Phone contacts on SD Card storage. (Waiting for new phone)

[Jim0000]

I am looking for instructions of how to store my phone contacts on the SD card in Android 10.
Please note: I am not interested in storing email address's there.
I have done multiple searches and all seem to be oriented towards Google sync on or off.

Is there a way to make my Contacts store on the SD card, so I can simply remove it and place it in another phone when and if mine fails.

I have a experienced a former problem with Google Sync, best expressed in this thread here:

https://androidforums.com/threads/phone-numbers-missing-from-sd-card-copy-of-contacts.1339306/

Thanks,

Jim.

 

[ocnbrze]

I'm confused. You have the issue solved in your first thread on this. What happened? I just don't want others to repeat the same suggestions from that thread. What's going on?

 

[svim]

Well an important aspect to that 'Solved' thread is you never did really fix the actual problem, syncing your Contacts. Instead you opted to use a workaround solution, exporting and importing your contacts list to a file.
If you were to take the time to get syncing working properly, it would just run automatically in the background so you wouldn't need to interact with it, and as part of the process you have you contacts also automatically backed up into your online Google account with a current listing on your phone with the same listing within your main, online Google account. On the other hand, exporting/importing a file, even while being relatively simple to do, is still a manual task, and involves you keeping track and maintaining your own backup files (i.e. if you start to inadvertently start storing different backups into different locations you'll later have an issue of some being out-of-date and possibly inaccurate while some are current.)

I'd suggest it's better to get the syncing problem fixed, and it might be prudent to just start over from scratch. It's more of a daunting project to get everything straightened out but once you put in the effort up front there's a long-term benefit where you don't need to mess with it.
Since you apparently have some contact entries only on your phone, some entries only in your online Google account, and a mix of entries that are in both places, this is going to get messy but it is important to get all your contact entries in one, primary location so you've got a master that contains all of your contacts.
-- Go into your phone's Settings >> Accounts menu and disable syncing for Contacts. You need to temporarily be sure this isn't running because you need to clean up your mix of duplicates and missing data contact entries.
-- With syncing disabled, start up the Contacts app on your phone and export your phone's contacts to a vcf file. Then copy it to computer or create an email message to yourself with that vcf file as an attachment.
-- On your computer, using a web browser, go to
https://contacts.google.com
and that will open up your Google account's Contacts list. You're probably find it easier to clean everything up using a larger screen with a keyboard and a mouse than the smaller screen on a phone with just the touch interface.
-- Now you want to import that vcf file you just created into your online Contacts. This merges the two, current databases and yes it's going to be messy mix of originals and duplicates. This is going to involve some time and effort as you sort through all the contact entries to get this cleared up. You want to get single entries for each person or business, with the correct and current numbers, addresses, etc. Don't rush the process and if it drags out for a few days as you confirm or verify questionable items, that's part of what needs to be done.
-- When you do finish up this project, you should have a nice, up-to-date, clean database of all your contacts. Depending on your level of paranoia you might want to backup your Contacts. There's an Export link in the left panel if you want to save it as a file.
-- Now that your Google account Contacts list is cleaned and intact it time to focus on your phone. Syncing for Contacts should still be disabled. Go into your Settings >> Apps menu, find and open the Contacts app entry, tap on Force stop, then find and top on Clear data. Using Clear data wipes the app's settings and config files, and wipes the app's Cache. This returns the Contacts app back to its original, first time used state. Something was messing up the syncing process before so now you'll be setting up the syncing up again but from a clean start. Start up the Contacts app and there shouldn't be any entries. Now go into the Settings >> Accounts menu and Enable syncing for Contacts. It'll will most likely take a few minutes for the syncing process to start and to download your Google account data so check on it later and hopefully you have a Contacts list that's identical on both your phone and if you use Google's web interface.
-- You might want to delete that vcf file you exported from the Contacts app previously. At this point it's old and not complete.

 

[Hadron]

If all you want is to ensure that you can load your contacts onto a new phone from SD, just export your contact database to a vcard file (using your contacts app's "export" function) and store that on the SD card. When you put it on a new phone you can import it and that's it, job done.

I should add that I do both: I use the sync (which has never failed in 12 years of using almost every Android version from 2.1 to 12), and I also keep the occasional vcard backup (for redundancy, and it allows me to copy the contacts to systems with no connection to Google if I want to).

