Why do I have 3 DIFFERENT contact lists?

Question

Level 1

14 points

Why do I have 3 DIFFERENT contact lists?

iPhone 13, iOS 17.1.2

I used to have just one contact list (I have no idea what it was named). I don’t know when this started — perhaps when I upgraded from iPhone 7 to 13 — but I now have 3 DIFFERENT lists:

All Contacts (596 entries)
All Gmail (436 entries)
All iCloud (165 entries)

I only want one list containing ONE copy of all UNIQUE entries.

Questions:

Why do I have 3 lists?
Does the All Contacts list DEFINITELY contain ALL entries?
If so, can I delete the other 2 lists with impunity?

I don’t care where a contact resides. I just want one single list where I can find everyone.

If I decide I want sub-lists (e.g., one for family contacts, one for business contacts, etc), is there an easy way to do that? That is, is there an easy way to move or to copy entries to a new list that I create?

iPhone 13, iOS 17

Posted on Dec 15, 2023 9:21 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

meredithfromnm

Level 1

13 points

Mar 20, 2024 12:12 PM in response to RHK66

I have the same problem except my 3 lists are All, ICloud and ATT. I only want one lists. I find that some people in multiple lists, but with different info. Is there a way to consolidate the 3 lists? There are over 1000 entries in the all list so checking each entry will take a long time.

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Answer 2

RHK66 Author

Level 1

14 points

Dec 17, 2023 7:41 PM in response to SravanKrA

I originally posted this as a new entry in our message chain, but I just noticed the “Reply” button, so I’m reposting it that way.

The only other email accounts I’ve ever had were years and years ago, before I got this Gmail account, but the appearance of the 2nd and 3rd lists is quite recent … or at least I never noticed them until recently. Are there any other possible explanations? And is there any way to combine or merge these lists without creating duplicate entries or single entries with duplicate addresses and/or phone numbers?

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Answer 3

Mar 25, 2024 7:21 AM in response to SravanKrA

With respect, I don’t think this really answers the question. I have a similar problem - hundreds of contacts in an iCloud contact list and hundreds more in a Hotmail contact list - some contacts are the same in both lists but others are unique. Going through lists one by one is very time consuming and deleting one of the lists risks losing important contacts. Is there a way to merge the lists?

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Answer 4

RHK66 Author

Level 1

14 points

Dec 16, 2023 6:50 AM in response to SravanKrA

The only other email accounts I’ve ever had were years and years ago, before I got this Gmail account, but the appearance of the 2nd and 3rd lists is quite recent … or at least I never noticed them until recently. Are there any other possible explanations? And is there any way to combine or merge these lists without creating duplicate entries or single entries with duplicate addresses and/or phone numbers?

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Answer 5

Dec 15, 2023 9:45 PM in response to RHK66

You may have stored the same contacts in multiple email accounts.

Either remove the contacts from the rarely used email account or disable contacts from the rarely used mail account in the iOS Mail app.

Unlike some Android devices, contacts are neither stored locally on an iPhone nor in SIM. They are synced to an email account that you had Google, iCloud, AOL, Exchange, Outlook, Yahoo or any Other

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Answer 6

amyl0173

Level 1

8 points

Jun 19, 2024 8:46 PM in response to Otiswinston

Can you possibly reply & help me? I’m new to IPhone13 BUT there are 3 people icons & idk how to figure out why or how to see what 3 groups are? I was in the hospital & someone hacked my entire Android Google Act. I got the Iphn13 & There are So many little /glitches some of which I probably stem from me trying to sign into my google email which was reported as Fraudulent because there was a virus attached to my google email that would “LOOK” for ANY APP- with Credit card info! And somehow they were able to ACCESS ALL OF MY APPS & used all credit cards on each! I don’t wish this on ANYONE! My entire identity was stolen & EVERY ACCT I HAD WAS USED WITH MY CARDS! Even ordered 5 new iPhones IN MY NAME! Regardless can the 3 Ppl icons- possibly be that other persons have added themselves to my contacts for instance? Sorry so long but I’m truly in need- I’ve already FACTORY RESET MY PHONE AT LEAST 5 times!!! So, I’m not sure what is “supposed “ to be &/or what is Fraud! TU to anyone able to reach out!

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Why do I have 3 DIFFERENT contact lists?

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