How do I stop Android from deleting the contacts on my phone when removing a Google Account?

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After reading this thread (https://forums.androidcentral.com/android-5-0-lollipop/621804-how-add-gmail-acct-without-syncing-contacts-automatically-well.html) and a few others, I still need some help.

I got my new, and first, Android phone the other day. It has Oreo. I added my contacts and was settled in. I needed an app so I opened up Google Play. It told me to log in, so I entered a GMail account I have.

I got the app I needed, but saw no way of logging off of Google Play. I read that I had to remove the account from my phone that I used to log into Google Play. So, I removed the account from my phone and found that my contacts on my phone were now gone.

I get on my computer and I learn about auto sync. From my computer, I open up my Google Account and see my contacts. I add my contacts back to my phone and delete them from my Google Account because I don't want them on my Google Account. I then turned off auto sync on my phone. I also save a copy of my contacts to my phone with the export function. I'm settled back in.

A few days later I want to check out another app to see if it will work for my needs. I log back into Google Play and get the app. Since I don't want to stay logged into Google Play, I remove the account from my phone. Even though I have auto sync turned off on my phone, the contacts on my phone have once again been deleted and have been found on my Google Account.

How do I stop my phone from sending my contacts to the web whenever I need to get onto Google Play and then deleting them when I want to log off from Google Play?
 

hallux

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First - while I'm sure you have your reasons, this isn't really the best way to work with an Android device running Google Play Services (most Android devices). Your issues primarily result from the way in which you use it, constantly logging on/off when you want to do something with the Play Store.

As for the contacts - did you add them as device contacts or as contacts associated with a Google account? It's usually a drop-down at the top of the form for adding a contact. Some devices actually don't even allow you to save contacts to the device itself, what device is this?

If you need additional help or have more questions or details to share, please join the site so you can reply in this thread. See this link for instructions on how to join Android Central.
 

TheNegotiator

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First - while I'm sure you have your reasons, this isn't really the best way to work with an Android device running Google Play Services (most Android devices). Your issues primarily result from the way in which you use it, constantly logging on/off when you want to do something with the Play Store.

As for the contacts - did you add them as device contacts or as contacts associated with a Google account? It's usually a drop-down at the top of the form for adding a contact. Some devices actually don't even allow you to save contacts to the device itself, what device is this?

If you need additional help or have more questions or details to share, please join the site so you can reply in this thread. See this link for instructions on how to join Android Central.

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I have a Moto X4. When I add a contact, I only have the option to save to device.
 

RumoredNow

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I stay signed into gmail on my phone for Play Services... That's all I use it for. No mail, no contacts, no calendar. No OK Google. No Personal Information Management whatsoever. I actually disable all that on the phone via settings > App management.

Try Blackberry Hub. It will integrate whatever account you DO have your contacts on and keep them on phone and in that account. It will sync up contacts, email, calendar, etc with the BB versions of those apps and segregate them away from Google. Your Gmail need not enter the picture for PIM at all. Hub is free on BB devices. Other Androids get a free trial with a $0.99 subscription per month rate after the first 30 days or continue free with ads. It might be just what you are looking for.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.blackberry.hub
 

TheNegotiator

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I stay signed into gmail on my phone for Play Services... That's all I use it for. No mail, no contacts, no calendar. No OK Google. No Personal Information Management whatsoever. I actually disable all that on the phone via settings > App management.

Try Blackberry Hub. It will integrate whatever account you DO have your contacts on and keep them on phone and in that account. It will sync up contacts, email, calendar, etc with the BB versions of those apps and segregate them away from Google. Your Gmail need not enter the picture for PIM at all. Hub is free on BB devices. Other Androids get a free trial with a $0.99 subscription per month rate after the first 30 days or continue free with ads. It might be just what you are looking for.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.blackberry.hub

Thanks for getting back to me. I'm happy with the contact storage when I don't have a Google Account associated with the phone (I currently don't). I'm just confused as to why my contacts get sent to the Google Account I add to the phone even though I have auto sync turned off and then deletes my contacts when I remove the account.

It's really not that big of a deal (it's just an annoyance) because I would only need to link an account in the rare time I might want to check out an app.
 

