How can I delete saved contacts in iPhone with iOS 26?

I was having the same issue. When searching for a contact by name then opening the contact, and pressing edit, the option to delete was mysteriously absent.

I found a solution. Instead of using the search feature to find the contact, I scrolled down and found the contact alphabetically. Then when clicking the contact, then edit, the option to delete contact was back where expected at the bottom of the screen in red.

It seems like a bug that it is not there when searching for the contact. These days we are all overloaded with contacts to the point that most everyone searches instead of scrolling through long contact lists. I hope this gets fixed.

For now, I hope the workaround helps.

I did what the person recommended. I opened my contact and went through them and found what I wanted to delete and then I hit edit and scroll to the bottom and there it was delete contact wow you can’t search and delete you gotta go through each one. That’s one thing the next update needs to correct

i have the same error when i open contact after searching for get the contact i want to delete it or block it

and press edit i cant found delete or block

you must in this case to scroll all contact to found it manually without searching

then press edit to see block or delete option

This works for me. Open a contact list. Hold down slightly for a couple of seconds on the contact name. A drop-down list will appear. Select delete.

aflinorangeca wrote:

The issue with not being able to delete contacts is subtle and what has changed is you no longer can access that feature by pressing your PHONE icon like we used to. You now have to access your contacts from the CONTACT icon. Why they couldn’t have linked those in the software is a surprise to me. I consider this a software bug that should be updated by Apple in the future.

That is not true for me, this was from the phone app..,

Sierra_S wrote:

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/d8accf90-0e5a-483e-abf4-ab12351ab865

Hmm...I don't' have an "edit" on the top right. This seems to have disappeared with my iOS 26 update. None of the clickable fields (name, phone, share contact, or mark as unknown) allow me to delete the contact.

The lack of an edit suggests a restriction in Settings, Screen Time, Content & Privacy Restrictions, Contacts

lakefever2 wrote:

I am unable to edit my contacts, too. There is no delete button and I am also stuck on my contact and I must reboot my phone to get out of my contact list. There are a host of other problems with this update.

I don't have those problems, never did

Settings, General, Transfer or reset iphone, Reset, Reset all settings.

LD150 wrote:

Tap on the contact

Tap Edit top right

scroll to bottom -“delete contact” is in red.

I am not aware this has changed, but then I have been on iOS26 since June.

You are correct. It has not changed from previous iOS versions.

Hmm...I don't' have an "edit" on the top right. This seems to have disappeared with my iOS 26 update. None of the clickable fields (name, phone, share contact, or mark as unknown) allow me to delete the contact.

[Edited by Moderator]

That's a clever solution; however, not one that will work for me. I added this contact after installing iOS 26, and it's not in the list when I scroll. I can only find it by searching, and from my call history and text thread.

Thank you for the detailed instructions and photo! I confirmed that mine is set to "allow". Also, it's just this one contact, which I added after updating to iOS 26 (all of my other contacts were pre-iOS 26 and I can delete them).

I cannot delete a contact either. The only solution I have found is by clicking edit on the contact and deleting the name and all the info. Then I'm stuck on that contact until I reboot. Not a great way to go . This is a serious bug.

Can apple engineers put a simple swipe left in a contact to select a “Delete” red button under a contact name rather than selecting a contact Edit scroll down delete.

by then my croissant will be cold 😎

I am unable to edit my contacts, too. There is no delete button and I am also stuck on my contact and I must reboot my phone to get out of my contact list. There are a host of other problems with this update.

I have the same issue on my iPhone 16 iOS 26.1.

I created a new contact through the Phone app using a phone number and now I have an annoying duplicate in my Contacts app that I cannot delete!

I tried creating a new contact for this business using the Contacts app with a different name but the corrupted duplicate simply mimics my new entry somehow! 😤

If I try deleting the corrupted duplicate, it just erases my new entry!

Definitely going to avoid creating new contacts using the Phone app from now on! 😕💯

FYI…proper cards in the Contact app can easily be deleted by holding your finger down on the name to activate options. Deleting is simple. The corrupted duplicate has no options available.