If by "make my contacts store on the SD card" you mean "move the system contacts database to SD" I don't know of any way,. But even if it existed just keeping a vcard backup on SD would be both simpler and more reliable, because it's based on standards that work on all android phones (and non-android contact management systems as well) and doesn't require any hacks.

 

[Dannydet]

Great reply on this, svim.
Hopefully the OP will take it into consideration.

 

[Jim0000]

...............You have the issue solved in your first thread on this. ............

svim explains below that I never did really fix the problem. I will go back to that thread later and edit it with a link to this one. thanks.

Well an important aspect to that 'Solved' thread is you never did really fix the actual problem, ..............................

Many thanks for taking the time to write a full details list of instructions. I will do just as you describe and post back here again after. It will most likely take some days to do so.

If all you want is to ensure that you can load your contacts onto a new phone from SD,.........

I am more concerned about no losing all my phone numbers, more than anything else.

just export your contact database to a vcard file (using your contacts app's "export" function) and store that on the SD card. When you put it on a new phone you can import it and that's it, job done.
.............................

Thanks for the alternative suggestion Hadron.
How do I "store that on the SD card" please?
However, that question does appear to be redundant now and that if I follow svim's instructions, all requirements will be covered.

I am using a borrowed Nokia 8.3 while I am waiting for a new phone from China. That is why I am revisiting this problem. I am glad I am doing so now, as the proper solution appears to be available, which was not apparent to me before.

Thanks to all,

Jim.

 

[Hadron]

Thanks for the alternative suggestion Hadron.
How do I "store that on the SD card" please?
However, that question does appear to be redundant now and that if I follow svim's instructions, all requirements will be covered.

Indeed - unless, like me, you like having redundant solutions for important data .

If your contacts app allows you to specify where the file is written to then select the SD card as the destination. If not, use a file explorer to move or copy it from internal storage to SD.

 

[Jim0000]

..................

If your contacts app allows you to specify where the file is written to then select the SD card as the destination....................

Indeed it does!
I have done that and got to the stage where I now have a copy of the file on my SD card.
I have also got to step #3 in svim's instructions above.
So far, I am making good progress thanks to all for the excellent assistance.

More in good time...............

Jim.

 

[Dannydet]

Jim, you also can use Google contacts in the play store, easy-pezy app that will save all of your contacts both on your phone and accessible on any device you use....

 

[Jim0000]

Jim, you also can use Google contacts in the play store, easy-pezy app that will save all of your contacts both on your phone and accessible on any device you use.... View attachment 163341

Thanks Danny, I will come back to that after I exhaust the long process described for me earlier.
At the moment I am stuck at this stage:

1. I have now all my contact in the phone saved as a .vcf file.
2. My current problem, is finding out how to send it (vcf file) to myself to view and edit on my computer.

Apologies to all for this stupid question.

Jim.

 

[Dannydet]

Use your email app on your phone, create a new email, add the file as an attachment.
It's now saved as a draft.
Now login on your computer and open your draft. Retrieve the file from there

 

[Jim0000]

Got that, thanks Danny.

 

[Jim0000]

Now that your Google account Contacts list is cleaned and intact it time to focus on your phone. Syncing for Contacts should still be disabled. Go into your Settings >> Apps menu, find and open the Contacts app entry, tap on Force stop, then find and top on Clear data. Using Clear data wipes the app's settings and config files, and wipes the app's Cache. This returns the Contacts app back to its original, first time used state. .......................

I am stuck at this stage. It appears that I am not wiping the Contacts application successfully.
I have made sure "auto sync" is still turned off.

Start up the Contacts app and there shouldn't be any entries. ......................

All the entries are still there, with multiple repeats of most if not all of them.

How do I empty the Contacts application?
There must be something that I am doing wrong.

Jim.

Edit:
I found out how to delete all contacts here: https://infos-geek.com/en/comment-supprimer-tous-les-contacts-de-votre-nokia-6/

I now have sync on again and it is re-populating the contacts list. More when done...........

 

[Jim0000]

I am now stuck at this stage:

Now go into the Settings >> Accounts menu and Enable syncing for Contacts. It'll will most likely take a few minutes for the syncing process to start and to download your Google account data so check on it later and hopefully you have a Contacts list that's identical on both your phone and if you use Google's web interface......

