How to Recover Deleted Contacts on Android

Edited 1 week ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Mobile phones have become an indispensable part of our lives, and losing contacts from your Android phone can be an irritating experience. Whether you accidentally deleted a contact or lost them due to software problems, it's important to know the methods to recover them. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore various techniques to retrieve deleted contacts on Android, ensuring you're well-equipped to deal with such situations in the future.

1. Check if the contacts are actually deleted

Before jumping into the recovery methods, it is wise to verify if the contacts have actually been deleted or simply hidden. Make sure your device’s Contacts app is set to display all contacts. Here’s how you can do that:

1. Open the Contacts app on your Android device.
2. Tap the menu button (usually three horizontal lines or dots).
3. Select Settings or Contacts to display.
4. To make sure all your contacts are visible , select All Contacts.

If your contacts reappear, they were only hidden and not deleted. If you still don't see them, proceed to the recovery methods listed below.

2. Restoring contacts from Google account

If your Android device is synced with your Google account, it is possible to restore deleted contacts from a backup available on Google Contacts. Follow these steps:

1. Open a web browser on your computer and go to Google Contacts.
2. Log in to your Google account. Make sure you use the same Google account associated with your Android device.
3. In the Google Contacts interface, click the More button located on the left sidebar.
4. Select Undo Changes from the dropdown menu.
5. A new window will open in which you can select the time to revert back to. Select an appropriate time frame (default options include 10 minutes, 1 hour, yesterday, a week ago, or custom).
6. After selecting the desired time range, click Confirm.
7. Once the changes are undone, sync your Android device with your Google account by going to Settings > Accounts > Google and make sure Contacts is turned on.

This method takes advantage of Google's ability to save changes for a specific period of time, usually up to 30 days. It is a reliable way to recover recently deleted contacts.

3. Using Android data recovery software

If you don't have a Google backup or if the above methods don't work, you may need to use Android data recovery software. These applications can recover contacts from your device's internal storage or SD card. There are many such tools available online, for example, Dr.Fone, FonePaw and MobiSaver. Here is a general procedure you can follow using these tools:

3.1. Steps to recover contacts using Dr.Fone

1. Download and install Dr.Fone on your computer from the official website (make sure you download from a trusted source).
2. Open the application and connect your Android device to the computer using a USB cable.
3. Enable USB debugging on your Android device:
   • Go to Settings on your device.
   • Select About phone.
   • Find Build number and tap it seven times to enable Developer mode.
   • Go back to Settings and select Developer options.
   • Turn on USB debugging.
4. On the Dr.Fone interface, select Data Recovery and choose Recover Phone Data.
5. Select Contacts as the type of data you want to recover and click Next.
6. Dr.Fone will start scanning the deleted contacts from your device. This may take some time depending on the size of the data.
7. After the scan is complete, Dr.Fone will display the recovered contacts. Select the contacts you want to restore and click Recover to save them to your computer.

Make sure you follow the instructions provided by the software carefully to maximize your chances of recovering deleted contacts. Note that recovery is sometimes not 100% guaranteed, but these tools increase your chances substantially.

4. Check out cloud storage services

Besides Google, some users may have synced their contacts to other cloud storage services like Samsung Cloud, OneDrive, or Dropbox. Here's how you can check if your contacts are backed up on Samsung Cloud:

1. Go to Settings on your Samsung device.
2. Tap your profile (Samsung account) at the top.
3. Select Samsung Cloud.
4. Select Restore and choose Contacts.
5. Tap Restore Now to retrieve the backed up contacts.

The process will be the same for other cloud services as well. Make sure you check all the possible cloud accounts where you might have backed up your contacts.

5. Contact your service provider

Some service providers offer contact backup services. If you have opted for such services, contact your service provider for assistance in retrieving your lost contacts. There may be a copy saved on their servers that can be restored to your device.

6. Restore contacts from SIM card

Some users save their contacts on their SIM card. If you have backed up your contacts on your SIM card, follow these steps to restore them:

1. Insert the SIM card containing your contacts into your Android device.
2. Open the Contacts app.
3. Tap the Menu button and select Settings.
4. Select Import/Export contacts.
5. Select Import from SIM card.
6. Select the contacts you want to import and tap Import.

The contacts saved on your SIM card will now be available on your device.

7. Precautionary measures for the future

To avoid the hassle of retrieving deleted contacts in the future, consider these precautionary steps:

7.1. Regular backups

Regularly back up your contacts in multiple locations such as Google Contacts, your computer, or other cloud services. This ensures that you have multiple ways to retrieve them if they get lost.

7.2. Use reliable backup apps

There are many apps available to back up and restore contacts. Apps like Super Backup & Restore, My Contacts Backup, and Easy Backup are useful and user-friendly.

7.3. Keep your software updated

Make sure your Android OS and all apps are updated regularly. Software updates often include bug fixes and performance improvements that can prevent unexpected data loss.

Conclusion

Losing contacts on your Android device can be a frustrating experience, but with the right tools and techniques, you can often recover them. Whether you leverage your Google account, professional recovery software, or SIM backup, there are many avenues to explore. Remember to implement regular backup routines to protect against data loss in the future. By being prepared and knowledgeable, you can minimize the impact of losing your valuable contacts.

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