Keep losing contacts

I am also having the exact same problem, and it has nothing to do with syncing. The same contacts keep disappearing over and over. Usually very soon after I add them in. It's like the phone is rejecting certain numbers from the contacts? I have one person with three numbers, and two of them keep getting deleted from the contact while the third number stays.

Watuc wrote:

I am also having the exact same problem, and it has nothing to do with syncing.

The prior references to "syncing" may not be what you're thinking (i.e. not syncing to your iTunes library).

If you're not synchronizing your contacts to a computer-based contacts manager (e.g. Outlook) or Exchange-type of email account, then your contacts only live on your iPhone. So when someone asks, "what are you syncing to" your answer would be "nothing" -- and that's the point of the question. If you're not synchronizing your contacts to anything, then they are just waiting to be deleted or corrupted, and you have no backup should something go wrong.

It may not help your contacts from mysteriously getting deleted or altered, but you ought to consider backing them up (they're not part of your iPhone backup, at least not reliably so) or copying them to a resource that you can synchronize to. You can either export your iPhone contacts (using a contact manager app) and transfer them to a program like Outlook to synchronize to, or port them over to an Exchange-type of e-mail program such as iCloud, which is probably the simplest thing to do.

If you enable iCloud and turn on iCloud Contacts, then your iPhone contacts should sync to iCloud. This then becomes your backup of contacts should something get corrupted. You don't have to use iCloud as your mail program, just use the Contacts portion of iCloud to use in whatever mail account type you're using on your iPhone. If you do this, remember to set the default account for your contacts to be iCloud -- that way new entries get pushed to your iCloud account.

I appreciate the suggestion, because I've been compiling my contacts for years, and would be up a creek if they were lost. But I do back up my contacts, and have them in multiple locations. It's just that losing my contacts is not linked to syncing or backing up my phone.

Watuc wrote:

It's just that losing my contacts is not linked to syncing or backing up my phone.

I don't think that anyone here was suggesting that was the case. Prior references to 'syncing' were along the lines of keeping a backup.

Even if you have another backup routine, you might try enabling iCloud contacts. That may help preserve the integrity of the contacts on your iPhone. Doing this won't hurt, and you don't have to use iCloud for mail or anything else.

"I don't think that anyone here was suggesting that was the case. Prior references to 'syncing' were along the lines of keeping a backup."

Backing up and syching are not the same thing. Synching means to sychronise between two or more databases. Backing up means make a copy.

I am still losing contacts, as is EVEYONE I know who uses the latest OS. Guess who is not going to upgrade to an iPhone 5? I am in the process of switching to a IIIs. My telco carrier has had so many complaints about the iPhones and the losing data/mail problem that they are allowing a cost free exchange to the Android phone. They didn't have much option, our Telecomunnications Ombudsman has ordered them to do so after recieving such a high number of complaints from reputable companies.

Apple has been so busy lately shooting itself in the foot that it hasn't noticed what its competition (outside of a courtroom) is doing, or how ticked off its existing clients are getting. Maybe Apple fan boys and girl who don't have important contact data and email can regard the current mess as acceptable, but real people, in real businesses who are finding their phones completely unreliable are abandoning ship. They don't want toys, they don't care about millions of games and apps, they want something that does what it is supposed to do - and does it all the time. Apple phones are not smart phones, they are "Technologically Challenged Phones".

By turning off iCoud, loading a backup, then only synching by USB cable, the problem seems to go away. Try telling Apple that - they don't want to know as knowing would mean admitting that they have major problems. Once you do that you can use Gmail and IMAP to synch mail, calandar and contacts. Gmail can do what Apple and iCloud can't.

Yesterday (Tuesday the 18th September) I got an email from Apple apologising for the problems with iCloud, but indicating nothing about what the problems were or what they were doing to fix it.

Dark_Scribe wrote:

"I don't think that anyone here was suggesting that was the case. Prior references to 'syncing' were along the lines of keeping a backup."

Backing up and syching are not the same thing. Synching means to sychronise between two or more databases. Backing up means make a copy.

Of course they're not the same thing, but one provides the other. Having data in a 2nd location gives you a backup to resort to if needed -- that was my point.

Dark_Scribe wrote:

I am still losing contacts, as is EVEYONE I know who uses the latest OS.

Well, I have 100+ contacts and can't say that I've lost any, ever. But, I don't keep my contacts on my iPhone, they're in an Exchange account. It is the user who keeps their contacts solely on their iPhone who is at risk, which is why the recommendation to have your contacts synchronized to another repository to keep them safe and up to date. Either by syncing to something like Outlook, or keeping your contacts in an Exchange account.

Dark_Scribe wrote:

Yesterday (Tuesday the 18th September) I got an email from Apple apologising for the problems with iCloud, but indicating nothing about what the problems were or what they were doing to fix it.

While you might expect Apple to share all the nitty gritty details of what they're doing (if anything), you would not get any more detailed of a response from Yahoo or Google if you reported similar problems to them. Not sure why Apple should be held to a higher standard, but you're free to set your own expectations.

Of course they're not the same thing, but one provides the other. Having data in a 2nd location gives you a backup to resort to if needed -- that was my point.

Having data in a second location does NOT give you a backup option nor is it intended to. If iCloud worked as it was supposed to do, and you made an erroneous change on one device it would immediatey be reflected on all others - where is your backup then?

Well, I have 100+ contacts and can't say that I've lost any, ever. But, I don't keep my contacts on my iPhone, they're in an Exchange account. It is the user who keeps their contacts solely on their iPhone who is at risk, which is why the recommendation to have your contacts synchronized to another repository to keep them safe and up to date. Either by syncing to something like Outlook, or keeping your contacts in an Exchange account.

Bully for you. I have seventeen hundred contacts and I lose some all the time if I rely on Apple's iCloud iDisaster. A bit of Googling around will very quickly show that I am not alone, thousands have posted about the problem, and as the majority don't bother with forums, the problem could well be universal. My contacts are synched with Outlook on a desktop, as well as a portable (Macbook Air and PC notebook). NOBODY IS TALKING ABOUT KEEPING EVERYTHING SIMPLY ON ONE PHONE. How about you get off that horse, it was never in the race to start with. I even know what one cause for the problem is - it seems to affect contact files where a change has been made to the "out of the box" fields more than those who make no changes.

While you might expect Apple to share all the nitty gritty details of what they're doing (if anything), you would not get any more detailed of a response from Yahoo or Google if you reported similar problems to them. Not sure why Apple should be held to a higher standard, but you're free to set your own expectations.

Why? Because it would be simply good business practice to reassure a client when a major issue arises that something is being done about it. As for Yahoo I have no idea, as I don't deal with them, but Google responds quickly and in detail to any query. Apple has an arrogance that surpasses Microsoft and it will likely be their downfall. They have all their eggs in one basket - again, and that basket - the iPhone 5 - is already getting "Ho Hum, nothing really different or exciting" reviews from many quarters. They have serious competition nowadays and need to lift their game or follow RIM into oblivion.

I hope this is of some help to everyone.

I sync my contacts in my I phone with my Google contacts in my gmail account for safety. I also had the problem of indescriminately losing contacts in my phone. A while back, I started something new... everytime I entered an NEW contact into my iPhone, I also shared that contact with my gmail account by sending to my email so I could keep a record of what was lost. Since doing that, I haven't lost a single contact in my iPhone. Love it!

I hope this is of some help to everyone.

I sync my contacts in my I phone with my Google contacts in my gmail account for safety.

Yes, many people are using Google to solve Apple's problem. It works, it is available anywhere that you choose to logon, with whatever device you choose to log on with. There are Google synch apps in the Apple App store to make all of this easier. It is a shame that Apple couldn't match them. If Apple concentrated less on making "designer" devices and more on making functional and reliable devices they might eventually be as good as they think they are.

Why do people keep bringing up sync (regardless of the form) as the solution to this issue? That is not the solution. I just got the iphone 5 on friday and guess what? within 3 days I am having the same issue!!! This brand new out the box Iphone 5 has no apps, hasn't been sync'd to anything and was not restored from a backup of type time. Configured as a new device from scratch with data manually entered and it is already deleting contacts, texts and photos. Called Apple and the first thing they want to talk about is icloud. Icloud is not the problem. A new seperate device on the latest IOS is having the EXACT same issue as 3 year old device that has had a number of the previous IOS' versions. Neither of which have been tampered with (no jailbraking here). The Iphone 5 only has apps that came with IOS6. So there is a problem that Apple won't address.

I am not hating on Apple I just want a problem fixed. This is stupid and anyone who thinks the fix is to make backups is missing the point. Given my situation with this new iphone 5 and the appearance that Apple doesn't seem to care or know how to resolve this problem, I'm just going to switch phone and be done with the Iphone. It is no good to me if it can't do something as simple as not deleting things unless I tell it to delete them

I am having this problem on my first iphone, the iPhone 5. I seem to lose all kinds of data in contacts, phone numbers, emails, added fields like twitter hndles, addresses, etc. I thought it was Facebook causing it, but then I noticed contacts without Facebook are impacted too. I am also seeing linked contacts unlinked.

I can not find a solution at all and have lost a lot of details on contacts that I can't get back because I can not even call these people.

Apple , please help.

I have a 4, still on iOS5 and have never had any problems losing data, but reading this thread has struck terror in my heart. I too rely on my phone for my business, and would be sunk without reliable contacts, messages, and calendar functions. I've been pining for the 5, and now have one more reason to hold off. I agree with everyone here that Apple is arrogant, and due for a fall. Very sad, in my opinion, as I love my iPhone and iPad 2, which will be worth little if there is not a change in attitude.

Apple is arrogant because people don't follow the directions? Yeah, right...

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KiltedTim North-East Ohio

Apple is arrogant because people don't follow the directions? Yeah, right.

What "directions" would those be Tim? I am sure that the thousands of people among hundreds of forums who are having problems would love to know. If you know something that Apple doesn't, please elaborate.

The same lost contact problem has recently been showing up on my phone as well. I have my phone set to sync contacts with icloud only. Until now I did not have Yahoo syncing any contacts, I changed that to hopefully save any other contacts I will lose. Apple definitely needs to address this issue as many users seem to have the same problem across different phones.