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dkkerr Author

Level 1

84 points

updated to macOs Sequoia now contacts gone

I updated to macOs Sequoia 2 days ago and none of my 1000+ contacts are visible in the Contacts App. I have an iMac 5K 2020, and my contacts are fortunately on my other devices and in iCloud. After searching Apple Support and the web, the most up-to-date (Aug 28, 2024 or last month) help was on iDownloadBlog (thanks Ankur Thakur) and I tried everything suggested (eg restart, force quit, sign out of contacts on my iCloud settings & re-sign in, rename the Addressbook folder in Library and even to copy the .vcf from iCloud and paste locally.)

Nothing helped. The closest I came was when I tried pasting the copied cumulative .vcf file from iCloud, there was a greyed out or ghost of my contacts visible for a moment behind the dialogue box, but it then became a repeating "No Name" 1000+ times after clicking the blue Import button. (confusing description but the best I could do)

Any ideas? Thx

Posted on Sep 21, 2024 11:44 AM

Top-ranking reply

Nick Peronti

Level 1

39 points

Posted on Nov 8, 2024 8:04 AM

Think I have this figured out.

I had multiple folders called "Contacts" in ~/Library/Containers/. At least the Finder was calling them "Contacts".

If you copy them to the Desktop you see they are actually named "com.apple.AddressBook", "com.apple.PeopleViewService", "com.apple.PeopleViewService.PeopleWidget-macOS".

Assuming you have all your contacts safe and sound in icloud, try the following:

Turn off contacts syncing in your icloud settings.
Close the Contacts.app.
In the Finder, click the Go menu then Go to Folder and paste in: ~/Library/Containers
In there, look to see if you have multiple folders called "Contacts". Drag all of them to the Desktop.
Now turn contact syncing back on in icloud settings and open the Contacts.app.

Hopefully everything is groovy after that. If it is, I think you can safely delete those folders dragged to the desktop.

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66 replies

Brice21

Level 1

25 points

Oct 31, 2024 3:58 AM in response to jp_leif

I have MacOS Sequoia updated to 15.1 but Contacts is still unable to display my contacts. Of course they are still on iCloud, iPad and iPhone.

On the Mac I installed another app (Cardhop) and it can display my Contacts, so they are still there but the bug in Contact has not been fixed.

AlWeir

Level 4

3,164 points

Oct 31, 2024 5:02 AM in response to Brice21

Can you search for files with the extension .vcf

If you find them right click on one and see what it says when you click on "Open With". It should say Contacts. I am wondering if it will make the Contacts app reappear in the Application folder.

jp_leif

Level 1

80 points

Oct 31, 2024 5:41 AM in response to AlWeir

Nope, tried already in the beginning to import the contacts via vcf. But since the contacts are already on the Mac, it‘s not a solution, because the only place where these will be stored at the end has already a version of the latest sync contacts from iCloud .

Axel Foley

Level 10

149,580 points

Nov 8, 2024 1:37 PM in response to Nick Peronti

Nick, This worked for me. I was plagued with this issue for weeks and your resolution recommendation has resolved the issue for me at this time.

dkkerr, I think we have a viable solution presented by Nick.

Axel F.

dkkerr Author

Level 1

84 points

Nov 9, 2024 10:31 AM in response to Nick Peronti

Nick Peronti, thank you so very much! I am so grateful that you found this fix. My Contact app is now working.

Axel Foley, jp_leif, Ron Klein, OCMG, bikinijack and others, it was great to work with you all. “Rock On”

Kwaze

Level 1

9 points

Nov 9, 2024 6:28 PM in response to Kwaze

How long did you have to wait for this to work? I did everything and my contacts look the same.

EDIT: So I got most of my contacts back, I'm just missing 40 contacts and my smart lists are not showing up

plsemail

Level 1

8 points

Oct 2, 2024 8:20 AM in response to dkkerr

Yes, my contacts, phone #s and names in messaging are not synching betweenn Apple OSX Sequoia on an Apple M2 Mini and an updated Iphone. Apple needs to fix the synching

dkkerr Author

Level 1

84 points

Oct 16, 2024 7:55 AM in response to dkkerr

bikinijack, thanks for your sharing. Even if your observations of what might be in store for future development has been removed for Apple policy reasons, I appreciate your insight.

AlWeir

Level 4

3,164 points

Oct 18, 2024 5:03 PM in response to Axel Foley

I wonder if there is a Contacts in Macintosh HD/System/Library/CoreServices

dkkerr Author

Level 1

84 points

Oct 29, 2024 5:01 PM in response to Axel Foley

Agree, Axel. This is not a sync-ing problem.

99ramon

Level 1

8 points

Oct 29, 2024 8:35 PM in response to jp_leif

15.1 update did nothing. Same problem with no contacts

187

Level 1

16 points

Nov 8, 2024 11:20 AM in response to dkkerr

I'm having the same issue with my Contacts App on my Macbook Air 2022 M2 running 15.1. I attempt to create a new contact and it kicks me out. How sad Apple isn't responding...

Nov 9, 2024 12:29 AM in response to Nick Peronti

It works!! Thanks!

Nov 9, 2024 2:59 AM in response to Nick Peronti

You are a genius! It worked for me as well! 🎉

Nov 9, 2024 10:19 AM in response to Nick Peronti

You are magnificent - it worked. I hopeful that have this issue use your fix to restore contacts after losing them on Sequoia 15 installation ....

updated to macOs Sequoia now contacts gone