How to Restore Contacts on Android
October 2, 2019
The Contacts Mentor
Top 5 Contacts Recovery Apps
Recommended Guides
Table of Contents
How to Recover Deleted Contacts on Android
Sometimes accidents happen, and even the most reliable of devices can run into unexpected errors. When data loss in these situations occurs, it can leave us frustrated and bring about huge amounts of stress. The loss of contact information is one of the biggest issues that can strike in this regard.
With that in mind, we want to go over some of the easiest and most effective ways in which Android users can retrieve their contacts back from the digital ether. Digital information often leaves shadows, after all, and it could well be possible to restore everything back into working order.
The very best solution, for those wanting to get ahead of the problem, is to back up your contacts to ensure this issue is never a concern. Easy Backup is a fantastic program for backing up your contacts online. Once stored, these can then be easily downloaded in the case of loss to restore contacts for Android, so you never have to worry about this occurring, or occurring again if it has already happened.
Users just looking to back up their contact information should skip to Part 3, otherwise, read on.
Part 1: Double-Check Your Contacts
Sometimes the settings on your device can change through firmware updates, accidental pocket dialing, or any number of other reasons. In this case, it might be that your contacts aren’t truly gone, they may just be hidden. To check if this happened to you:
- Open your contacts page
- Click the three-dot menu option at the top of the screen (usually top-right)
- Press on the Contacts to Display option
- Ensure that All Contacts is selected.
If this worked then great, head on to Part 3. If not, let’s try Part 2.
Part 2: Check for Google Backups
If your device is synced with a Google account, it might already be saving your contact lists automatically. This can be checked by heading onto your Gmail page on your mobile, touching the three horizontal lines button at the top of the page, then choosing Contacts from the displayed list.
If your device is synced, this should then take you to the Restore Contacts page. On this page, you can select at which date you wish to restore your contacts list from, up to a maximum of one month.
If this worked then wipe the sweat of your brow, and continue to Part 3.
If neither of these options worked then your contacts would seem to be lost to time. Although there is no magical method or retrieving them at this point, there is one more hope. Remember that email correspondence often includes contact details, which can be used to slowly rebuild databases.
As a safety precaution in the future, we would also recommend moving on to Part 3.
Part 3: Fixing the Problem with Easy Backup
Backing up your contact information with Easy Backup is fast and easy enough that anyone can do it. To get started, you will first need to download the Easy Backup program, which can be found through one of the two methods.
- Click here to follow the link to the Google Play app download
- Download the app onto your device, and wait for it to install.
Once this is installed, there are a couple of extra things you need to keep in mind to lower the chances of potential issues.
- All other programs should be closed to make the backup app run as efficiently as possible.
- The device should be fully charged.
With us so far? Good, then let’s open the app and continue
Step 1 – Backing up
When first opening the Easy Backup app, it will ask for permission to access your contact lists. Since this is exactly what we want it for, click accept.
At this point, you will need to create an account. This is how the app associates your device with your contact lists. In order for this work, it will need to connect with an existing Facebook or Google account. Choose whichever option suits you and click accept on any of the prompts which appear.
Once connected with an account, all that you need to do is back up your contacts. To do this, press the backup button and follow the simple instructions. In just a few moments, your backup will be completed and you will be ready to continue.
With the backup complete, it is up to you to decide where you want to store the saved contact information. Luckily, the Easy Backup app comes with cloud saves, which are highly recommended. Otherwise, you can send the backup file via email or any number of other communications apps you have installed.
Step 2 – Restoring
Restoring lost contacts with Easy Backup is just as simple as backing them up. Once the app is installed on your new phone (if restoring on a new phone), start it up and log in with the same account that you used to back up your contacts.
Once logged in, look to the bottom of the screen for the My Backups button. Press on this for a list of the cloud backups saved to this account.
Alternatively, use this to navigate to the file created if you avoided cloud saves. This file will need to be downloaded onto the device first if it was removed.
The date on the file should let you know when it was created, so you can ensure that you are getting the right one. Press on this and then restore, and then again follow the simple instructions.
Give it a few moments, or a bit longer for larger contacts lists, and you’re done!
Keeping Ahead
Easy Backup is only a small app, so it can be a good idea to keep it installed for regular backups. Backing up once a week or month following the above steps is just as easy as it was the first time and can save considerable time and frustration down the road.
Comments