How to quickly clean contacts on iPhone. How to delete all contacts at once on iPhone

Twitter

Did you buy your iPhone secondhand or just want to delete all your contacts before selling? Then you need to completely empty your phone book. How to delete contacts from iPhone and what is needed for this? Despite the fact that Apple specialists are doing everything possible to make life easier for users, some methods smack of serious labor and time costs. Let's figure out how to clear the phone book on iPhone 4s, 5s, 6s and other versions.

In order to delete all contacts from an iPhone, we can use the phone book functionality. And here a giant crutch created by Apple specialists will be waiting for us. In any other phone, we can go to the contact’s context menu and select “Delete”. The guys from Apple are clearly not looking for easy ways, so the button to delete the selected contact is very far away.

So, how to delete the selected contact? To do this, you need to go to the phone book, select the desired contact and display information about this phone record. At the top of the menu that opens, find the “Edit” button and click it. We get to the next menu, go down to the very bottom, and only here we find the treasured red delete contact button. Agree, everything could be done much simpler.

Also alarming is the fact that we cannot select several contacts at once and send them to the trash in the same way as is done in the Android operating system - here you can select all contacts with one touch. And one more touch will be needed to delete the entire phone book.

Bulk deletion of contacts

As you already understand, there are obvious problems with the good old manual deletion of contacts in iOS. Then how to delete all contacts at once on an iPhone? This is where we will find real freedom, since there are quite a few ways to delete contacts en masse.

The first method is to use the iTunes application:

We launch the program;
We connect the iPhone and wait until it is detected;
Go to the device information section;
Check the box “Sync Contacts”, and just below, in the “Advanced” section, check the box for deleting contacts;
Click on the “Apply” button and confirm your intentions.

After a few seconds, all contacts will be deleted.

The next method is to synchronize contacts with an empty phone book. In this case, we will again need the iTunes application. We go to the same section with information and select synchronization with an empty contact book, for example, with Outlook that is not used on the computer. After synchronization starts, all contacts from the phone book on the iPhone will be deleted.

Don’t forget to check the “Contacts” checkbox on the “Advanced” (or “Advanced”) tab so that synchronization will delete all entries from the current phone book on your iPhone.

Another way is to disable contact synchronization with iCloud - go to the settings on your smartphone and disable contact synchronization. After this, iPhone will offer to delete existing contacts. You can similarly delete any other contacts from other accounts.

But the most drastic way is to completely erase all data using the reset function - go to the corresponding menu, select “Erase content and settings” and confirm your intentions. After this, not only contacts, but also all user data will disappear from the device..

The last method is the fastest - it allows you to quickly return the device to its original form, when there are no contact data and user files in it.

Removal using Jailbreak

Have you jailbroken your iPhone? Then you have two more ways to delete contact information from your smartphone. The first method is to delete contacts by making changes to the device's file system. To do this, you need to download one of the file managers, install it on your computer and get into the file system - the phone book on the iPhone is stored at privatevarmobileLibraryAddressBook.

Next, we delete files with the *.sqlitedb extension and enjoy the empty phone book. The second method is to install third-party software on the iPhone to work with contacts. As we know, Initially, there is no ability to install programs from third-party sources. But if you have already carried out the Jailbreak procedure, then you get the opportunity to install the software from anywhere - find a program for working with contacts, install and run it, and then delete all or part of the contacts.

Remember that the Jailbreak procedure leads to a complete loss of warranty - you do this procedure at your own peril and risk.

Accumulated information sooner or later needs to be systematized. This rule fully applies to the address book of a smartphone, the number of entries in which is constantly increasing. Over time, some stored data may no longer be relevant. Having disappeared from your sight, a person can change their phone number, email address or Skype login. In this case, it is useful to know how to delete all contacts from iPhone or perform selective editing.

The structure of the address book in iOS remains virtually unchanged with the release of new versions of the operating system. The changes are cosmetic in nature, without affecting the main functions. Thanks to this, contact management for any iPhone model, be it 4S, 5, SE, 6, 7, 8 or X, is absolutely identical. You can work with them in a separate application or directly in the phone book.

Apple is constantly increasing the autonomy of the iPhone, reducing its dependence on the computer and iTunes. Each new version of the program gets rid of unnecessary functions that can be performed on the smartphone itself. To this day, iTunes is not needed to update firmware, manage software, and synchronize contacts. All this is done over the air using wireless networks.

