Contacts: Resolve duplicate contact cards when importing contacts

This article has been archived and is no longer updated by Apple.
Resolve duplicate contact cards when importing contacts

When you import contact cards, Contacts checks whether any of the new cards are duplicates of existing cards. If it finds duplicates, you can review the cards and decide to keep the old card, the new card, both cards, or merge the two cards into one.

  1. In Contacts, import contact cards.

    Export and import your contacts

  2. Accept or review duplicate cards.
    • To automatically accept duplicate cards, click Import.

    • To review the duplicate cards and resolve discrepancies between them, click Review Duplicates and continue to the next step.

  3. Review the first duplicate cards by clicking the card buttons along the bottom of the window.
    • Keep Old: Keep the old card (the one currently in Contacts), and discard the new card (the one you’re importing).

    • Keep New: Keep the new card, and discard the old card.

    • Keep Both: Keep both cards.

    • Update: Create an updated card that merges information from both cards.

  4. Click the card button with the option you want, and then accept or review other duplicates.
    • To resolve all duplicates the same way as the first one, select the “Apply to All” checkbox and then click Import.

    • To continue reviewing each duplicate, click Next.

Last Modified: Sep 4, 2015
Helpful?
62% of people found this helpful.

Additional Product Support Information