iPhone 4 Contacts Disappeared After Receiving Text Message

When I encountered this problem initially, I sync'd from my last back-up. Although losing all my photos(saved to a file prior to back-up), messages and new contacts etc from my phone since that back-up, it was working well. All the contacts were back and I was happy again, my phone was a phone, until yesterday afternoon.

...same glitch as before, received a text message, couldn't open it, couldn't do anything on the phone. Turned it off then back on - all contacts gone. My initial instinct was to smash the phone against the wall. 'Fed up' is a polite way to describe my mental state at the time.

What peeves me is the audacity apple has to charge the ever-loyal apple customer for a simple product support call. What has this world come to? I refuse to pay to speak to the greedy pigs.

Like other people have suggested before, if this software glitch isn't rectified soon, it may be time to investigate other products on the market. Surely the competitors are more competetive nowdays.

Apple, shame on you!

Message was edited by: hookythecripple *terminology

I have a backup, and the Apple iOS isn't really an update, it's a new OS for the phone that reduced functionality for what I wanted and caused further issues with the phone. I'm sorry if you had to pay to get those answers from Apple 😟.

And when I ran the backup it got all the way to the end of it and popped up a message that said something like "this isn't the same iphone, this backup is no good" and canceled out. It had overwritten my texts and deleted pictures but didn't do the contacts. I took a short walk and a few deep breaths and tried it again and it worked.

Since this first happened I had uninstalled the facebook app, which is the last thing I "did" before I lost my contacts (I updated the app). I haven't reinstalled it, and haven't had the reoccurrence others on here are talking about. I'm also happy to say I thumbed my nose at Apple and I'm still stickin' on the 5.1 iOS. Screw 'em. I'll update it eventually when I darn well feel like it.

Just want to add a further report of the same problem. Got text message. Messages kept crashing out as I tried to access text. Turned phone (iPhone 4S, OS 5.1) off and on.

Next time I went to call someone I went into Phone, Favourites and before my eyes the names on the contacts changed to numbers.

In Contacts all information is gone.

In Messages all texts are showing up as coming from numbers not names.

However in Search names still appear beside text messages, so they are still in there somewhere.

I have no syncing set up. This appears to have been triggered by the crash of Messages.

Do Apple monitor this thread? Is there any official response from them beyond 'restore, upgrade, backup' ???

It seemed to be linked to my Facebook app. I find a constantly have problems with it closing itself when I try to open it sometimes. The best I could do was leave it for a day and I could open it the next, no worries.

This last time was different...

I realised I was on 3g when I should have been connected to my own network. So I exited Facebook and opened my settings... It closed itself. 3 times I tried and it closed itself every time. So I shut my phone down and re-started it, opened settings, turned my wifi back on and off I went.

It wasn't until 30 minutes later I realised my contacts list had been completely removed.

I'm not connected to iCloud in any way.

I had not updated for roughly 6 months.

When I search for any names, nothing appears like what some people are describing.

I'm not sure what else I can describe..

Add me to the list of folks with this problem.

My settings panel wouldn't co-operate, kept shutting down. This was after I had updated some apps, notably Facebook. I powered off and on the phone, and noticed thte next morning that my contacts were gone. Favorites were still there, but just the numbers. Txt messages were still there, but just the numbers. Iphone 4s, iOS 5.1.1.

Sound familiar?

I'm going to say what no one else seems to want to say. We got hit with a virus.

Having this same issue as of this morning.

What exactly is the cure? Is it re-occuring?

I didn't want to give into the bug plagued newest OS, but looks like I have no choice now.

But does upgrading to the new OS firmware stop this bug?

Is it a Virus?

Odd that Apple is completely ignoring the issues... Really has me questionning my serious Apple dedication over the years.

Sorry, but any other phone contacts are store not only on the SIM but the phone as well. They do not "wipeout" by themselves.

Will new OS fix this issue after I run a sync and backup?

This is a long thread so I'll forgive the fact that all of these questions have been answered (as much as possible) see below for my summary.

