Find and Merge Duplicate Contacts in iOS 16
You can find and merge duplicate contacts on iOS 16 in two ways. By using the Contacts app or by linking duplicate contacts manually. Select a section below based on the preferred method to help you along the way.
1. Using The Contacts App
The contacts app will automatically analyze all your contacts once you update to iOS 16 on your iPhone. Any duplicates detected during this process will be cataloged and displayed at the top of your Contacts app. Here’s how you can use this feature to merge all your contacts.
- Open the Contacts app on your device. Any duplicates detected by iOS 16 will be shown at the top. Tap View Duplicates to find your duplicate contacts.
- You will now have a list of all duplicate contacts with the number of duplicate entries for each contact shown below. Tap on a contact you wish to merge.
- Now review the contact information and tap Merge at the bottom if everything checks out.
- You can also review all your contacts and tap Merge All to merge all of them at once.
- Tap Merge Duplicates to confirm your choice. You should now have merged duplicate contacts on your iPhone using the Contacts app.
2. Link And Merge Duplicate Contacts Manually
Contact Linking is an old way to manually link duplicate contacts. Linking two contacts will merge their information in the first contact you choose to link. Here’s how you can do this on your iPhone.
- Open the Contacts app and tap a contact you wish to link to its duplicate. Keep in mind that the contact you select at this stage will be the one visible when receiving calls or reviewing your contacts.
- Tap Edit in the top right corner.
- Scroll to the bottom and tap + link contacts… on your screen.
- Tap and select the duplicate contact from your contacts list.
- Now tap Link in the top right corner of your screen.
- Tap Done in the top right corner to finish linking contacts. Repeat the steps above for all duplicate contacts on your iPhone, and you will have merged them manually.
Can you delete multiple contacts on iOS 16?
Unfortunately, iOS 16 does not offer a native way to delete multiple contacts on your iPhone. You can delete contacts individually by tapping and holding on them or delete them using iCloud for the web, which allows you to select and delete multiple contacts. The new list will then be synced to your iPhone.
How is merging different from deleting contacts?
Merging two contacts will retain the information stored in one contact while deleting the other one. If additional details are present in the duplicate contact, they will be added to your original contact. Deleting, on the other hand, will delete all data stored in a contact card.
Is it safe to share contacts with a third-party app?
No, third-party apps have different privacy policies, and we recommend you review each one before using a third-party app.
Final Words
The new duplicate contact detection is a boon for users with huge contact lists. It makes detecting and merging duplicates easier without having to tediously scan through your entire contact list. I hope the post above helped you save some time and merge your duplicate contacts automatically on your iPhone running iOS 16.
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