How to Recover Contacts on iPhone - Step-by-Step Instructions

Apple devices are quite expensive. But at the same time, they provide a number of features and advantages that competing devices cannot boast of.

Sometimes it happens that a user loses contacts. But you can still restore them. To do this, you need to use one of the available methods.

But it’s even better to make sure you don’t lose data in the future and be able to easily return it at any time.

When you need it

Situations are different. But first you need to answer the main question: is it possible to recover lost contacts that were stored on the iPhone. Yes, it can be done. And in several different ways at once.

Such a need may arise for several reasons:

the user accidentally deleted a contact, and there is no way to recognize him through someone else;
someone else accidentally or deliberately deleted contacts;
the SIM card has been damaged;
There was a software glitch, which doesn’t happen very often.

Regardless of the reasons, the fact remains a fact. Necessary and sometimes very valuable contacts have disappeared. But they can be returned.

Ways to restore contacts

Contacts mean telephone numbers of friends, acquaintances, comrades, relatives, etc. They are recorded and stored in the phone book.

But by coincidence they were lost. Therefore, a natural question arises about how you can restore lost contacts on iPhone.

The iPhone owner has several options to choose from. Which one to use, everyone will decide for themselves.

When faced with a problem and not knowing how you can recover all deleted or lost contacts on iPhone, it is recommended to use one of the following methods:

via iTunes;
via iCloud;
operating system or email;
iBackupBot;
via Google account;
using Backup Extractor;
from SIM card.

Which of these to use can be decided by considering the features of using all the techniques. Since contacts have disappeared and there is no data left on the iPhone for the necessary people, they need to be restored.

Now, in more detail about each presented method for returning lost or deleted data from the phone book.

All presented methods that allow you to recover missing contacts on iPhone devices can be divided into 2 categories. They include methods from iCloud, SIM cards, various applications, etc. These categories look like this:

via telephone;
via computer.

Read more about them with step-by-step instructions and a detailed manual.

Why is this happening

The problem with disappearing contacts has been noticed by many users of Apple equipment, but the company does not officially acknowledge the existence of such a bug and, accordingly, is not trying to find a solution.

Some believe that data is lost due to the dampness of the iCloud service. It is relatively young and has its bottlenecks. When working with one or two devices, everything is smooth, but when additional gadgets and synchronization appear, errors and glitches appear, leading to data loss.

Others believe that such problems began after combining standard iPhone contacts with contact data from other applications and instant messengers. Not all programs work correctly with the phone book and can cause contacts to disappear.

Recovery via phone

If some or all of your contacts were destined to disappear and be deleted from your Apple smartphone, do not despair. They can still be returned. Even a specially deleted contact can be restored without problems. You just need to choose the appropriate method.

iPhone Settings

First, you should try to recover lost contacts on your iPhone through its settings. Or rather through iCloud.

In this situation, you need to do the following:

open the section with mobile device settings;
go to the standard cloud storage tab for iPhone, that is, iCloud;
disable the Contacts function, due to which data from the smartphone will not be updated;
in the window that appears, select the option called “Keep on iPhone”;
connect the device to the Internet, preferably via Wi-Fi;
open the cloud service settings again;
enable the previously disabled contacts tab;
wait for the phone to offer to merge all data;
agree and wait for the process to complete.

Provided that the instructions are followed, and the mobile device itself does not have time to update the saved numbers, the restoration will be successful.

iCloud

You can also restore lost contacts on any version of iPhone via iCloud, but do not use a computer or laptop.

IMPORTANT. This method will only make sense if the user turns off the Internet immediately after deleting the data. Otherwise, the synchronization process will start, and it will not be possible to return lost contacts.

To get all your contacts and phone numbers back using iCloud, you'll need to follow a few steps:

Open a browser on your mobile device and go to the cloud storage website;
log in to your account;
open the “Advanced” section in the settings section;
click on the contacts recovery button;
select the time period for which you want to return data;
confirm your choice and click on the “Restore” button.

After this, synchronization will start, and the lost contact information will be on the phone again.

Google account

If you were unable to restore certain contacts from a backup to your iPhone, you can use alternative methods. For example, use an assistant like Google.

If you have an account in this service and contacts are stored there, access to which has been lost, then there should be no problems with returning the information. Even if it's an iPhone.

