en technology windows How to find and delete duplicate contacts on Android in 2020

How to find and delete duplicate contacts on Android in 2020

Having duplicate contacts on your smartphone can be very inconvenient, for example when trying to contact old friends and family via text message or phone call. You may also find it extremely annoying when using Google Assistant to call or text your contacts. But don’t worry. There are various methods you can use to easily find, merge, and delete duplicate contacts on Android. In this tutorial, we’ll take a closer look at different ways to do that.

How to find and delete duplicate contacts on Android in 2020
How to find and delete duplicate contacts on Android in 2020

How to find, merge, and delete duplicate contacts on Android

In this article, we will use three different methods that you can use to find and delete duplicate contacts on your Android device. The first method uses the native Contacts app that comes with Android. The second method uses the online Google Contacts app. Finally, use a third-party contact management app. That being said, let’s take a look at how to find and merge duplicate contacts on Android.

1. Use the Contacts app on Android

Google has made it easier to find and merge duplicate lists of the same person in the Google Contacts app. Here’s how:

Note: This method only works on smartphones running the standard version of Android . If your phone has a custom UI like Samsung’s One UI or Xiaomi’s MIUI 11, the steps are a little different. We will discuss this later in the article. Also note that you can’t merge contacts stored in different Google Accounts.

  1. Open the Contacts app on your Android smartphone or tablet.
  2. Tap the Menu icon in the top left corner and go to Suggestions .

Merge Contacts on Android
Merge Contacts on Android

3. Now look for the option called “Clean up duplicates” to remove different listings for the same person. From here, you can tap Merge to combine one duplicate contact suggestion, or tap Merge All to combine all duplicate contact suggestions.

2. Using Google Contacts on the web

If you have contacts saved in your Google Account, you can also easily merge them using Google Contacts on the web . Here’s how:

  1. Open Google Contacts in your web browser of choice and sign in to your Google Account.
  2. Once you log in, you’ll see all the contacts you’ve synced with a particular account. Next, look for the option named ” Duplicate ” in the left sidebar and click it to display all duplicate contacts.

Merge Contacts on Google Contacts Web
Merge Contacts on Google Contacts Web

3. Similar to Android’s Contacts app, you will be given the option to merge contacts individually or all together . Selecting either will merge duplicate contacts into one.

It’s very simple, isn’t it? Now, let’s check out a third-party app that allows you to merge duplicate contacts.

3. Use third-party apps on Android

Google Play Store has tons of apps that can help you merge duplicate contacts. So, if you are not sure which app is suitable for the task, we recommend checking out the “ Cleaner – Merge Duplicate Contacts ” app ( free ).

Note: This app is no longer available on the Play Store. We have provided the APK download link for APKPure. We continue to use this app because it performed best in identifying and merging duplicate contacts. If you want an app available on the Play Store, check out Fix & Delete Duplicate Contacts ( Free , In-App Purchase).

This is one of the best apps you can use to merge duplicate contacts, as it displays duplicate contacts by name, phone number, and email address. Additionally, the app also lists unused contacts and can be deleted from the app itself. Anyway, here’s a quick guide on how to find and merge duplicate contacts using the app.

  1. First, download the “Cleaner – Merge Duplicate Contacts” app from the link above.
  2. When you open the app, all duplicate contacts will be automatically displayed under the option called “Duplicates” . Here you will see duplicate contacts by name, phone number, and email.
    Merging contacts with Cleaner app
    Merging contacts with Cleaner app
  3. You can enter any options and select the contacts you want to merge.
  4. You’ll see the option to merge contacts or “Merge All Duplicates.”
  5. Tap Merge or Merge All to remove duplicates and combine them into one contact.

Cleaner – Merge Duplicate Contacts is a completely free application that allows you to merge all your duplicate contacts with just one tap. Additionally, the app is available in 15 languages, making it accessible to a wide range of users.

Bonus: Combine duplicate contacts in custom UI

Many smartphone manufacturers have an option to merge duplicate contacts directly within the UI. For example, OnePlus’ OxygenOS lets you merge duplicate contacts from within the Contacts app. The same goes for Xiaomi’s MIUI and Samsung’s One UI. Within the Contacts app’s settings page, you should find an option to merge duplicate contacts. However, if your phone doesn’t have the option to merge duplicate contacts natively, you’ll need to use Google Contacts on the web or download a third-party app. In any case, merging or deleting duplicate contacts on Android is not that difficult.

merge and remove duplicate contacts
merge and remove duplicate contacts
OxygenOS left / 1 UI right
  • OxygenOS: Settings -> Recommended merges.
  • One UI: Open hamburger menu -> Manage contacts -> Merge contacts.
  • MIUI: Settings -> Merge Duplicates.

Note: The settings here refer to the native Contacts app settings.

Find and delete duplicate contacts on Android

There are other methods and apps that allow you to remove duplicate contacts on Android, but we found the method mentioned above to be the easiest. Please give it a try and let us know if you run into any issues. Also, if you think another method is better, please let us know in the comments section below.