How to sort out my complete mess of contact (Android)

Hen_Dawg · 19 Oct 2011 at 04:53

Hi,
So through various backups, restores with different methods I'm left with about 2000 contacts on my phone, with many people duplicated up to 10 times!!
Total mess :eek:

Before I flash my next ROM and do another backup/restore I want to know how to sort this properly. I basically don't know what overrides what, if you see what I mean.

I can delete via gmail on the PC as that is quick but will that do anything or will the next sync just put all the phone contact back in gmail? I have Mybackup Pro which I'd normally use for contacts (as well as everything else). I have a contact remover app to assist if necessary. What order should I do this in?

Any help here could potentially save me hours of deleting only to find they come back. Thanks

bimmerboii · 19 Oct 2011 at 06:04

I suggest cleaning your contacts through gmail. Dont use any backup apps for your contacts. Your google account automatically does this for you. Whenever you flash a new rom, your contacts will automatically be restored to your phone when you sign in with your google account.

_Jimlad_ · 19 Oct 2011 at 08:33

yeah as above. sort it all in gmail and make sure all your contacts are merged and purged. google can sort the duplicates out.

It works on a last edited basis wins sync rule. so if you make edits in gmail they should go straight through, however if this is gonna be a big job then remove your google account from the phone then re add after the edit

Myshra · 19 Oct 2011 at 08:59

Yeah, time to goto http://contacts.google.com and have a bit of a sit down :/

batfink · 19 Oct 2011 at 09:27

Might be easier to export a .csv file, open it up in Excel and make the changes there before re-importing the complete list. That way you'll also have a backup which you can use if this happens again.

loltim · 19 Oct 2011 at 09:30

batfink said:
Might be easier to export a .csv file, open it up in Excel and make the changes there before re-importing the complete list. That way you'll also have a backup which you can use if this happens again.

This. Will be much easier to edit/find/replace/delete in Excel.

_Jimlad_ · 19 Oct 2011 at 09:50

gmail finds and merges duplicates easier than excel!

Hen_Dawg · 20 Oct 2011 at 07:50

Myshra said:
Yeah, time to goto http://contacts.google.com and have a bit of a sit down :/

Hallelujah!

I didn't know about that, it's got a 'find duplicates then merge them' feature. Brilliant.
I'll also export a .csv for good measure.

Thanks all. Just the info I needed Much time will be saved.

However, I just synced my gmail contacts from my phone and numbers I've saved on the phone are not there. I realise google won't sync them. So I exported to SD card, them imported. Choosing the 'import to google' option and bingo. They are now all there so I can sync again on phone. Sort out on PC with the contacts.google.com and sync more more time to have a clean, mess-free, easy contacts list once more!