Galaxy S4 (4.3): All contacts are saved to device. Can I change them to Google instead?

[Aivlysmil3]

Hi, I had the same problem. It seems that my default was changed from device to Google when I kept changing it to Google when I was adding contacts. And to change all the contacts in device to Google at once, just click on merge account. Choose google acc. And all contacts from device will be changed to Google. I'm using S4 too

 

[MrGeeDub]

I have the same issue with my new Galaxy S6. I'm new to Android so this "Contacts on Device" vs "Contacts on Google" is a bit confusing and frustrating to me.

By the wording, I assume that my Google contacts are NOT on my device. So if I lose network connection or I'm on airplane mode, I will not see my Google contacts? This is not the case because when I shut off my data or go into airplane mode I still see my Google contacts on my phone. So they ARE actually on the device, right? But if I go to Contacts - Settings - Contacts To Display and select "Phone", no contacts are there. So I have no contacts on my device?

When I try to sync my contacts to Verizon Cloud (I need to do this in order to properly use the messaging app on my PC), it tells me I have no contacts on my device to sync, even though I have over 300 Google contacts that I see on my phone (but I guess these are not on my device, or are they).

In order to avoid all of this BS, is there a way to keep device contacts continuously synced with the Google contacts so that they mirror each other? So that if I add or edit a contact on one, it does the same to the other? I've tried importing all of my Google contacts to the device and linking them, but this causes more issues then it solves. If you edit a linked contact on device it does nothing to the Google contact and vice versa. But if you delete the linked contact on one, it deletes the other. And adding a new contact on one does not add it to the other.

Since I'm new to the Android operating system, maybe there's something here I'm missing. If anyone can shed some light on this issue, please let me know. Thanks.

 

[jranderson50]

My contact page does not have a menu button.

 

[S Maduras]

It was pretty easy to do on my S5 version 4.4.4 (im not upgrading to lollipop 5 until they work out the bugs)

Since I did the same thing, entered my contacts to "Device" not realizing that it cannot be backed up on Google later, this is what I did:


Tap-contacts, then tap menu (3 dots under the word contacts top right), then tap settings, then tap Contacts,
then tap import/export, then tap (I know this is counter-intuitive but this is not a typo) tap Export To Device Storage,
then tap OK to confirm.
Then you should be back at the Settings, tap Import/Export again, this time tap Import FROM Device, then tap Google

You are done.



To Sync with Google, make sure your phone is linked or signed into Google or Google+

To Sync right now to make sure it is working, on the S5, go back to Home, Swipe down from the top to bring down the settings, and look for the Sync button. swipe the buttons to the left if you don't see it. (You may need to add it, do that by clicking on the top right icon with 3 squares, go to the bottom, and drag the Sync button to the active menu)
Anyway, once you click on the Sync button, log onto your Google account on your computer, go to your contact list, and there they are!

Bonus is you can add a ton of contacts by using your computer, which to me, is way faster than adding using my phone, then you can sync and they will appear on your phone.

 

[EdreesesPieces]

It was pretty easy to do on my S5 version 4.4.4 (im not upgrading to lollipop 5 until they work out the bugs)

Since I did the same thing, entered my contacts to "Device" not realizing that it cannot be backed up on Google later, this is what I did:


Tap-contacts, then tap menu (3 dots under the word contacts top right), then tap settings, then tap Contacts,
then tap import/export, then tap (I know this is counter-intuitive but this is not a typo) tap Export To Device Storage,
then tap OK to confirm.
Then you should be back at the Settings, tap Import/Export again, this time tap Import FROM Device, then tap Google

You are done.



To Sync with Google, make sure your phone is linked or signed into Google or Google+

To Sync right now to make sure it is working, on the S5, go back to Home, Swipe down from the top to bring down the settings, and look for the Sync button. swipe the buttons to the left if you don't see it. (You may need to add it, do that by clicking on the top right icon with 3 squares, go to the bottom, and drag the Sync button to the active menu)
Anyway, once you click on the Sync button, log onto your Google account on your computer, go to your contact list, and there they are!

Bonus is you can add a ton of contacts by using your computer, which to me, is way faster than adding using my phone, then you can sync and they will appear on your phone.

THANK YOU. This solution actually works for S4, if anyone googled for this topic and is looking for a solution.

 

[mrnickh]

This worked for me too! THANK YOU

 

[joemusicman64]

See post #24 for the answer that also worked for me. Unfortunately I didn't see his post until I spent all morning figuring it out myself. I have a Galaxy S4 running OS 5.0.1.

The key steps were as follows:

1) Export from phone to device storage:
Open Contacts App, Press Menu button on bottom left of phone, Settings, Contacts, Import/Export contacts, Export to device storage, Ok (contacts will be exported).

2) Import from device storage to Google.
Import/Export contacts, Import from device storage, Save contact to Google (contacts will be imported).

Done !!!

Now go manually synch your contacts on your phone and go check them in your Gmail. Mine were all there !!!!

Also after adding one Google contact, now my phone's "add contact" defaults to Google so I don't have to repeat the above Import/Export process.

 

[planotxgwm]

Thanks Aaron. Saved me hours of frustration.