Contacts Help
Back up & sync device
contacts
Some contacts on your phone or tablet may not be
saved as Google contacts. For example, some apps
save contacts in device storage, which means they
can only be managed on that device. Changes you
make to these contacts don’t sync across Google
services or to other signed-in devices. If the device
is ever lost or damaged, these contacts may be
lost.
To keep your contacts backed up and synced to all
your devices, you can automatically save device
contacts as Google contacts. Google contacts are
available across Google services and can be
managed on any signed-in device. If the original
device is lost or damaged, the contacts can
automatically sync to a new device when you sign
in.
These steps work only on Android.
Back up & sync device contacts
Back up & sync device contacts by saving them as
Google contacts:
1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the
"Settings" app.
2. Tap Google Settings for Google apps
Google Contacts sync Also sync device
contacts Automatically back up & sync
device contacts.
3. Turn on Automatically back up & sync device
contacts.
4. Pick the account you’d like your contacts to be
saved in. Your contacts can only be
automatically saved to one Google Account.
Tip: You can’t back up contacts to a child’s account
or a G Suite account (one you use for work or
school).
Your existing device contacts and any future device
contacts you add will be automatically saved as
Google contacts and sync to your Google Account.
When you sign out of a phone or tablet, all your
Google contacts will be removed from that device
to prevent other people who use that device from
accessing them. Your Google contacts will remain
in your Google Account and sync to a new device
when you sign in.
Tip: Depending on your device make and model
you may not be able to automatically back up and
sync device contacts.
What about SIM contacts and
contacts that sync with other
cloud services?
SIM contacts and contacts syncing with other
cloud services (like Exchange, Yahoo, or others)
cannot be automatically saved as Google contacts.
Learn how to import contacts.
Tip: To use device contacts across Google services
without saving them as Google contacts, turn on
Save contact info from your devices. That setting
includes SIM contacts and contacts syncing with
other cloud services, but you can only manage
them on the original device. To back up device
contacts without saving them as Google contacts,
learn how to back up data on your Android device.
Stop saving device contacts as
Google contacts and move
contacts out of your Google
Account
To stop automatically saving device contacts as
Google contacts:
1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the
"Settings" app.
2. Tap Google Settings for Google apps
Google Contacts sync Also sync device
contacts Automatically back up & sync
device contacts.
3. Turn off Automatically back up & sync device
contacts
Contacts that have already been saved as Google
contacts will remain in your account unless you
manually remove them.
Learn how to move Google contacts to another
account using the Contacts app.
Learn how to export Google contacts to another
account on the web. Exported contacts won’t be
removed from your account unless you delete
them.
Give feedback about this article
Help
Add, move, or import contacts
Merge duplicate contacts
Export, back up, or restore contacts
Edit or delete contacts
View, group & share contacts
Back up & sync device contacts
Change who's saved & suggested as contacts
Find or add emergency contacts on Pixel
How do I change my Google Account image, name
& other info?
Access your contacts with widgets from your
Android device’s home screen
Language
English
