So this is a question that was addressed by another associate and I tried the support suggested but still having same issue once again.
I tried the aforementioned overnight iCloud fix but after 24 hours my contact issue was back—here is how I fixed it:
Turned off iCloud sync for Contacts under iCloud settings
iPhone: Contacts>Accounts>Gmail>Toggled Contacts Off
Mac: Contacts>Settings>Accounts>Unchecked Enable this account for Exchange (Outlook) & Gmail
Deleted all Contacts on my iPhone by USB connect to my Mac and checking sync contacts to iPhone:
You can also delete multiple contacts at once on your iPhone doing the following:
Went to https://www.icloud.com/contacts/ and scrubbed all my Contacts, deleted duplicates (cog wheel bottom left), added correct photos and labels to all, including custom labels (this was tedious but I have been trying to fix this issue for months) I turned off ‘Automatically format phone numbers’:
Simultaneously had https://contacts.google.com open and added any missing Gmail contacts not in my iCloud Contacts by Exporting as vCard in export prompt on left-side menu:
Exported all iCloud Contacts vCards and iMessaged them all to my iPhone from my Mac:
Saved all Contacts to my iPhone and waited for them to re-populate completely; that was Saturday afternoon April 1 and it is now April 15. All custom labels and photos are intact for contacts.
There were still a few Contacts whose photos did not transfer; I AirDropped any Contacts that had remaining issues from my Mac to my iPhone until they were all correct:
Have not turned iCloud sync back on for Contacts under iCloud settings on iPhone (or iMac or Macbook) and have also unchecked Microsoft Outlook under iCloud Drive on (all) Mac as I cannot function properly at work without knowing what numbers are what in my contacts (iPhone, fax, email, mobile, office, work, personal, etc.)
Worth noting that after doing this there is now no ‘Default’ account under Contacts in settings on my iPhone whereas before there was a choice of iCloud, Gmail, or My iPhone
Personally, I think this contact reversion issue is caused by Outlook, Gmail, or both and is ultimately an Apple (iCloud) problem that they do not know how to fix or do not know exists.
I don’t see contacts to turn off in settings mail or contacts to turn off as directed in your post.
I have 14 pro, iOS 16.5. My setup does not read/have layout as you describe.
Yep! They can’t fix or truly advise what is causing this. So frustrating.
I think AI is responsible for the contact name changing. I recently broke up with my girl I had some hearts in her name. Woke up the next morning the hearts were gone. Where’s the privacy jezzzz
this is happening to me too. 5th time today! Apple has no idea....
A name of a person in my contact list comes out as the phone number not the name ?
This is driving me bananas. Nothing fixes it for me. Apple needs to figure this out.
It happened to me in december 2023 and now today. Is it still working for you fine so I can follow your steps?
I hate it when Apple ignores thousands of loyal customers asking for help.
Same here. Were you ever able to resolve this issue?
I too had this problem. What I’ve noticed is no matter how many times you sync or unsync your MacBook to your phone, your contacts almost never save correctly to your MacBook at least not all of them anyway.
So if you’re only concerned about the phone portion of saving contacts here what I did. I use the mail app for all of my e-mail accounts. When you’re adding various email accounts to your mail app it ask you if you would like to sync contacts, notes, calendar etc. before you save your email account make sure you toggle off contacts. The only e-mail that should sync your contacts is your iCloud email.
HERES HOW:
1.You go to setting.
2. Scroll down to mail.
3.Click on accounts.
4.Click on the email and turn off contacts.
If you have multiple emails do this with all e-mails!
If you’re ever in your contacts and notice that you can press the back button and it shows you all your contacts but in various e-mail settings this is because all of your emails are synced to your contacts.
PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT THE EMAIL YOU WANT TO SYNC YOUR CONTACTS WITH HAS ALL OF YOUR CONTACTS SAVED!
This was not case for me so I had to re-save the the other portion of my contacts in the e-mail I wanted to sync them with, which in this case would be my icloud.
HERES HOW:
I REALLY HOPE THIS HELPS!
You have to go to your iPhone settings. Scroll all the way down until you see App Store, wallet Apple Pay, and passwords it will be under that. Click mail and then click the email you want and then turn off contacts. It’s very easy.
In your contacts you would press list at the top right corner.
iPhone keeps changing contacts phone label
