Google Contacts or phone Contacts

[Ellary Kahan]

Got this phone recently and just realized that when I edited a contact it wasn't reflected in my Google contacts. I assumed that, being an Android phone, that the contacts would be Google Contacts. But checking the Play store I find that Google contacts is a separate app. Now I know that the contacts sync with Google. But with my S7 I was using Google contacts and when I edited a contact on the phone, those changes were reflected on my PC.
So this raises some questions.
Which is better to use, Google Contacts or the Contacts that came with the phone, which I assume is from Samsung?
If Google Contacts is preferable, how do I disable the Samsung Contacts and get Google Contacts to appear in the Phone app?

 

[ocnbrze]

the one that came with the phone is just that....the data is only saved on the phone. google contacts saves them to the cloud so that when you log in on a new device all of your previous contacts will be there. you can do that within the contacts settings.

 

[Ellary Kahan]

How do I point the Phone app contacts to Google Contacts?

 

[girolez]

Open the samsung contacts app
Menu
Manage contacts
Sync contacts
Select the accounts you want to keep in sync
Sync

 

[Ellary Kahan]

Thanks, I did that. So I assume I can't get rid of the Samsung Contacts app and that the Phone app has to use it? If I need to update or add a contact should I do it through the Google Contacts then sync the Samsung Contacts?

 

[ocnbrze]

do the sync with whatever contact you will be using. i never worry about my samsung contacts. as long as google contacts are sync'd i'm good to go.

 

[girolez]

Thanks, I did that. So I assume I can't get rid of the Samsung Contacts app and that the Phone app has to use it? If I need to update or add a contact should I do it through the Google Contacts then sync the Samsung Contacts?

If you use the Samsung Phone app then the Samsung contacts app is used to read the database of contacts on your phone. But, you can use third party phone apps which use other software to read the phone contacts eg I use "Drupe" (from playstore) and never actually open the Samsung Phone or Contacts apps. There are, as always, many options.

If you have followed the sync suggestion above and turned on sync for each account, you should not need to go back and sync manually - it should be automatic.