In this case, you need to do the following:

open the settings of your smartphone;
go to the account section;
click on the button to add a new account;
Select Google from the list provided;
add your account for this service.

After completing all these steps, the synchronization procedure will begin. This will allow you to return the necessary telephone contacts.

SIM card

Users also have an excellent opportunity to restore previously deleted contacts from the device using a SIM card. This can be done on any iPhone, be it 5S or XS.

In most cases, cellular operators make it possible to store phone numbers directly on the SIM card. Therefore, when deleting a number, it is enough to contact your service provider. He will clarify exactly how the data return procedure is carried out.

Moreover, this method is relevant even if the SIM card has been lost or physically destroyed.

The only downside is that the amount of memory on the SIM card is limited. Because of this, it is recommended to record the most significant and important contacts on it.

Or you can use another script. To do this you need:

insert the SIM card into the slot where phone numbers are stored;
open settings and go to the contacts section;
scroll down the page;
find the “Import SIM contacts” button;
press it and wait for synchronization.

In fact, this is only half of the ways to update the phone book if you need to recover certain lost contacts on your iPhone.

Next, we will consider methods that require a computer or laptop to implement. The operating system used is not of fundamental importance here.

Additional Information

Get help with unfamiliar payments and in-app purchases.
If the app fails to install or update, or freezes, see this article.
Get help if you have sound, picture, or power problems on Apple TV.

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Recovery via computer

If a user who has lost contacts from the phone book on his iPhone has a laptop or computer at hand, then it can be an excellent assistant in solving the current problem.

Here you can use the following methods and tools:

iCloud;
iTunes;
FoneLab Data Recovery;
Backup Extractor;
iBackupBot;
Windows and MacOS.

Each method has its own characteristics. Therefore, they need to be considered separately.

iCloud

In addition to using iCloud on the iPhone itself to return lost contacts, this service can also be used through a computer.

In this case, the instructions have a slightly different form. It doesn’t matter what version of the Apple smartphone is used, be it 6, 7 or even 11 iPhone. For all options, you must do the following:

Open the official website of the cloud storage via your computer. Go through the authorization procedure here. Moreover, be sure to use the exact account that is used on the phone with lost contacts.
A list of available applications will open. Among them you need to find “Contacts” and click on this icon.
Select a contact in the list on the left, and also click on the button presented in the form of a gear. It's in the lower left corner.
A menu will open, and here you will need to click on the “Export to VCard” item.
After completing these steps, a special file necessary for transferring to your smartphone will be automatically downloaded to your computer. Therefore, all that remains is to send the file to the iPhone, and the recovery procedure will be completed.

There is nothing complicated about this method. But it is quite effective, and in many cases it perfectly helps to cope with the problem.

iTunes

This recovery method can only be used if the user initially activated the synchronization function with this service. Otherwise nothing will work.

The instructions look like this:

connect your smartphone to your computer or laptop using a USB cable;
launch the iTunes application on your computer device;
select the “Browse” tab;
click on the “Restore from copy” button in the lower right corner of the screen;
wait for a new window to open;
select the gadget with which you want to perform these actions;
click on the “Restore” button.

If all steps are completed correctly, then the Apple smartphone will return to the last state when synchronization was carried out. Therefore, all lost contact information from the phone book will return to its place.

ATTENTION. Restoring in this way returns the smartphone to the state of a specific saved point. This means that all changes made after this point will disappear.

Think about how much more important the data from your phone book is than what you can lose by using a restore point.

FoneLab Data Recovery

This is a special third-party application that was developed specifically to be able to return lost contact information.

The program works according to a fairly simple and understandable principle. The user will need to complete several steps:

install the application on your computer;
connect iPhone to computer;
run the program;
click on the device recovery button;
on the left side of the window find the “Contacts” section;
select the appropriate temporary version;
Click on the button to start the recovery procedure.

Now the user can only wait a while. All lost contacts will be returned. But other data will not go anywhere.

Backup Extractor

Another fairly popular application that has approximately the same functionality as the previous software.

When using this software, you must follow these instructions:

connect your computer and iPhone using a standard USB cable;
run the installed program;
open a tab called Select Backup;
select a temporary version that is suitable for recovery;
press the Extract key next to the Contacts line;
click on the line Contacts as VCards;
transfer recovered contacts to your phone.

