Restoring lost or deleted contacts on an iPhone can seem daunting, but it’s actually quite straightforward if you know the right steps. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through all the methods for recovering contacts on your iPhone, including from a backup and using third-party apps.
Quick Overview – How to Restore Contacts on iPhone
Here is a quick overview of the main ways to restore contacts on an iPhone:
- Restore from an iCloud backup – If you have an iCloud backup that contains your missing contacts, you can restore from that backup to get them back.
- Restore from an iTunes backup – Similarly, if you have an iTunes backup with your contacts, you can restore from there.
- Import contacts from Gmail or Outlook – Syncing with services like Gmail or Outlook will import any contacts stored there.
- Use a third-party app – Apps like iMyFone D-Back or EaseUS MobiSaver can extract contacts from a backup and allow you to export them.
- Check Recently Deleted folder – Your iPhone stores recently deleted contacts for 30 days in this folder, so check if they are still there.
In most cases, restoring from a backup is the quickest and easiest solution. But read on for more details on all the methods for retrieving lost contacts!
Restore Contacts from iCloud Backup
If you have enabled iCloud backups on your iPhone, you have an iCloud copy of your data that you can restore from. Here are the steps to restore contacts using an iCloud backup:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups on your iPhone.
- Tap on the name of the iCloud backup you want to restore from. This should be the most recent backup.
- Tap Restore and confirm on the pop-up message.
- After the restore completes, your contacts should reappear on your iPhone.
The main requirements for this method are:
- You had iCloud Backup enabled.
- You have a WiFi connection and enough iCloud storage space for the backup.
- The contacts you want to restore existed in the iPhone backup. If you deleted contacts after the last backup, they won’t be restored.
Pros and Cons of Using an iCloud Backup
Here are some pros and cons to consider about using an iCloud backup:
Pros:
- Easy to restore – the process is very straightforward.
- Restores all data – contacts, photos, app data etc. are all restored.
- Free to use if you have space – uses your allocated iCloud storage.
Cons:
- Large backups take time – can be slow depending on size of backup and internet speed.
- Only restores what was in the backup – any new data since the backup will be lost.
- Need enough iCloud storage – costs money if you need more space.
Use iTunes to Restore Backup
If you sync your iPhone with iTunes on a computer, iTunes can save backups of your iPhone data locally. You can restore contacts by restoring this iTunes backup using these steps:
- Connect your iPhone to the computer you synced with and open iTunes.
- Under Backups in iTunes preferences, select the backup you want to restore from.
- Click Restore Backup and confirm on the pop-up.
- After iTunes finishes restoring, your contacts should be back on your iPhone.
The requirements for using an iTunes backup are:
- You need the computer you synced your iPhone with via iTunes.
- You must have allowed local iTunes backups.
- The backup contains the contacts you want to restore.
Pros and Cons of Using iTunes
Here are some key pros and cons of using iTunes to restore an iPhone backup:
Pros:
- Doesn’t use iCloud storage – uses local storage on your computer.
- Can restore older backups – goes back as far as your oldest iTunes backup.
- Also restores app data – gets you back to the same state as the backup.
Cons:
- Only works with one computer – the one you synced with.
- Wipes iPhone before restoring – erases any new data on your iPhone.
- Time consuming – can be slow depending on backup size.
Import Contacts from Gmail or Outlook
If you use an email service like Gmail or Outlook, chances are some or all of your contacts are synced there. You can get back missing iPhone contacts by syncing your accounts again:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud on your iPhone.
- Tap on Contacts.
- Enable any email accounts like Gmail or Outlook that contain your contacts.
Your iPhone will sync your contacts from those accounts. Do note that:
- This only restores contacts synced from emails accounts.
- It will only pull in currently existing contacts, not deleted ones.
- You may end up with duplicate contacts after this.
Pros and Cons of Syncing Email Contacts
Here is a brief overview of the pros and cons of this method:
Pros:
- Easy to do – just re-enable account syncing.
- Good for Gmail users – syncs that huge contact list.
- Doesn’t overwrite device contacts.
Cons:
- Only restores online contacts, not locally deleted ones.
- Can create duplicate contacts after syncing.
- App services like WhatsApp are not synced.
