Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Losing contacts here and there

For the last 6 months I have been randomly losing contacts from my phone. I can add a new contact and they won’t be there a few weeks later, or I can even just text or call someone in my contact list then after this the contact disappears!! I have tried a few methods which have not worked.


This is beyond a joke and am considering ditching apple all together. Does anyone have a solid solution?

iPhone XR, iOS 14

Posted on Jul 29, 2021 11:15 PM

Reply
4 replies
Sort By: 

Jul 30, 2021 7:28 PM in response to Farlap

Hi Farlap,


We understand you're trying to recover contacts. We're happy to help.


To get started, you'll want to determine if you had your contacts synced anywhere or if they were just stored directly to the device.


To see if they were synced to iCloud, go to the iCloud website and check the Contacts section to see if anything is showing. If you do have contacts there, you can sync them to your iPhone by going to Settings > your name at the top > iCloud, and turn the Contacts option on. If it's already on, turn if off for a few seconds, then back on to refresh the sync.


To see if you had them synced to a third-party email account, go to your mail providers website, log in, and check the contacts section. If you do have contacts there, you can sync them to your iPhone by going to Settings > Contacts > Accounts > Add Account. If you already have that email account added and the contacts option on, turn it off for a few seconds, then back on to refresh the sync.


If you do not have your contacts synced anywhere and they were just stored directly on the device you may be able to recover them from a backup. You'll want to check if you have a backup that was done at a day/time the contacts were still on the device. you can use these steps to check for recent backups: Locate backups of your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch


If you do have a backup available that was done when the contacts were still on the device, you can use these steps to restore it: Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup


Keep in mind when you restore a backup, it will restore the device to exactly as it was at that time. So for example if you restore a backup that was done on Thursday, anything you've added/changed on the device from the time of that backup until now will be removed.


We hope this helps. Take care! 

Reply

Jul 31, 2021 1:10 AM in response to Eric--F

Thanks for your response. My phone is backed up to icloud.


This does not explain why my phone randomly loses contacts here and there. It constantly happens, even if I re-ad a contact after they are lost they may go missing again in a week/2weeks etc. or the contact is lost right after I interact with the contact via sms or phone. Can someone please help me?


The phone has the latest software.

Reply

Aug 4, 2021 4:58 AM in response to Farlap

This has been happening to me also. I noticed that in the last month, I have lost some of my most important contacts. It’s seems random ones, not huge groups or all of them. I only know because I get a text or an unknown call only to find out that it’s one from my contacts that went missing. Otherwise I have no idea which are gone.

The forums instruct us to check all your emails to see if contacts are turned on, delete, turn on, turn off, etc etc etc. and they keep saying to do all this stuff. Backup from the cloud…. But obviously there is a major bug here. I am really upset because all the top people here on the forums don’t seem to realize that this is definitely a bug, not a problem with settings. It should be reported by them. Btw: Mine are all backed up to the cloud as well …..I’m at a loss here, because I don’t know which ones have disappeared

Reply

Losing contacts here and there

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.