Having contacts deleted from your iPhone can be frustrating, especially when you don’t have access to a computer to restore from a backup. The good news is that there are a few different ways to try to retrieve deleted contacts directly on your iPhone without needing a computer.
Check Recently Deleted Folder
When you delete contacts on your iPhone, they aren’t immediately gone forever. Deleted contacts get moved to the Recently Deleted folder, where they will stay for 30 days before being permanently deleted. Here’s how to access the Recently Deleted folder to see if your deleted contacts are still there:
- Open the Contacts app
- Tap Groups at the top left
- Scroll down and tap Recently Deleted
If you see your deleted contacts in the Recently Deleted folder, tap the contact you want to retrieve, then tap Recover at the bottom. This will move the contact back to your main contacts list and recover it.
Restore from iCloud
If your deleted contacts aren’t in the Recently Deleted folder, you may still be able to restore them from an iCloud backup. Here’s how:
- Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud
- Tap Contacts
- Toggle on Contacts
This will sync your iCloud contacts to your device, overwriting your current contacts. If you had the deleted contact synced to iCloud before deleting it, syncing now should restore it.
Use Another Device Signed Into iCloud
If you have another device like an iPad or second iPhone that’s signed into the same iCloud account, you may be able to restore deleted contacts from that device. On the other device signed into your iCloud account:
- Open Contacts and locate the deleted contact you want to restore
- Tap on the contact and select Share Contact
- Choose Message or Email and send the contact details to yourself
Now on your original iPhone, open the message or email you sent yourself and save the contact details to restore the contact.
Restore from an iCloud Backup
If you have an iCloud backup from before you deleted the contacts, you can restore that backup to get the deleted contacts back. Here’s how:
- Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups
- Tap on your device name
- Tap Restore [device] > Restore from [date]
This will erase your device and restore the iCloud backup. Make sure you pick a backup date from before you deleted the contacts. Once the restore is complete, your deleted contacts should be back.
Use a Third Party App
If none of the previous methods work, there are some third party apps that may be able to recover deleted contacts from your iPhone. Some options to try:
- Dr.Fone – Restore Social App Data
- iMyFone D-Back – iOS Data Recovery
- Fonelab – iPhone Data Recovery
These apps will scan your iPhone for deleted contact data that may still be present in the storage memory and allow you to selectively recover contacts. Be sure to only use reputable apps from developers you trust.
Restore from an iTunes or Finder Backup
If you happen to have an iTunes (or Finder on macOS Catalina and later) backup stored on your computer, you can restore from that to get deleted contacts back. Connect your iPhone to your computer then:
- Open iTunes or Finder
- Locate your device and go to Summary (iTunes) or General (Finder)
- Click Restore [device]…
- Select the backup date to restore from
Again, make sure you pick a backup that was created before you deleted the contacts. Once the restore finishes, your contacts should be recovered.
Contact Your Carrier
As a last resort, you may be able to contact your cell phone carrier to request call logs and phone numbers that you’ve recently contacted. While they likely won’t have full contact information, it could jog your memory for reconstructing lost contacts.
Be aware carriers typically only keep records for a few months, so this method will only work if the contacts were deleted very recently.
Prevent Deleted Contacts in the Future
To avoid having to recover deleted contacts again in the future, here are some tips:
- Backup your iPhone regularly to iCloud or iTunes
- Export your contacts to a CSV file on your computer periodically
- Sync contacts to multiple accounts like iCloud and Google
- Be more careful when deleting contacts
- Consider using a contacts management app that stores contacts online
Following those best practices will ensure you always have multiple copies of your contacts, making it easy to restore if contacts ever get deleted accidentally.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do deleted contacts stay in the Recently Deleted folder?
Deleted contacts remain in the Recently Deleted folder for 30 days before being permanently deleted by iOS. So you have a 30 day window to recover them from that folder.
Will these methods recover other deleted data like texts or photos?
No, these methods only work to recover specifically deleted contacts. To restore other data like messages, photos, notes, etc. you would need to restore a full iCloud or iTunes backup.
What if I don’t have an iCloud backup to restore from?
Without an iCloud backup, your options are more limited. You’ll have to rely on the Recently Deleted folder, syncing from another device, or a third party app. Be sure to regularly back up your iPhone to prevent this issue going forward.
Can I export contacts before deleting them as a backup?
Yes, you can export your iPhone contacts to a CSV file that you save on your computer using iTunes (Windows) or Contacts app (Mac). This provides a backup you can import back if needed.
Will restoring a backup also bring back old settings and data I don’t want?
Yes, restoring a full iCloud or iTunes backup will restore your device back to the state it was in at that time. So you’ll get all your old apps, settings, etc. from when that backup was made.
Conclusion
Retrieving deleted contacts directly on your iPhone is possible using the Recently Deleted folder, iCloud syncing, backups, or third party apps. The key is acting quickly before the contacts are permanently gone. Be proactive about regularly backing up your iPhone to prevent ever needing to recover lost data.