Help Google sync removes WhatsApp from contacts

[MikeInMexico]

Using Google Contacts, Nougat.
WhatsApp (and Duo, btw) puts WhatsApp flags in my contacts. Great. But as soon s Google sync runs, all of these items disappear from my contacts.
If I disable Google sync for contacts, everything stays fine. I've tried other contacts apps, but they all have the same symptoms.
I can (maybe) understand that Google does not recognize WhatsApp entries, but Duo?

 

[svim]

-- Do you have other apps also syncing with your Google account contacts and are those working OK or do they also lose contact entries when syncing is enabled?
-- Is the Contacts app on your phone set up to sync with your Google account or a different email service?
-- Is your Contacts app set up to sync with your online Google account or is it saving everything locally (only to your phone)?
The reason why there are so many questions is it almost sounds like you have at least two 'main' contacts databases as opposed to just one. More details please.

 

[MikeInMexico]

Thanks for your reply.
Point 1: Not sure I understand. As far as I know, GoogleSync is syncing with my contacts database. I'm not losing contacts entries, just the direct links to WhatsApp (small green icons with a phone inside) and Duo (blue teardrop shape with a video camera inside)
Point 2: Syncing with my Google account (somewhere in the cloud)
Point 3: Same as point 2

I thought there was only one contacts database and all the contacts apps use the same data.

 

[svim]

Well, some people are very averse to anything cloud related so they prefer to keep things like their contacts all on their mobile device. If they also have a reliable backup solution in place that's certainly an option but most people don't so in the event something does happen to their mobile device they lose everything. Or they have their contacts syncing to a different email service than their Gmail account.
Anyway, try this. Go to your Settings >> Apps menu and find the WhatsApp app, open it, and check 'Permissions'. If 'Contacts' isn't enabled, toggle it on so the app has permissions to use it. Do the same for the Duo app.

 

[MikeInMexico]

Well, some people are very averse to anything cloud related so they prefer to keep things like their contacts all on their mobile device. If they also have a reliable backup solution in place that's certainly an option but most people don't so in the event something does happen to their mobile device they lose everything. Or they have their contacts syncing to a different email service than their Gmail account.
Anyway, try this. Go to your Settings >> Apps menu and find the WhatsApp app, open it, and check 'Permissions'. If 'Contacts' isn't enabled, toggle it on so the app has permissions to use it. Do the same for the Duo app.

Yes I've done that. But they obviously have permission, because they are putting the links in contacts. Problem is, Google sync is taking them out.

 

[svim]

OK so using a web browser, go to https://contacts.google.com
That's the actual main database for your contacts entries, inside your online, Google account. The contacts database on your phone syncs itself to your online Google account, and then all the apps on your phone, the Contacts app, the WhatsApp app, the Duo app, etc. just rely on the contacts database in your phone. So something in that chain of succession isn't working or isn't set up correctly.

-- Do a temp test and make up a fake entry on your phone and a different fake entry using your web interface to confirm the syncing is working both ways between your phone and your online account. (the end result being two fake contact entries showing up in your Contacts app on your phone and in your browser's web interface.
-- If that works out, at least you've determined your phone and your online account set up is good, and then at this point it's a matter figuring out why WhatsApp and Duo aren't syncing up properly with your phone's contacts database.
-- If that doesn't work, than it's a matter of re-configuring the Contacts app on your phone, and that could also be an indicator why neither WhatsApp nor Duo are able to access your phone's contacts database properly.
You also mentioned installing third-party contacts apps, which introduces another set of issues as it depends on how each one was configured -- to sync with your online Google account or with your phone's internal contacts, and if they keep their own internal database -- and if they do or don't override your Contacts app or work in conjunction with it.

 

[MikeInMexico]

OK so using a web browser, go to https://contacts.google.com
That's the actual main database for your contacts entries, inside your online, Google account. The contacts database on your phone syncs itself to your online Google account, and then all the apps on your phone, the Contacts app, the WhatsApp app, the Duo app, etc. just rely on the contacts database in your phone. So something in that chain of succession isn't working or isn't set up correct..<snip>.

That's the problem. My windows PC is also syncing to my online contacts database. Since WhatsApp and duo are not known in the windows world, they just get deleted. Next time my phone syncs, those entries disappear from my phone.
I believe this is a Google bug....

 

[svim]

On your Win PC are you using a web browser to access your google account or are your using an application like Outlook to sync with your online account? As for WhatsApp and Duo 'not known in the windows world' that's completely irrelevant. The contacts database is what gets synced, not the apps.

And getting back to your phone, I don't have WhatsApp so I'm not familiar with it but I do use Duo and on my phone's neither one has its own contacts list, both just tie into their respective Contacts apps so I'm not sure how your Duo has it's own contacts listing.
Again, by installing different contacts apps that also clouds the issue as it's still not clear if they're working with your main Google contacts database or independently. Could you list them out please along with how they were set up?

 

[MikeInMexico]

On your Win PC are you using a web browser to access your google account or are your using an application like Outlook to sync with your online account? As for WhatsApp and Duo 'not known in the windows world' that's completely irrelevant. The contacts database is what gets synced, not the apps.

Yes, but ...my contacts database on my phone contains fields which are not allowed in a Google contacts entry i.e. WhatsApp and Duo links. Google sync cleans these out.

[/QUOTE]And getting back to your phone, I don't have WhatsApp so I'm not familiar with it but I do use Duo and on my phone's neither one has its own contacts list, both just tie into their respective Contacts apps so I'm not sure how your Duo has it's own contacts listing.
Again, by installing different contacts apps that also clouds the issue as it's still not clear if they're working with your main Google contacts database or independently. Could you list them out please along with how they were set up?[/QUOTE]

I did not say that Duo has it's own contacts listing. I'm saying that Duo and WhatsApp fields show in my phone's contact database for the relevant entries, and it doesn't matter what contacts app I use, it shows these fields. Until Google sync runs. Forget the different apps. They all do the same in this respect. I've now uninstalled them all except Google Contacts.