Solutions to iPhone Contacts Missing in iOS That Are Tried-and-Ture

Last Updated : Nov. 7, 2022

How to bring back lost contacts on iPhone when you don't even know what caused everything to go wrong after new iOS update, or when you didn't do anything to the iOS device at all? Take it easy when you run into such problems like iPhone contacts missing because this is not a rare case, neither is it hard to fix. That been said, what has caused all your iPhone contacts disappeared? Is your personal information insecure in that condition? This article walks you through with everything you want to know about iPhone contacts missing in iOS upgrade.

[Solved] iPhone contacts missing in iOS 12

iPhone Contacts Missing in iOS?

Backup iPhone with DearMob iPhone Manager Now!
1. iCloud Contacts Not Showing up Properly Because iCloud Contact is Not Turned On

When the "Contacts" switch under iCloud is turned off, contacts info in the iOS Phone APP won't show up properly somehow, hence making you believe iPhone contacts missing in iOS. Fortunately, solution to this problem is quite easy, and all you have to do is toggle-switch the "Contacts" option under "iCloud" to "on" to bring back all iPhone contacts disappeared. This typically works for those who has send a backup of their contacts on iCloud and skipped restoring everything back when setting up a new iPhone after iOS update. Now follow the steps below to it:

For users on iOS 12, aka iOS 10.3 or newer:
Step 1: Visit Settings > Tap on your Apple ID banner at the top of the screen >

Step 2: If the switch next to "Contact" is turned off, toggle-switch it to on; If it's already on but your iPhone contacts missing, or not showing up properly, first turn it off & turn it on again. This can help find plenty of iPhone contacts missing.

For Users with iOS 10.2 or earlier:

Step 1: Also visit "Settings > iCloud", next to "Contacts" turn on the switch, or turn it off before you turn it on again.

iCloud contacts not showing up properly [Solved]
2. Sign Out of iCloud and Sign in Again to Reload All iPhone Contacts Missing

Step 1: By signing out of your iCloud account at the first place, all your photo stream data & iCloud Drive data will be wiped out for this iPhone before you sign in again

Step 2: Sign in to the same iCloud account on iPhone again, it's downright easy to recover deleted contacts iPhone by turning on the switch for "Contacts" when the windows pops out asking "Keep a copy of your data on this iPhone".

Step 3: Wait for all contacts to be out and out reloaded on your iPhone again.

3. Display Hidden Contacts By Changing Your Group Settings

For some users, the part of iPhone contacts missing didn't really disappear from iPhone, they're just not showing up because you didn't allow them to.
Step 1: On the bottom bar of the Phone APP, switch to the "Contacts" tab, where you can find a "Groups" icon on the top-left corner of it.
Step 2: Tap on "Groups", and if a part of your iPhone contacts disappeared somehow, chances are that you've opted for the display "All iCloud" instead of "All on iPhone".
Step 3: Choose "All on iPhone" option, and then tap "Done" to finish.

Show All Contacts Hidden
4.Find out iPhone Contacts Missing by Restoring Your iPhone from iTunes Backup

Tips and Notes: This method only works for users with a previous iTunes backup on computer.

Step 1: Launch iTunes on your computer, USB-connect iPhone to the computer and unlock the cellphone to make sure it been recognized by iTunes.

Step 2: Before trying to restore from iTunes backup, first go to "iCloud > Turn off Find My iPhone" settings.

Step 3: Click on your device icon on iTunes, and then "Restore iPhone".

Tips and Notes: Make sure you need no more content than the iPhone data in your last backup, in that iTunes is going to erase your media and other data on the current iPhone before restoring everything from the latest backup to it.

Step 4: Click on "Restore" to recover all iPhone contacts missing after iOS update.

SUMMARY

DearMob iPhone Manager provides a physical, thus safe and stable way to backup iPhone contacts on computer/Mac, so that you can access your contact list whenever iPhone contacts missing and you need the contact info very urgently.