FATZ84 wrote:

Having this same issue as of this morning.

What exactly is the cure?

There is no single cure, various people have found success with seemingly random things - this seems to be the best summary of the possible solutions: http://www.seangw.com/wordpress/2011/10/ios-5-upgrade-lost-my-contacts/

Is it re-occuring?

Some people yes, some people no

I didn't want to give into the bug plagued newest OS, but looks like I have no choice now.

Actually the new iOS doesn't seem to help the issue with any consistency so upgrading isn't necessarily the first thing to try

But does upgrading to the new OS firmware stop this bug?

It doesn't seem to help

Is it a Virus?

No one knows why it's happening

Odd that Apple is completely ignoring the issues... Really has me questionning my serious Apple dedication over the years.

Sorry, but any other phone contacts are store not only on the SIM but the phone as well. They do not "wipeout" by themselves.

In most cases it seems like the contacts are still in the system somewhere (I'd assume on the SIM) but that ios isn't loading them for some reason. I'd be interested to know if anyone has tried their SIM in a different phone to see if the contacts show up.

Will new OS fix this issue after I run a sync and backup?

Generally not - there might have been a couple people that found this worked, but by my count the majority (including my wife) didn't have it fix their problem

So basically the only fix here is to ditch iPhone if it keeps happening?

Because NOTHING else is wrong with the phone. My **** safari can remember the sites I visited and the logins to some forums, but my contacts are erased?

This seems to be like the infamous BBM pin problems that subsequently killed RIM/BBM users and brought them over to iPhone and Samsung.

Frankly, this is a serious **** off.

PS: I've tried all but the sync with my computer as I am at work for the day without any client contacts. I've read through all 11 pages, and frankly there isn't really an answer at all it seems.

I posted on here originally 2 weeks ago. I lost all my contacts after updating the fb app and getting a message. My phone kept crashing and after restarting all my contacts were gone. I tried various things but they seemed to be gone without a trace.

I do believe it possibly has something to do with fb now syncing with the address book and the old iOS was not capable of that.

I did give in and updated to the newest iOS. I have not had any issues since. I am happy that I updated and it was worth all the time. I am upset I lost all my contacts as I hadn't backed up (only synced) in over a year but I learned an important lesson and now backup constantly both on my computer, iCloud, and My Contacts Pro app.

Hi to all "companions in misery",

My iPhone 4S (5.1.1) and I just got back from seeing a total wiz & pro who runs a business fixing mobile devices, specialising on Apple products (usually he only does B2B).

He checked my phone (have the same problem as everyone here & have already posted in this forum about it some days ago) – he CONFIRMED it's a VIRUS that affects the OS (probably imported by apps, but installed itself directly in the OS).

Upgrading the device to the latest OS will fix it, but for all of us, who have quasi-lost their contacts and don't have a backup on computer or iCloud, those contacts can only be retrieved by a wiz/pro/geek.

On my phone too ALL names still appear in the "left-swipe" search – apparently, they're stored in the cache.

The guy said he would be able to retrieve them and that this also wouldn't affect my existing data (messages, photos, etc).

The only reason I didn't leave my phone with him right away is that I need to find a replacement phone for the couple of days it will be in repair...

Fingers crossed!

Also, I personally strongly ADVISE AGAINST buying so-called "data recovery software" online, even though it might be recommended in seemingly trustworthy blogs etc - it won't work and you'll probably never see your money again. Trust me on this one, I learned the hard way...

PS: For decades, Apple has taken pride in not being vulnerable to viruses, trojans etc – so I'm guessing it won't be likely for them to admit that they are; they'll just keep "quietly" releasing OS updates resolving current / new issues.

Had they not effed up the whole Google / Apple maps, I would have probably updated my system, but in that case was reluctant to...

*Gasp* 😮

Facebook is trying to sync with our address books without our permission?

Well, since I last posted I've removedFB from my phone. I can live without it when I'm in town.