Individual removal

For user safety and protection from erroneous actions, iOS does not have the ability to mass delete address book entries. You cannot select several subscribers at once and completely erase them in one motion. This rule works regardless of whether you are holding the 4th or 10th iPhone in your hands. The need to clear the list of duplicates is often caused by Viber, WhatsApp messengers or social network clients who have access to the address book.

In order to clear the saved list of subscribers, we use the single deletion mode. We open the card that we are going to remove from the list. Click on the button indicated by the arrow.

Let's scroll through several screens on which you can view all the records related to the subscriber. At the very bottom there is a button highlighted with a frame. Click on it to erase data.

We confirm the decision by using the corresponding pop-up menu item. The deleted contact will be automatically erased from the main area and favorites. The number will only be saved in the black list if it was previously placed there.

It will be impossible to cancel this action in case of an error and return the contact.

Complete removal

You can completely delete all data associated with your account from your phone only if you disable synchronization. You can find the necessary parameters in two places.

Open the settings and go to the marked item.

Using the preview, we look at which account mentions the “Contacts” item. By default, the storage that is set as the primary storage for synchronization is placed at the top of the list.

If you use several accounts, open the duplicate ones first. We move the marked switch to the “Off” position.

The same operation performed in the master record will require confirmation. To delete the entire address book, select the specified pop-up menu item.

iCloud Settings

Most users use only Apple's proprietary cloud service to store phone numbers. In this case, you can choose a faster erasing method.

Open the main settings page. At the top of the screen, in the area indicated by a frame, are iCloud management options. Click on it to enter the main menu.

When sometimes a device is not purchased from an official distributor, or, on the contrary, an old iPhone gives way in your life to a newly acquired device, in such cases the question of clearing the smartphone of the information contained in it necessarily arises. In one case (when an iPhone is purchased second-hand), you are not eager to use what your predecessor used; in the other, you are not happy about the prospect of leaving your personal data as an inheritance.

And as you know, telephone numbers and subscriber data that are recorded and stored on the phone are one of the most important and protected elements of personal information (after photographs). Therefore, the question: how to delete contacts from iPhone is probably in the top 10 among device users.

And in this article we will carefully study all possible methods of deleting contacts from a smartphone’s address book.
The device supports several ways to get rid of contacts on our beloved iPhone 4S. We can clear the device's memory by sending items to the trash one at a time, or we can delete all contacts at once.

In our story, we will explore the capabilities that iPhone 4 supports, so to speak, from birth (built-in).

Standard removal one at a time #1

This method helps to get rid of one, separately selected contact:

Activate the Contacts application on the main screen;
Then select the unnecessary subscriber;
Click on the “Edit/Change” icon (upper corner, right);
Scroll to the very bottom and click the “Delete contact” button;
Confirm your choice.

Standard removal one at a time #2

There is another method when contacts can be deleted selectively. This requires that the contacts on your phone be synced with iCloud.

Go to the iCloud web interface;
Use your Apple ID and password to log in;
Click on the “Contacts” tab;
We select a candidate for removal;
We synchronize with the iPhone by clicking on the “Gear” icon on the screen at the bottom/left;
Select “Update contacts”;

You don't need to do anything else. Unnecessary information on your phone will be deleted automatically.

Standard removal - all at once #1

Please note that this method should only be used if you are 100% sure that you no longer plan to use this smartphone! Since this method has the ultimate goal - a completely empty iPhone 4, without any information (it is advisable to first create a backup copy).

In “Settings” go to “General”;
Click the “Reset” sub-item;
Click “Erase content and settings” (if the device is password-protected, enter the password) and confirm the deletion.

Now a pristine iPhone 4S can once again be filled with the data that was previously stored on it, only by connecting to iTunes and restoring from a backup.

Standard removal - all at once #2

Through iTunes, you can not only restore data, but also wholesale contacts from your iPhone 4S right away. To do this, connect the iPhone to a computer or laptop using a USB cable. If iTunes is not installed, you need a media player and launch it. We connect the iPhone and wait until it is detected in iTunes. Then we perform the following manipulations:

Select the device by clicking on the icon with its image in the side menu;
Go to the “Details / Information” tab;
Put a tick in the “Synchronize contacts with:” field, and just below click on “All contacts”;
Scroll down and in the “Advanced” section, check the “Contacts” box;
We start the process using “Apply”;
A warning window appears on the screen with information that all contacts located on the iPhone 4S will be deleted. We confirm the action.

