Deleting an entire group from your iPhone can be a great way to clean up your contacts and remove old or unused groups. Here are some steps to guide you through deleting a group from your iPhone.
Check Which Groups You Have
First, open the Contacts app on your iPhone. Tap on Groups at the top left to view all of the existing contact groups you have created. Scroll through and look at the different group names to identify any groups you no longer need or want. Some examples may be old work or school groups, sports teams you are no longer a part of, or friend groups that are no longer relevant.
Select the Group to Delete
Once you have identified one or more groups to delete, tap on the name of the group you want to remove. This will open up the group so you can see all the individual contacts assigned to that group.
Delete the Group
With the group open, tap the Edit button at the top right corner. Then tap on the red minus circle next to the group name at the top of the screen. A pop-up will appear asking you to confirm that you want to delete the group. Tap Delete Group to confirm.
Repeat to Delete Multiple Groups
If you have more than one group you want to delete, you will need to repeat this process for each group. Go back to the Groups list and open up the next group you want to delete. Follow the steps again to tap Edit, then tap the minus sign, and confirm the deletion.
What Happens When a Group is Deleted
Deleting a group only removes the group itself – it does not delete any of the individual contacts that were in that group. All of the contacts that were part of the deleted group will remain in your contacts list. They simply won’t be tagged or associated with that group anymore after it has been deleted.
Back Up Contacts First
It’s always a smart idea to make sure your contacts are backed up to iCloud before making big changes like deleting entire groups. That way if you did accidentally delete important contacts or groups, you could restore your contacts from the backup.
To make sure contacts are backed up:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud
- Make sure Contacts is toggled ON to sync your contacts with iCloud
Alternative Options
If you don’t want to fully delete a group, there are a couple other options to consider:
- Rename the group – If you want to keep the group but give it a new name, tap Edit at the top of the group, then tap on the existing name and type the new name.
- Remove certain contacts – You can open up the group, tap Edit, and then tap the red minus icon next to any individual contacts you want to remove from that group.
Create a New Group
Once you’ve deleted any unnecessary groups, you can create brand new groups as needed. Here’s how to make a new group:
- Open the Contacts app and tap Groups
- Tap the Add Group button at the bottom of the screen
- Enter a name for your new group
- Tap the + icon to select contacts to add to the new group
- Tap Done once you’ve added everyone
Manage Your Groups
Stay organized by periodically reviewing and updating your contact groups. Delete old groups you no longer need. Rename groups as needed. And create new groups for your current contacts and priorities.
Keeping your contact groups clean, current and relevant will make them much easier to use for sending messages, emails and making calls.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I delete a group on my iPhone?
To delete a group on your iPhone:
- Open the Contacts app
- Tap on Groups at the top left
- Tap on the group you want to delete
- Tap Edit in the top right corner
- Tap the red minus circle next to the group name
- Tap Delete Group to confirm
What happens to the contacts when I delete their group?
Deleting a group only removes the group itself. All of the individual contacts that were part of the deleted group will remain safely in your contacts list. They simply won’t have that group association anymore.
Can I delete multiple groups at once?
Unfortunately, there is no way to mass delete multiple groups on an iPhone all at once. You have to open each group individually and delete them one by one. The process is the same for each group.
How can I backup my contacts before deleting groups?
You can backup your iPhone contacts to iCloud before deleting any groups. To do this:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud
- Make sure Contacts is toggled ON to sync your contacts
This provides a backup you can restore from if needed.
Can I rename a group instead of deleting it?
Yes, you can rename a group instead of deleting it. To do this:
- Open the group you want to rename
- Tap Edit at the top of the screen
- Tap on the existing group name
- Type the new name
- Tap Done
This will change the group name and preserve the group and its contacts.
How do I make a new group after deleting one?
Follow these steps to create a new group:
- Open Contacts and tap Groups
- Tap the Add Group button at the bottom
- Enter a name for the new group
- Tap the + icon to add contacts
- Tap Done when finished adding contacts
Then you will have a brand new group with the chosen name and contacts.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Preparing to Delete a Group
Before deleting a contacts group from your iPhone, take a few preparatory steps:
- Review Current Groups – Open Contacts, tap Groups, and scroll through your existing groups. Make note of any you want to delete.
- Backup Contacts – Enable iCloud backup for your contacts before making changes.
- Consider Alternatives – Think about renaming or removing some contacts instead of deleting entire groups.
How to Delete a Single Group
Follow these instructions to delete one contacts group:
- Open the Contacts app and tap Groups.
- Tap on the group you want to delete from the list.
- Tap Edit in the top right corner of the group.
- Tap the red minus circle next to the group name.
- A confirmation pop-up will appear. Tap Delete Group to confirm the deletion.
This will permanently delete the group. Repeat these steps for any other groups you wish to delete.
What Happens to the Contacts
When you delete a group, the contacts that were part of that group remain safely in your contacts. They simply will no longer have the deleted group associated with them. Their names, numbers, and other information stay intact.
Important Notes
- There is no way to mass delete multiple groups at once. You must delete them one by one.
- If you change your mind, you cannot retrieve deleted groups. You would need to recreate them.
- Back up contacts before deleting groups as a precaution.
- Monitor your iCloud storage usage if you have Photos enabled. Backups take storage space.
Creating New Groups
Once you’ve cleaned up your contacts groups, follow these steps to make fresh, new groups:
- Open Contacts and tap Groups.
- Tap the Add Group button at the bottom of the screen.
- Enter a name for the new group.
- Tap the + icon to select contacts to add.
- Tap Done when finished adding contacts.
Use your new groups to organize your contacts and easily message, email, or call certain people.
Summary
Here are some key points about deleting contact groups on an iPhone:
- Open the Contacts app, tap Groups, then tap the group you want to delete.
- Tap Edit, then tap the minus icon, and confirm deletion.
- Repeat for each individual group you want to delete.
- Back up contacts to iCloud before deleting groups.
- Contacts remain in your contacts when their group is deleted.
- You cannot mass delete multiple groups – each one must be deleted individually.
- Create new contact groups as needed to stay organized.
Deleting unnecessary contact groups helps simplify your contacts list and removes clutter. Carefully review groups before deleting and always make sure your contacts are backed up.
With strategic deletion of groups you no longer need and creation of new relevant groups, you can keep your iPhone contacts organized effectively.