How to Restore Deleted Contacts on iPhone and Android

Have you ever accidentally removed someone from your contact list and regretted it all night? Just know that you’re not the first one to do it👍.

Losing an important phone number can be disheartening, but don’t worry. Whether you deliberately removed a contact or accidentally lost one, the good news is you can easily recover it on Android and iPhone.

While there is no trash folder you can access, like in the case of deleted photos or notes, there are several ways of restoring deleted contacts. 

In this post, we’ll touch upon how you can recover your contacts on iPhone and Android, both with the operating system’s native features and using third-party apps like Tenorshare UltData.

Let’s dive🤿right in.

How to Restore Deleted Contacts on Android 🤖

#1. Check the Hidden Contact List

It’s likely that the contact you’re looking for isn’t actually deleted from the system. Instead, it has been hidden. It’s not uncommon in Android phones, and it has a pretty simple fix. Here’s how to verify: 

Step 1: Go to Contacts and tap the three dots in the top right corner.

Step 2: Tap on Manage Contacts.

Step 3: Tap on Contacts to Display.

Step 4: Enable the All Contacts option.

If the contact you’re looking for happens to have been hidden, this should make it appear in your contact list again. If it’s still not there, the following method will show you how to recover it. 

#2. Using Google Contacts

If you’re an Android user, there’s a slim chance that you don’t use Google services. If you do, well, my friend, you have nothing to worry about😁. 

Google’s cloud platform saves and syncs every data you put on it, including emails, files, notes, photos, and yes, contacts too! This also makes it easier for you to export your data while changing phones. Technology is magical🪄, isn’t it?

You can easily restore your deleted contacts if you’ve been using the Google Contacts app. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Launch the Google Contacts app on your phone.

Step 2: Tap on the Fix & Manage option located at the bottom of the screen.

Step 3: Tap on the Bin or Trash option.

Step 4: Any contact you deleted within the past 30 days will be in the trash can. 

Step 5: Locate the contact you want to recover and tap on Recover. 

Step 6: If you want to recover a contact deleted 30 days before, click Fix and Manage and then Restore Contacts. Click on Restore. This will give you access to contacts from a previous backup.

The recovered contacts will appear in your contact list.

How to Restore Deleted Contacts on iPhone 📱

#1. Using iCloud

As with Android, there’s no trash folder🗑️for iPhone contacts either. The only way to recover any deleted contact is again through cloud backup. 

While in Android, we had Google contacts, in iOS, we have iCloud, which also includes contact backups. Here’s how to recover your iPhone contact using iCloud:

Step 1: Go to the Settings app on your iPhone and tap on your name at the top.

Step 2: Tap on the iCloud option.

Step 3: Under the tab Apps using iCloud, tap on Show All and look for Contacts. 

Step 4: Toggle the Contacts button off and tap on Keep on My iPhone from the pop-up menu. 

Step 5: Toggle the Contacts button back on. 

Step 6: Tap on Merge.

By clicking on merge, you’re syncing your iCloud contacts with the ones on your device. Once done, you’ll be able to see your iCloud contacts in your iPhone contact list. 

#2. Using Gmail

If you’re lucky (or smart😎), you’ll also have all your contacts saved in your Gmail account. If you do, you can restore them to your iPhone, including the one you’re looking for. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Go to the Settings app on your iPhone.

Step 2: Tap on Mail, and then tap on Accounts.

Step 3: Select the email account with the saved contacts you’re looking for.

Step 4: Turn on the Contacts toggle and sync your Gmail contact numbers with your device.

Step 5: Check your iPhone’s contacts – you’ll have all the Gmail contacts in the list.

Remember, only the contacts you save to your Gmail account can be retrieved this way. 

Also, read: Useful ways to delete apps on iPhone

Other Ways to Restore Deleted Contacts

Smartphones give you a lot of flexibility in setting your data preferences. You can back up your data, sync it to online storage, or store it locally.

Each option can affect whether you can retrieve a deleted contact again or not, leading you to the question – is it possible to restore my deleted contacts? Let’s find out.

#1. You Have a Recent Backup of Your iPhone or Android Device

Data loss is more common than you think. Perhaps that’s why all iPhones and Android apps have the option to back up your data, including contacts. The backup can be easily downloaded to your new or old device.

You can select auto backups or conduct one manually at regular intervals. Most people choose the former. Fortunately, if you have a recent data backup, you can easily restore the contact you’re looking for. The process is different for Android and iPhone devices. 

➡️ On Android:

If you have enabled the Sync Contacts feature, the contacts are uploaded to your Google account. You can reset or log in again, and your contacts will start syncing to your device.

