Why can't I add new contacts to groups (KitKat)?

[r2 control]

Can't add new contacts to groups (kitkat)

I've had a Motorola Droid Maxx for about a month. It's running 4.4.4. (My first Android phone, though I've also used a tablet before, just not for contacts.)

When I got it, the Verizon store's transfer of data machine was not working (it actually ended up wiping another family member's old phone), so I came home and spent time entering all my contacts manually. I created groups which, when I go to the Groups tab, are listed under Backup Assistant Plus. I was able to sort all the contacts into groups.

Since then, I've added a few new contacts manually, and while I can star those to show up in Favorites if I like, I can't seem to add them to any groups. There is no field for groups on the contact page. I go to the groups themselves, choose one, select Edit, and start typing in the name of the contact. I can do this with one of the original contacts (type a few letters and possible options pop up), but not the more recently added ones. I can type the whole name, and nothing happens, even if I tap "save" afterwards.

I've looked at some older threads on this subject, but haven't been able to make complete sense out things there. There were comments regarding contacts on Google... I'm currently using my Google account only for the email associated with my blog. For everything else I'm using my Outlook account. I did at some point link the phone to that account, even though I'm only rarely using the phone for email; I turned off the sync feature (in the phone's Settings) to turn back on only when I want to update it. Anyway, after that I found all my Outlook email addresses in my contacts list, and deleted them all from there as they were just in the way.

I read about selecting the menu at the bottom with selections such as Import/Export (which I do not understand) and Accounts. There is also "Contacts to display" which is set to "all contacts." I notice that if I set it to any individual accounts, the new contacts only show up under the Outlook account. I don't understand why this happens, but might this be why I can't add them to the groups which are listed under Backup Assistant Plus

Does something need to be synced here? Imported or exported from where to where? When I enter a contact into my phone, where is it going? And why, for heavens sake, isn't this simpler? Everything else I've encountered with Android is much more intuitive or at least makes sense and is consistent once I learn how something works.

Thanks for reading. I hope this wasn't too long... wanted to be as thorough as I could in providing info.

 

[B. Diddy]

Re: Can't add new contacts to groups (kitkat)

Welcome to Android Central! I think the central issue may be which account you're entering contacts into. When you enter contacts into the Contacts app, they can become associated with your Google account (which syncs automatically with your Google Contacts in the cloud--what I usually recommend), another email account (like an Exchange account), or with the local Phone Account. The Phone Account usually doesn't sync anywhere automatically--unless, perhaps, if you're using Backup Assistant Plus. I'm not entirely sure about this, since I never used Backup Assistant Plus back when I was with Verizon.

So if your contacts are listed in Backup Assistant Plus, then I'm guessing they're associated with the local Phone Account. In order to get them into the groups you created there, you may have to make sure that any new contacts you enter are associated with the Phone Account (or Backup Assistant). When you're entering the new account, pay attention near the top of the entry screen--there should be a place to select which account to add the contact to.. Try it out with a new test contact.

 

[r2 control]

When you're entering the new account, pay attention near the top of the entry screen--there should be a place to select which account to add the contact to.. Try it out with a new test contact.

THAT WORKED! Thank you so much! Unfortunately, there is no way to edit the account a contact is associated with once it's been saved, so I'll have to put the new ones in again. I hadn't even been paying attention to that field at the top.

So what would syncing do? Can you get all the contacts to be the same on every list? And if you do that, does it apply only to the contacts that already exist, or will it apply to additional contacts entered later? I really don't understand the selections of importing/exporting, what's in storage and what's on the SIM.

Thanks again, and I might be out of touch for a couple days...will check back here when I'm able.

 

[doogald]

Re: Can't add new contacts to groups (kitkat)

Syncing means that if you had two devices, they would have the same contact list and groups. More importantly, if you get a new phone or have a problem with your current phone and need to reset, when you set up the new phone (or set up the existing one from scratch) your contacts and groups will be restored with your first sync, rather than having to enter them all in again.