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can i add a generic photo for my contacts without photos ?
- Thread starter Gaia
- Start date
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- samsung galaxy s3
Crashdamage
Android Expert
You cannot. You can only store names and numbers on the SIM. No email addresses, physical addresses, notes, photos - no other information.
Strongly suggest you give up on storing anything on the SIM. There's fewer and fewer phones that even have an option to use SIM storage. In a year or two SIM storage will be gone. SIM cards will disappear altogether before long.
SIM storage of contacts is an old, outdated, dying technology that should not be considered a viable option anymore.
Strongly suggest you give up on storing anything on the SIM. There's fewer and fewer phones that even have an option to use SIM storage. In a year or two SIM storage will be gone. SIM cards will disappear altogether before long.
SIM storage of contacts is an old, outdated, dying technology that should not be considered a viable option anymore.
hi
thanks Crashdamage
i keep many contacts on my sim for one reason , if my mobile will die at least i keep them on my sim
i have sync enbaled ,and for my mobile it's working
but when i log in in my google account via desktop , i find nothing
there are no contacts , why?
thanks
Crashdamage
Android Expert
You are not saving contacts to your Google account. You're saving them to either the SIM or to local phone storage.
On many devices contacts can be stored in 3 places.
1. As Google (Gmail) contacts. These are stored on the phone and synced to your Google account (unless sync is turned off). You can include avatar photos, email addresses, physical addresses, notes, birthdays, business information, all kinds of additional info.
2. As Phone contacts. These are stored locally on the phone only and not synced. They can include additional information as above.
3. As SIM contacts. Unlike 1+2 above, only names and numbers can be stored. No addresses, email info, photos, etc.
It is highly recommended that all contacts be saved as Google contacts. This provides automatic backup so contacts are not lost, and online access and easy restoration or transfer to a new device.
To export all contacts, import them into Gmail, delete all contacts on the phone and resync a clean, combined list of all your contacts to the phone follow these steps:
1. Turn off sync in the phone. This is to keep it from interfering with what you're about to do by trying to sync again because it detects changes being made.
2. Export all contacts on the phone and import them into Gmail. Open the Contacts app and tap Menu. Select Import/export, then Export to storage. The contacts will be exported as a .vcf file. Do this for Google contacts, phone contacts, and SIM contacts. Be sure to export all contacts, because you will be deleting all contacts on the phone. You will probably have to export SIM contacts as a .csv file. That's ok .csv files work fine. Make a duplicate copy of the .vcf and .csv files as a safety backup.
3. Delete all contacts on the phone. This is so it can have a fresh start when you download your fresh new contacts list. Contacts still on the phone could corrupt the new list or cause duplicates. Then just for good measure do: Settings > Apps > All > Google contacts > Clear cache > Clear data. When finished, there should be no contacts on the phone.
5. Login to Gmail and import the .vcf and .csv files into Gmail contacts.
6. In Gmail contacts, click on More and select Merge duplicate contacts. Then check the list for errors and do any needed edits. When satisfied export a .vcf file copy for backup. You can never have too many backups.
7. Enable contacts sync on the phone and wait for the corrected contacts list to download.
Done. You should now have a single Master list if all your contacts on your phone. It can be easily edited on the phone or a computer and will always be automatically backed up. Just be sure to always save contacts to your Google account.
On many devices contacts can be stored in 3 places.
1. As Google (Gmail) contacts. These are stored on the phone and synced to your Google account (unless sync is turned off). You can include avatar photos, email addresses, physical addresses, notes, birthdays, business information, all kinds of additional info.
2. As Phone contacts. These are stored locally on the phone only and not synced. They can include additional information as above.
3. As SIM contacts. Unlike 1+2 above, only names and numbers can be stored. No addresses, email info, photos, etc.
It is highly recommended that all contacts be saved as Google contacts. This provides automatic backup so contacts are not lost, and online access and easy restoration or transfer to a new device.
To export all contacts, import them into Gmail, delete all contacts on the phone and resync a clean, combined list of all your contacts to the phone follow these steps:
1. Turn off sync in the phone. This is to keep it from interfering with what you're about to do by trying to sync again because it detects changes being made.
2. Export all contacts on the phone and import them into Gmail. Open the Contacts app and tap Menu. Select Import/export, then Export to storage. The contacts will be exported as a .vcf file. Do this for Google contacts, phone contacts, and SIM contacts. Be sure to export all contacts, because you will be deleting all contacts on the phone. You will probably have to export SIM contacts as a .csv file. That's ok .csv files work fine. Make a duplicate copy of the .vcf and .csv files as a safety backup.
3. Delete all contacts on the phone. This is so it can have a fresh start when you download your fresh new contacts list. Contacts still on the phone could corrupt the new list or cause duplicates. Then just for good measure do: Settings > Apps > All > Google contacts > Clear cache > Clear data. When finished, there should be no contacts on the phone.
5. Login to Gmail and import the .vcf and .csv files into Gmail contacts.
6. In Gmail contacts, click on More and select Merge duplicate contacts. Then check the list for errors and do any needed edits. When satisfied export a .vcf file copy for backup. You can never have too many backups.
7. Enable contacts sync on the phone and wait for the corrected contacts list to download.
Done. You should now have a single Master list if all your contacts on your phone. It can be easily edited on the phone or a computer and will always be automatically backed up. Just be sure to always save contacts to your Google account.
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hi Crashdamage
i did not know about it , that my phone contacts are not synchronized
in my phone under google sync there are a lot of items that can be synchronized
under accounts-> i have google
sync app data , calendar,chrome,drive,gmail,fit data ,play books,movies ,play music news ,google+,google+ photos,uploads ,internet,people details,picasa web albums
thank you so much
Crashdamage , can i ask a question ?
are there other providers to sync my contacts ?
i mean for example sync my device contacts?
thanks
Crashdamage
Android Expert
You can search the Play store for contacts apps that will sync phone contacts to Dropbox, etc. No doubt there's something that will, but I don't know what.
But by far, the best way to deal with contacts is to get them saved to your Google account.
But by far, the best way to deal with contacts is to get them saved to your Google account.
hi
thanks
the point is that in google account i have tons of email accounts , it could be a mess
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hi Crashdamage
sorry to ask many questions
on my mobile there is Merge with Google and Merge with samsung account ,what the different compared to your tutorial
seems easier the merge feature ..
thanks
Crashdamage
Android Expert
I can't tell you the exact difference. I've never had and never will have a Samsung phone. But it sounds like Merge with Google will do what you need.