How change the default contact type from "Phone" to "Google"?

**CGWaters** · 01-08-2011, 09:16 PM

I keep all of my contacts on Gmail.

The People app on my device defaults to a contact type of "Phone"--not "Google". So when I add a new contact, it doesn't appear in Gmail. I try to remember to change the contact type to "Google" but oftentimes forget. How can I change this so that the default contact type is "Google"?

I can't find a thread that discusses this so it must be something obvious that I'm missing.

**cordoni** · 01-08-2011, 09:20 PM

Also, is there a way to get the contacts you have already on the phone to go to google as well?

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk

**Mr.Geek** · 01-08-2011, 09:32 PM

Go to your Contacts and press Menu click on Import/Export and pick Share Visible Contacts a thing will pop up you then click on GMail type in your email address that you want it sent too.

Mr.Geek

**CGWaters** · 01-08-2011, 09:35 PM

Thanks for the info about how to convert contacts to Gmail. Good to know.

Do you have any comments on the original question about how to make new contacts default to the contact type of "Google" rather than to "Phone"?

**cordoni** · 01-08-2011, 10:01 PM

I don't have the share option. Only let's meet export to sd.

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**Smitty_82** · 01-08-2011, 10:11 PM

Originally Posted by cordoni

I don't have the share option. Only let's meet export to sd.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk

You can export your list to sd and import as google or phone as needed.

**cordoni** · 01-09-2011, 12:24 AM

Will reinporting overwrite what I have?

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**CGWaters** · 01-09-2011, 06:59 AM

Can you guys start your own thread? Your conversation has nothing to do with my original question.

**DroidXcon** · 01-09-2011, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by CGWaters

I keep all of my contacts on Gmail.

The People app on my device defaults to a contact type of "Phone"--not "Google". So when I add a new contact, it doesn't appear in Gmail. I try to remember to change the contact type to "Google" but oftentimes forget. How can I change this so that the default contact type is "Google"?

I can't find a thread that discusses this so it must be something obvious that I'm missing.

I dont think there is a way to stop it from asking you phone or google. unless there is a widget to save google numbers but even then you would have to remember to only save contacts there......i tried changing the contacts.apk in hopes that it was only a onboard remote storage but then contacts doesnt open at all... if you find something please let us know im sure others would like to know

**CGWaters** · 01-09-2011, 01:37 PM

I *wish* it would "ask" me. As it is, unless I remember to change the contact type value, it saves new contacts as type "Phone".

**btk** · 01-26-2011, 04:58 AM

did you ever find an answer? my Incredible does the same thing and it is annoying.

**cabs hea** · 01-26-2011, 06:10 AM

Doesn't google have a sync app? My blackberry has an app called google sync and it automatically syncs my phone's contacts to my gmail contacts and vice versa.

**BSG75** · 01-26-2011, 06:29 AM

Originally Posted by cabs hea

Doesn't google have a sync app? My blackberry has an app called google sync and it automatically syncs my phone's contacts to my gmail contacts and vice versa.

Google contacts do automatically sync. That is not the problem. The issue is that there are "google" contacts and plain old "phone" contacts. The google contacts sync with gmail backward and forward. The phone contacts don't sync anywhere by default. They are just on the phone. All of my contacts are google contacts. I have no phone contacts. The complaint is that when you want to add a new contact, the default seems to be phone, not google. Two contact locations causes more than a little confusion for people. I agree a configurable default would be best, or the ability to disable phone contacts entirely.

I think phone contacts are typically used by people who don't use gmail. I believe the yahoo email app syncs with the phone contacts, for example.

Really, there should only be one contact store.

I just got an Android programming book. Do no apps for this problem exist on the market?

**btk** · 01-26-2011, 08:03 AM

correct! the default is "phone" not "google" for the contact type. and there doesn't seem to be an option to change it.

**stachoo** · 01-26-2011, 09:19 AM

Strange, on my HTC Desire HD/Android 2.3 the default contact type seems to be 'google'.
But still I do have the problem with 'old' contacts synced from my previous phone.

