How to delete one, several, or all iPhone contacts

Updated: April 13, 2023
6 min read
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How to delete one, several, or all iPhone contacts
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by Mykola Hezhoian
Tech Expert & Writer
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Contacts on your iPhone are synchronized with iCloud, Google, Outlook, and other accounts. You can delete them on your smartphone, on other devices that are connected to your account, or through the web version of iCloud on your computer or iPad. Let's look at the features of each option and how to use them.

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How to delete one contact on an iPhone

If you only need to delete a couple or three cards, single deletion, which is available from the iPhone itself, in iCloud, and on Mac, will do.

Through the phone book

  1. Open the Phone app on your iPhone, click the "Contacts" tab, then find the one you want and hold your finger on it.
  2. Select "Delete contact" from the pop-up menu and press the same-name button again to confirm.

Via iCloud.com

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  1. Open the link in the browser on your computer or iPad and log in to your account.
  2. Find and select the card you want, then click "Edit."
  3. Tap "Delete contact."
  4. Click "Delete" again to confirm the action.

In Contacts on a Mac

  1. Open "Contacts" in the Dock or through Spotlight search. Right-click on the desired person and select "Delete Card".
  2. Confirm the operation to continue.

How to delete multiple contacts on an iPhone

How to delete one, several or all iPhone contacts

Unfortunately, selecting and deleting multiple contacts at once is not available in the standard phonebook on the iPhone. But you can do so in the web version of iCloud on your computer or iPad, or in the Contacts app on your Mac.

Via iCloud.com

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  1. Follow the link in the browser on your PC or iPad and sign in to your Apple account.
  2. Ctrl-click (or Cmd on a Mac) on the contacts you want, then click the gear icon and select Delete. Or simply press Delete on your keyboard.
  3. Click "Delete" again to confirm the action.

In Contacts on a Mac

  1. Select the contacts by holding down the Cmd key, and then right-click and select "Delete Cards." You can also simply press Delete on the keyboard.
  2. Click "Delete" to confirm.

How to delete all iPhone contacts

How to delete one, several or all iPhone contacts

The situation with erasing all the cards is the same as with deleting a few: it can be done through iCloud and in the app on the Mac. In addition, there is a specific option available on the iPhone - disabling account synchronization, after which contacts will disappear from the smartphone but will remain in the account. That is, it is not a complete removal from memory but only from the device.

Via iCloud.com

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  1. Open the link in the browser on your PC or iPad and sign in to your Apple account.
  2. Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard (Cmd + A on Mac) to select all cards.
  3. Click the gear icon and select "Delete."
  4. Click "Delete" again to continue.

In Contacts on a Mac

  1. Launch the Contacts app on your Mac and press Cmd + A to select all the cards.
  2. Right-click on the context menu and choose "Delete Cards" or press Delete on your keyboard instead.
  3. Confirm the deletion by clicking the button of the same name.

By disabling synchronization

  1. Open "Settings" on your iPhone and go to Apple ID β†’ iCloud.
  2. Under "Apps that use iCloud" tap "All," then disable the "Contacts" toggle switch and tap "Remove from iPhone."
  3. If your contacts are not synchronized with iCloud, but with Gmail, Outlook, or another account, select "Mail" β†’ "Accounts" in the settings.
  4. Next, specify the desired account, turn off the "Contacts" toggle switch, and tap "Remove from iPhone."
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Comments

7 comments
MidnightMarauder
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This guide is a lifesaver πŸš€
Grace
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Just what I needed +++
Kaleb
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Thank you for the helpful tips
Jade
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So easy to follow
Emily Foster
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I appreciated the helpful tips and screenshots that were included
Samantha Patel
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I found this article to be very informative and thorough
OceanicExplorer
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Thank you for this article - it saved me so much time! πŸ™πŸ‘

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