How to backup your contacts, and how to restore it

Changing your mobile and losing all the contacts that we had stored on the previous device is a problem that, probably, many of those present have had to face on more than one occasion. And it’s not exactly nice. Although the backup services in the cloud have managed to alleviate this problem to some extent, there are still those who have seen their contacts disappear completely when they switch to using their new mobile and cannot recover them since all the data on the old device already they had been eliminated. I am among them.

But the truth is that it is really easy to avoid the loss of contacts when switching between Android devices because it is enough to have a backup created that houses all those important contacts. In this guide, we explain how to do it step by step, as well as the best way to restore the backup on the new device when necessary.

Never lose your contacts again: this way, you can create and restore a backup.

First of all, it is necessary to bear in mind that, although it is advisable to have a backup of all the contacts stored on the SIM card or the device, it is even more advisable to have a complete backup, with all the mobile data. That said, let’s see how to create a backup of the contact book.

Create the backup step by step

On Android, we have several ways to create a backup of your contacts. The first one is only valid for all those who use the Google contacts application, highly recommended given that it has useful options such as automatic restoration of backups stored in the cloud, organization of contacts through labels, dark theme, and even access from the browser thanks to its web version.

If you already use this application or decide to start using it from now on, these are the steps to create a backup of your contacts :

1. Open the Contacts app on your mobile.
2. Pull down the side menu and click on “Settings.”
3. In the “Manage Contacts” section, look for the “Export” option.
4. Select the account where the contacts are stored, and click on “Export to .vcf file.”

In this way, a file will be generated to back up all the contacts, which can later be restored on any other Android device.

But if you decide not to use the Big G Contacts app, for whatever reason, you can also create a cloud backup through your Google account. These copies are usually set up automatically the first time the Google account is associated with the device. If you have not done so, it is possible to carry out this process later by following these steps:

1. Open the System Settings app on the device.
2. Search and access the “Google” section.
3. Go to the “Backup” option.
4. Activate the “Backup to Google Drive” option.

With this option enabled, the device will create automatic backups of all stored data, including contacts in the calendar. Thus, every time a contact is added, it will not be necessary to add it manually to the backup copy, but this tool will do it automatically.

Restore all your contacts

Now is the time to change your mobile, and you don’t want to lose your contacts. Luckily, now you have a safe copy of your calendar, which you can restore to any device and in just a few seconds. Depending on the alternative that you have followed when backing up the data, you will have to restore it in one way or another.

If you have chosen to generate a .vcf file, you must use the Contacts application on your mobile – it does not have to be Google’s. These are the steps to follow:

1. Store the VCF file generated in the previous process in the internal memory of your new device.
2. Open the Contacts app on your mobile.
3. Pull down the side menu and click on “Settings.”
4. In the “Manage Contacts” section, look for the “Import” option.
5. Select the VCF file, and mark all those contacts that you want to restore.

And that’s it! After a few seconds, the restoration will be complete, and all contacts will be available on the new device, including all personal information that was previously added.

If, instead, you have decided to create a backup copy in Google Drive in which your contacts are stored, the process to restore the calendar will be somewhat different. While all data will generally be restored automatically when you associate your Google account with your device, you may have to do it manually. These are the steps to follow.

1. Open the System Settings app on the device.
2. Search and access the “Google” section.
3. Within the “Services” category, click on “Restore contacts.”
4. Choose the account you want to restore contacts from, as well as the device on which the backup was created.

When the process is finished, all the contacts will be restored in the phonebook, and each time a new one is added, the backup will be updated automatically so that you never lose information again. This is undoubtedly the best way to keep your contact information safe. Once the copy is configured, you will not have to do anything else when changing devices, as long as you continue using the same account of Google. Also, keep in mind that if you are coming from an iPhone, transferring the contacts to Android is somewhat different.