Latest update to iOS 17 put a big gray poster background with white font on each of my contacts. Unless they used a custom photo, it is nearly impossible to read.
For clarification, I’m an older adult and my eyes aren’t what they used to be so most of my settings are set to a black background with a gray font.
Has anyone figured out how to change that gray poster box without having to do it on each contact one at a time?
I found you can select a background color instead of that light gray. Black is not available but I did choose a darker gray, which helps me see the white writing:
Go to Contacts on your iPhone. Select the person whose contact page you want to change. (I guess we need to do each one individually, maybe someone can show us how to change it for every contact at once? )
At your contact's page, select 'Contact Photo & Poster.' Select 'Customize' and a choice pops up. Select 'Poster.'
Now, at the bottom left, select that circle O. And up pops Background Colors. I chose the dark gray all the way at the bottom right. And then below that is a slide bar where you can make the gray lighter or even darker. I slid that right to maximum dark. Then I hit the X to close the background color popup. Finally, at the very top right I selected 'Done.'
Hope this helps!
lacomi wrote:
If one is sufficiently offended, can't one restore from a recent iOS 16 backup? I'm considering doing just that.
No. Downgrading has never been supported. iOS is not part of the back up.
DaWilens wrote:
Agree. This update doesn't work for me. I liked the old contacts just the way they were. Give us the option to use the full screen to show the contact details (for those of us that like photos / emoji, etc) or just the name as it always was and with a lot less space being allocated to something people may not want.
Apple does not read here in this user-to-user forum for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:
Not true. I showed above I have done it to all my contacts but VERY time consumming. Ones without pictures I use a simple graphic I made. And if I can do it, Apple can change it easily. Poor chices Cupertino!
NB4022 wrote:
Apple needs to fix the screwup they made with 17 it’s ruined everybody’s contacts
and you cannot see them in the evening after daylight is gone etc.
It's ill-advised to assume that everyone has the same needs and preferences that you do and to presume to speak for everyone. My contacts are not "ruined" and I have no trouble reading them.
Just spent an hour and a half at the Apple Store for them to tell me they have no contact with Apple on such issues and they cannot fix it. This is ridiculous and the ??? Engineers on updates need to be fired or fix this in the next 24 hours
You can tell Apple how you feel here:
But nothing is going to change in 24 hours and no one is going to be fired. Take a breath.
mtill wrote:
I am so tired of Apple employees justifying their job by changing stuff that doesn’t need to be changed. Great, so now my contact is grey on grey on grey on grey and I can’t even read it.
Tell Apple:
LindyPeirce wrote:
Grey background is terrible for many seniors. I am in my 80th year and find it most....unlikeable! Please put my phone back the way it was!!!!!!!!!!
And yet some of us seniors have no problem with it. But, I get that you don't like it. That's fair.
Apple doesn't read here for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:
esharmeyer wrote:
Please Apple FIX THIS... sooner rather than later.
What you apparently missed while reading the eleven pages in this forum is that Apple doesn't read here for feedback or suggestions.
You can let them know your thoughts here:
jbk134 wrote:
Absolutely. This new contact screen is a joke. Whole screen is a would be picture because who has pictures of every contact in their phone? And even if I did, I wouldn't size the picture to take up three quarters of the screen.
Tell Apple:
CandleLady33 wrote:
PLEASE FIX THIS!
No one participating here in this forum can do that.
Tell Apple:
I’m clearly not the only one who hates this and finds it annoying.
And there are also people who like it.
Unless you have less than 10 people in your phone!
I have over 400. I have no problem with this. However, I recognize that not everyone has the same needs as preferences as I do.
jbk134 wrote:
Age is but a number...I am 43 and also find this new layout extremely hideous and the opposite of user friendly, something Apple is known for, or used to be. I understand one person with one bad idea, but how in the world did all the people above that person look at this and think, "Yep, that's a great idea!" Crazy.
Have you told Apple what you think?
I don’t like the iOS 17 changes to my Contacts display. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it!!!
Apple needs to address this issue ASAP. Allow us to opt out of these community contact posters.
There just needs to be a way to change all of them at once. I have over 600 contacts.
I too have similar issue. Contacts screen is partly gray and partly black. Gray is annoying and irritating. Can anybody suggest a fix?
I hate the gray background on the contact screen. I can barely see anything! Is there at least a reason for this unattractive change? Does it save battery life?
iOS 17 Default Contact Screen Difficult to Read
