Samsung phones come with a Contacts app that can sync your contacts with other services like Google and Microsoft Exchange. Even so, the Samsung Contacts app on your Galaxy phone may have trouble syncing from time to time. If you have sync problems often, there are some steps you can take to fix the problem for good.
If you’ve already tried restarting the Contacts app and ruled out problems with your internet connection, it’s time to look deeper. In this guide, we’ve put together some troubleshooting tips for getting your Samsung Galaxy phone’s Contacts app to sync again. So let’s look at them.
Fix Samsung Contacts App Not Syncing
1. ENABLE AUTO SYNC
Before trying anything else, it’s worth making sure that the auto-sync feature is enabled on your Samsung Galaxy phone. Here are the steps for the same.
Step 1: Open the Settings app and scroll down to tap on Accounts and backup.
Step 2: Tap on Manage accounts and enable the toggle next to Auto sync data from the following screen.
Step 3: Next, select the account from where you want to sync contacts.
Step 4: Tap on Sync account and enable the toggle next to Contacts from the following screen.
Return to the Contacts app and give it a few seconds to check if it syncs contacts.
2. CHECK PERMISSIONS FOR THE CONTACTS APP
If it doesn’t have the right permissions, the Samsung Contacts app might not be able to get to or sync your contacts. Follow these steps to check if the Contacts app has the rights it needs:
Step 1: Long-press on the Contacts app icon and tap the ‘i’ icon from the menu that pops open.
Step 2: When the App Info menu optons, go to Permissions.
Step 3: Tap on Contacts and select Allow from the following screen.
3. CHANGE THE VIEW TYPE IN THE CONTACTS APP
You can switch between different view types in the Samsung Contacts app to see contacts from different accounts. If you’ve previously set the app to only show contacts from one account, you might think that it’s not syncing correctly.
Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left corner of the Contacts app to see all of your contacts. Then, tap the top drop-down menu and choose All contacts.
After that, the Contacts app display all of your contacts.
4. CHECK DATE AND TIME SETTINGS
Is the date or time on your phone wrong? This could stop apps on your Galaxy phone, like Samsung Contacts, from syncing data. To avoid any problems, set your phone to automatically set the date and time. Here’s what you need to do.
Step 1: Open the Settings app on your Galaxy phone and go to General management.
Step 2: Tap on Date and time and enable the toggle next to ‘Automatic date and time.’
5. ENABLE BACKGROUND DATA USAGE FOR THE APP
If you have stopped the Samsung Contacts app from using data in the background, it may have trouble syncing data on your phone. Check that first, and if the app still isn’t syncing correctly, turn it off.
Step 1: Long-press on the Contacts app icon and tap the ‘i’ icon from the menu that appears.
Step 2: When the App Info menu opens, tap on Mobile data and enable the toggle next to ‘Allow background data usage.’
6. CLEAR APP CACHE
If the Samsung Contacts app’s cache files are broken or can’t be reached, the app may have trouble syncing your data or even crash. You can clear out the app’s cache and see if that makes the app work on your Galaxy phone. Don’t worry, this process will only get rid of temporary files. None of your contacts or accounts will be lost.
Step 1: Long-press on the Contacts app icon and tap the ‘i’ icon from the menu that pops open.
Step 2: From the App Info menu, go to Storage and tap the Clear cache option.
7. UPDATE THE CONTACTS APP
If your Contacts app is buggy or old, it could cause you trouble. So, if you haven’t already, it’s a good idea to update the Samsung Contacts app.
Step 1: In the Contacts app, tap the menu icon in the top left corner and then tap the gear-shaped icon.
Step 2: Tap “About Contacts,” and the app will look for updates automatically. Tap Update to install a newer version if one is available.
NO MORE SYNC ISSUES
The sync problems with the Samsung Contacts app will be fixed by one or more of the steps in this guide. But if nothing works or you’re tired of dealing with the same problems over and over again, you can always switch your Galaxy phone to Google Contacts.