Contacts disapeared....

[bowencm]

I have lost somehow about half my contacts - they are no longer in my All Contacts or anywhere.

However, in places like recent calls, text messages, etc. the name, picture, etc. associated with the phone number is still there. If I manually type in the number on the keypad, it will begin the call and have the correct name, picture, etc. displayed. Same with texts.

Additionally, if I tap the number/name in places like recent calls, iPhone will not give me the option to "add to contacts" as it would if it didn't recognize the number.

Leading me to believe the contacts are still in there somewhere, just for some reason not showing up in my Contacts.

I've done a hard reset, on and off, cursed it, etc., all the normal remedies....

Any ideas?
iPhone 4s, OS 5.1.1

 

[chickenwingfly]

Try synching them with iTunes and something else like Outlook or similar on Mac.
Try using a "contacts app" to check if it can read all the contacts and then you might be able to get a backup on the cloud or something.

And if you have iCloud enabled and I'm not mistaken, it syncs contacts so you could try checking iCloud via web on another device and see if your contacts are there.

 

[bowencm]

Try synching them with iTunes and something else like Outlook or similar on Mac.
Try using a "contacts app" to check if it can read all the contacts and then you might be able to get a backup on the cloud or something.

And if you have iCloud enabled and I'm not mistaken, it syncs contacts so you could try checking iCloud via web on another device and see if your contacts are there.

Thanks,

My iClouds have the same contacts as my phone.

Could you suggest a contacts app?

 

[chickenwingfly]

Thanks,

My iClouds have the same contacts as my phone.

Could you suggest a contacts app?

Not really, I don't use any but the bundled Apple's.

You could backing up the phone, then turning off iCloud, deleting remaining contacts, then turning it back again to see if it syncs backs the contacts.

If not then you could try an app in the middle, I think there are a thousand "contact" apps out there for free so you could try any, as long as it respects the photo sizes (if you have contact pictures) and fields.

 

[fashion29s]

This will be helpful for you.
http://lifehacker.com/5885139/the-best-address-book-app-for-iphone

 

[transphasic]

The apple contact manager is sufficient (I had to buy office for mac as i keep my contacts on my work PC, and only it transferred appropriately all fields) and allows you to export a file in an apple format that should something like this happen - you can re-import at a later date. Just export weekly at least so the datafile is up to date.

 

[bowencm]

More info...

Thanks everyone for taking the time to try to help.

Here is some more info -

Before seeing the suggestions for contact apps, I simply got one for free (Contact Dusters) which really doesn't do much, BUT, it sees all my contacts! Even the bunch that are duplicated from when I sync or however else contacts are duplicated a bunch of times. (Yes, as you can see, I'm not very savvy here with Mac stuff....)

Anyway, all my contacts are there, but most are not in groups - I wouldn't think that would be a problem, as when I look for contacts, I click, "All Contacts" which I would think would display everything, even if it wasn't in a group.

Bottom line is that all my contacts are in my phone, but for some reason the iPhone is not displaying them in the "Contacts" listing.

should i just say the hell with it and use an app for contacts? Will they sync with my computer or iCloud from a third party app?

Thanks again all.

BTW - I have another screwy thing that goes on with my phone when it comes to email - but that's another thread.....

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Not really, I don't use any but the bundled Apple's.

You could backing up the phone, then turning off iCloud, deleting remaining contacts, then turning it back again to see if it syncs backs the contacts.

If not then you could try an app in the middle, I think there are a thousand "contact" apps out there for free so you could try any, as long as it respects the photo sizes (if you have contact pictures) and fields.

What I meant to say is that iCloud has the same truncated list of contacts as my phone Contacts do now. I'm guessing somehow from my transfer from mobile me to iCloud (my mobile me didn't have all my contacts) something overwrote my contacts on my phone. The puzzling thing is though, if that's the case, is that they still are "in" my phone, and Contacts won't let me add them with a click from either text messages or say recent calls.

Thanks.

 

[bowencm]

iCloud the problem???

Well searching the site for similar problems, someone said to turn off iCloud.

I turned it off, and selected the keep on my iPhone option, and all my contacts returned.

I don't know what's going on, except perhaps iCloud had my old mobile me contacts, and when I enabled iCloud, it "took over" my iPhone contacts and hid them.

So I guess the question is, does this make sense? Is there a way to upload all my phone contacts to iCloud so my phone and iCloud are on the same page?

sorry for being so clueless here.

 

[chickenwingfly]

I'm not an iCloud wizard but then if you login to iCloud via web, can't you delete contacts in there?

If right now your contacts ARE the ones you expect on the iPhone, then you can try any backup app "just in case" or any "contact sync" app, then sync with something different from iCloud.

That's what I'd do, because apparently iCloud is being the culprit.

I had similar issues back in the time when I was trying to sync contacts with google, so I never did that again, but it's funny to think that iCloud wouldn't just work, BUT, since you come from that old .me service, chances are some restrictions apply like in your case.

Oh and after you delete form iCloud (if possible), I'd turn it on again on the iPhone, then see if all contacts are properly synched now.