New Android user-some contacts won't sync to Gmail

[alt32701]

Hi all....newer Android user here. I synced my contacts to Gmail for the 1st time recently. That worked fine initially. Now when I add a new contact on my phone it won't sync/update to Gmail. What am I doing wrong? FYI, I have an ATT phone that I'm using on Cricket, so that's why I posted in the ATT section, in case it has something to do with the ATT address book....

 

[Golfdriver97]

Welcome to the forums. How are you adding the contacts? Through the Contacts application, or through a different one?

 

[alt32701]

Thru contacts app...

 

[Golfdriver97]

It might be a sync error, not on your side. You can force a resync in settings>accounts.

From an AOSP M8

 

[Crashdamage]

You have not saved all your contacts to your Google account. Those not in Google of course do not sync.

On many phones contacts can be stored in 3 places.

1. As Google contacts. These are stored on the phone and synced to your Google account (unless sync is turned off).

2. As Phone contacts. These are stored locally on the phone only and not synced.

3. As SIM contacts. Unlike 1+2 above, only names and one number per name can be stored. No addresses, email info, photos, etc.

You have saved some contacts as Google (aka Gmail) contacts, and some saved in phone storage or to the SIM card. You could have some in two places, or even in all three.

You really should get all your contacts in one place, your Google account . To get everything there, export all the non-Google contacts as a .vcf file. Import the .vcf files to your Gmail contacts, either from the phone or transfer the files to a PC and import from there.

Your user manual will cover just how to do all this in more detail.

Android since v1.0. Linux user since 2001.

 

[alt32701]

Ok, that sounds like it will work for all existing contacts, but what do I do when I want to add a new one? I did that the other day and same thing, it never showed up/synced on Gmail...

 

[Crashdamage]

Just make sure that when you add contacts that you save them to your Google account. If you do, they will sync.

Android since v1.0. Linux user since 2001.

 

[alt32701]

Very frustrating....there is no "save to Google" option when one adds a new contact. I feel like a complete retard because this isn't working....actually more because I don't understand it. Saves contacts to 3 possible places? Who thought that was a good idea? I've already lost half my contacts dicking around with this....there has got to be a tutorial or simple method for doing this....crazy....

 

[alt32701]

Never mind my last....I see now the option for saving as a Google contact....stupid ATT phone has the damn ATT Address Book as the default spot to save to....now I see the option for switching to Google....once a contact is saved one way (i.e. lets say its saved thru ATT Address Book) is it possible to change it over to Google? Or does it have to be deleted and reentered?

 

[Crashdamage]

I don't have a phone like yours, all our phones are Nexus devices and on them you *must* save contacts to a Google account, there's no other choice. Anyway, I can't give you exact instructions how to save contacts to Google on your phone. But the user manual should explain it.

Edit: Ahhh...you found it!

You could delete and re-enter them, but if there's a lot it would be much quicker and easier to export them as a .vcf and import as I discussed in my first post.

I've never seen a phone that could simply convert contacts to Google contacts but who knows? Check your manual.

Android since v1.0. Linux user since 2001.