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Preference not an option in contact app

I want to sort the names of my contacts by first names but there is no Preference option in my contact app in which to do so. The only info the side bar gives me is:



How else can I do it please?

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 11.0

Posted on Dec 31, 2020 4:19 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 3, 2021 8:18 AM

Hello Willing_Pupil,


It sounds like you're needing help sorting your contacts on your Mac.


Here's a great article to guide you: Change how contacts are sorted in Contacts on Mac


That should help to clear that up for you, but feel free to reach back out if you need further help.


Take care!

7 replies

Jan 3, 2021 9:31 AM in response to Brian_P7

Thanks, Brian, appreciate your response. I see that the screen shot I took came through blank. Actually, I did check out the Apple Support article before I wrote for help on this forum. That's where I learned to click on Preferences in Contacts. When I click on my Contacts app and the window appears, there is no option to click on Preferences. In the left hand column I see: All Contacts, iCloud (greyed out), All Contacts, iCloud, Travel Buddies (I created on another device), On my Mac (greyed out), All on my Mac. In the next column: Search Contacts and the beginning of the list of contacts. In the right column is my first contact information. At the bottom of that window is +, Edit, and share contact icon. That's it. No Preferences option.

Jan 3, 2021 12:35 PM in response to jeffreythefrog

Thanks, Jeffrey, that worked. However, I'd like to add that the way I found the Apple menu was to bring up the Contacts window. Before my efforts were to click on the Contacts window, search for Preferences in the Contacts window, close the Contacts window then click on the Apple logo in the top tool bar. I didn't think to look at the top tool bar while the Contacts window was open ... until today after your suggestion. Just sayin' in case this might help someone else.

Jan 3, 2021 12:45 PM in response to Willing_Pupil

yes, to view the preferences for any given app, the app needs to be active. some apps stay active if you just click the red button, while others close all the way after that action. you can understand a bit better if you open safari and then mail. if you click on safari's window, you will see the apple menu for safari. then leave safari open but click on the mail window, you will see the mail apple menu. and finally, click on an empty part of the desktop you will see the finder apple menu. you will always know which is the active window by looking at the apple menu. :)

Preference not an option in contact app

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