Finding old contacts on an iPhone can sometimes be a challenge, especially if you’ve switched phones or lost your contacts at some point. Fortunately, there are a few ways to try to recover lost contacts on an iPhone.
Check iCloud
If you had your contacts synced to iCloud previously, they may still be stored there even if they are no longer on your iPhone. To check:
- Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud
- Under Apps Using iCloud, make sure Contacts is toggled on
- Go back to Settings and tap Contacts
- Check if your contacts are there under Accounts
If you see your contacts, you can tap to sync them back down to your iPhone. This will overwrite any existing contacts, so be aware of that.
Restore from a Backup
If you’ve ever backed up your iPhone to iTunes or iCloud before, you may be able to restore from a previous backup that contains your missing contacts.
To restore from an iTunes backup:
- Connect your iPhone to your computer and open iTunes
- Under Backups, select the backup you want to restore from
- Click Restore to restore your iPhone from the backup
To restore from an iCloud backup:
- Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups
- Tap the backup you want to restore from
- Tap Restore to restore your iPhone from the iCloud backup
Import Contacts from Gmail
If you used to sync your iPhone contacts with a Gmail account, you may still be able to import your contacts from Gmail.
- Open the Gmail app on your iPhone
- Go to Settings (tap the hamburger menu) > Tap your account > Contacts
- Tap Sync Contacts and choose which groups you want to sync
This will sync your Gmail contacts back down to your iPhone contacts app.
Use Third-Party Software
If the above options don’t work, your next option is to use third-party software to try to recover lost iPhone contacts. Some options to research include:
- iMyFone D-Back – scans your iPhone backup for lost contacts
- Fonelab – extracts contacts from iCloud backups
- EaseUS MobiSaver – retrieves contacts from iTunes backups
These tools scan your various iPhone backups and allow you to preview and selectively recover any lost contacts. They do usually cost money to fully restore contacts, but may offer free trials.
Contact Your Carrier
As a last resort, you can try contacting your cell phone carrier to see if they have a record of your contacts. They may be able to send you a copy of your contacts from when you first activated your SIM card.
Keep in mind carriers only store very basic contact info like names and numbers. So any additional notes, email addresses, etc would not be included.
Key Takeaways
- Check iCloud settings to see if contacts are stored there
- Restore your iPhone from an iTunes or iCloud backup
- Import contacts back from Gmail if synced there previously
- Use third-party software to scan iPhone backups for missing contacts
- Contact your cell carrier as a last resort for basic contact info
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if my contacts are syncing with iCloud?
Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud. Under Apps Using iCloud, make sure Contacts is toggled on. This means your contacts are syncing with iCloud.
Will restoring my iPhone from a backup delete my current contacts?
Yes, restoring from either an iCloud or iTunes backup will overwrite your current contacts and other data on your iPhone. Be sure to fully back up your current iPhone before restoring.
How far back can I restore contacts from an iCloud backup?
iCloud stores backups for up to 30 days. So you can restore contacts from any backups made within the last 30 days.
How do I choose which Gmail contacts to sync to my iPhone?
When syncing Gmail contacts, you can select individual contact groups to sync. Tap the groups you want to transfer contacts from.
Will my carrier have all my detailed contact info like notes and photos?
No, carriers will only have very basic contact info like names and phone numbers. Any additional details will not be included.
Example Contact Recovery Table
| Recovery Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Restore from iCloud backup | Recovers all contacts from backup | Overwrites current contacts |
| Import from Gmail | Syncs selected contacts | Only works if previously synced to Gmail |
| Third-party software | Allows preview and selective restore | Typically costs money for full recovery |