Why would you want to delete a contact?
There are a few reasons why you may want to delete a contact from your phone or email contact list:
- You no longer want to be in contact with that person
- The contact information is out of date or invalid
- You want to declutter your contact list
- The contact was entered by mistake or spam
Deleting old, unused contacts can help streamline your contact list and make it easier to find the people you actually communicate with regularly. Contacts you no longer need are just taking up space.
How to delete a single contact
Deleting a single contact is quick and easy on most devices and accounts. Here are the steps:
On an iPhone
1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Tap the contact you want to delete.
3. Scroll down and tap Edit.
4. Tap Delete Contact.
5. Confirm the deletion.
On an Android phone
1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Tap the contact you want to delete.
3. Tap the Menu icon (3 vertical dots).
4. Tap Delete.
5. Confirm the deletion.
In Gmail (web)
1. Open Gmail in your web browser.
2. Click Contacts on the left menu.
3. Check the box next to the contact(s) you want to delete.
4. Click Delete.
5. Confirm the deletion.
In Outlook.com
1. Go to https://outlook.live.com/people.
2. Select the contact you want to delete.
3. Click the Delete button.
4. Confirm the deletion.
How to delete multiple contacts
If you need to delete a large number of contacts at once, here are some efficient ways to do it:
On an iPhone
1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Tap Select in the upper right.
3. Tap each contact you want to delete so a checkmark appears.
4. Tap Delete when you’ve selected all contacts to delete.
On an Android
1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Tap the Menu icon.
3. Tap Delete contacts.
4. Check the boxes next to contacts to delete.
5. Tap Delete.
In Gmail (web)
1. Open Gmail Contacts.
2. Check the boxes next to contacts to delete.
3. Click Delete at the top.
In Outlook.com
1. Go to https://outlook.live.com/people.
2. Click the Select box at the top.
3. Click the boxes next to contacts to delete.
4. Click the Delete button.
How to delete contacts from your SIM card
If you have contacts stored directly on your SIM card, here’s how to delete them:
On an iPhone
1. Go to Settings > Contacts.
2. Tap Import SIM Contacts.
3. Tap each contact you want to delete.
4. Tap Delete.
On an Android
1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Tap the Menu icon.
3. Tap SIM card.
4. Touch and hold a contact.
5. Tap Delete.
Deleting SIM contacts removes them from your SIM card but does not delete them from any synced accounts.
How to delete contacts from your email accounts
If you have synced your contacts with an email account like Gmail or Outlook, here’s how to remove contacts from those accounts:
In Gmail
1. Open Gmail Contacts.
2. Check contacts and click Delete.
In Outlook.com
1. Go to https://outlook.live.com/people.
2. Select contacts, click Delete.
In Yahoo Mail
1. Go to Contacts.
2. Check boxes next to contacts.
3. Click Delete.
In iCloud
1. Go to https://www.icloud.com.
2. Click Contacts.
3. Select contact(s) and click Delete.
This will remove the contacts from your email account itself. They may still appear on synced devices until you disconnect that account.
How to permanently delete contacts
If you want to make sure a contact is permanently deleted from all synced accounts and devices, here are some tips:
– Delete the contact everywhere you have it stored, including email accounts, your phone, and any synced computers.
– Unlink any connected social media accounts that may be syncing contacts.
– On your phone, turn off contact syncing in your account settings.
– On computers, disconnect any accounts that were syncing contacts.
– Empty the “Deleted” contacts folder in your email accounts.
– If necessary, do a manual sync on devices to clear deleted contacts.
This should completely remove the contact so it cannot be restored from any location.
Important things to know about deleting contacts
Here are some key points to keep in mind when deleting contacts:
– Deleted contacts may end up in your email account’s Trash or Deleted Contacts folder. Permanently delete them from there if you don’t want them recovered.
– Contacts may continue to appear on synced devices even after deletion until you disconnect that account.
– You can delete contacts from your SIM card to remove them from your phone’s main contacts list.
– Deleting a contact from a synced account like Gmail will delete it from any device connected to that account.
– Deleted contacts can only be recovered if you have not emptied your Trash folder or disconnected the account.
– Think carefully before deleting contacts – make sure you want them gone for good!
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting a contact on my iPhone delete it from iCloud?
Yes, when you delete a contact on your iPhone it will also be deleted from iCloud and any other iOS devices using that same iCloud account. The contact will be moved to the Recently Deleted folder and permanently deleted after 30 days if not recovered.
What happens when I delete a contact in Gmail?
Deleting a Gmail contact deletes it from the Contacts list in Gmail and any connected device syncing with that Google account. The contact goes to the Trash folder where it stays for 30 days before being permanently deleted.
Can I recover a deleted contact?
In most cases, yes. If you accidentally deleted a contact, you may be able to recover it from the Trash or Deleted Contacts folder in your email account or phone as long as you act quickly. Contacts are permanently deleted after 30 days.
Will deleting a contact from my SIM card remove it from my phone?
Yes, deleting a SIM card contact will remove it from your main contacts list on that phone. It does not affect any synced accounts. To restore it, you would need to re-add it to your SIM card.
What’s the easiest way to delete multiple contacts at once?
The fastest way is to use the Select feature in your Contacts app or account page online. Select all contacts you want to delete, then choose Delete. This can delete hundreds of contacts in just a few clicks.
Summary
– Deleting contacts removes them from your devices and accounts. Make sure it’s what you want before deleting.
– Remove contacts from all synced locations, including SIM card, to fully delete.
– Recently deleted contacts can be recovered from Trash folders. Empty Trash to permanently delete.
– Disconnect accounts syncing contacts to prevent deleted contacts reappearing.
– Be careful when mass deleting contacts – double check who you are removing!
Conclusion
Deleting contacts is straightforward – just select the contact and confirm deletion. But be cautious, as deletion syncs across connected devices and accounts. To permanently remove a contact, delete it from all locations and disconnect any syncing. Carefully review contacts before mass deletion to avoid mistakes. With some care taken, keeping your contact list tidy by pruning unused contacts helps streamline communication.