Use Third-Party Software to Extract from Backup
A few third-party apps like iMyFone D-Back and EaseUS MobiSaver allow you to extract a list of contacts from an iPhone or iCloud backup, and export them to your device. Here is how this method works:
- Download and install the app on a computer.
- Connect your iPhone or locate iCloud backups.
- Choose the backup to scan and wait for contacts to be extracted.
- Select the contacts you want and export them back to your device.
The key things to note are:
- Only paid versions allow contact extraction.
- You can view and select individual contacts to export.
- Works with iTunes or iCloud backups.
Pros and Cons of Using Third-Party Apps
Here are some advantages and limitations of this method:
Pros:
- View contacts before restoring – choose only what you need.
- Works with any backup – new or old.
- Doesn’t overwrite device data.
Cons:
- Costs money – free versions have limited functionality.
- Complicated for some users – involves desktop software.
- Doesn’t restore other data like photos.
Retrieve from Recently Deleted Folder
Your iPhone keeps recently deleted contacts in a Recently Deleted folder for up to 30 days before permanently removing them. To check if your missing contacts are still there:
- Open the Contacts app on your iPhone.
- Tap Groups at the top left.
- Scroll down and tap Recently Deleted to view deleted contacts.
- Tap a contact and select Recover to restore it.
Some things to keep in mind:
- Contacts are only there up to 30 days after deletion.
- This won’t restore contacts deleted over 30 days ago.
- Recovered contacts may no longer have all data intact.
Pros and Cons of Using Recently Deleted
Let’s briefly summarize the upsides and downsides of this method:
Pros:
- Easy built-in option – no extra tools needed.
- Quickly recovers recently lost contacts.
- Recovers data from accidental deletions.
Cons:
- Very limited time frame – only 30 days.
- No option for selective restore – all or nothing.
- May not restore contact data fully.
Prevent Losing Contacts in the Future
To avoid having to recover lost contacts again, here are some tips to prevent losing them in the first place:
- Enable iCloud backup – Regular iCloud backups give you the strongest safety net for restoring contacts if needed.
- Sync with external services – Connect services like Gmail and Facebook so you have alternate online copies of your contacts.
- Export important contacts – Manually export VIP contacts to a file or your computer periodically.
- Don’t delete contacts impulsively – Accidental deletions are easy to do, so avoid mass delete actions.
Keeping redundant copies of your contacts minimizes the impact if you lose contacts on your iPhone. With preparation, you likely won’t ever need to resort to restoring them from a backup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions people have about restoring contacts on an iPhone:
Why did my iPhone contacts disappear?
Common reasons iPhone contacts go missing include:
- Accidental mass deletion
- iPhone software issues or crashes
- Restoring iPhone without a backup
- Turning off contact syncing with iCloud or iTunes
Will restoring my iPhone wipe all data?
Restoring an iPhone from a backup will wipe all existing data first before restoring the backup. So any new data since the backup will be erased. Syncing accounts like Gmail will add the synced contacts without impacting existing ones.
Can I choose which contacts to restore?
The native restore options – iCloud and iTunes – don’t allow selecting individual contacts. All contacts in the backup will be restored. Third-party tools do give you the option to view and select specific contacts to recover.
How long are deleted contacts stored in Recently Deleted?
The iPhone keeps deleted contacts in the Recently Deleted folder for 30 days. After 30 days, they are permanently deleted and can no longer be recovered from there.
What happens if I don’t have a backup?
With no backup available, your options for restoring lost contacts are limited. You won’t be able to recover contacts deleted over 30 days ago. Enabling backups gives you the most complete protection against permanent data loss.
Conclusion
Retrieving vanished iPhone contacts is straightforward as long as you have a backup available from iCloud or iTunes. Syncing your contacts with an email service also provides a form of backup suitable for recovery. Remember to regularly backup your iPhone and sync contacts across accounts for maximum protection.
We hope this guide has helped you understand the various options for restoring lost contacts on your iPhone. The key takeaways are:
- Restore from an iCloud or iTunes backup to get a full set of contacts back.
- Sync Gmail or Outlook contacts again to import any stored there.
- Use specialized tools to extract contacts from a backup and import selected entries.
- Check the Recently Deleted folder for very recently deleted contacts.
With proper diligence about backing up your data, you should never have to worry about losing important contacts on your iPhone.