Remove contact card from list in Contacts on iMac

If you Control (right) - click on the item in the list and select the Delete option you'll get this window;

Then you can make the decision to remove it f rom the List or delete the card entirely.

Update on my Feb 9, 2026 7:58 AM post above. I figured out I was pressing the wrong Delete key, the square one that's part of the group of nine square keys to the right of the main keyboard area. It worked fine once I used the rectangular Delete key that's part of that main keyboard area, where it's positioned to the extreme right of the second row from the top.

If you are using the Apple wireless keyboard then it definitely has a Delete Key, please check again. You can also use the menu:

Edit - Delete Cards and follow the on-screen command. You can also create a keyboard shortcut for this action.

Also, when I asked Google how to remove a card from a list it replied:

"Open the Contacts app and select the card(s), right click or two finger tap and choose Delete Card or just choose the Delete Key"

LordGnome100 wrote:

Sadly, that doesn't want to work, either. If I right click on the card it doesn't offer a 'delete' option.

If I right-click on an entry in the LIST column of contacts, I get a "delete card" option:

That's in macOS Tahoe on an M4 Pro Macbook Pro but worked the same on my old iMac running macOS 10.14 Mojave.

Instead of the Delete Card option (that you show in the picture) I see the Spotlight: "[name of contact]" option. And using the Delete key doesn't work, either. So, right now I have no way of removing a contact from a list!

I have tried to follow all the suggestions listed and nothing has worked.. When I right click the contact name in my list, this menu shows up. There is no "Delete Card" option. I hope someone can help me!

See if the information in this support article guides you: Delete lists and Smart Lists in Contacts on Mac - Apple Support

Right click on the name and pick delete. Is the key in the upper right with the "x" the delete key?

To me it looks like the delete key is the second one down on the right in your picture. Above the Return key with the curved arrow. My forward delete key has that icon but pointing to the right.

LordGnome100 wrote:

Thanks Old Toad. Finally sorted! Easy when you know how.

You're welcome. 👍