Deleting Contacts from iPhone Using iTunes

After synchronization is complete, the empty iPhone 4S can be disconnected from the PC. The goal has been achieved.

Removing contacts using a rake

I can’t imagine who and why the methods described above may not satisfy. If only they seem too simple to someone. For such mega-advanced users, I will briefly mention two “difficult” ways to delete contacts.

One of them is possible only if there is an established Jailbreak on the device. Notorious Cydia offers an application called Erase contacts. After installing it on iPhone 4, an icon will appear on the screen Erase contacts(standard “Contacts” icon crossed out with a red cross). By clicking on this icon, the user instantly deletes all phones and other data from the address book.

And finally, deleting files from the file system. In my opinion, just mentioning this method is more than enough. We remember what the article is about. Write comments and ask your questions.

If you purchased a used iPhone or are planning to sell yours, then you may be faced with the problem of deleting contacts from the device’s memory. The fact is that the iPhone does not provide a function to delete all contacts at once; instead, you need to delete them one by one, which is time-consuming and very inconvenient.

But, knowing some tricks, this limitation can be circumvented. Now you will learn how to delete all contacts on iPhone in one go. These instructions will be relevant for almost all models. Including iPhone 4, 4s, 5, 5s, 6, 6s and 7.

The easiest way to delete all contacts on an iPhone is to use the iTunes media harvester and synchronize the contacts on the iPhone with Contacts in Windows. Typically, Windows Contacts are empty, so this synchronization results in deleting all contacts on the iPhone.

So, in order to delete all contacts on an iPhone, you need to connect your iPhone to your computer, launch iTunes and click on the iPhone icon in the upper left corner of the program.

After that, you need to go to the “Information” section (or “Info” if you have iTunes in English).

In the "Details" section, you need to check the box next to the "Sync contacts with Windows Contacts" function.

A little lower, in the same “Information” section, you need to check the box opposite the “Contacts” item.

Then you need to click on the “Synchronize” button. After this, the data in iPhone Contacts will be replaced with contacts saved in Windows.

Delete all contacts using a factory reset

If you are planning to sell your iPhone, then you are better off using a factory reset. After resetting the settings, not only all contacts will be deleted, but also all your other data (photos, videos, messages, settings, etc.)

In order to reset the settings and thereby delete all contacts and other personal data from the iPhone, you need to go to the iPhone settings and go to the “General” section.

After this, you need to go to the “Reset” settings subsection.

And select the “Erase content and settings” function.

After this, a warning about data deletion will appear. In order to continue, you need to click on the “Erase iPhone” button.

Other ways to delete all contacts at once

There are also other ways to delete all contacts on iPhone at one time. Below we will look at some of them.

Erase Contacts App. This application is specially designed to delete all contacts at once. The application can be installed from the alternative app store Cydia and of course you will need a jailbreak to install and use it.
Manually deleting contacts. It is also possible to delete contacts manually. To do this, you will need a file manager for iPhone. For example, you can use iTools. Using a file manager, you need to go to the \private\var\mobile\Library\AddressBook folder and delete the AddressBook.sqlitedb and AddressBookImages.sqlitedb files there. Then restart the iPhone.
AnyTrans program. AnyTrans is something like an improved iTunes from third-party developers. Among other features, AnyTrans allows you to edit contacts on your iPhone. In the program, you can select some contacts or all at once and delete them literally in one click.

Hello everyone, dear readers. Today, in this article, I will tell you how you can delete contacts from your iPhone (4, 4s, 5, 5s, 6, 6+, 6s) in several ways. I won’t guess why you need to delete contacts from your device, perhaps you bought an iPhone secondhand and you need to get rid of data and clean contacts, perhaps for other reasons.

I will highlight several ways to delete contacts from your Apple mobile gadget:

Delete all contacts at once using iTunes. I think everything is clear from the title of this section. The method will allow you to delete all contacts on your iPhone at once;
Deleting contacts from the iPhone itself. In this case, you will not be able to delete all contacts at once. Only one contact at a time.

All contacts via iTunes

So, in order to delete all your existing contacts from your iPhone, you need to follow these simple steps:

Via iPhone

When deleting a contact, the phone model does not play any role, be it iPhone: 4, 4s, 5, 5s, 6, 6+, 6s. Only the version of the iOS operating system is important.

Erase any contact via iPhone is very simple, you need to follow these steps:

As you can see, there is nothing complicated about this. If you have any questions or comments regarding this material, you can leave them using the comment form below.