iPhone Lost Contacts After Update: How to Recover

Why did your contacts disappear after the update?

Apple updates the iOS system every year, which will bring users a new experience. But sometimes, after the update, you may encounter issues like contacts lost, WiFi not working, and so on. Usually, contacts lost on iPhone can be an iOS system issue, iCloud restore/sync issue, accidental deletion, or misoperation.

How to fix “iPhone lost contacts after update”

Now, check out the following methods to recover your lost contacts on iPhone after the update.

1. Restart your iPhone

After the phone is updated, the iCloud may not be synchronized yet, you can restart your phone to refresh your device so that the data can be synchronized in time.

Method 1: Go to “Settings” > Tap “General”, and slide to the bottom > Click “Shut Down” > Long press the side button to power on

Method 2: Simultaneously press the side button (lock screen button) and home button, or press the side button and volume down button (The shutdown method depends on your iPhone device.) > slide to power off the iPhone > long press side button to power on the iPhone

2. Check if your iCloud contacts are turned on

After the update, if you notice your contacts are missing, the easiest way is to check if your iCloud is turned on.

Step 1. Go to “Settings” > Tap your name > Click “iCloud”.

Step 2. Turn off the “Contacts” > Select “Keep on My Phone”.

Step 3. Turn on the “Contacts” > Click “Merge”.

Notes:

۰ Keep on My iPhone: It allows users to keep all the previously synced iCloud contacts on iPhone.

۰Delete from My iPhone: It deletes all the previously synced iCloud contacts from your iOS device.

3. Import contacts from SIM card

Some users like to save contacts on the SIM card, so after updating, users need to import the contacts on the SIM card into the iPhone.

Settings > Click “Contacts” > Tap “Import SIM Contacts”

4. Using professional data recovery software

If you lost your contacts without backup, you can use AOMEI Data Recovery Assistant to restore your iPhone data. It can recover not only the contacts but also other data, like photos, notes, reminders, etc.

Step 1. Install AOMEI Data Recovery Assistant on your computer, then connect your iPhone.

Step 2. Click “Scan Now”.

Step 3. The scanned data will appear in the interface, select the contacts and click “Recover”.

iOS backup software-Backup your contacts before losing

In order to prevent the occurrence of losing contacts on iPhone after the iOS 16/15 update, you can back up your data through a backup tool. AOMEI FoneBackup is a professional iPhone data backup software, which can fully or selectively backup iPhone contacts, photos, videos, songs, etc. 

You can preview the data you need to back up on your computer first, and then back up your data with a few clicks according to the graphical interface provided. The next part will give you a demonstration, and you can download it and follow the steps below.

Step 1. Launch the AOMEI FoneBackup, and connect the iPhone to your computer.

Step 2. Click Phone Backup and click Get Started under Selective Backup. Then, click Contacts.

♦Note: In order to avoid other data loss after upgrading iOS 16/15, you can also go to full backup to backup the entire phone.

Step 3. Select the contacts you need and click OK.

Step 4. Choose the storage path, and click Start Backup button to complete the operation.

The contacts that have been backed up will always be saved on the computer. When your contacts are lost on your iPhone after the update, you can connect the phone again to transfer the contacts from the computer to your iPhone.

Conclusion

If your iPhone lost contacts after the update, I am sure you must know how to deal with it. In order not to waste your time and better protect your data, I think you should try to use AOMEI FoneBackup.

In reality, AOMEI FoneBackup can not only backup your iPhone contacts, but transfer your data. It can transfer various types of files to computer/iPhone, like photos, music, messages and etc. It's like an alternative to Airdrop, but its transmission speed is faster than Airdrop.