contacts showing as siri found in app

I’m unable to find my saved contacts on my iPhone and iCloud suddenly, without deleting any data, I tried everything over the internet yet the problem persists, please help me resolve it as there are many important contacts.

Troubleshooting Steps Already Attempted:


iCloud Contacts Sync:


Verified that Contacts toggle is enabled under Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud

Toggled Contacts off and back on to re-sync

Default Account for Contacts:


Ensured iCloud is set as the default account under Settings > Contacts > Default Account

Contacts Display Settings:


Checked Groups in the Contacts app to ensure all contact groups are selected

Network and Software:


Confirmed a stable internet connection

Restarted the iPhone

Updated to the latest iOS version available

iCloud.com Verification:


Logged into iCloud.com to check if contacts are present; they are missing from there as well

Restoring Contacts from iCloud Backup:


Attempted to restore contacts from an earlier iCloud backup via Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Advanced > Restore Contacts, but no previous backups were available

Third-Party Account Sync:


Checked for contacts synced through other accounts (e.g., Gmail, Outlook) and ensured those accounts are linked and syncing contacts

Despite these efforts, my contacts have not been restored. I am reaching out to the community for any additional insights or solutions that may help resolve this issue.


Questions:


Are there any alternative methods to recover contacts that are not visible on both my iPhone and iCloud?

Could this issue be related to a recent iOS update or known bug affecting contact synchronization?

Is it advisable to restore my iPhone from a previous full backup, and what precautions should I take to avoid potential data loss?

I appreciate any guidance or recommendations you can provide, as these contacts are vital to my daily operations.


Thank you for your assistance.

iPhone 12, iOS 18

Posted on Mar 4, 2025 3:41 AM

Reply

Similar questions

1 reply

Mar 4, 2025 5:16 AM in response to cuni_7

What is your default Contacts account?



Use iCloud.com to restore and recover iCloud information

Contacts: Restore contacts stored in iCloud on iCloud.com



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



If you have a corporate email account added through a profile on your device, please check with your organization's system administrator.




  1. Is this your corporate/organization/enterprise/School Management iPhone? Then please contact the system administrator of your corporate//organisation/enterprise/School Management
  2. If it is your device, in that case, do you have any profile installed by your corporate/organization/enterprise/School Management?
    1. Erase the profile added by you. If you have installed a profile on your own, --> Install or remove configuration profiles on iPhone - Apple ...
    2. Please contact the system administrator of the organization who provided the profile to you



On an iPhone, contacts do not sync between different accounts like iCloud, Outlook, Google, etc. Each account keeps its own separate set of contacts, and they don’t automatically merge or share data.


The "default account" setting in Settings > Contacts > Default Account determines where new contacts you create on your iPhone are saved. If iCloud is set as the default, all newly created contacts go to iCloud. If you switch it to Outlook, new contacts go to your Outlook account instead.


However, changing the default account does not move or sync existing contacts from one account to another. For example:

  • If you set iCloud as default and save 50 contacts, those are only on iCloud.
  • If you later switch the default to Outlook and save 10 more contacts, those 10 are only on Outlook.
  • The 50 iCloud contacts and 10 Outlook contacts remain separate, even though they can all appear together in the Contacts app if both accounts are enabled.


You can view and manage the contacts for each account under Settings > Contacts > Accounts — selecting an account like iCloud, Outlook, or Gmail shows its respective sync settings.


If you want to move contacts from one account to another, like from iCloud to Outlook, you’d need to export and import them manually — iPhones don’t have a native feature to sync contacts between different services.



Transfer iCloud Contacts to Yahoo Contacts

Log in to https://www.icloud.com using your Apple ID credentials. Tap Contacts app > Settings > Export vCard.


iCloud will import or export only vCards.


You need a third-party app to convert vCard file to CSV as Yahoo will only import using CSV file --> Import, export or print contacts in Yahoo Mail - SLN28070



Transfer Gmail Contacts to iCloud Contacts

Try to export the contacts from Google Mail on a web browser. During Export select export as vCard and then

log in to https://www.icloud.com using your Apple ID credentials, tap the Contacts app > Settings > Import vCard.



This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

contacts showing as siri found in app

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.