Top 10 Solutions to iPhone Contacts Missing Names

Find iPhone contacts missing names? This guide collects 10 solutions to help you fix this annoying problem.

By @Lena Last Updated September 27, 2024

iPhone Contacts Missing Names – No Names Only Numbers

The saved contacts help us know who is calling us. However, now you just find that your iPhone contacts names disappeared. Actually, this is quite a common error that many iPhone users have reported.

When picking up a phone call, it will only show the phone numbers even though you have saved the contact information of that particular person. Or you may find that it only displays numbers instead of contact names in text messages.

Most users find this problem after iOS 17/18 update or a restore. Well, various reasons can lead to the iPhone contacts missing names issue and we can’t say for sure. Besides iOS upgrade, iOS crash, iOS glitches can also be the criminals.

How to Fix iPhone Contacts Missing Names

No matter what causes this annoying issue, now fixing it in soon is the priority. Try the solutions one by one to help you troubleshoot the iPhone contacts missing names problem. Applies to all iPhones including iPhone 15/14/13/11/XR/XS/X/8/7.

Tip 1. Restart Your iPhone

This the first method you can ever have a try when you meet any problem. You can also force reboot your iPhone.

For iPhone 8 and later: press the Volume Up and Down button in turn > press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo.

For iPhone 7: press and hold both the Side and Volume Down buttons until the Apple logo appears.

For iPhone SE, iPhone 6 and earlier: press Home button and Power button at the same time until you see the Apple logo.

Tip 2. Ask Siri to Restore Your Contacts

Siri can do much more than you can imagine. When you find iPhone contacts names disappeared, you can try to ask Siri to bring them back.

Tip 3. Refresh Contacts Database

You can open Contacts app to edit any contact or add more contacts. It can help refresh the contacts database and make the entire contact details available again.

Tip 4. Check iCloud Contacts Sync

Your iPhone may unable to access iCloud contacts so the iPhone contacts lost names. You can go to have check whether the contacts syncing has been turned on. To do this, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud to make sure that Contacts toggle is on.

If the Contacts Sync is enabled, you can toggle off/on to refresh the sync. When you turn off Contacts Sync, please feel free to choose "Delete from My iPhone" on the pop-up window, your contacts are still in iCloud and you will not lose anything. Restart your iPhone and turn Contacts Sync on.

Tip 5. Check Other Contacts Services

Instead of iCloud, you may have your iPhone contacts synced with other services like Google. Go to have a check whether the setting is correct. Go to Settings > Accounts and Passwords > tap your mail account and turn Contacts on. Or you can toggle the Contacts button off and turn it on again after 10 seconds.

Tip 6. Log Out & In iCloud Account

You can also try to sign out and then sign in back to iCloud to fix the iPhone contacts missing names problem. Go to Settings > tap [your name] > iCloud > scroll down and choose Sign Out > enter your password to confirm. Restart your iPhone and log in back.

Tip 7. Reset Network Settings

The network connection error can also lead to the iPhone contacts missing names problem. A good network connection is important for stable contacts sync. Go to Settings > General > Reset (Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset in iOS 15 and later) > Reset Network Settings to make it. You need to re-connect Wi-Fi but it will not affect your data security.

Tip 8. Enable Show All Contacts Option

The iPhone contacts names disappeared issue may happen when you mistakenly enable the Hide All Contacts option. Go to Contacts app > tap Groups in the top left corner > Enable All on My iPhone option.

Tip 9. Disable Short Name

Go to Settings > Contacts > tap Short Name >toggle off Short Name and then turn it on. Or you can totally disable it and go to have a check whether it works.

Tip 10. Restore Contacts from iTunes or iCloud

If all the above methods cannot help you fix the iPhone contacts lost names problem, maybe you can perform a restore to find your missing contacts if you have backed up your iPhone before. However, it will erase all existed iPhone content and your iPhone will be replaced by the backup.

In order to keep your contacts safe and avoid data loss, it’s necessary to make a backup regularly. However, no matter iTunes or iCloud only allows you to restore the whole backup and the restoring will do harm to your data. To only restore contacts next time, you can turn to AOMEI FoneBackup for help.

It’s one free iPhone backup and restore tool for Windows PCs. This tool can help you backup iPhone contacts, messages, photos, videos and more in one click or only backup the selected items. What’s more, it will not erase any existing data during the restore.

Compared to iTunes, AOMEI FoneBackup has a clear interface and user-friendly design, you can complete the transfer in only a few clicks. Go for it now and discover more!

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Conclusion

That’s all about how to fix iPhone contacts missing names problem on iPhone 15/14/13/12. Hope one of the solutions can help you get out of trouble. Or if you have other questions about this issue, please feel free to leave a comment and we will reply to you as soon as possible.