New Phone - Contacts List Has Doubled

[KurtTX]

Since I got the new phone (see thread about headphone problem), I'm having to set everything back up again. I had an SD card in the phone but really had nothing on it yet. When I first turned it back on at the store, I wondered about my contacts and it appeared they were still there...maybe in my SIM card?? Anyway, I said OK to something and it imported them. Now it appears that all of my contacts are doubled. For example, I have a contact that shows the shadow of a person next to it and a duplicate contact with what looks like a computer card next to it. On top of that, if I had a home number and a cell number for a person, now I have two entries for them...well, actually four...two with the shadow person image and two with the computer card image.

What did I do? Is there any easy way to trim this back to the basic list and combine them into a single entry with both home and cell numbers on the same entry?

Thanks...Kurt

 

[apoc53]

You'll probably have to re-link all your contacts. I think I remember going through that after doing a factory reset.

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[cmerlyn]

It sounds to me as though you had all your contacts on your SIM card. Your phone saw the new card, checked out for any contacts, and asked you if you wanted to import them. You said yes before thinking about it. Android keeps all your contacts in your Gmail account. Now you have two of each.
You will probably have to delete all the duplicates more or less manually.


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[KurtTX]

Thanks...sounds like a noob was doing something he shouldn't. I'll get to it! I'm at home with a cold, so what else do I have to do!!

Kurt

 

[anon(631531)]

There are free "duplicate contacts removers" in the Android Market, also for your Mac or PC. Why do all that work, manually?

 

[KurtTX]

Hmmm...are they really "free"? I just might have a look...it's kind of a mess now...

Thanks...Kurt

 

[KurtTX]

OK, got one of the apps. When I click on a pair of duplicate contacts, one says "Account: Phone/Device" and the other says "Account: SIM (null)". Can someone explain the difference? Wouldn't I want to keep the contacts that are on the SIM card so if I have to move it to another phone (perish the thought!)?

Thanks...Kurt

 

[anon(631531)]

OK, got one of the apps. When I click on a pair of duplicate contacts, one says "Account: Phone/Device" and the other says "Account: SIM (null)". Can someone explain the difference? Wouldn't I want to keep the contacts that are on the SIM card so if I have to move it to another phone (perish the thought!)?

Thanks...Kurt

Delete the ones from the sim. If they're all good on the phone, you can always move them to the sim if you switch phones. Get "astro file manager" from the Market, it's also free, and can help you move your contacts once you get everything squared away. Good luck.

 

[KurtTX]

In the end, I chose to go a slightly different way. I found a setting that lets me display either the SIM contacts, the phone contacts, or both. Since I have duplicates on both sides, I just said display what's on the phone. I guess when I add contacts in the future, I'll have to remember to add to both areas.

Next, I looked where I had two entries for the same person, one a cell number and the other a home number. I clicked on the broken link icon on one of the contacts then found the other contact and relinked them.

The downside is that when looking at each entry, both numbers are listed as mobile. I'll just need to edit each entry and reselect what type of phone it really is. Most of them I know right off...a few I might have to look back up to decided.

Kurt

 

[anon(631531)]

In the end, I chose to go a slightly different way. I found a setting that lets me display either the SIM contacts, the phone contacts, or both. Since I have duplicates on both sides, I just said display what's on the phone. I guess when I add contacts in the future, I'll have to remember to add to both areas.

Next, I looked where I had two entries for the same person, one a cell number and the other a home number. I clicked on the broken link icon on one of the contacts then found the other contact and relinked them.

The downside is that when looking at each entry, both numbers are listed as mobile. I'll just need to edit each entry and reselect what type of phone it really is. Most of them I know right off...a few I might have to look back up to decided.

Kurt

O.K. Whatever works for you is good. I've found that if i work out a problem by myself, no matter how long it takes, i get greater satisfaction.

 

[Boumelou]

What is the setting you found to display only one of them ? I'd like to do that on my cellphone as well. Thanks!

 

[OperationA7X]

What is the setting you found to display only one of them ? I'd like to do that on my cellphone as well. Thanks!

This should answer your question.

Just check/uncheck whichever ones you want to see/hide.
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