It’s common to end up with duplicate or unwanted contacts after importing a list into your phone. Maybe you imported your contacts from an old device or account and no longer need some of them. Or you imported a list from someone else and got contacts you don’t actually know. Having a cluttered contacts list can make it harder to find the people you want to get in touch with. The good news is that it’s easy to delete imported contacts you don’t need on both iPhone and Android phones.
How to delete imported contacts on iPhone
If you’ve synced contacts from another service or device to your iPhone, here’s how to delete the ones you don’t want:
- Open the Contacts app.
- Tap the Groups button at the top left.
- Scroll down and select Imported Contacts under Accounts.
- Tap the Edit button at the top right.
- Tap the red minus circle next to each contact you want to delete.
- Tap Done once you’ve selected all the contacts to delete.
- Tap Delete Contact when prompted.
This will remove the imported contacts from your iPhone’s contacts app. However, it does not delete them from the original imported service or account. So if you re-sync your contacts in the future, the deleted contacts could reappear unless you remove them from the original source.
To avoid this, you may want to find and delete the contacts directly from the account you imported them from. For example, if you imported contacts from a Gmail account, open Gmail on your computer, go to Contacts, and delete them there.
Locating the Imported Contacts list
If you don’t see the Imported Contacts group under Accounts in the Contacts app, here are a few things to try:
- Pull down on the Groups list to refresh it – the Imported Contacts may load after a refresh.
- Make sure you have contacts from imported sources. The group will only appear if you’ve synced contacts from outside accounts.
- Tap “Groups” at the top to return to the main list, then scroll down. The Imported Contacts group is usually near the bottom.
- Check Settings > Contacts and make sure you’ve enabled contacts from your imported sources such as Gmail or Outlook.
Once you get the Imported Contacts group to appear, you can edit it and delete unwanted contacts as explained above.
Deleting large batches of imported contacts
If you have a lot of imported contacts to remove, here are a couple faster ways to delete them in bulk:
- Use the Select All button at the top left of the Imported Contacts list to select everything. Then tap Delete.
- Tap Select at the top right, then choose all contacts from a specific source you want to delete, like an old phone or company directory. Tap Delete.
This will allow you to remove large batches of imported contacts at once, without having to select each one individually.
How to delete imported contacts on Android
Here is how to remove imported contacts on Android phones:
- Open the Contacts app.
- Tap the Menu button (3 vertical dots or lines).
- Select Delete Contacts.
- Select the checkboxes next to contacts you want to delete.
- Tap Delete at the bottom.
However, this will only delete them from your phone’s contacts storage. To fully remove imported contacts:
- Go to Settings > Accounts.
- Tap the account you imported contacts from, like Google or Outlook.
- Tap account name to open sync settings.
- Turn off Contacts syncing for that account.
- Turn Contacts sync back on. This will re-sync your contacts and remove deleted ones.
This will both delete the contacts from your phone and the synced account online, so they won’t reappear if you sync again.
Finding imported contacts
Imported contacts may be mixed in with your main contacts list on Android. To isolate them:
- Tap Menu > Contacts to Display.
- Tap Customize.
- Uncheck all except the account(s) you imported from.
This will temporarily show only the contacts from the imported sources.
Deleting in bulk
To mass delete imported contacts on Android:
- Tap Menu > Delete Contacts.
- Tap the checkbox at the top left to select all.
- Tap Delete at the bottom.
You can also tap Menu > Select Multiple, check the boxes next to individual sources you want to delete, then tap Delete.
Preventing contact duplicates when importing
To avoid having to remove duplicates after importing contacts, here are some tips:
- Clean up old contacts lists before importing by deleting contacts you no longer need.
- Sync your contacts to an online account like Google so you have a single master list.
- Turn on Settings > Contacts > Prevent Duplicates on iPhone to block duplicate imports.
- Turn on Settings > Accounts > Automatically sync data on Android so you don’t import the same contacts multiple times.
Following these best practices when transferring your contacts between devices and accounts will help minimize duplicates.
Conclusion
It’s quick and easy to remove unwanted imported contacts from both iPhones and Android phones. Just isolate the imported contacts list, select the ones to delete, and remove them from both your device and synced account online. Doing regular cleanups of stale contacts makes it easier to find who you need in your contacts app and reduces clutter. Preventing duplicate imports in the first place is even better by syncing your contacts to a central account and enabling anti-duplicate protections. With a few taps, you can clear out the contacts you don’t need and keep just the people you want to connect with.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting imported contacts remove them from the original source?
Deleting imported contacts only removes them from your phone’s contacts storage. To permanently delete them, you need to also delete them from the original imported account or service online that they came from.
Will deleted contacts come back if I sync my contacts again?
If you don’t delete the contacts from the original imported source, yes, they could reappear on your phone if you sync contacts again. Remove them from both your phone and the online account to avoid this.
Is there a way to bulk delete imported contacts?
On both iPhone and Android, you can use the Select All or Select Multiple options to quickly mass delete large batches of imported contacts rather than individually.
What happens if I delete contacts from an online account that syncs to my phone?
If you delete contacts directly from a synced account like Gmail, iCloud, or Outlook, they will also be deleted from your phone’s contacts list after your next sync. This removes them entirely.
How can I tell which contacts were imported from another source?
On iPhone, imported contacts are grouped under Imported Contacts in the Contacts app. On Android you can view contacts by account under Contacts to Display. This isolates contacts synced from other sources.
Summary
– Deleting imported contacts removes them from your phone’s contacts app but they could reappear if synced again.
– To fully delete imported contacts, remove them from both your phone and the original synced account.
