I don't want my contacts to be Gmail contacts. How do I change them?

[whats77inaname]

I don't use gmail. I only set up an account so that I can use the app store. The problem I have is with my contacts. I tried to make sure that when I synced all the contacts, they were saved to the phone, not to gmail. Unfortunately, over my course of rooting, I didn't turn off the sync and at some time, they all synced to Gmail. I deleted them all, but on my phone, they all say they're Google contacts, and not "Phone" contacts. I can't seem to change this. Any suggestions?

 

[bridic]

You can export your contact list from Gmail so that you can import somewhere else.

The thing about the contact being in Gmail is if something happens and your phone dies, all your contacts will automatically be restored once you log into your Gmail account. Good luck.

 

[Mikey47]

I know I always hate the answers that start with "But why would you want to do that...", but...

Why would you want to do that? What is the problem with having your contacts stored in gmail? To me it is the best of both worlds, I not only have all my contacts on my phone, but I also have them "backed up" on Google. That way if I drop my phone while BASE jumping from the Empire State Building and it breaks into a million pieces on the sidewalks of NYC, I can get a new phone and log in with my gmail account and all my contacts are back on my new phone. Just having the contacts on my phone results in the spilling of all my contacts over the hapless people walking the streets below my parachute assisted descent.

 

[androidvirgin]

+1 for Empire State Building base jumping! Saturday?

 

[whats77inaname]

I know I always hate the answers that start with "But why would you want to do that...", but...

Why would you want to do that? What is the problem with having your contacts stored in gmail? To me it is the best of both worlds, I not only have all my contacts on my phone, but I also have them "backed up" on Google. That way if I drop my phone while BASE jumping from the Empire State Building and it breaks into a million pieces on the sidewalks of NYC, I can get a new phone and log in with my gmail account and all my contacts are back on my new phone. Just having the contacts on my phone results in the spilling of all my contacts over the hapless people walking the streets below my parachute assisted descent.

I already have them backed up via HTC Sync. I'm not a big fan of Google, and I def. don't want all my information out there like that. I work in Info. Sec., and my privacy is important to me.

 

[cliberti]

Then don't have a phone period. I bet almost anyone who could steal your data from google could steal it if they are within radio range of your phone.

 

[Mikey47]

I already have them backed up via HTC Sync. I'm not a big fan of Google, and I def. don't want all my information out there like that. I work in Info. Sec., and my privacy is important to me.

So what if you delete all the contacts from your phone, make sure the default is set to "Phone" and not "Google", and then re-sync them from HTC sync?

I'm not an HTC Sync user so I am not exactly sure on how they get from your computer to the phone.

 

[whats77inaname]

Then don't have a phone period. I bet almost anyone who could steal your data from google could steal it if they are within radio range of your phone.

Get real. If you can't add anything constructive to the conversation, and if you can't answer the question, stop wasting my time and thread crapping.

If you know *how* to protect your phone, you can protect your data.

 

[androidian]

Doesn't like google.....and it's an android phone.....

 

[Dave Blake]

Easiest way is to log in to Google and delete the contacts from there the google contacts will be removed from tour EVO but your HTCSync contacts will be left alone.

Later,
Dave

 

[coolqf]

Back up from gmail, then delete from gmail, and delete your gmail contacts form your evo, and they contacts should pull form HTC Sync. It probably already pulled, but since it saw duplicated it avoided them going into your phone.

 

[whats77inaname]

Doesn't like google.....and it's an android phone.....

More like I'm not too fond of Google's seemingly obsessive compulsive desire to catalog every bit of information they can get their hands on regarding everything and everyone. I like my privacy, and lots of others do, too.

Back up from gmail, then delete from gmail, and delete your gmail contacts form your evo, and they contacts should pull form HTC Sync. It probably already pulled, but since it saw duplicated it avoided them going into your phone.

Thanks, I'll try that. The bad part is that I was trying to prevent the information from ever making it to Gmail b/c contrary to popular belief, even though that information may have been "deleted" from your account, the information has already been stored and housed by Google....permanently.

Don't get me wrong, I understand that their motto is "Do no evil", but I'm also keenly aware of that old colloquialism, "The road to hell is (often) paved with good intention(s)".....

Lots of folks don't realize that Google even retains all search data info. from each and every IP (along w/other identifying info) that visits Google.com permanently, as well. They're the only search engine that does it. Have to question the reason behind that when even Microsoft purges that data every 180 days and Yahoo, every 90 days.

 

[lapollita]

I also hate when people say "But why would you want to do that..." Maybe he has a mistress! Anyway. I figured this out, so far. I have a Moto G Play. Contacts are already in Google (in case you lose them) But delete all contacts from your phone; then uncheck auto sync contact; then delete all accounts. Yahoo, Gmail, Outlook, or whichever you have tied to your phone. Now your phone has no other choice but to save the contacts, you put, on the device. You will have to save each one individually cuz copying them will result in you searching " The Google Anti-Christ" again.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! FYI, you're replying to an 11 year old thread.

The main caveat to keeping your contacts only on your device is that if something happens to the device and that information is lost, then it may be difficult if not impossible to get it back again. So if this is how you want to proceed, then I would strongly recommend backing up your contacts on a regular basis some other way, or be prepared to manually input all of your contacts again if this kind of mishap occurs.

 

[lapollita]

I understand this an old thread, but the Moto G phone, I recently purchased, is completely different from my LG. This concept of "Google backup" is new to me. So it is good that threads like these are still around. I noticed that, after I posted on this topic, my contacts were displayed on my phone again. I realized that every time you log into your google account, to check your emails, the phone app will show your contacts. I made another email that I won't ever need to check. Then I set that as a default. Now only the one contact I put on that email shows. that's the best I could do.