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Phone Favorites Messed Up in iOS10

Installed iOS 10 last night and overall it is working fine, just one small problem. In the Favorites list in the phone, the numbers have all changed and I can't add the ones I need. As an example, now instead of having my wife's office and cell phone numbers, it has my wife's work number twice and no cell phone number. I tried deleting both entries for her work number and adding in it and her cell number from scratch. It would add the work number no problem, but when I selected the cell number, it wouldn't add it. If I tried adding the cell number first, it defaulted back to her work number. The only way I can add her cell number is if I delete her work number from her contact card completely and then add the cell number to favorites. The problem is that as soon as I add the work number back to her contact card, it defaults the favorite back to the work number and I am right back where I started. HELP! Anyone have any ideas on how to fix this?

iPhone 6 Plus, iOS 10

Posted on Sep 14, 2016 5:57 AM

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Posted on Jan 12, 2017 6:43 AM

This is how I was able to fix this issue. I went to my wife's contact , in the "Linked contacts" section I had an iCloud contact and a Gmail contact. Once I made sure both of these contacts has the same numbers I was able to add both a favorite for her cell number and her work number.

11 replies

Jul 31, 2017 4:01 PM in response to Allen From BR

I just updated my iphone 6 from 8.4 to 10.3.3. I think I am a new victim of this ios 10 bugs. My wife is working oversea. I talk to her everyday. So I saved my wife's skype to go number(a local number for connecting to a oversea number) on the favorite list long before the ios update.


I called her as usual the day after the update. After a 77 mins call, I realized the number on the favorite list is her actual oversea number instead of the local skype to go number on the favorite list for years! The cost for that call is $80.


This is so crazy that apple make such simple yet horrible mistake on this update. And I still can't add the correct number on the list. It just keep adding the oversea number to the list no matter what number i choose under my wife's name. This is unacceptable.

Sep 14, 2016 4:26 PM in response to Allen From BR

I have this identical behavior happening on my 6s+ after taking iOS 10 update last night. Frustrating is it not?


I have proprietary desired phone number dialing strings associated with certain "Contacts" in my Favorites phone list which I'm not able to assign to the "Contact". The Favorites phone app is "forcing" a default phone number that is not wanted. What I've done to this point is eliminate all other phone numbers assigned to the Favorite Contacts except the custom dialing string number that I desire to enforce as my Favorite.

Sep 20, 2016 9:28 AM in response to Allen From BR

I just had the same problem, and after talking to Apple support, we found a solution.


In fact, this wrong number problem comes from duplicate contact cards. If you check your contacts on www.icloud.com, or if you have Mac computer synchronized with your iCloud, then it would be Contacts application, then you should see a duplicate contact card for your wife. I suspect that one of the contact cards has only one number (work number) and not another one (cell number). My suspicion is that when adding a favorite number to your iPhone, the iCloud takes both cards and adds numbers from them both, instead of only one.


There is a way to fix it via Contacts application on your Mac. Open application, go to "Card" menu, then "Look for Duplicates...". Merge the duplicates, as you might have plenty. Now open your wife's contact card, it should have both numbers in it.

If your Mac and iPhone are synchronized via iCloud, then on your iPhone the changes will take place immediately. Now you are able to add a desired number (cell phone) as a favorite.


I don't know whether it is possible to merge duplicates via iCloud.com other than manually finding and editing the contact cards.


Hope this helps.

Oct 28, 2016 11:07 AM in response to Allen From BR

Had the same problem. I had "Mom and Dad" as a iCloud contact with only their mobile number listed. That way when I received a text from them on my Macbook Pro's Messages app, it appeared as "Mom and Dad" instead of their phone number.


In my Exchange account, which also syncs to my phone, I had their full contact information also listed as "Mom and Dad", along with their home number, address, etc. I wanted to add their Home Number to my iPhone Favorites but no matter what I did, it always only added their Mobile number.


The solution for me was to go into my Contacts on my phone, find Mom and Dad, and at the bottom I saw Linked Contacts. I clicked on Exchange and then use This Name For Unified Card. That way it pulled the full address information (mobile number, home number, address, etc) and I was able to set the Home number as my Favorite.


I could have also edited my iCloud contact to include their home number and then it would be available to choose as a Favorite. But you're right, this is buggy behavior by the Contacts / Favorites apps and it doesn't give you any clue as to why it's doing or not doing it.

Phone Favorites Messed Up in iOS10

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