– Isolate imported contacts by viewing the Imported Contacts group on iPhone or displaying by account on Android.
– Use Select All or Select Multiple to quickly mass delete large batches of imported contacts.
– Prevent duplicate contacts upfront by regularly cleaning up old contact lists before importing.
– Syncing contacts to a central account like Google and enabling anti-duplicate protections can prevent issues with imported contacts.
The article continues below with additional information on deleting imported contacts from phones…
Deleting unwanted or duplicate contacts from your phone’s address book is an important habit to develop to keep your contacts list organized and clutter-free. Specifically focusing on removing imported contacts helps reduce issues caused when transferring contacts between devices and services. Here are some additional details on effectively managing contacts imported from sources like social media, old phones, and computer address books.
Remove contacts no longer used
Think about contacts you have from accounts you no longer use, old jobs, distant acquaintances, or people you no longer speak to. These types of contacts build up over time and may get transferred along with more useful contacts when you import between devices and services. Taking the time to selectively delete old and unused contacts from imported lists helps focus your address book on the people you truly connect with regularly.
Avoid importing low-quality lists
Be selective about which sources you allow to sync contacts to your phone and where you import contacts from. For example, social media contacts or email marketing lists may contain low-quality contacts you don’t actually need in your phone. Avoid importing these types of casual contact lists and instead focus on higher-quality sources like your work directory or personal address book.
Clean up contacts before exporting
When exporting your contacts to transfer to a new device or account, first take time to clean up the list by removing contacts you no longer need. Deleting old, imported, duplicate, and low-value contacts makes for a more focused list to import that avoids transferring unnecessary contacts to your new device. Start with a clean slate.
Limit contact list sharing
Be cautious when sharing your contacts or accounts with others or allowing two-way contact syncing between different services. This can sometimes result in your contacts getting merged with someone else’s contacts, importing people you don’t know. Limit sharing and syncing access to avoid unintentionally co-mingling contact lists.
Leverage phone tools
Make use of built-in phone contact management features designed to limit duplicates and mistakes. For example, use Account linking on Android to avoid duplicate imports across accounts or Prevent Duplicates on iPhone to avoid re-imports. Enable automatic syncing rather than periodic manual importing to prevent duplicates.
Designate a primary contacts account
Choose one trusted source as your primary contacts provider, like your personal Google account. Make sure all devices and services sync to pull contacts from there rather than maintaining separate contact lists that can get merged and cause duplicates. The primary account provides the definitive source of truth.
Confirm details before saving new contacts
When adding a new contact manually or importing from a casual source, take the time to confirm details like the proper name spelling, capitalization, and contact information. Entering new contacts carefully the first time prevents having to clean up mistakes later that get propagated across your devices.
Merge wisely
If you have the same contact show up twice during an import, resist the temptation to hastily merge them. Instead, carefully confirm it is the same person and that the contact information is in fact identical before merging to avoid corrupting your contacts with incorrect data. The merge action cannot be undone.
Back up your contacts
Before making major contacts changes like mass deletes of imported lists, first back up your contacts as a precaution. Use your phone’s export to file option or a cloud service like Google Contacts. This provides a safety net in case you make a mistake that removes contacts you actually need. You can restore from the backup.
Turn off contact sources when traveling
When traveling internationally and swapping out SIM cards, temporarily turn off contact syncing and importing to avoid filling your phone with contacts from the foreign carrier. Then turn syncing back on once home to repopulate your contacts from your main accounts.
Reassess your connections
Occasionally re-evaluate your connections and consider pruning contacts you no longer interact with. Prioritize contacts from family, friends, and professional networks higher than casual contacts from old jobs, acquaintances, or marketing sources. Stay focused on the people who matter most.
Clean up and combine across accounts
Scan across your different email, social media, messaging, and cloud accounts for contacts duplicates. You may have variations of the same contact in different accounts. Consolidate these into a single clean contact in your main address book and delete the duplicates scattered across accounts.
Manage contacts proactively
Rather than allowing your contacts to endlessly accumulate then trying to prune them all at once, take regular but smaller actions to cull your contacts. With small ongoing maintenance, you can avoid having a huge contacts cleanup project and keep things neatly organized.
Leverage automation
Some third-party apps can help automate finding duplicate contacts, merging accounts, deleting old contacts, and other management tasks. Look for reputable contact optimization apps that can simplify the process through automation. But always carefully review changes before applying.
Sync down, don’t sync up
When connecting new services to your contact accounts, choose a one-way sync down rather than two-way sync. This avoids unintentionally pushing contacts you may not want into services like social media. Syncing down copies your contacts to new services without allowing changes.
Carefully manage social media connections
Social media contacts can easily become outdated or filled with people you don’t know well. Limit associating these casual social connections with core contact accounts linked to communication channels you actually use to reach people. Keep professional contacts and personal contacts separated.
Consolidate multiple accounts
If you have multiple contact sources like old emails or different social platforms, try to consolidate down into a single high-quality unified contacts list in a primary account. Then you have one golden source instead of fragmented contact lists that can get duplicated during imports and syncs.
Don’t over-delete in bulk
When doing a mass deletion of imported contacts, archive a batch of contacts first before deleting in case you remove contacts that you actually need. Mass deleting can sometimes lead to accidental removal of useful contacts that get caught in a broad selection. Archive first instead of outright permanent deletion.
Properly disconnect services
Before discontinuing use of an online account tied to your contacts, unlink the service connection rather than just signing out. This cleanly disconnects it and prevents stale contacts from the old account popping back in if you sign in again down the road. Proper unlinking during account shutdown avoids issues.
