Corrupt iCloud contacts backup and contacts duplication

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Level 1

65 points

Corrupt iCloud contacts backup and contacts duplication

This past Monday, Sept. 12, my wife noticed her iCloud contacts sometimes duplicated and more - 3-6 times repeated on most of them. On all her devices. She only syncs them w/ iCloud , no other services. We turned off the iCloud toggle in settings for her devices, removed the contacts from the devices and then turned back on. The duplication re-appeared. They are duplicated somehow in the cloud.

We then logged in to iCloud.com and restored from a backup from before the issue occurred. Duplictaes still. We then tried a second restore from a iCloud backup from further out. Still duplicates.

Apple senior advisor says the only fix is to manually go through and remove the duplicates ...

Why are we getting duplictaes? And if Apple can't tell what's causing the issue, what's to say that it won't come back after the manual deletion?

Is there nothing else to check? Some hidden iCloud pointer, etc?? One of the odd things is that a lot of these contacts that are duplicating are ones she has not used in at least 10 years. I have also noted that in going through the contacts, some of them have the word "iCloud contact" in the notes of the contact. BigSur 11.6.8 and the most recents iOS before 16 is what she's running.

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 12.5

Posted on Sep 14, 2022 8:18 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

askbarnabas

Level 10

103,691 points

Sep 17, 2022 8:25 AM in response to mrchntmarine

I created this User Tip to serve and the basic framework for managing and recovering Contacts - Contacts

Contacts can sometimes become scattered or multiplied when syncing or when changing devices. To ensure that contacts are always correct, follow these few simple steps. These steps include a Mac but do not include the steps for a PC. These steps include the use of iCloud and do not require purchasing additional storage. Make sure you back up your devices regularly so you have a back up to restore from if needed and make sure that you are always using the latest software update available for every Apple device you are using.

If you are missing contacts because you recently deleted an email account, add it back until you perform these steps. If you are using iCloud you can also try going to iCloud.com>sign in>account settings>advanced>restore contacts>select from the list of "archive of contacts."

Step one

(Skip to step two if you do not own an iPhone/iPad)

On iPhone/iPad

Go to settings>mail>accounts>tap any account and turn on contacts (repeat for all accounts).
Go to settings>Apple ID (your name at the top>iCloud>iCloud backup - turn on and select "back up now."
Go back to settings>Apple ID>iCloud>turn contacts off - choose to keep on device. Do not turn it back on yet!
Go to settings>mail>accounts>tap any account except iCloud - turn off contacts (repeat for all accounts).
Go to settings>mail>accounts>tap iCloud - turn on contacts. Stop here on the iPhone until you perform the Mac steps.

Step two

(Skip to step three if you do not own a Mac)

On Mac

Go to system preferences>internet accounts>tap iCloud account - turn on contacts
Go to system preferences>internet accounts> are the contacts turned on for all accounts?
Go to system preferences>iCloud>contacts - uncheck that, and then check it again and it will ask to merge. This should force it to merge all the contacts you have for the Mac.
Go to system preferences>internet accounts>tap any account that is not iCloud - turn off contacts (repeat for all accounts).
Stop there and go to iCloud.com

Step three

On iCloud.com

Sign in and select contacts - make sure they are correct.
If there are duplicate contacts select the contacts that are duplicate and then go to the gear icon (settings) in the lower left corner. Select delete. Repeat for every duplicate/old contact you no longer need. You can select multiple contacts by using the CTRL+Click method (if you are unfamiliar with that method do not attempt it). Once all the extra contacts are deleted go back to the gear icon (settings) and select refresh contacts.

Step four

On iPhone

Go back to settings>Apple ID>iCloud>turn contacts on and merge.
Go to settings>Apple ID>iCloud>iCloud backup - turn on

Useful Links

View contacts on iCloud.com - Apple Support

Manage and delete contacts on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

Contacts User Guide for Mac - Apple Support

Set up and use iCloud Contacts - Apple Support

If your iCloud Contacts, Calendars, or Reminders won’t sync - Apple Support

Import contacts from your SIM card to your iPhone - Apple Support

If you see duplicate contacts after setting up iCloud Contacts - Apple Support

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Answer 2

askbarnabas

Level 10

103,691 points

Sep 17, 2022 7:39 PM in response to mrchntmarine

Contacts app uses iCloud unless you turned that off.
If you have any email accounts on the device and they have contacts turned on then you have contacts from multiple sources and its messing things up. When you go to settings>mail>accounts is there only the one account listed?
Go to settings>contacts>accounts - what is listed there?
You have to manually delete duplicate contacts.

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Answer 3

mrchntmarine Author

Level 1

65 points

Sep 17, 2022 6:54 PM in response to askbarnabas

Tks for the tip. It’s a little confusing to me though…. She does not use iCloud [apple] mail and does not back up to iCloud - but to her MacBook Pro via usb. She does use a Cox email but they do not have a contacts option in mail settings. All her contacts are in the Apple contacts app. which she does have turned on in iCloud and shared on all her devices. It’s odd the supposed clean iCloud backups were either corrupted or they got corrupted in the restore process. As mentioned we restored from more than 1 backup(maintained and created by apple on iCloud.com) that was created before the duplicates were noticed.

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Answer 4

mrchntmarine Author

Level 1

65 points

Sep 17, 2022 8:14 PM in response to askbarnabas

askbarnabas wrote:

1. Contacts app uses iCloud unless you turned that off.

no its on.

If you have any email accounts on the device and they have contacts turned on then you have contacts from multiple sources and its messing things up. When you go to settings>mail>accounts is there only the one account listed?

no. She has more than 1 email. But none use contacts expect iCloud.

. Go to settings>contacts>accounts - what is listed there?

her 1 iCloud account and the other email accounts.

. You have to manually delete duplicate contacts.

Yes. I guess so. That’s the point I guess. iCloud is suppose to keep back ups to restore from and it didn’t. They either got corrupted in the restore or didn’t back up clean like they are suppose to. How in the world can she have contacts deleted 10 years ago suddenly reappear?? The issue just appeared this past mon and the back ios were from earlier than that. So they should have been clean nonduplicated.

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Answer 5

askbarnabas

Level 10

103,691 points

Sep 17, 2022 8:27 PM in response to mrchntmarine

The list I initially supplied gets rid of all these issues by forcing all the contacts onto iCloud (contacts app) You are trying to understand the how's and why's and who's when its not that important. What is important is finding a way to manage the contacts in a way that prevents this in the future.

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Answer 6

mrchntmarine Author

Level 1

65 points

Sep 18, 2022 5:39 AM in response to askbarnabas

The contacts are already on the iCloud app. They are duplicated there and locally and in the backups (apparently). And yes Id like to know why there are duplicates from 10 years ago and later and how it happened. BC if for some weird reason it was user caused( which I doubt), I’d like to be able to have her not do it again.

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