts in the Contacts app. You can do so by following these steps:

Go to Settings > Contacts > Default Account — Based on what you’ve said, you should see iCloud with a checkmark next to it, indicating this is your default account where any new contacts will be stored. If you’re seeing other accounts listed on the screen, you’ll want to be sure to add the same accounts to your iPad. 

If you have more questions, or need more help, just ask.

Enjoy the day!

Hi corinne177,

Great question, and great job isolating where the contacts which aren't appearing on your iPad are coming from. It sounds like they're actually stored only on your iPhone. When you turn off Contacts from iCloud, you'd want to keep your Contacts on your iPhone. However, toggling off the iCloud Contacts and then turning it back on won't sync your Contacts which are only on your iPhone.

Leaving the iCloud Contacts turned on in Settings > [your name] > iCloud, you can add the contacts to your iCloud Contacts by following these steps:

1 - Open the contact you want to have in iCloud.

2 - Scroll down to Share Contact.

3 - Send the Contact to yourself in a Message.

4 - Once you've received the Message, Delete that entry from the Contacts app on your iPhone.

5 - Open the contact you've received in Messages.

6 - Select Create New Contact -- the contact is then automatically created, and added to iCloud.

7 - Go to your iPad or iCloud.com to verify that the entry is syncing.

I'd recommend that you do all 7 steps for each entry. While it may take some time if you have many contacts to sync, the other option is to manually enter the Contact on your iPad and then delete it from your iPhone. This would allow them to also sync to iCloud.

If you have any questions just message back.

Cheers!