Also read: Ways to Transfer Contacts From One Android Phone to Another

➡️ On iPhone:

You can retrieve the lost contacts if you have an iCloud backup. Simply go to your settings and turn iCloud Backups on.

#2. You Have Synced Your Contacts with Google or iCloud

When you sync your data to a cloud storage platform, retrieving it becomes hassle-free. Since all the information is readily available online, you can retrieve it anytime, anywhere. 

Suppose you have lost or accidentally deleted a contact. In that case, it’s convenient to download the entire contact book or a single contact from your online account storage – be it Google Cloud or iCloud.

#3. You Have Saved Your Contacts on a SIM Card

Unfortunately, you cannot restore your deleted contacts if you have only saved them on your SIM card. Unlike device or cloud-based storage, you cannot fetch the deleted information from a recycle bin.

SIM cards do not have a backup option. All the information is stored locally and is permanently lost once removed.

However, if your deleted contact was stored in your phone’s storage and you have a copy of it in your SIM Card, you’re in luck🍀.

Third-party Apps to Restore Deleted Contacts

There’s no denying that smartphones have an in-built backup, contact transfer, and restore system to help you rectify accidents. However, sometimes a lack of foresight on your part or the system’s shortcomings can lead to an impossible situation.

You can turn to third-party apps for additional help when your conventional retrieval methods fail. Fortunately, many reliable third-party apps can help you restore deleted data. These apps offer additional features and a more flexible approach to help retrieve your lost data.

Here are some of the best third-party apps that can help you restore your deleted contacts both on Android and iPhone:

#1. Tenorshare UltData

Tenorshare UltData is comprehensive data recovery software that works perfectly with iPhone and Android devices. It’s an excellent data recovery tool that will help you restore your lost contacts.

➡️ On iPhone:

iOS devices are known for their top-notch security. It’s what makes Apple a sought-after tech company. However, sometimes this impenetrable wall also prevents undue accidents.

With Tenorshare UltData, you can quickly recover your deleted contacts, among other data types. You can choose from 3 powerful recovery modes that will fetch data directly from your Apple devices, iCloud, or iTunes.

Here are the steps to get your contacts back via Tenorshare UltData:

Step 1: First, download and install the software on your computer.

Step 2: Next, connect your iPhone to the computer and launch Tenorshare UltData. Click on Recover Data from iOS Device, and the software will look for deleted data.

Step 3: Once you connect your iPhone to your computer, you can choose the contacts you wish to recover. The software will ask you for a destination to save the information on the computer.

Step 4: Choose your desired destination, and your data will be returned quickly.

➡️ On Android:

Tenorshare UltData makes recovering deleted contacts from Android devices easy without rooting them. This simple fact makes the software more reliable and safe, as rooting your device can increase the risk of potential security threats.

This tool helps you get your information back with no security compromises. Follow the below steps to get your deleted contacts back in an instant:

Step 1: Download and Install Tenorshare UltData on your computer.

Step 2: Connect your Android device to the computer and choose the Recover Lost Data option.

Step 3: Choose your file type (in this case, contacts) and start the scan.

Step 4: Once you spot the particular contact, click on Recover, and that’s it.

#2. iMobie PhoneRescue

iMobie offers digital software solutions, such as junk cleaners, screen mirroring, and more for Android and iPhone users. PhoneRescue is the data recovery tool iMobie provides that can help you recover lost contacts. 

It’s a cakewalk to use this tool, and the retrieval process takes just a few seconds. Simply scan, recover, and download.

➡️ On iPhone:

PhoneRescue for iOS is a reliable data recovery tool. It will find all lost and hidden data on your device, making it incredibly convenient. You can get your deleted contacts back with a few simple steps:

Step 1: After installation, select the Recover from iOS Device option.

Step 2: Check if your device still has the contact information.

Step 3: Select the contact you wish to restore, and the software will do the heavy lifting for you.

This tool by iMobie is compatible with all iOS devices and is the first software to support iOS 17 beta. Talk about keeping up with the trends.

➡️ On Android:

iMobie also has PhoneRescue for Android users. It’s efficient and has a high success rate for recovery. The process to restore deleted contacts is similar to iOS:

Step 1: After installation, connect your Android device.

Step 2: Select the appropriate recovery mode and do a quick scan.

Step 3: Choose the contacts you wish to restore.

Step 4: PhoneRescue will download the data to your required destination in no time.

And just like that, the recovery process is complete.

Closing Thoughts

Losing contacts can be scary, but it’s still retrievable if you’ve done your backups right. Android and iOS have native features that can help you recover, all thanks to cloud technology. There are also many third-party apps that can come to your rescue.

The methods discussed in this post will help you effectively restore important contacts quickly.

Next, learn how to transfer contacts from Android to iPhone easily.