why do my letters disappear as i type in contact names to text?

I found a solution that worked. Go to Settings > iCloud > Contacts. Turn off Contacts, keep on your phone, and then turn your Contacts back on and merge. There is clearly a bug on iOS with the Contacts app, where data is erroring out when being loaded into the Messages app. This is why you will see some group text contact photos “flicker” and why when you type a contact while composing a message it also “resets” (errors out). The text “resets” at the same rate as the contact photos flickering. Simply toggling the iCloud > Contacts off/on fixes this.

I was having his same issue and finally pinned it down to being an issue with contacts! If you go into Accounts and Passwords, and click on your different accounts (email addresses) then deselect the contacts button from all but your default account. This fixed the problem for me!

I got mine fixed.

As I was reading it looked more and more a "contact" issue.

Since this is a coporate phone, it as a few accounts and thus a few "contacts" folder to sync.

I simply disable "contacts" for all the accounts but one.

TADA !!! No more disappearing letters.

I don't know if this helps you guys but I sure hope it does.

I too had disappearing letters and numbers and letters, unable to type more than one and it would instantly disappear.

tried turning iCloud contacts on/off and leaving contacts on phone without success.

Only success was with turning off iCloud contacts and deleting them off the phone then turning back on and downloading the contacts.

I SOLVED MINE!!!!

Ok - nothing to do with the iMessage app. I did everything that was suggesetd and NOTHING worked. So I backed everythign up to iCloud, hard reset on my brand new iPhone 8+, downloaded my stuff from the cloud, and STILL happened. I did this twice to makes sure I was doing it right. On the third attempt, I first saved everything to my Mac by syncing method. Did the hard reset. Now ONLY downlaoded my contacts from the cloud, and VOILA - it never happened again. I believe there is some corrupt file I was getting from the cloud. I am not seeing any corrupt photos, anyway, hope this works for otherrs. Let me know!

Ok, just started having this problem on iPhone 6S. What worked for me was going to iCloud, turning off Contacts, tapping "Delete from My iPone" (the contacts) and then turning back on contacts in iCloud.

Go to Settings > Siri & Search > Messages > and disable the option "Siri & Suggestions"

Quitting the app does nothing.

This is an iCloud/ contacts issue.

As others have said, various combinations of turning off contacts syncing from iCloud then turning back on seems to work.

the only way i could solve it was to turn off contacts in icloud

I have the same problem - did all you said and nothing. I had a 7 and just got a brand new 8+ and its still happening - Come on Apple - in the day when we text almost more than talk on a phone this is super annoying!!! You can only get round it by going into Contacts and sending a message from there

My wife's iPhone 6sPlus has the same problem. We have called Apple Tech several times. The tech reps act like they have never heard of the problem. They walked her through restoring her iPhone but totally messed up the restore causing her to lose all her photos. What we did figure out on our own was that she can send texts by using Siri and dictating the message. We are very frustrated with the lack of support from Apple. However, she can at least send out texts.

I have the same issue. I am IT support for a company and took one of our phones to a certified Apple store with no help. I then took the phone to a squad of geeks but I will not say their name :-). I called Apple and they said to bring it to the closest Apple store. This was a 2 hour drive for me one way. I was told they are unsure about the disappearing contact name issue but they wanted to replace my battery. So I agreed to the battery replacement, unfortunately they didn't have one in stock so guess what, I need to come back in 4 to 5 business days when the get one in stock. 4 Days later I make the drive back to yet again another surprise. At this point I'm told they can't replace the battery because of a security risk!! So they gave me a new phone. My contact disparaging trick went away.... for 3 days and came back. I called Apple back and for the most part completely walked away from my issue and told me to start from scratch.

I have completely lost faith that Apple with fix or even address this issue. Just as Apple's logo suggests you are providing only a partial product. Goodbye Apple you have just received my last dollar.

With all the love in the world,

Grammy Smith

I have tried all these options and nothing works. It happens 2-3 times a week. The only thing that will stop it for a short period of time is volume up, down, power button till phone restatrts. it then will work for a day maybe. currnelty I am trying to text a person and the **** thing will erase the number by the time I get to the 4th digit. its RIDICULOUS and its a bug they need to fix. other people tell me the same thing, also myself and others are getting duplicate and trplicate contacts for the same person because the phone is now looking for contacts in emails and every other way of past contacts instead of just using my contacts. very frustrating!

i have an iPhone 10 XR and have the same problem; if I want to send a text to a phone number I have to add as a contact first; and then send an imessage from contacts; when i send to multiple contacts it is very frustrating. Doesnt happen on ipad; just iphone.