For all its effectiveness, the application in question has one big problem, according to many users. The thing is that the program is paid. And not everyone is ready to pay for it, since there are free analogues.

iBackupBot

A useful and multifunctional utility that is designed to work with smart phones manufactured by Apple. Among other features, there is functionality for returning lost contact information.

When using this program you must:

download and install the application on your computer;
connect iPhone to computer using a cable;
wait for the scanning procedure to complete;
select the mobile device you are using;
On the left side of the screen, select a folder with a suitable date (when the lost contacts were still on the smartphone);
click on the “File” tab;
click on Duplicate;
at the bottom of the application window, click on “Contacts”;
find the file used for recovery;
export it to your phone by clicking on “Export”;
save changes;
transfer the created file to your mobile device in any convenient way.

When the procedure is completed, all that remains is to disconnect the smartphone from the computer and send the iPhone to reboot. After this, deleted or lost contact information from the phone book should return to its place.

Windows and Mac OS

Computers and laptops running popular operating systems such as Windows and Mac OS have their own built-in applications called Contacts. This is an analogue of the corresponding tool on mobile gadgets.

Using this built-in function allows you to synchronize contacts from your iPhone with the operating system without using third-party services and applications.

If the user has previously synchronized and enabled this function, then there should be no problems with recovery through the operating system. The instructions are the same for both OS. Despite the huge difference between the operating systems from Apple and Microsoft, the Contacts tool is implemented in the same way.

To return contacts you must:

find the folder called “Contacts”;
left-click on the contacts you need to restore;
click on the “Export” button;
save the file using a special vcf format;
transfer the received file from your computer to your mobile device;
run the file on your phone and restore lost data to its place.

By analogy, you can use the Outlook service from Microsoft. Here everything is implemented according to the same scheme. The only nuance is that in the mail service the Export button is located in the File tab.

What to do if stories are missing after an update

Sometimes the social network brings surprises with new updates. New software may not behave correctly. There have been many cases where, after installing the latest version of Instagram, the Stories news feed disappears. Why aren't Instagram stories showing after the update? You can correct the situation in the following way:

If the utility is updated, but the smartphone's operating system is not, this may cause problems. Download the latest mobile phone software.
Immediately after installing the update, restart your gadget and try to launch Instagram again. Sometimes the installation process is completed only after the device is restarted.
If the previous tips did not help, then you just have to wait for the next update or download the previous working version from third-party resources and activate it manually. You should carefully select the resources you download to avoid viruses.

The article explained what to do if Instagram does not show stories. We looked at possible causes and ways to solve the problem. In order for the social network to work without problems, it is recommended to use only the latest versions of the utility and the latest software for the smartphone operating system.

How not to lose contacts

In order not to encounter such situations, it is better to protect yourself from possible problems in advance.

There are several useful recommendations in this regard:

Use two media at the same time to store contacts. The most important ones are stored on the SIM card and simultaneously on the smartphone. What you don’t mind losing, leave only in the iPhone’s memory, since the number of saved contacts on the SIM card is limited.
If some contact was accidentally deleted, it is better not to panic, but simply block iPhone access to the Internet. Just turn off Wi-Fi and mobile data. This will prevent the device from synchronizing changes and changing the backup. If there are no contacts left in it, the task becomes noticeably more complicated.
Update your backup manually periodically. This will allow you to save only the most recent and relevant data.
Increase the number of backups. Moreover, each of them will store information for a certain time period. This will make it possible to restore data through different points.
Be sure to enable synchronization of your Apple smartphone with the iCloud service.

Even if contacts were lost or deleted, either accidentally or on purpose, this is far from a death sentence.

There are quite a large number of different ways to return them. Each user will decide for himself which one to use.

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How to protect your phone book from sudden deletion?

Make sure your device is regularly synced to your computer via iTunes, and don't forget to create backups. And then the contacts will not be deleted forever.
Do not delete previous device backups. This will help you recover any type of data over a long period of time.
Sync your device with iCloud. Contacts will always be available in cloud storage.

There is another way to restore your address book, here you do not need a computer or third-party programs, even iTunes with iCloud will remain aside. Copy the contact information from your best friend; you probably have a lot of mutual friends.