Effective Solutions to Fix Disappearing iPhone Contacts

July 18, 2023Louisa White

"iPhone Contacts disappeared? How to get it back?"

iPhone Contacts disappeared? Some iOS users complain that their Contacts icon are suddenly missing especially when updating iPhone software. Some other response that their contacts have nowhere to be found because the contacts tab is totally gone from Contacts app. This article is prepared for you on how to retrieve iPhone missing contacts when iPhone Contacts disappeared.

Part 1. Ultimate Way to Fix iPhone Contacts Disappeared
Part 2. Default Ways to Fix Contacts Disappeared on iPhone
Part 3. FAQs about iPhone Contacts Disappeared

Part 1. Fix iPhone Contacts Disappeared with iPhone Contacts Recovery

How can you look for a specific contact when iPhone Contacts icon or tab disappeared? With no iTunes backup sometimes, you can turn to a reputable third-party program for help when iPhone Contacts is gone. And here, we'd like to sincerely recommend you FoneLab, a reliable iPhone Contacts Recovery to retrieve missing iPhone contacts with ease. With that, you are enabled to recover iPhone contacts from Viber, Facebook, Line, Messenger, WhatsApp, etc. except the contacts from Contacts app.

First, download and install FoneLab on your PC or Mac.

Free DownloadFor Windows

100% Secure. No Ads.

Free DownloadFor macOS

100% Secure. No Ads.

1. Recover missing iPhone contacts from the device

Step 1:

Launch FoneLab - powerful iPhone Contacts Recovery tool, and you will automatically enter the mode of Recover from iOS Device. Connect your iPhone with computer via USB cable and hit Start Scan when the software detects your device.

Step 2:

For seconds, all your accessible iPhone data will be displayed by the program, Choose Contacts from the left control and you can see all lost and existing contacts will be shown in the interface. Mark the target ones, and click the Recover button to retrieve the missing contacts.

2. Retrieve lost iPhone contacts from iTunes backup

Step 1:

Choose the mode of Recover from iTunes Backup File, select the proper iTunes Backup and click Start Scan to scan iTunes backup file.

Step 2:

For a while, all data will be classified into categories. Click Contacts from the left, tick the contacts you want and hit the button of Recover to get back the lost iPhone contacts.

3. Get back the disappearing iPhone contacts from iCloud backup

Step 1:

Choose the mode of Recover from iCloud Backup File, log into iCloud with your Apple ID and password.

Step 2:

Select one suitable iCloud backup to download. Then choose the file type of Contacts to scan.

Step 3:

Soon, all available iPhone contacts will be scanned. Highlight the contacts you want to restore and then click the Recover button to regain the disappeared iPhone contacts.

Part 2. Default Ways to Fix Contacts Disappeared on iPhone

Solution 1. Make sure that your iCloud is signed in

Sometimes that you can't find contacts on your iPhone is because that you accidentally signed out your iCloud. Hence, you can open Settings to check if your iCloud has been signed in. If not, you can tap Sign in to your iPhone in Settings to sign in to your iCloud with your Apple ID.

Solution 2. Check contacts settings on iPhone to fix iPhone Contacts disappeared

Step 1:

Unlock your iPhone and navigate to Settings > iCloud. Make sure you have log into the correct iCloud account.

Step 2:

Check whether Contacts is set to ON.

Step 3:

If the Contacts option is turned on and you guarantee the proper iCloud login, try to turn off Contacts and then toggle it on again. Confirm it when iPhone prompts you that this operation will delete contacts from iPhone, because you've already backed up iPhone contacts to iCloud.

Step 4:

Check whether your iPhone Contacts option or tab has returned or not.

Solution 3. Check last iCloud Backup date

You can go to Settings, tap your Apple ID, select iCloud to enter your iCloud Backup to view the its last date. If you think that the backup contains your disappeared contacts, you can get your iPhone contacts back by restoring them from iCloud backup. But unfortunately, iCloud Backup doesn't enable you to preview.

Solution 4. Reset the network settings to fix iPhone Contacts disappeared

Step 1:

Unlock iPhone and go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

Step 2:

Enter the passcode of your iPhone.

Step 3:

Then iPhone will prompt you of a warning message that this operation will reset all network settings to factory defaults. Tap on Reset Network Settings.

Step 4:

Check and see whether you have gotten back your Contacts icon on your iPhone.

Solution 5. Restart your iPhone forcibly to fix iPhone Contacts disappeared

Step 1:

Hold and press the Home button and Power button simultaneously.

Step 2:

Keep holding both buttons for 10-20 seconds until you see the Apple logo shows up..

Step 3:

Release the buttons and iPhone will reboot itself.

Solution 6. Restore iPhone with iTunes backup to fix iPhone Contacts disappeared

Step 1:

Download and launch the latest iTunes, and plug your iPhone into computer.

Step 2:

Click File > Devices > Restore from Back up... , and then choose the proper iTunes backup to restore iPhone contacts. Kindly remind that you need to turn off Find My iPhone before restoring iPhone with iTunes backup.

Notes:

This solution will overwrite all your existing data on your iPhone. You should think it over and back up your iPhone files before using this method to retrieve the missing Contacts.

Part 3. FAQs about iPhone Contacts Disappeared

Why would my contacts suddenly disappear iPhone?

Various common reasons may make your iPhone Contacts disappear, including upgrading or downgrading your iOS version, jailbreaking iPhone, deleting contacts accidentally, syncing or restoring problems in iTunes, etc.

How do I restore my iPhone contacts without iCloud?

You can recover your deleted iPhone contacts with iTunes if you have backed up to iTunes before. If you haven't, you can use the third-party tool, Aiseesoft iPhone Data Recovery, to restore your iPhone contacts.

Why can't I see my contacts in iCloud?

You can't see your contacts in iCloud may because you didn't sign in to iCloud on your iPhone or you didn't turn on Contacts in iCloud.

Conclusion

In this article, we mainly discuss how to retrieve the missing iPhone contacts in case of iPhone contacts disappeared. Hope these solutions can give you a hand when you run into such dilemma.

What do you think of this post?