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remove duplicate groups in contacts

I have hundreds of duplicate groups in my contacts. How can they be removed?

iPhone 6s, iOS 14

Posted on Oct 24, 2020 4:58 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 25, 2020 12:14 AM

Hi Geraldfromnh!


The short answer is: Yes.


Click “All Contacts”, on the top menu, click on “Card”, then “Look for duplicates” (If I recall correctly).

Then, once duplicated are found, it gives the option to “Merge”.


The king answer is:


Thats probably the easiest way to do it. It’s also good to know however first what default account is set in Contacts on all your devices, and what current contacts you have for each account, as they are split a lot of the time, due to different devices having a different account set as the default.


This article may help:


If you see duplicate contacts after setting up iCloud contacts:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203565


Although the same principal can be used for other account contacts.


Its possible that you have several accounts syncing your contacts, if this is the case, and you have say:

20 contacts in iCloud, and:

The same 20 accounts in Google (Gmail),


Then when you click on “All Contacts”, you may see two of each.


A good way to test on Mac is in System Preferences > Internet Accounts.


Check each account on the left sidebar to see if contacts are syncing, you can easily un-check “Contacts” on one account, go back to Contacts and see the difference.


Or, while in Contacts, click on each account separately (Google, iCloud, etc). To see what’s in that particular account.


It’s always best to keep a default Contacts account on all your devices, that way if you create a new contact on your phone, and the default Contacts on your phone and Mac are both set to iCloud, then it adds to your iCloud contacts on both, and not Gmail on one and iCloud on the other, Hope that makes sense.


Here’s a good guide:

https://support.apple.com/guide/contacts/add-contacts-from-icloud-google-and-more-adrb7e5aaa2a/mac


Likewise, also before making any changes, it’s good to export your contacts for each account as a backup before making any changes:


Export and Archive Contacts on Mac:

https://support.apple.com/guide/contacts/export-and-archive-contacts-adrbdcfd32e6/mac


Also, once exported, you can, if you need to, combine the contacts from each account, then choose one default account to prevent confusion in the future and have them all sync together harmoniously!


All the best let me know if you have any questions glad to help if I can!

2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 25, 2020 12:14 AM in response to geraldfromnh

Hi Geraldfromnh!


The short answer is: Yes.


Click “All Contacts”, on the top menu, click on “Card”, then “Look for duplicates” (If I recall correctly).

Then, once duplicated are found, it gives the option to “Merge”.


The king answer is:


Thats probably the easiest way to do it. It’s also good to know however first what default account is set in Contacts on all your devices, and what current contacts you have for each account, as they are split a lot of the time, due to different devices having a different account set as the default.


This article may help:


If you see duplicate contacts after setting up iCloud contacts:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203565


Although the same principal can be used for other account contacts.


Its possible that you have several accounts syncing your contacts, if this is the case, and you have say:

20 contacts in iCloud, and:

The same 20 accounts in Google (Gmail),


Then when you click on “All Contacts”, you may see two of each.


A good way to test on Mac is in System Preferences > Internet Accounts.


Check each account on the left sidebar to see if contacts are syncing, you can easily un-check “Contacts” on one account, go back to Contacts and see the difference.


Or, while in Contacts, click on each account separately (Google, iCloud, etc). To see what’s in that particular account.


It’s always best to keep a default Contacts account on all your devices, that way if you create a new contact on your phone, and the default Contacts on your phone and Mac are both set to iCloud, then it adds to your iCloud contacts on both, and not Gmail on one and iCloud on the other, Hope that makes sense.


Here’s a good guide:

https://support.apple.com/guide/contacts/add-contacts-from-icloud-google-and-more-adrb7e5aaa2a/mac


Likewise, also before making any changes, it’s good to export your contacts for each account as a backup before making any changes:


Export and Archive Contacts on Mac:

https://support.apple.com/guide/contacts/export-and-archive-contacts-adrbdcfd32e6/mac


Also, once exported, you can, if you need to, combine the contacts from each account, then choose one default account to prevent confusion in the future and have them all sync together harmoniously!


All the best let me know if you have any questions glad to help if I can!

remove duplicate groups in contacts

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