It can be frustrating when contacts you have deleted keep reappearing on your iPhone. There are a few potential reasons why this might happen:
Contacts synced from iCloud
If you have iCloud sync enabled, your contacts are stored in iCloud as well as on your device. Deleting a contact from your iPhone doesn’t remove it from iCloud. The deleted contacts reappear on your device once it syncs with iCloud again. To fully delete a contact, you need to remove it from both your device and iCloud.
Contacts synced from Gmail or Exchange
Similarly, if you have a Gmail or Exchange account set up on your iPhone, your contacts may be syncing from those services. Deleting the contact from your iPhone won’t remove it from the synced account. Once your phone syncs again, the contacts will be added back to your contacts app. You need to delete the contacts from the original account.
Recently deleted album
Your iPhone has a “recently deleted” contacts album that stores deleted contacts for 30 days before removing them permanently. Contacts deleted on your phone go to this album first before being completely erased. Check the “recently deleted” album and remove the contacts again to delete them fully.
iCloud backup
If you have iCloud backups enabled, your backup may be restoring deleted contacts each time your phone is backed up. Turn off iCloud backups, delete the contacts again, then re-enable backups to prevent this.
When do deleted contacts reappear?
Deleted contacts usually reappear after one of the following events:
- Restarting your iPhone
- Syncing your iPhone with iCloud or Gmail/Exchange
- Connecting your iPhone to iTunes and syncing
- Your iPhone automatically backing up to iCloud
Basically, anything that syncs data between your phone and another source can potentially restore deleted contacts. Your contacts app is refreshed with the latest data after these sync events, bringing deleted contacts back.
How to permanently delete contacts
To fully delete contacts from your iPhone:
Delete contact from phone
1. Open the Contacts app
2. Tap the contact you want to delete
3. Scroll down and tap “Delete Contact”
This removes the contact from your phone only.
Delete contact from iCloud
1. Go to icloud.com and login
2. Open Contacts
3. Find the contact and delete it here as well
Now the contact is deleted from both your device and iCloud.
Turn off contact syncing
If you have contacts syncing from Gmail, Exchange, Facebook, or other services, turn off contact syncing in the settings app for those accounts. Delete the contact directly from the original service if needed.
Disable iCloud backups
Temporarily turn off iCloud backups to prevent deleted contacts being restored from backups. Re-enable backups after deleting the contacts.
How to delete contacts permanently using iTunes
You can also permanently delete contacts using iTunes:
1. Connect your iPhone to a computer running iTunes
2. Select your iPhone in iTunes
3. Go to the Info tab
4. Check “Sync Contacts” and select “All contacts”
5. Click Apply to sync your phone contacts with iTunes
6. Now delete the contact you want removed directly in iTunes
7. Sync your iPhone with iTunes again
This will remove the contact from both iTunes and your iPhone.
How to recover deleted contacts
If you deleted a contact by accident, there are a few ways to try recovering it:
- Restore from an iCloud or iTunes backup made before you deleted the contact. This brings back the whole contacts app including the deleted entry.
- Check the “recently deleted” contacts album on your iPhone. Deleted contacts remain here for 30 days.
- Use a third party contacts recovery app to scan your iPhone for deleted data and contacts.
- If the contact was stored on your SIM card, take out the SIM and insert it into another phone. Export the SIM contacts to save them.
Act quickly if you want the best chance of recovering accidentally deleted contacts from your iPhone.
How to prevent deleted contacts reappearing
To stop deleted contacts coming back once and for all on your iPhone:
- Delete contacts directly from synced sources like iCloud or Gmail rather than your iPhone.
- Temporarily disable iCloud and iTunes syncing before deleting contacts.
- Turn off iCloud backups so deleted contacts are not restored.
- Monitor the “deleted” contacts album and remove any contacts that appear here.
- Only sync contacts with services you actively use. Turn off sync for old accounts.
Following these steps will ensure any contacts deleted on your iPhone stay deleted for good.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my deleted contacts keep coming back on my iPhone?
This is usually because the contacts are being synced again from iCloud, Gmail/Exchange, iTunes backups, or other sources. The contacts are deleted locally but not from the synced accounts or backups.
Where do deleted iPhone contacts go?
Deleted contacts on your iPhone go to a “recently deleted” album for 30 days before being permanently erased. They can also be restored from iCloud/iTunes backups.
How do I delete contacts from iPhone for good?
You need to delete the contacts from your iPhone, iCloud account, Gmail/Exchange, iTunes, and turn off contact syncing and iCloud backups. This will prevent the contacts being restored.
Can you recover permanently deleted contacts on iPhone?
It may be possible to recover recently deleted contacts using backups or iPhone data recovery software. But contacts deleted long ago are likely gone for good.
Why do old contacts keep coming back on my iPhone?
Old contacts you have deleted before will reappear if they are being synced from sources like iCloud or Gmail. Turn off contact syncing for accounts you no longer use.
Summary
In summary, deleted iPhone contacts can reappear if they are still stored in iCloud, iTunes, Gmail/Exchange accounts, or other sources that sync with your device. To prevent deleted contacts coming back:
– Delete contacts directly from the original synced account
– Temporarily turn off contact syncing and iCloud backups
– Monitor the “recently deleted” album and remove contacts
– Disable syncing for any accounts you don’t actively use
Following these steps will ensure any contacts you delete on your iPhone stay deleted. Be careful when permanently deleting contacts, as they can be difficult to recover once gone. Maintaining a separate contacts backup can help protect important contact information.
Conclusion
Having your deleted contacts constantly reappear on your iPhone can certainly be frustrating. In most cases, the contacts are being restored from synced accounts, backups, or your iCloud recently deleted album. By taking the appropriate steps to remove contacts from all associated sources, you can ensure they are permanently deleted from your device. Disabling certain syncing and backup features temporarily can prevent unwanted restores of deleted data. Be careful before permanently deleting contacts, as recovery can be difficult or impossible in some situations.