Rukbat

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If you don't keep your contacts backed up on Google, and you don't keep the export file backed up on something aside from the phone - and something happens to the phone (loss, damage),you're going to be back here asking how to get your contacts back. And you won't be able to. (It's fine if you have a dozen contacts, but some people have hundreds.)

Besides, there's no reason to not keep your backups on Google - not just your contacts, but your pictures and everything else. Google's backup servers are secure, and no one at Google is going to go looking through your contacts. Besides, the whole idea of Android is that it's a Google-centric world. If you want to stay away from Google, use an iPhone.

The contacts are kept - on the phone - based on the Google account. So are all your backups. So is installing an app. You're buying a phone designed by Google, with software written by Google - then don't want to use Google. That's like buying a Ford, then taking off the wheels because they were made by Ford, and complaining that the performance is terrible when you try to drive on the axles.
 

RumoredNow

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That's like buying a Ford, then taking off the wheels because they were made by Ford, and complaining that the performance is terrible when you try to drive on the axles.

Plenty of people buy 3rd party aftermarket wheels that can and do improve performance... Just sayin'.

If the OP (like me) doesn't want his contacts with Google, but wants them with Outlook or Yahoo or whomever we should try and address that don't you think?

That service is perfectly able to maintain the backup of contacts, calendar, etc perfectly well. If the OP needs his contacts back on a new phone all they need do is sign into that account. Google isn't the only service that does this.
 

RumoredNow

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Thanks for getting back to me. I'm happy with the contact storage when I don't have a Google Account associated with the phone (I currently don't). I'm just confused as to why my contacts get sent to the Google Account I add to the phone even though I have auto sync turned off and then deletes my contacts when I remove the account.

It's really not that big of a deal (it's just an annoyance) because I would only need to link an account in the rare time I might want to check out an app.

Sorry about the late reply, I have more time at the moment for a more detailed answer than I was able to give yesterday.

I struggled with this exact issue until I started using Blackberry Hub due to it's compartmentalization abilities.

You do need a Gmail associated with the phone. It's baked into the firmware. You have to stay signed into Play Services to keep things running smoothly (App and System updates).

Sign into Gmail on the phone and stay signed in. That signs you in across all of Google Services. You need Play Services and Play Store, but that's the only "required" bits.

Go to Settings > Apps and go down the list. You can tap a selection and go into the App to Force Stop and Disable it. If it asks do you want to restore to factory version accept this (it removes all updates and saves storage). Some Apps can be removed if you don't want them, like G'News. That saves even more storage.

Once you Disable/Remove what you don't want to use you will be more in control of where your data resides. If you do add BB Hub you add only those accounts you want and sync them through hub. You'll have the contacts, calendar, mail you want on your phone without the replication. Everything will sync back and forth just fine and you won't have to sign in and out of Google all the time.

My phone works just fine every day. Here is a list of Google Products on the phone and the status, if it isn't on the list I was able to remove it.

Chrome - disabled (I use Bing for search and Edge browser)
Drive - disabled (using OneDrive including for camera roll backup)
Gmail - disabled (use Outlook, I also have a yahoo which collects Spam and I won't put that on my phone either)
Google App - disabled
Google Opinion Rewards - enabled (I answer surveys and get credits into my Play account; I'm controlling what info they get and at least I get a taste of the pie while earning enough credits I never have to buy the occasional app I might want)
Google Pay - disabled
Google Play Movies & TV - disabled (I play only local files via VLC)
Google Play Music - disabled (I play only local music files via Jukefox)
Google Play services - enabled
Google Play Store - enabled
Google Text-to-speech Engine - enabled
Google Zhuyin input - disabled
Hangouts - disabled
Google Maps - disabled (using Here WeGo)
Google News & Weather - disabled (using MSN News and Weather Timeline)
Google Photos - disabled (using Simple Gallery)
YouTube - enabled (but I rarely even go there on my phone)

If it's not on the list, I removed it and don't use the service or have found a 3rd party alternate I like. No OK Google, I use Cortana. No Google Traslate I use Bing Translator, etc.

