Google Contacts is an app for storing and organising phone numbers, email addresses and other information about people. Contacts saved to a Google Account can synchronise across compatible phones, tablets and computers.

After moving to a new Android device, users can sign in with the same Google Account to restore access to their synchronised address book.

Creating and organising contacts

A contact card can contain a name, photo, multiple phone numbers, email addresses, employer, job title, postal address, birthday, important dates, notes and other details.

Key features include:

• creating and editing contacts;

• searching by name, number or other information;

• adding contact photos;

• marking important people as favourites;

• organising entries with labels;

• viewing recently added and opened contacts;

• birthday and anniversary reminders;

• quick access to calls, messages and email;

• separate views for personal and work accounts.

The app can also identify similar entries and suggest merging duplicates without discarding useful phone numbers or email addresses.

Synchronisation and backup

Contacts stored in a Google Account automatically synchronise with other signed-in devices. Changes made on one device are reflected on the others.

Entries stored only in the phone’s local memory or on a SIM card may not be backed up automatically. They can be imported, moved to a Google Account or included by enabling the setting for syncing device and SIM contacts.

When creating a contact, users should check whether it will be saved to the correct Google Account, the device or the SIM card.

Import, export and recovery

Contacts can be imported from a SIM card or VCF file. Exporting the address book to a file is useful for creating an independent backup or transferring information to another service.

Deleted entries are moved to Trash and can be recovered for up to 30 days. After that period, they are permanently removed.

Deleting a synchronised contact normally removes it from other devices connected to the same Google Account as well.

Multiple accounts

The app supports multiple Google Accounts on one device. Contacts can be viewed together or filtered by account, making it easier to keep personal and work address books separate.

For work or school accounts, available features and access to an organisation’s directory may be controlled by its administrator.

Privacy

The app needs permission to access contacts stored on the device. Additional permissions may be used for contact photos, phone calls or interaction with other apps.

Contact cards can contain personal information. Before sharing a card or exported file, users should check which fields are included.

How to download and install Google Contacts

To download Google Contacts for Android, tap the download button on this page. Select “Install” or “Update” when Google Play opens.

The app comes pre-installed on some Android devices. After opening it, select the appropriate Google Account and check the contact synchronisation settings.