Surely it has happened to you that you have passed from one Android mobile to another and in the process you have lost contacts. It has been something very recurrent in Android. And it is that, in the first versions of the operating system, Google did not integrate the Backup Automatic contact management. If you need to retrieve them, see how. retrieve contacts.
We had to save them on the SIM card. But maybe this is still happening to you, so today we're showing you how. how to save your contacts on Android mobilesso you always have them safe and can easily restore them when you change phones or factory reset your device. If you use more than one SIM, learn how manage contacts on Android dual SIM.
There are two main ways to save contacts in Android
We have it and we'll show it to you two forms to save contacts effectively and safely. One of the ways is by Backup associated with your Google account (cloud sync). The other is a backup using a enforcement external Play Store backups, such as Easy Backup.
In addition, you'll see key concepts such as the difference between contacts of the device, YES and Googleand how to export a VCF file to have an extra copy on your PC, on a microSD card, or on cloud services like Google Drive.
Save your contacts in Google backup
Regardless of the Android phone you have, they all include the function of backup and sync data linked to your Google account. Activating it is the easiest way to ensure your contacts are saved in the cloud and automatically retrieved when you sign in on a new device. Furthermore, the Google Contacts app It continues to receive updates that improve contact management.
It's important to note that some contacts may still be saved only in the internal storage or SIM cardDepending on the app you use or how you created them, these local contacts don't automatically sync with Google, so it's a good idea to force them all to be saved as Google contacts.
Activate general mobile backup
This method ensures that your mobile phone makes a backup of various data (including contacts) in Google Drive:
- Go to the adjustments of the telephone.
- Search and enter the section Google.
- Access the option "Make backup" or similar.
- Check that the option "Backup to Google Drive" it's activated.
At this point, your Android device will perform regular backups to the cloud, including ContactWiFi network settings, SMS messages (on many models), and other important device data. If you're looking for step-by-step guides, you can see how make a backup of your android.
Automatically sync device and SIM contacts
To ensure that even contacts that were only on the phone or SIM card become Google ContactsFollow these steps (may vary slightly depending on the brand and customization layer):
- On your Android phone, open the app Settings.
- Tap on Google > Google app settings > Google Contacts Sync.
- Enter the option "Also synchronize contacts from the device and the SIM" or similar.
- Active "Automatically synchronize device and SIM contacts".
- Select the Google account in which you want the contacts to be saved. You can only choose one account for this automatic saving.
From that moment on, the contacts you already have on the device and SIM will be saved as Google Contacts and will sync with your account. This will also apply to any new contacts you add in the future.
Keep in mind that contacts synced with other external services (Exchange, Yahoo, or other cloud services) are not automatically converted into Google contacts, although you can import them then from the Google Contacts website.
Restore contacts when changing Android phones
The essential requirement for the contact copy to work is that you log in to your new mobile phone with the same google account with which you made the backup.
During the initial setup of your new Android device, when you enter your email and password, the system will ask you what data you want to sync: Contactapps, messages, etc. If you keep contact synchronization enabled, these will automatically appear in your address book after a few minutes.
If at any point you want to perform a manual check synchronization:
- Go to Settings > Google.
- Sign in "Settings and restoring" (or "Services on this device").
- Press on "Restore contacts".
- Choose the Google account and the source device of which you want to recover the copy.
When the process is complete, all contacts of the copy They will be added to your current address book. As long as you keep automatic backup enabled, each new contact you create will automatically sync in the background.
Export contacts from the Contacts app (VCF file)
In addition to cloud synchronization, it is highly recommended to have a manual copy save all your contacts to a local file. Most Android phones allow this. export the contacts to a .vcf filewhich you can then save to Google Drive, email to yourself, copy to a USB drive, or store on your PC. You can also use Google Takeout if you prefer to export your data from your Google account.
This VCF file is very useful if you want to transfer contacts to another mobile phone, another account, or simply have a local copy that you can open from any compatible device.
Export contacts from the Google Contacts app
If you use the official app Google Contacts, The process is very simple:
- Access the application Contacts on your Android mobile.
- Open the side menu and tap on Settings.
- In the section "Manage contacts", choose the option "To export".
- Select the account or source from which you want to export (for example, your Google account or device contacts).
- Press on "Export to .vcf file".
A file will be generated with all your contacts. This is important. save that file In a safe place: for example, on a microSD card, in Google Drive, in Dropbox, or emailed to your own address. That way, even if your phone is lost or damaged, you'll still have a backup.
Import contacts from a VCF file
Anytime recover those contacts On a new phone (or after formatting the current one), you just have to do the opposite:
- Open the app Contacts of your phone (it can be the Google app or the manufacturer's app).
- Go to the menu and then to Settings.
- In the section "Manage contacts", click on "To import" or "Import from file".
- Select the vcf file that you created previously (from internal memory, SD card, or the location where you saved it).
In just a few seconds, the numbers will be added to your address book. This system also allows you to transfer contacts between different services, such as importing them to... Google Contacts from a file saved on the PC or created by another app.
Save your contacts with Easy Backup
If the previous method didn't work for you, or you prefer a solution independent of Google, we have one for you. alternative. With Easy Backup, you can make a copy of your contacts and upload it to the application's cloud or share it with other cloud services like Dropbox or Google Drive.
It's easy to use. When you open the app, you'll see three main tabs. The first one gives you an overview of the accounts where you have Contact, duplicates and other information. The second is where you will carry out the Backup the first one contains the app settings, and the third one contains the app settings.
To create your copy Step by Step:
- Go to the tab that says "Make Backup".
- Press the circular arrow to start the copy.
- When it's finished, tap on "Tap to go up" If you want to save your contacts to the Easy Backup cloud, or in "To export" if you wish to send them to other spaces (email, Google Drive, etc.).
- Then, go back and enter "My backups"All copies made will appear there.
- To restore contacts in the Contacts app, simply choose the desired copy and press "Download".
Easy Backup has the advantage that it allows you to take your contacts with you even if you're going to change your Google account, or if you want to save a separate copy to use it on multiple devices without relying solely on automatic synchronization.
With these two simple methods, you'll be able to safely store something as important to your daily life as your contacts. Try one of them. two options that we show you, or combine them: synchronization with Google for daily use and a VCF file or copy with Easy Backup as second backup For security.
Download Easy Backup in Play Store.
By minimally planning your backups and occasionally checking that your Google synchronization and backup files are up to date, you can switch phones, restore the system, or even lose your device with the peace of mind that your data is safe. contacts will always remain protected and ready to recover in a matter of minutes.
