Set up and use iCloud Contacts

With iCloud, you can have your contacts in your pocket and on your desktop. When you add or update a contact, iCloud makes the change everywhere.

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Set up iCloud Contacts

When you turn on iCloud Contacts, all of the information* stored on separate devices is uploaded to iCloud. If you turn off iCloud Contacts, your information won't move automatically from iCloud back to your device.

On your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

  1. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud.

  2. Turn on Contacts.

  3. When you're asked if you want to Merge or Cancel, tap Merge.

All of the information stored in Contacts is uploaded to iCloud.

On your Mac

  1. From the menu bar at the top of your computer screen, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Apple ID. If you’re using macOS Mojave or earlier, you don’t need to click Apple ID.

  2. Click iCloud.

  3. Select Contacts.

All of the information* stored in Contacts is uploaded to iCloud.

* If you have contact information stored in On My Mac, that information will not sync automatically. In Contacts, drag a contact from On My Mac to All iCloud, or export your contacts as Vcards, then sync manually with the Finder.

On iCloud.com or iCloud for Windows

After you turn on iCloud Contacts on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Mac, your contacts are uploaded to iCloud. You can find and edit your contacts on iCloud.com or in iCloud for Windows. Any changes you make are updated automatically on your other devices.

If you turn off iCloud Contacts on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Mac, your contacts won't be deleted from iCloud and won't be updated automatically, and any changes you make won't be updated across your other devices.

Add Contacts from third-party accounts

If you store contacts in a third-party email service, you can add the email account to your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Then check that Contacts is enabled.

If you experience sync-related issues, disable the account.

Use the Finder or iTunes to sync Contacts

If you don’t want to manage your contacts with iCloud, or if you want to do a one-off sync, sync your Contacts manually with the Finder or iTunes.

When you sync with the Finder or iTunes, your information is stored locally on your devices. There can be differences in information if you update one of your devices in between syncs. For example, if you delete contacts from your computer after syncing with your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, next time you sync with your computer, those contacts will be deleted from your iOS or iPadOS device too.

If you have trouble setting up iCloud Contacts

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