I also hadn't updated any of my apps for a month or so, so this isn't something that has happened to me straight after an update.

Do the contacts automatically save to SIM? Or was that something I should have selected to do while I added/edited a contact?

Amazing. This has been happening mysteriously for about 3 years and continues. Apple Fail.

Just spoke with Tech Support, no help.

I am in the middle of moving, my iMac I sync with is packed. Was looking at previous calls and all contacts on my iPhone 4 disappeared before my eyes. My iPad still has contacts, allowed it to sync with iCloud (purposely had avoided previously) had to reset my password for the billionth time, allowed iPhone 4 to sync with iCloud and all is right again.

Only engaged Contacts portion and am grateful for the temporary solution until I have my Mac and USB cable sync solution again, but definitely an iOS issue. Still using 5, of course was told by Apple TS to upgrade to 6.

Anyone seen this problem with iOS 6 on an iPhone 4?

I have not has this problelm since I stopped using iCloud for Contacts (but I do use it for Calendar) and upgraded to the latest iOS 6 last year. I was able to get my lost Contacts back and synch them with my yahoo contacts list. It doesn't work with my AOL contacts.

Yes, they monitor this thread. I have stated on this forum what the problem is and the solution, but Apple keeps deleting my posts, violating my 1st Amendment.

Don't you see the writing on the wall? Go online and you will see that are far better phone makers out there who over solutions far better than iSuck devices.

Similar experience to many on this thread. The specs: iPhone 4S, iOS 5.1.1, not using iCloud or MobileMe. iPhone synched with macbook.

2 weeks ago I lost all contacts after my phone battery had died. Upon charging and reboot, poof; contacts gone. I figured it was a glitch from having committed the cardinal sin of letting my iPhone battery die down. I was not worried because I had synched my phone a couple weeks before and I had an intact contacts list on my macbook. When I went to sync my phone again to restore contacts, I was panicked and alarmed when all my contacts got disappeared off my computer as well. By some miracle, I restored the phone to its previous backup (which was the backup made of the zero-contact phone) and it WORKED--it brought back all my contacts. I promptly made several different archived files of my contact list and saved them on my macbook, external hard drive, and a thumb drive.

No issues until today--I experienced the problem many have. Tried to open messages and the app kept crashing. Rebooted my phone and the contacts were all gone. As before, all text messages and recent calls were intact, only contacts were missing. I tried several of the solutions given in this thread to no avail. When I swipe left from home screen and search for names in my contacts, some (not all) of the names show up with a message icon beside them. No names show up with a contact icon beside them. No contacts have been restored no matter what I try. I am not near my macbook and can't sync until tonight, so for the day I am without contacts.

My solution will be: 1) back up phone; 2) upgrade phone to iOS 6; 3) sync phone; restoring contacts to macbook from backup copy if necessary; 4) continue to make manual archived copies of my address book on my mac machine/external hard drive, 5) sync iPhone to my mac regularly. Though I keep iCloud sync turned off on the phone, I think I'm going to add my contact list to my iCloud account so I can always log into iCloud to see my contacts there. Another thought is to keep a digital copy of my contacts in a Note file on my phone so I can refer to it in case this continues to happen. I, like many, can't sync my phone when I'm at work during the day so it's really bothersome to all of a sudden be missing all my contacts.

If you had this problem and have your contacts copied to your computer, make sure to manually export your contacts to a separate file before you sync your phone. It could save you a lot of heartache.

If you end up like me and get your contacts wiped from both your phone and your computer, you could always try the trick of restoring your phone from the most recent phone backup. Who knows, maybe it'll work for you like it worked for me, even though it's counter-intuitive.

After reading through all 11 pages of complaints, I tend to agree with scarlettera that the problem must be a virus. I'm really sorry for all the people who lost contacts. Having almost lost mine, I know it's an awful feeling.

I think Apple should be ashamed. I'm in the position many of us are: I love the aesthetics and functionality of their products, but I think their business practices are abysmal.

Good luck out there. I hope we are able to keep helping each other.