Messages app does not recognize contacts s8 active

[Android Central Question]

So if I want to send a text when I type in a name in the "receiptient" box, it will not recognize any contacts. All contacts are Google. If I create a contact and save to the phone, messages works as it should. Email works fine.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Go to Settings>Apps and select the Messaging app. Then tap Permissions -- does the app have Contacts permission?

 

[64rocket]

Yes permissions are turned on. Had set to all contacts, phone, Google, Samsung, etc. I did find a fix.

Settings
Contacts
More settings
Contacts to display
Changed from all to custom.
Chose Google account
Checked all radial in the Google account. Prior imports etc.

Now works like a charm. Phone knew where to look for contacts, google, but Google contacts needed to specified I guess.
Thanks for the reply and hope this helps others.
Cheers

 

[B. Diddy]

Thanks for the update! That's an odd bug. I remember something similar when trying to sync contacts to my old car's Bluetooth system -- it wouldn't work right if All was selected for Contacts to Display. I had to select specific groups.

 

[64rocket]

Yes very puzzling indeed. I've owned androids for years and have never encountered an issue such as recognising contacts for messaging. Email and phone worked, just not texts. Start to type a contact in email or phone app and the list populates with possible contacts. This only affected messaging. Very strange indeed. Solved for now but when I told the phone to use all contacts groups, I would expect that it picks all contacts in each group, without having to go to a submenu to tell specific subcategories to use with Google. Again thanks for the input.
Cheers

 

[B. Diddy]

If you want to investigate further, see if the problem persists in Safe Mode: https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-34283

 

[Run2Eat]

thanks for this list - saved my sanity!

 

[monicajo]

I'm having this same problem, and the first recommended solution was already turned on, and i don't have a "more settings" in my contacts app from settings. Any other recommendations?

 

[Maui1]

monicajo,

It just worked for me. I own a Note 8.

Try... Settings - Apps - Contacts.
Then @ top right, click on the Settings logos (looks like a 6 petal flower).
Then Contacts to show - Custom list (at bottom) - Then Settings logo (flower) to the right.
Expand and add check mark to every file.... Google, Exchange, MSN Exchange ActiveSync, Outlook, etc ....

I did that and now the messaging app finds my contacts!!!! Finally after hours of research.
I hope this works for you as well..

T

 

[Firstname Lastname5]

"Settings
Contacts
More settings
Contacts to display
Changed from all to custom.
Chose Google account
Checked all radial in the Google account. Prior imports etc.
"


These steps resets my Messages app problem. It was taking the letters I was typing for a recipient name and using them as numbers on a phone dialpad and marking all numbers it converted as invalid phone number format. I followed the above steps to change to Custom from Google only account and the Messages app started recognizing contacts again. Then I changed the Custom setting back to the Google only account and the Messages app continued to recognize the contacts. So, somehow, the steps you gave reset the contacts search in the messages app. thanks!

 

[gw63]

Just started having same problem on my Note 8. I can get as far as Settings logo (looks like a 6 petal flower) but then I don't have any option for "Contacts to show". Any suggestions?
Thanks