**anicholas7** · 01-26-2011, 10:46 AM

There is no way to change the default so you have two options.
1)Remember to change the contact type before you add the contact or
2)Instead of adding a contact through your phone add it on Google contact page and let the phone sync it by itself.

**jr369** · 01-26-2011, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by anicholas7

There is no way to change the default so you have two options.
1)Remember to change the contact type before you add the contact or
2)Instead of adding a contact through your phone add it on Google contact page and let the phone sync it by itself.

i usually remember but if i dont just go into google look at your phone and type them into google.

**cabs hea** · 01-27-2011, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by BSG75

Google contacts do automatically sync. That is not the problem. The issue is that there are "google" contacts and plain old "phone" contacts. The google contacts sync with gmail backward and forward. The phone contacts don't sync anywhere by default. They are just on the phone. All of my contacts are google contacts. I have no phone contacts. The complaint is that when you want to add a new contact, the default seems to be phone, not google. Two contact locations causes more than a little confusion for people. I agree a configurable default would be best, or the ability to disable phone contacts entirely.

I think phone contacts are typically used by people who don't use gmail. I believe the yahoo email app syncs with the phone contacts, for example.

Really, there should only be one contact store.

I just got an Android programming book. Do no apps for this problem exist on the market?

Gotcha.

**cmcdowell26** · 01-27-2011, 07:58 PM

what i had to start doing was instead of adding new contacts thru people i type the number in the dialer and call it then press the plus sign next to the number then it gives me the option to add it to my gmail or exchange contacts. i'm not sure if this will work if you dont have an exchange account set up on your phone though

**ehiri72** · 03-14-2012, 12:50 AM

Originally Posted by CGWaters

I keep all of my contacts on Gmail.

The People app on my device defaults to a contact type of "Phone"--not "Google". So when I add a new contact, it doesn't appear in Gmail. I try to remember to change the contact type to "Google" but oftentimes forget. How can I change this so that the default contact type is "Google"?

I can't find a thread that discusses this so it must be something obvious that I'm missing.

Open your Contacts screen, press the menu button (usually to the far left), then tap the Settings tab.
There should be a Contact Storage button that you can select. That will open up a dialogue box that allows you to select the account that you want to store the new contacts. I have mine pointed to my Hotmail account that is linked to Outlook. Everything updates seamlessly.

**sonicbluemustang** · 03-14-2012, 11:40 PM

Argh the wife dunked her dinc in the toilet. While I wait on the rice to suck out the water in hopes of salvaging her contacts that are obviously not synced to google. I made a backup last summer on her card but not recently.
Shakés head in dispear.
Good luck to op.

**sonicbluemustang** · 03-15-2012, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by ehiri72

Open your Contacts screen, press the menu button (usually to the far left), then tap the Settings tab.
There should be a Contact Storage button that you can select. That will open up a dialogue box that allows you to select the account that you want to store the new contacts. I have mine pointed to my Hotmail account that is linked to Outlook. Everything updates seamlessly.

There is no settings tab.

**timna** · 04-18-2012, 07:17 PM

This is what has worked for me.

Go to People and click on menu. Select "view", then deselect all but "Google". Now when you create a new contact it should default to google.

Using a HTC Thunderbolt, Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread.

**anika2012** · 08-24-2012, 01:54 PM

As far as I can tell there is no way to set the contact default to Google on ICS, someone please correct me if I missed it somewhere. I am running a device with ics htc sense.

Things have changed a bit in ics so here is how I found to move/merge the contacts from phone to google. With contacts app open Select Menu > Manage Contacts. From there you can merge, move etc.. with out any manual copy operations.

**ctychick** · 09-11-2012, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by timacuff

This is what has worked for me.

Go to People and click on menu. Select "view", then deselect all but "Google". Now when you create a new contact it should default to google.

Using a HTC Thunderbolt, Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread.

Thank you! This worked perfectly on my HTC Rezound.

HTC owners - I read in one of the Android Central articles that HTC/Sense is one of a few manufacturer skins that does NOT provide an option to change the default from saving to "Phone" to "Google" and that on HTC phones you have to manually change it every time you add a new contact. So... The above solution is the way to go for HTC users!