Contacts

You can import contacts from a vCard and from a directory. You can import a contact from a .vcf attachment in an email or message, and you can also add a contact from a directory. You can export contacts on iPad, too.

Import contacts from a vCard

Tap a .vcf attachment in an email or message.

Add a contact from a directory

1. Go to the Contacts app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Lists button and tap the GAL, CardDAV, or LDAP directory you want to search.
3. Enter your search.
4. Tap the person’s name to save their information to your contacts.

See also

• Export contacts on iPad

When you have contacts from multiple sources, you might have multiple entries for the same person. In the Contacts app, you link contact cards for the same person in different accounts so they appear only once in your All Contacts list, as a single unified contact.

If you have more than one card with the same first and last name, Contacts can merge them for you, and you can link contacts manually, too.

Resolve duplicate contacts

If more than one contact card shares the same first and last name, the Contacts app can combine those duplicate contacts for you.

1. Start the Contacts app on your iPad.
2. Below My Card, tap View Duplicates.
3. Tap individual contacts to review and merge them, or tap Merge All to merge all duplicate contacts.

Link contacts manually

If two entries for the same person aren’t linked automatically, you can unify them manually.

1. Start the Contacts app on your iPad.
2. Tap one of the contacts, tap Edit, and then tap Link Contacts.
3. Choose the other contact entry to link to and tap Link.

When you link contacts with different first or last names, the names on the individual cards don’t change, but only one name appears on the unified card. To choose which name appears on the unified card, tap one of the linked cards, tap the contact’s name on that card, then tap Use This Name For Unified Card.

Note: Linking contacts doesn’t merge those contacts. If you change or add information in a unified contact, the update goes to each source account where that information already exists.

See also

• Get started with Contacts on iPad

You can export some or all of your contacts to another device or app. In the Contacts app, you just export a list, select the fields you want to include, and then send or save the exported contact cards, such as with Messages or Mail.

1. Go to the Contacts app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Lists button at the top left.
3. Touch and hold an existing list (or create a new list by tapping Add List).
4. Tap Export and select the fields you want to include. Tap Done.
5. Choose a method to send or save the exported contact cards, such as Messages or Mail.

See also

• Get started with Contacts on iPad

You can use the Contacts app to create, find, share, and delete contacts.

Siri can even suggest new contacts based on what you do in Mail and Calendar. You can also search your contacts using Spotlight, and quickly reach a contact with a call, message, or email. And you can change the default phone number or email address for a contact.

Here’s how to add and use contact information on iPad.

Siri: Siri can update information about a contact. Say something like, “Sarah Milos is my sister.” Learn how to use Siri.

Create a contact

1. Start the Contacts app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Add button.
3. Enter details for the contact such as name and phone number and tap the Done button.

Siri suggests new contacts based on your activity in other apps, such as Mail and Calendar. Siri also suggests adding contact information in other apps based on how you use Contacts. To turn off either feature, go to the Settings app, tap Apps, then tap Contacts. Tap Siri (or Apple Intelligence & Siri), then turn off Show Contact Suggestions or Learn from this App.

Find a contact

Tap the search field at the top of the contacts list, then enter a name, address, phone number, or other contact information.

You can also search your contacts with Search (see our guide, Search with Spotlight).

Share a contact

1. Start the Contacts app on your iPad.
2. Tap a contact and tap Share Contact. Then choose the fields you want to share.
3. Tap the Done button then choose a sharing option, such as Messages or Mail.

Quickly reach a contact

1. Start the Contacts app on your iPad.
2. Tap a contact.
3. Tap a button below the contact’s name to do any of the following: start a message, make a phone call or a FaceTime call; or compose an email.

To change the default phone number or email address for a contact method, touch and hold the button for that method below the contact’s name, then tap a selection in the list.

Delete a contact

1. Start the Contacts app on your iPad.
2. Go to the contact’s card and tap Edit.
3. Scroll down, tap Delete Contact, and then tap Delete Contact again to confirm your edit.

See also

• Edit contacts on iPad

Use the Contacts app to keep phone numbers, email addresses, birthdays, and more, all in one place. You can create a contact, add contacts from accounts like iCloud, Google, or Yahoo, share a contact by choosing the fields you want to include, and keep your contacts in sync.

Create a contact

To create a contact, go to the Contacts app, tap the Add button, add the contact’s details, then tap the Done button.

Add other accounts

If you have contacts saved in other accounts like iCloud, Google, or Yahoo, you can add them to the Contacts app to see all your contacts in one place. Go to Settings > Apps > Contacts, tap Contacts Accounts, then tap Add Account.

Share a contact

It’s easy to share a contact. Select a contact, then tap Share Contact. Choose the fields you want to share, tap the Done button, then choose a sharing option such as Messages or Mail.

Sync your contacts

See your contacts on your other Apple devices when you’re signed in to the same Apple Account. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud. Tap See All next to Saved to iCloud, then turn on Contacts.

For more on managing your contacts, check out these guides:

• Add or remove accounts in Contacts on iPad
• Sync contacts across devices on iPad
• Add or edit your contact info and photo on iPad
• Edit contacts on iPad

In the Contacts app, you can assign a photo to a contact, add a pronunciation and pronouns, change a label, add a birthday, and more. You just open a contact, then enter or update the contact’s information. You can also add or edit your own contact info and photo.

1. Go to the Contacts app on your iPad.
2. Tap a contact, then tap Edit.
3. Enter or update the contact’s information.
4. When you’re finished, tap the Done button.

To change how your contacts are sorted and displayed, go to Settings > Apps > Contacts.

See also

• Add or edit your contact info and photo on iPad