S8+ - Double Contacts, Phone and Google

[anon(238680)]

I ported over my S8 from my S7e using the smartswitch doogle included with the S8. All worked very well, but I didn't notice till now that I essentially have double contacts, one set on the phone and one set in Google. I have always only used Google to maintain and manage my contacts. What I have now is: I only see one set of entries using the Contacts app on the phone. However, when I edited one of my contacts in Google I did not see the corresponding changes on my phone. Thinking I was having a sync problem, I went through all those settings and found all in good shape. I found, by accident, that all my contacts in the phone are linked to Google. If I do a "details" look at a contact it shows two symbols, a phone and the Google logo. Checking that it shows the link between the contacts, each being separate. The edits I did in Google show on the 'linked' version of the contact, but not on the phone version. If I unlink them, I then see two contacts on the phone. I'm assuming, unless the Contacts app is really stupid, that this was caused by syncing the two phones using Smartswitch.

As I can't figure out a way to dump all the contacts on the phone and reload only those from Google I guess I'll have to go to each one, unlink it then delete the phone version.

Just a heads up for anyone thinking of using the smartswitch if changing phones.

 

[CincyGuy]

I didn't use smartswitch and have the same problem. When given the suggestion of merging contacts it then somehow creates a new contact in the stock contact application.

Setting up accounts, especially MS Exchange accounts, for your contacts and calendar apps is still a really crappy and mysterious process in Android. One area that could definitely stand from some UI or system improvement.

 

[erasat]

I ported over my S8 from my S7e using the smartswitch doogle included with the S8. All worked very well, but I didn't notice till now that I essentially have double contacts, one set on the phone and one set in Google. I have always only used Google to maintain and manage my contacts. What I have now is: I only see one set of entries using the Contacts app on the phone. However, when I edited one of my contacts in Google I did not see the corresponding changes on my phone. Thinking I was having a sync problem, I went through all those settings and found all in good shape. I found, by accident, that all my contacts in the phone are linked to Google. If I do a "details" look at a contact it shows two symbols, a phone and the Google logo. Checking that it shows the link between the contacts, each being separate. The edits I did in Google show on the 'linked' version of the contact, but not on the phone version. If I unlink them, I then see two contacts on the phone. I'm assuming, unless the Contacts app is really stupid, that this was caused by syncing the two phones using Smartswitch.

As I can't figure out a way to dump all the contacts on the phone and reload only those from Google I guess I'll have to go to each one, unlink it then delete the phone version.

Just a heads up for anyone thinking of using the smartswitch if changing phones.

I think that the easiest way to do just that is going to the Contacts app settings and go to Contacts to Display and change it to Phone, it should show you all the contacts that got duplicated, just select all and then delete them. Then go back to show only your Google's contacts.

 

[anon(238680)]

just select all and then delete them.

Based on what I've seen this would delete both contacts as they're still linked, whether or not you're 'seeing' only one. Will give it a try though. Good idea!

 

[anon(238680)]

I didn't use smartswitch and have the same problem. When given the suggestion of merging contacts it then somehow creates a new contact in the stock contact application.

Setting up accounts, especially MS Exchange accounts, for your contacts and calendar apps is still a really crappy and mysterious process in Android. One area that could definitely stand from some UI or system improvement.

I haven't seen the option to merge, but have been there before and it's a non-starter. I agree with you, contacts and account management is way too spread out and overly complicated. As are notifications

 

[erasat]

Based on what I've seen this would delete both contacts as they're still linked, whether or not you're 'seeing' only one. Will give it a try though. Good idea!

No it shouldn't, it should delete just the ones you are seeing, that's why you must change first to Phone on the Contacts to display option.

Anyways, just in case, just go to settings and Export your contacts to your phone storage, that will create a file on your phone, so in worst case scenario you just import that file back.

 

[anon(238680)]

Okay, you were mostly right There was a toggle to "delete all linked contacts" that had to be unchecked. Between Contacts settings and Manage Contacts I did get rid of the phone contacts and changed the default storage to Google. So should be good from now on. I still have a couple to merge but have been bit by that before.

Thanks for the help