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restore contacts in iCloud isn't restoring my contacts

My contacts got wiped out during the latest iOS update, reverting to several years ago. I've tried restoring contacts through iCloud.com, choosing a date a few days ago and clicking restore, but I still have the years-out-of date contacts. The contacts, under the iCloud setting on my phone, are turned on.


What can I do?

iPhone 6, iOS 12

Posted on Apr 3, 2021 9:21 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Apr 4, 2021 12:23 AM

Was iPhone always syncing with a Mac ( signed in with same Apple ID and password on the same network ) Set up and use iCloud Contacts - Apple Support and you never deleted the contacts from any where ( from iPhone / Mac and iCloud.com ) , them in that scenarios the contacts will always be saved even the versions are changed .

If you delete contacts from iPhone or Mac they are immediately erased and not moved in recently deleted so if you go to advanced section the contacts will not be found .

If you were using a single iPhone and it never synced with Mac and you delete the contacts from device itself they are immediately erased and can't be recovered , as iPhone data base is very less compared to Mac .

this article is for Mac for restoring deleted contacts from advanced section with previous versions If you accidentally deleted your calendars, bookmarks, or contacts from iCloud - Apple Support

It doesn't matter you have turned on contacts box in iPhone / Mac , they will only sync the contacts with iCloud , the contacts deleted only from Mac are kept till 30 days after that they are erased permanently from Mac / iCloud and will never be recovered .

See the thread https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252621643?answerId=254939633022#254939633022



1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Apr 4, 2021 12:23 AM in response to DarylHMiller

Was iPhone always syncing with a Mac ( signed in with same Apple ID and password on the same network ) Set up and use iCloud Contacts - Apple Support and you never deleted the contacts from any where ( from iPhone / Mac and iCloud.com ) , them in that scenarios the contacts will always be saved even the versions are changed .

If you delete contacts from iPhone or Mac they are immediately erased and not moved in recently deleted so if you go to advanced section the contacts will not be found .

If you were using a single iPhone and it never synced with Mac and you delete the contacts from device itself they are immediately erased and can't be recovered , as iPhone data base is very less compared to Mac .

this article is for Mac for restoring deleted contacts from advanced section with previous versions If you accidentally deleted your calendars, bookmarks, or contacts from iCloud - Apple Support

It doesn't matter you have turned on contacts box in iPhone / Mac , they will only sync the contacts with iCloud , the contacts deleted only from Mac are kept till 30 days after that they are erased permanently from Mac / iCloud and will never be recovered .

See the thread https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252621643?answerId=254939633022#254939633022



restore contacts in iCloud isn't restoring my contacts

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