"How can I PERMANENTLY delete contacts from my iPhone? I've tried contact--->edit--->delete and it takes it off the main contacts list, but every time I begin to type in a name to start a text message that starts with the first letter in either of those persons first names their whole contact shows up... I WANT THEM GONE!!! loll Please help me!!"
-- From Apple Support Community
We always store contacts on iPhone in case of contact someday. However, sometimes we may need to delete contacts from our iPhones for various reasons: a maximum of the phonebook, unfamiliar contacts whom you merely meet once, classmates out of touch since graduation, abandoned old iPhone, privacy protection, broken friendship... And in order to permanently delete unneeded contacts, you have tried many ways but failed repeatedly. Well, how to permanently delete contacts from iPhone? And why do deleted iPhone contacts keep coming back? Read this guide to find the answer.
How do you delete a contact iPhone? A commonly considered approach is using the Contacts app. Here are the steps:
Step 1. Access the Contacts app on your iPhone or iPad.
Step 2. Select the contact you wish to remove and tap the "Edit" button located in the right corner.
Step 3. Navigate to the bottom of the screen and press the "Delete Contact" button.
Note: If you want to delete multiple contacts on iPhone, you can read this article. To delete all contacts on iPhone, click here.
Now, you have learned how to delete a contact on your iPhone using the Contacts app. However, you will find those deleted contacts are still searchable when you input several letters to retrieve other contacts after deletion. Why deleted iPhone contacts are so stubborn? How to permanently delete a contact on iPhone? Well, this is a matter of syncing issue.
When you sync iPhone contacts to iCloud, iTunes, Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, or other cloud storage, several copies of contacts exist. Even though you delete contacts on your iPhone, as long as you allow those duplicated contacts to sync to your iPhone, those deleted data will be filled in from cloud storage even before you perceive them. That is, if you wonder how to permanently delete contacts from iPhone, you might as well delete contacts from cloud service to stop contacts syncing.
Here are four ways you can try to permanently delete contacts from iPhone. Let's see together.
Coolmuster iOS Eraser is an ideal iOS erasing tool that erases contacts on your iPhone nonviolently, and deleted data is not recoverable by any means. Besides contacts, it also supports to permanently delete other private and existing data, such as bank records, accounts & passwords, financial data, text messages, call logs, music, etc.
Furthermore, it is rather easy to operate - you simply need to choose the erasing level from three different erasing levels (low level to fast erase all data, medium level to erase and overwrite with junk data once, and high level to erase and overwrite with junk data twice). No matter what level you choose, erased data are all unrecoverable on iPhone. While permanently deleting contacts on an iPhone, Coolmuster iOS Eraser is completely safe (without any damage to iPhone and iOS system), easy-to-operate and effective.
Key Features:
How do I permanently delete contacts from my iPhone and iCloud using Coolmuster iOS Eraser?
01Download and install Coolmuster iOS Eraser on your computer.
02Connect your iPhone to the computer via a USB cable and click "Trust" on your iPhone when the "Trust This Computer?" window pops up. Then, tap "Continue" on your computer. After a successful connection, you will see the iPhone's main information on the computer.
03Click the "Erase" option in the main interface > choose "Security Level" from "Low", "Medium," and "High Level" > type "Delete" in the box to confirm > "OK" > "Erase".
04Then, after automatically scanning, the program starts to erase your iPhone data instantly. After the erasing process is complete, your iPhone will automatically reboot. During this process, you must keep your iPhone unlocked.
Video Tutorial:
How do I permanently delete multiple contacts from my iPhone? You can delete contacts in the address book on iCloud.com. When you delete a contact, it will be removed from all devices where contacts are enabled in iCloud settings.
Here is how to delete contacts from iPhone permanently via iCloud.com:
Step 1. Navigate to the iCloud.com and log in with your Apple ID.
Step 2. Access the "Contacts" section from the main menu.
Step 3. Hold down the "Ctrl" (Windows) or "Command" (Mac) button on your keyboard while selecting the contacts you wish to delete.
Step 4. After selecting the unwanted contacts, click on the "gear" icon located in the lower left corner to reveal an actions menu.
Step 5. Choose "Delete" from the menu to remove all the selected contacts. Confirm the deletion in the subsequent pop-up window.
iCloud is also a reliable way to permanently delete contacts from iPhone. Before we start, it's imperative to confirm that your iPhone contacts are synchronized with iCloud. This ensures that you can effectively eliminate all contacts previously synced with iCloud.
Here is how to permanently delete contacts from iPhone using iCloud:
Step 1. Open the "Settings" app on your iPhone and tap on [your name].
Step 2. Navigate to "iCloud" and disable the "Contacts" option.
Step 3. In the pop-up window, tap "Delete from My iPhone" to eliminate contacts from your iPhone.
Once done, you will find all local contacts synced with the iCloud account on your iDevice (iPhone, iPad, iPod, etc.) have been deleted. But they are still recoverable with professional iOS recovery tools. What's more, the deleted data lasts 30 days before they are permanently removed from iCloud.
To address the issue of deleting contacts on your iPhone, you can utilize your email accounts. iPhone allows users to import contacts from various email accounts such as Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo. This capability provides an alternative method for removing all contacts from your iPhone.
Here is how to delete contacts from iPhone permanently using this method:
Step 1. On your iPhone, go to "Settings" > tap your Apple ID > Navigate to "Password & Accounts" > choose "Gmail/Outlook/Yahoo".
Step 2. Disable the "Contacts" option and confirm by selecting the "Delete from My iPhone" option.
Then, all locally stored contacts synced with Gmail/Outlook/Yahoo are removed from my iPhone, and this operation effectively prevents contacts from syncing again via Gmail/Outlook/Yahoo. However, if I want to recover, those deleted contacts are still recoverable using professional iOS recovery tools.
Q1. What should I do if deleted contacts reappear on my iPhone?
If deleted contacts reappear, check your iCloud settings to ensure contacts syncing is turned off. If the issue persists, try restarting your iPhone and checking for any pending iCloud updates.
Q2. Does resetting my iPhone delete contacts permanently?
Yes, performing a factory reset erases all data on your iPhone, including contacts. However, this is an extreme step and should be done with caution, as it erases all content and settings.
Q3. Will permanently deleting contacts affect my call history or messages?
No, permanently deleting contacts will not affect your call history or messages. It only removes the contact information from your address book. Call history and messages are stored separately.
To sum up, you can easily find out which method is what you really want from the above description and comparison. Suppose you expect to know how to permanently delete contacts from iPhone and avoid recovering in any way forever. In that case, I highly recommend you choose Coolmuster iOS Eraser, which is absolutely secure, easy to operate, once and for all and protects your privacy from leakage.
If you encounter any problem during use, you can leave a comment below, and our support team will spare no effort to assist you.
Related Articles:
How to Delete Contacts on Android? [6 Methods]
iPhone Deleted Contacts Randomly? Here's What You Need to Know
How to Delete Duplicate Contacts on iPhone in five Practical Ways? (Updated)
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