Don't Wait Till
iPhone Contacts Missing in iOS

With cloud storage landing on more iPhones as the best way to backup iPhone contacts, users can right away restore iPhone contacts on a newly purchased iPhone as long as he/she turns on iCloud backup. Believe it or not, using iCloud to backup iPhone contacts itself is the very reason for iPhone contacts missing now and then, and adjusting iCloud settings could get all your old contacts back in most cases.

However, as one of the top 6 ways to sync contacts iPhone, DearMob iPhone Manager provides a physically reliable way to backup iPhone contacts, calendars and APPs to computer or Mac even without network connection. There's simply no worries for your personal info somehow disclosed online.

Under what circumstances is iPhone improperly set that all iPhone contacts gone unable to be recovered? Although the instructions above recommended you to get some help from 3rd-party tools like Tenorshare Reiboot to rescue iPhone contacts missing after iOS upgrade, no tool can 100% restore all iPhone contacts if it was missing during the iOS software update. That been the case, it's always the best idea that you backup iPhone contacts before anything was missing. Below are the 3-step guide on backup and restore iPhone contacts after upgrading to iOS.

DearMob iPhone Manager

Use DearMob iPhone Manager to not only backup & restore contacts so that iPhone contacts disappeared will be no more problem to you anymore, you may also use it to backup iPhone photos, music, calendars,etc.

● Backup iPhone contacts in VCF TXT PDF HTML with only 1-click.

● Recover iPhone contacts from computer or Mac without network.

● 100% green and secure, protect your personal data.

How to Backup iPhone Contacts to Computer/Mac?

Backing up iPhone contacts on a regular basis with DearMob iPhone Manager ensures that you have a copy of iPhone data even if iPhone contacts missing in iOS 12 or under other circumstances.

Step 1: Download, install and launch DearMob iPhone Manager on your computer or Mac.

Step 2: USB-connect your iPhone to computer, and from the panel of this iPhone contact software, click on "Contacts" tab.

Tip and Notes: DearMob iPhone Manager contacts backup function only works when "Contacts" under iCloud is turned off, and you should choose "Keep on My iPhone" when asked "What would like to do with the previously synced iCloud contacts on your iPhone?"

Turn Off iCloud Contacts Backup

Step 4: Click on "Contacts" > manually choose the contacts to be exported, or choose to backup all contacts iPhone.

Tips and Notes:

You may choose the contacts to be exported in VCF, HTML, TXT or PDF by clicking on the drop-down list.

You're suggested by VCF-backup iPhone contacts as it is the most popular iPhone contact format to be restored.

How to Backup iPhone Contacts
iPhone Contacts Output Format

Compared to VCF-backup iPhone contacts, which is really helpful if you run into iPhone contacts missing problem, you may well choose TXT-backup iPhone contacts, as this generates a well-formatted way of iPhone contacts backup.

How to Restore iPhone Contacts After iPhone Contacts Missing in iOS?

Step 1: Visit iPhone contacts backup location on your computer or Mac, kindly be noted that only contacts in VCF format can be safely restored to iPhone by DearMob iPhone Manager.

Step 2: Launch the backup and restore tool again, USB-connect iPhone to computer to restore iPhone contacts missing after iOS update or in other cases.

Tips and Notes: Also make sure that "Contacts" under iCloud is turned on when you need to restore contacts to iPhone.

Step 4: Click on "Contacts" > Import > Choose VCF files to be restored to iPhone > click on "Sync" to get iPhone contacts missing back in place.

Restore iPhone contacts back to iOS 12

Extremely helpful for iPhone contacts backup, DearMob's iPhone Manager is a brand-new idea to save your iPhone contacts when the cloud service crashes, causing iCloud backup could not be completed or iCloud photo sharing is not available for this device problem. It's more than recommended that you keep a regular backup of iPhone contacts on computer or Mac in case of iPhone contacts missing & other situations. Click to download DearMob iPhone Manager below.

5KPlayer iPhone Manager iPhone Contacts Missing

Joakim is a tech addict and mobile enthusiast ever since the Symbian era. Now as a technical writer, he loves to test software and devices, and share his discoveries in plain language. Jogging helps him think better and stay energized throughout the day.

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