How to disable the Contact Poster feature in Contacts and Phone app

NannyKid wrote:

I completely agree about the contact poster being terrible. Apple needs to provide a way to disable it for those of us who do not want it.

Tell Apple:

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EchosoftDS wrote:

APPLE needs to seriously look at providing users the ability to disable the Contact Poster feature. It makes me want to find a different Contact app that doesn't allow others to display photos on your phone when they call.

Apple doesn't read here for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:

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Either that or dump my iPhone for an Android.

You should always buy the tool that best meets your needs. No one here in this user-to-user has a vested interest in what you choose.

You can change the setting only on individual contacts, not en masse.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but in a society that has become numb to the idea of personal space and privacy, liking or not liking this particular feature is only a part of the issue. Data exchanges of all kinds are being forced publicly and privately all the time, and we are increasingly inured to the effect. This isn't a matter of icon placement or opportunistic placement of features, but rather the loss of control of data. I don't care to have my data used without my explicit consent; moreover, I don't like having to constantly say no to the option. When it comes to my data, I should be able to dissociate from the option or opportunity as is my wish for my data. Likewise, I do not care to have other people's data pushed to me or have to constantly say no to that push. Even at that, I've set the controls currently available in IOS to not participate in this exchange, and STILL the exchange is something I have to constantly say no to. The settings don't say hey, maybe sometimes I'd like this to be done. It supposedly removes the option, but then it doesn't as every time I get or make a call or text I'm asked if I want to share my contact information, or if the other party has the information to share, if I'd like to receive it. Please don't respond with more apologist commentary on likability. If you don't agree with mine, and many others', stance on both privacy and proper functionality of the IOS settings and controls, fine, but making an argument for likability isn't germane to the issue being put forth. And, to be clear, I have brought this issue up directly to Apple, and Apple couldn't care less if they tried about the subject.

johnmarksmith wrote:

Have not been able to figure out how, but I agree with other users that this is a horrendous "feature". It is so invasive allowing someone else to control what images appear on your phone. Apple needs to remove this feature immediately.

Apple doesn't read here in this user-to-user forum for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:

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Contact poster on iphone...awful idea. How do I get rid of this?

Might not be helpful for everyone, but back in the day when the iPhone came out, I already had a contact list with my gmail account and I opted to only use this as main contact list on my phone ever since. Never the iPhone contacts or iCloud. I also was surprised that with the new iOS Apple added the Poster, if I added a contact photo to one of my contacts on my phone. (still the contacts from my Google Contact List) No way to remove the Poster and just have the contact photo. However, when using the Gmail contact list on a browser on the PC, I can just add the photo. Works a charm. You do need to have a Google Account and have all your contacts on Google Contacts and use this as your contact list on you phone.

Have not been able to figure out how, but I agree with other users that this is a horrendous "feature". It is so invasive allowing someone else to control what images appear on your phone. Apple needs to remove this feature immediately.

LeeFromBillerica wrote:

Contact poster on iphone...awful idea. How do I get rid of this?

In the individual contact, under the icons for the contact there should be an option for contact photo and poster. Select custom photo.

You can't disable it globally.

I've discovered a workaround to prevent this, and fix it.

When someone calls or texts you, and you want to add that person to your contacts, don't do it from the phone or messages app. If you do, that person's poster settings will be attached to the contact. Even if you create a "custom poster," you'll still have the poster format, which makes the contact's info difficult to see at a glance.

Add the person to your contacts from scratch, ideally from a desktop or laptop. When it syncs with your phone, there will be no poster effect.

If you already have people showing up with posters, note down their information, delete their contact cards from your phone, and add them again. Try to do this on your desktop or laptop. (I haven't tried adding from scratch on my phone, so I can't recommend it.)

You can’t disable or delete it, but if you recreate the contact WITHOUT an image, then go to Photos > select photo > assign to contact, it’ll make the photo their icon without also generating an awful banner along with it.

GardenGirl-2024 wrote:

PLEASE APPLE give us an option on how to avoid the contact poster feature or get rid of it all together.

Apple doesn't read here in this user-to-user forum for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple