Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

How to restore Contacts from iTunes BackUp

Hi Everyone,


Yesterday my iPhone 5's screen got broken. So, I took backup of my iPhone 5 to iTunes.

Now, I got brand new iPhone 5.

I restore back up from iTunes.


I am not able to see my contacts.


Did I lost all my contacts ?


Is there any way to get my contacts back ??


Thanks in advance


--

----

Thanks

Fredy

Posted on Aug 6, 2013 8:43 PM

Reply
5 replies

Aug 7, 2013 10:12 AM in response to Hemant7310

Contacts are stored in an app on your computer like Outlook, or are stored in the Cloud. The phone is merely a device to carry the contacts stored on your computer (or on the cloud) with you. The phone was NEVER designed to be the place where contacts are primarily kept since the phone can easily be lost, stolen, dropped and damaged.


In addition, contacts are generally NOT part of an iTunes backup--rather only the data necessary to maintain favorites and a call log. This is why when you restored your backup from iTunes your contacts didn't appear. Sounds like they are gone forever.


It really sounds like you need to read the User Guide to learn how to properly use your phone so that data will not be lost again in the future.


http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/iphone_user_guide.pdf


Best,

GDG

Sep 26, 2014 2:33 AM in response to Hemant7310

Hey all, so i have read all posts but this is my situation: i needed to restore my phone from a previous back up that wasn't listed when i go to File > Devices > Restore from previous backup to restore contacts on iPhone


It was however listed when i went to: Edit in itunes > Preferences > 'Device' section > Device Backups.


As this was very frustrating, i did the following (NOTE: only do this if you don't have anything on your phone currently that you don't want to loose):


Checked the app data folder listed in previous replys and found my older back up file that i need to restore from was there.


I then went back into itunes and deleted the most recent back up from the homescreen of itunes. Now the older back up that i need to use was the second most recent so i didn't need to delete any more but if you need an older one you will need to delete more backups until you have the backup you want at the start of the list.


I then restored my phone.


Once i restored my phone, itunes treated it like a new phone and when it first recognises the phone it will ask if you want to set up as new or restore using back up.


Now when i did this because i had deleted the back up which was at the start of the list (empty back up of the previously restored phone), the back up i needed was listed as the most recent back up (with all my files).


I then chose to restore phone using this back up and everything i needed was restored.


IMPORTANT: Because itunes only shows and allows you to restore the most recent back up, you must delete all the back up files until you get to the one you really need.


Hope this gets everyones files back as it has mine!

Sep 26, 2014 2:37 AM in response to gdgmacguy

gdgmacguy wrote:


Contacts are stored in an app on your computer like Outlook, or are stored in the Cloud. The phone is merely a device to carry the contacts stored on your computer (or on the cloud) with you. The phone was NEVER designed to be the place where contacts are primarily kept since the phone can easily be lost, stolen, dropped and damaged.

In addition to that the contacts could have been on the phone, in the On My Phone account.

How to restore Contacts from iTunes BackUp

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