The point is you are correct; if you have a service you like for something (contacts especially in your case) and you have built up all your data there, then there is no need to be slammed to the Google version if you don't want it and you have every right to control where your data does and does not reside.

Only Play Store and Play Services are needed for your Android to function seamlessly.

Once you are done setting up your phone the way you want it and are signed out of the Google services you don't want (disable/remove those Apps) and you have set up those services you do want...

Sign into your Gmail on a PC/Mac in a browser and comb through the various Google appendages (contacts, calendar, drive, etc. etc.) and remove what you don't want on there. It won't come back at you on the phone and you'll have the data you want in the proper locations without the headaches.


Best of Luck and I hope some of this advice helps enhance your experience.
 
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TheNegotiator

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Sorry about the late reply, I have more time at the moment for a more detailed answer than I was able to give yesterday.

I struggled with this exact issue until I started using Blackberry Hub due to it's compartmentalization abilities.

You do need a Gmail associated with the phone. It's baked into the firmware. You have to stay signed into Play Services to keep things running smoothly (App and System updates).

Sign into Gmail on the phone and stay signed in. That signs you in across all of Google Services. You need Play Services and Play Store, but that's the only "required" bits.

Go to Settings > Apps and go down the list. You can tap a selection and go into the App to Force Stop and Disable it. If it asks do you want to restore to factory version accept this (it removes all updates and saves storage). Some Apps can be removed if you don't want them, like G'News. That saves even more storage.

Once you Disable/Remove what you don't want to use you will be more in control of where your data resides. If you do add BB Hub you add only those accounts you want and sync them through hub. You'll have the contacts, calendar, mail you want on your phone without the replication. Everything will sync back and forth just fine and you won't have to sign in and out of Google all the time.

My phone works just fine every day. Here is a list of Google Products on the phone and the status, if it isn't on the list I was able to remove it.

Chrome - disabled (I use Bing for search and Edge browser)
Drive - disabled (using OneDrive including for camera roll backup)
Gmail - disabled (use Outlook, I also have a yahoo which collects Spam and I won't put that on my phone either)
Google App - disabled
Google Opinion Rewards - enabled (I answer surveys and get credits into my Play account; I'm controlling what info they get and at least I get a taste of the pie while earning enough credits I never have to buy the occasional app I might want)
Google Pay - disabled
Google Play Movies & TV - disabled (I play only local files via VLC)
Google Play Music - disabled (I play only local music files via Jukefox)
Google Play services - enabled
Google Play Store - enabled
Google Text-to-speech Engine - enabled
Google Zhuyin input - disabled
Hangouts - disabled
Google Maps - disabled (using Here WeGo)
Google News & Weather - disabled (using MSN News and Weather Timeline)
Google Photos - disabled (using Simple Gallery)
YouTube - enabled (but I rarely even go there on my phone)

If it's not on the list, I removed it and don't use the service or have found a 3rd party alternate I like. No OK Google, I use Cortana. No Google Traslate I use Bing Translator, etc.

The point is you are correct; if you have a service you like for something (contacts especially in your case) and you have built up all your data there, then there is no need to be slammed to the Google version if you don't want it and you have every right to control where your data does and does not reside.

Only Play Store and Play Services are needed for your Android to function seamlessly.

Once you are done setting up your phone the way you want it and are signed out of the Google services you don't want (disable/remove those Apps) and you have set up those services you do want...

Sign into your Gmail on a PC/Mac in a browser and comb through the various Google appendages (contacts, calendar, drive, etc. etc.) and remove what you don't want on there. It won't come back at you on the phone and you'll have the data you want in the proper locations without the headaches.


Best of Luck and I hope some of this advice helps enhance your experience.

Thanks for getting back to me. What happens if I go to Settings->Apps & Notifications->App permissions->Contacts and remove different app permission, like GMail?
 

RumoredNow

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Thanks for getting back to me. What happens if I go to Settings->Apps & Notifications->App permissions->Contacts and remove different app permission, like GMail?

Not 100% sure as I've not done it that way, but I suspect you'll get a lot of nagging popups aboutr Gmail not working effectively, check your permissions.

My preference is just disable Gmail entirely if you have no interest in getting mail there on your phone.


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