How to edit contacts in Gmail (and manage them effectively)

Find Gmail Contacts on desktop

1. Head to Google Contacts on your web browser of choice.
2. Log into your Google account if you haven’t already done so.
3. All the contacts should appear on the homepage by default. If not, click Contacts in the menu on the left side.

Find Gmail Contacts on mobile

1. Tap the Gmail app. (Note: You can download the app from the App Store for your iOS device and the Google Play Store for your Android phone.)
2. Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner of the screen to open a drop-down menu.
3. Click Manage Your Google Account under your name.
4. Click People & Sharing to the right of Security. (Note: You may need to scroll through the tabs at the top to find it.)
5. Tap Contacts to open a new window and view your contacts on the homepage.

Modify contacts on the web

Editing contact details on the web cannot be done directly from Gmail’s primary interface. Instead, use the official Google Contacts website.

Here's how to access Google Contacts from your Gmail account:

1. Log into your Gmail account.
2. Click on the (nine-dot) Google Apps button in the upper right corner.
3. Click on the Google Contacts icon to reach the main Contacts page.

Alternatively, you can just visit contacts.google.com for a more direct method. Either way, you can now edit your contacts directly on the web with Windows, Mac, Linux, or Chromebook devices.

Here’s how to edit contact details:

1. Hover over your chosen contact.
2. Click the pencil icon that appears on the right-hand side.
3. Your contact's Google profile will open, and you can change details, such as their phone number or job title.
4. Click the Save button found on the top-right. 

Here’s an example of what this looks like. We went into Abraham Mccarthy’s contact and changed his name from “Abraham” to “Abe.” 

One last thing here: Your other devices must be connected to the web and have automatic synchronization enabled to reflect any changes you've made on your desktop across your other devices.

Modify contacts with an Android device

Every Android phone is pre-loaded with the Google Contacts app. If you cannot find the app, visit the Google Play Store to download it again.

Click on the Contacts app to arrive at your list of contacts, and edit by following these steps:

1. Tap the pencil icon in the bottom-right corner of your contact’s page.
2. Update the contact's information.
3. Click Save in the top-right corner.

Modify contacts with an iOS device

iOS devices, including the iPad and iPhone, also have a Contacts app, but you must download it from the App Store first.

Once downloaded and logged in, edit your contacts with these steps:

1. Tap Groups in the top-left corner to ensure your app only shows your Gmail contacts.
2. Enable the All Gmail option, disable all other options, and click Done.
3. On the main page, select the contact name you wish to edit.
4. Tap Edit in the top-right corner.
5. Update your contact details and tap Done.

How to delete a Gmail contact using a web browser

Start editing contacts by visiting the primary Google Contacts homepage, typing the address into your browser, or clicking through your Gmail contacts. If you're signed in, you should already see a list of contacts.

Then, you can delete one or several contacts following these steps:

1. Hover your cursor over the contact you want to delete.
2. Check the box next to that contact. (Note: You can delete multiple contacts by repeating this process next to each contact.)
3. Click the three dots (⁝) or More, depending on which version of Contacts you’re using.
4. Depending on whether you’re using the latest or an earlier version of Contacts, click the Delete or Delete Contact(s) button.
5. Click Delete Forever to confirm.

If you’ve made a mistake, you have 30 days to restore deleted contacts before they’re removed from Google’s servers.

Removing contacts in the Google Contacts app 

You can also follow the same steps to delete contacts via your web browser on a mobile device, like a tablet or smartphone, but the most efficient way is using the Google Contacts app.

Here's how to remove contacts:

1. Open your Google Contacts app.
2. Review the contacts on your screen and tap the one you want to delete.
3. Tap on the three dots (⁝) in the top-right of the screen.
4. Click Delete.
5. Click Delete again to confirm.

Note: If you want to delete multiple contacts, long-tap on each one. Instead of clicking on the menu icon, you can tap the Trash icon that appears and delete all selected contacts that way. 

Can I bulk-edit Google Contacts?

Yes, you can. Google offers a tool known as Contact Editor.

This tool lets you edit each contact in a spreadsheet format. It’s not the most efficient way of editing contacts in bulk, but it’s much faster than editing numerous contacts individually.

Why haven’t my contacts been updated?

If you’ve modified your contacts and don’t see any changes, this could be a synchronization problem. Ensure your devices have automatic synchronization enabled and are connected to the internet.

Why do my contacts keep getting deleted?

Your contacts could be missing because you deleted them on one device. Since all devices are universally linked, changes made on one device will be reflected across your entire Google account.

Check your Trash folder or contact Google Help for support with your specific problem.