The reason your iPhone isn’t saving contacts can be linked to a wrong default saving account, a syncing issue with iCloud, or a software bug.
Hi, I’m Devansh. Being an iPhone 13 user, I consider contacts essential for day-to-day use and always ensure they properly save. In this article, I’ll walk you through some effective solutions so you can save contacts on your iPhone again.
If you saved a contact on your iPhone but can’t find it now, keep reading to learn about fixes!
Contents
First Steps to Fix Saving Contacts on Your iPhone
Before I go further, here are three quick fixes that you should apply.
- Restart your iPhone
- Update iOS
- Open the Contacts app and ensure that all groups are visible.
Tried these out? If you still cannot save contacts, let’s move over to more in-depth troubleshooting steps.
Fix #1: Verify Default Account
First, verify the default account where you are saving your contacts. Open the Settings app, scroll down to Contacts, and go to Accounts. In addition to iCloud, you might’ve added another account (like Google, Yahoo!, or Outlook) or an LDAP or CardDAV account.
However, I recommend that you stick with iCloud as the default. It’s a native Apple cloud service that is generally reliable for saving contacts. So, ensure that you’re using iCloud. Once it’s done, try to add a new contact and verify if it is saved successfully.
Fix #2: Resync Contacts with iCloud
There may be a syncing issue with iCloud, and that’s why you can’t save contacts on your iPhone. Follow these quick steps to fix this.
Step 1: Open the Settings app and tap on your account name.
Step 2: Tap on iCloud and tap Show All under Apps Using iCloud.
Step 3: Toggle off Contacts.
Step 4: You’ll be asked whether you’d like to keep or delete the previously synced iCloud contacts on your iPhone. Select Keep on My iPhone.
Step 5: Restart your iPhone.
Step 6: Once back on the home screen, open Settings again to toggle on Contacts in iCloud. In the following pop-up, tap on Merge.
That’s it! The contacts will now resync. Check to see if you’re able to save new contacts now.
Fix #3: Use Native Apps to Save Contacts
Another important point to keep in mind is that you should use native apps when saving new contacts. Third-party apps like WhatsApp allow you to save new contacts, but they might not be saved due to a bug within the app.
Generally, native apps like Phone and Contacts are reliable. I recommend you use these ones when saving a new contact. If you’ve been using a third-party app to save new contacts so far, try using the native ones and see if it works out this time.
What’s Next?
After applying all the above fixes, if your iPhone isn’t saving new contacts or is erasing the existing ones, I recommend contacting Apple Support. There could be an error with the memory or a software bug. In any case, they’ll help you out and provide further options.
FAQs
Here are three useful questions about the iPhone not saving contacts issue.
Can You Recover Deleted Contacts?
Yes. To do this, log in to iCloud on your desktop, click on your account name, and choose the Data recovery tab. On this page, click the Restore Contacts card.
It will show you a list of available versions by the date and time they were archived. Just click the Restore button next to the one you want to use. For more info, visit this Support page.
Can You Export iCloud Contacts for Backup and Sharing?
Yes! Log in to iCloud on your desktop, go to Contacts, and click on the gear icon at the bottom left of the screen. From the menu, click Select All and Export vCard.
You can use the .vcf file to back up your contacts and share them. There are also free apps on the App Store for exporting contacts, like Export Contact and Contacts Backup.
What to Do If Your iPhone Reverts Contacts to Old Details?
If you’ve found that recently updated contacts get overwritten with old details, check the default saving account (Fix #1). If you’ve chosen more than one platform to sync your contacts with, there might be an issue of duplicate contacts.
Conclusion
If you’re unable to save contacts to your iPhone, it could be related to a syncing issue with iCloud or a wrong default saving account. Applying the above fixes could get your iPhone working as usual again. If it doesn’t, you can get in touch with Apple Support.
Were you able to save contacts again after applying all the above fixes? Feel free to let me know in the comments!
