Gone are the days when we had to manually jot down and search for contacts. Thanks to our mobile phones, storing and locating multiple contacts is no longer a daunting task. However, it becomes a challenge when certain contacts disappear on your Android device. If you're also experiencing this issue, read on to fix missing contacts on Android.
Disappearing contacts on your Android device can be an intermittent problem. It could be anything from a contact you rarely use to one you regularly contact. So, let's take a look at 9 ways to help you fix this problem.
Note: We are using an ASUS device for demonstration. Access to certain settings may vary depending on your device manufacturer or model.
1. Close and restart the Contacts app.
If an app error or glitch is causing contacts not to appear correctly in the Contacts app, you can force close the app. Then, reopen it. This will stop the app's services from running in the background and load them from scratch. Follow the steps below to do this.
Step 1: From options List, Tap the Recents icon. Or swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
Step 2: Once opened Background appsPress and hold the application. Contacts And pull it up.
Step 3: Next, tap on the application icon. Contacts Again to restart the application.
Now, check if the missing contacts are visible.
2. Reboot your device
Restarting your Android device forces all features and functions to close and reload. This can help fix any temporary system errors or glitches that may be causing some contacts to disappear from the Contacts app. Here's how.
Step 1: Press and hold the . button energy.
Step 2: Once the menu option appears, tap on Reboot.
Wait for your device to restart. Then open the Contacts app and check again.
3. Use the official contacts app.
If you're using a third-party app to track your contacts, it may be time to switch to the official Contacts app on your device. This will ensure you have access to all the official app features and find your lost contacts.
However, if the issue is not resolved, proceed with the next method.
4. Disable and enable Google contacts sync
Your Android device syncs your information across devices for easy access. Therefore, if there were problems during previous syncing, this may cause some contacts to disappear from the Contacts app.
To fix this, you can disable contact sync from the Google Settings menu. Then, turn it back on. This will resync your information and restore any previously missing contacts. Here's how.
Step 1: Open menu Settings on your Android device.
Step 2: Scroll down and tap Google.
Step 3: Here, click on Backup.
Step 4: Click on Google Account Data From backup options.
Step 5: Here, go to Contacts Turn off the switch in front of it.
Wait a while and enable the toggle again. Wait for Google Contacts to resync on your Android device.
5. Check your Contacts app settings.
If you have multiple Google accounts running on your device, this may increase the chances of the Contacts app only displaying contacts from a specific account.
In this case, contacts saved on other Google accounts may not be visible. When this happens, you can switch to the full account option within the Contacts app. Here's how.
Step 1: Open an app Contacts on your device.
Step 2: In the upper left corner, tap the icon. Hamburger.
Step 3: Here, click on All accounts.
This will ensure that the Contacts app is synced and captures contacts from all Google accounts added to your Android device.
6. Clear the Contacts app cache.
An app cache helps improve app performance by reducing loading times. However, this comes at the cost of storing relevant app data from previous app runs. Over time, this data can become too large or corrupted.
When this happens, the relevant app may behave erratically, such as constantly skipping certain contacts. In this case, you can open the Settings menu and clear the Contacts app cache. Follow the steps below to do so.
Step 1: Open Settings and tap on Apps and notifications.
Step 2: Here, click on “View all apps.”
Step 3: Scroll and tap Contacts.
Step 4: Locate Storage.
Step 5: Here, click on Clear cache.
Once done, close the Contacts app and reopen it. Then, check to see if you've recovered your lost contacts on your Android device.
7. Check deleted contacts
One reason why you may not be able to see certain contacts in the Contacts app is that these contacts have been accidentally deleted from your device.
If so, go to the Google Contacts page and search for it. Then, restore the relevant deleted contacts and make them available again on your Android device.
8. Update the Contacts app
Regular app updates ensure that your apps have access to the latest software changes and bug fixes. This also helps maintain compatibility with your device and all other currently installed apps.
So, if you feel that your Contacts app hasn't been updated for a while, you can Manually check for app updatesHere's how.
Step 1: Open an app Contacts In the Google Play Store.
Step 2: Here, click on Update.
Wait for the update to finish installing. Then open the Contacts app and check if all your contacts are visible.
9. Reset app preferences
If any default app setting is causing many or all of your contacts to disappear from your Android phone, you can Use the Reset App Preferences option To remove any such changes and reset the apps to their default settings.
However, please note that doing so will affect all apps currently installed on your device. If you still wish to proceed, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Open an app Settings on your Android device.
Step 2: Then press “Apps and Notifications”.
Step 3: Click on “View all apps.”
Step 4: In the upper right corner, tap the icon. Three points.
Step 5: Click on “Reset app preferences.”
If prompted, tap "Reset Apps" to complete the process. Once finished, go to the Contacts app and see if all contacts are visible.
Recover lost contacts on Android
With technology that makes tracking all your essential contacts easier, it's less of a nightmare when you discover some contacts are missing. So, we hope this article helps you fix the problem of missing contacts on your Android device. In addition, check out our explanation on how to fix it. Fix contact search not working on Android.
