Missing contacts with iPhone iOS 17 update

You can export all your contacts as a single vCard and use it as a backup. Click the ... in the sidebar, choose Select All Contacts, then follow the instructions above to export a vCard.

You can send the file to the iPhone attached to the email

Import, export or print contacts on iCloud.com – Apple Support

I did this and seems to have worked for my iPhone.

Settings

Contacts

Accounts

Outlook

Then clicked contacts

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Uninstalling iOS 17.4 now delete this update

Thanks for your suggestion - I had already switched off and on iCloud sync on Contacts and have just done it again but sadly not fixed. May hsvevtry try restoring my phone from backup in a few days when I have time but others suggest restoring the phone but not the backup. That’s depressing it the only solution :-(

Unbelievable - F.F.S! - IOS 17.2 does indeed fix the problem - I was at the point of buying Android and dumping my iPhone after all these years. Crazy how such a piffling bug could have been allowed to develop in a critical element of the iPhone's functions - Contacts are linked to many other critical apps and without it functioning, those messaging and other apps are rendered useless. Then to silently fix it within an update without (as far as I can see) an admission of existence of the problem... Anyway, hopefully this and similar issues will not recur.

It's December 15 and I have tried restoring 3x from icloud; keep getting contact list that is like 12 years old, rather than current one that was eliminated. So frustrating as unable to mail packages and cards or call as there's no current names, addresses, phone numbers.

Agreed. This also isn't the first time it's happened. Seems weird to me they didn't fix it from when this question was posted in September, to December, when my 17 update was available...

I can't type anyone's name to text, I have to find their number redo the contact. Problem is, it shows IN EVERY text string, unless I delete and start over. So If I try and text person 1 and end up re-doing their contact to show up with their name -- but then I have a thread with person 1 and 2, person 1 only shows up as the number AGAIN in that thread. When I click on the info, it shows their proper contact.

I lost all contacts as well that were less than 4 years old. I went into settings and discovered that my outlook and iCloud emails were not set up and therefore not feeding my contacts.

I added the accounts back, my contacts started to reload.

i lost most of my contacts. my dad's phone number is just a number without his contact information or name. many others are similar. i have to scroll through text messages to find my friend's numbers or scroll up a thread to figure out who sent me a message. this is awful!

Earlier today, I discovered that almost 80% of my contacts have disappeared from my device. Despite attempting various troubleshooting steps, such as toggling the contacts off and on, signing out and back into my account, and even logging into iCloud via my MacBook, I have been unable to recover any lost contacts.

This sudden disappearance occurred within a few hours, as everything was functioning normally before this unexpected event. Given the critical nature of these personal and professional contacts, this situation has become nothing short of a nightmare for me.

I seek your urgent assistance in resolving this issue as soon as possible. I would greatly appreciate any guidance or support you can provide to help recover my contacts.

Thank you very much for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Kareem

Apple wants $1200 from each of us for their newest phone, but my 14 can't keep my phone numbers? Isn't a phone number the most important part of using a phone? My 14 does all sorts of "magical" stuff, but it won't store a phone number?? REALLY?? BEST?? designers in the business and they can't handle the basics? Maybe we all need to move to someone else? I'm still collecting contacts from the few friends whose numbers I have memorized but if you're my friend and I don't call, maybe ask Apple how to reach me.

I did the same, but my Google and iCloud did not sync up and still I’m having issues with my contacts. This is so aggravating. Arrrrgh. I can’t voice to text with people that I work with that have been new contacts and it’s really strange but my besties and my kids contacts for some reason will not sync up. And when I try to make a new contact for these missing contacts, it won’t show up.

Pressing on the list of Icloud contacts (in the Contacts app) from my OLD phone and air dropping to my new phone worked for me. Had to do it a couple times because not all were importing. Had to select “create new contacts” because “import contacts” was not capturing all. Now I have many duplicates on the new phone but at least all are back, with profile pics too.

This worked for me. The new update turned off my primary email account settings, removing my gmail contacts. Go into your settings // contacts // accounts. Check that the “contacts” under your accounts are turned on. Go back into your contact application and refresh. All of the contacts should show up.

I lost not only contacts, but password's for all my accounts, very important dates for numerous medical exams that I will more than likely not be able to locate. Blood draw apts, vet apts, etc etc.

[Edited by Moderator]