The contacts are not arriving into my contact application.
What might I be doing wrong?

 

[svim]

I am now stuck at this stage:
The contacts are not arriving into my contact application.
What might I be doing wrong?

So just to confirm the current state of your situation.
-- You were able to reset the Contacts app in your phone so all it's previous entries were gone. Yes or no?
-- Your online Google account now is up-to-date and current with all of your contact entries. Yes or no?
-- With syncing for Contacts now enabled again on your phone, the problem is it is or isn't actually working. Yes or no?
-- a continuation of above is only some contact entries being transferred from your online Google account to your phone's Contact app, or none of them?
-- Are you using WiFi or mobile data to connect your phone online? And are you sure whichever one you're using is providing a stable connection and/or adequate bandwidth?

 

[Jim0000]

So just to confirm the current state of your situation.
-- You were able to reset the Contacts app in your phone so all it's previous entries were gone. Yes or no?..............

Yes!

-- Your online Google account now is up-to-date and current with all of your contact entries. Yes or no?..............

Yes! (To the best of my knowledge: I am less interested in a complete list of entries as I am in a stable one without multiple duplication and without the phone numbers being replaced by unwanted email address's).

-- With syncing for Contacts now enabled again on your phone, the problem is it is or isn't actually working. Yes or no?......

No. Sync is not working.

-- a continuation of above is only some contact entries being transferred from your online Google account to your phone's Contact app, or none of them?..........

None of them.

-- Are you using WiFi or mobile data to connect your phone online? And are you sure whichever one you're using is providing a stable connection and/or adequate bandwidth?.............

I am using mobile data and the connection is not stable.
I figure that this is the problem at the moment. I will use WiFi when I go to town next, or check if the data connection becomes stronger later here in my rural location.

I just had a thought; I can organise WiFi here via my router. I will try that later and report back.

Thanks for your continued assistance with clear correspondence.

Jim.

 

[Jim0000]

I enabled WiFi in my home and it appears that sync then worked. I fumbled the procedure and for one heart stopping moment had lost all contacts on both phone and my online Google account record!
Happily, I was able to use the undo and re-established them again.
I now have a phone contact list that is the same as when I spent a hour or more cleaning it up! That is, with multiple repeats of many of the numbers with some being replaced by email address's instead of phone numbers.
Clearly, this is an operator error on my part, and I will have to go right back to the beginning of this process and start all over again.
I might get the time today, but I have a life and not sure if I will find the time.
My apologies for wasting so much of your time.

Jim.

 

[Jim0000]

I am now back at the stage I was @ post #14.
I have a list of edited down contacts again in my Google account, but I'm unable to receive them in my phone when I turn sync on. I am using WiFi now and it is connected ok.

Does it take a long while for the synced numbers to arrive in my phone?

 

[svim]

Not a waste of time but more of a challenging exchange of status reports and suggestions. An online help forum isn't the most optimal way to fix a lot of problems but there are also just limits on options too.
Your mobile data situation is something that needs looking into though. Constant access to a dependable WiFi network isn't an option for most of us so if your cellular connectivity is problematic that's going to have direct effect on using your phone to keep up on your online presence -- i.e. syncing often requires bandwidth so when there isn't a stable connection than things like syncing with online servers will fail.

Are you connected with a WiFi network at home or a elsewhere?
If at home, try restarting your router and then restart your phone. If you're thinking that you have a number of other devices connected to your home network and none of them are experiencing problems, networking isn't that simplistic. If your phone is having an issue with its WiFi, you need to focus on that -- your phone's connectivity with your home network.
Are you experiencing problems with any other online access issues other than Contacts syncing on your phone or is it just Contacts?

 

[Jim0000]

Some Success:

I now have 29 contacts in my phone, which is a good start.
However, I have 70 contacts in my online Google account!
I have sync turned on.
What on earth is happening now?

 

[Jim0000]

..................

Are you connected with a WiFi network at home or a elsewhere?..............

I am connected to WiFi at home. My own service which is otherwise perfectly ok.

Are you experiencing problems with any other online access issues other than Contacts syncing on your phone or is it just Contacts?..

No.
But, I am not interested in any other sync items. I am only interested in Phone number contacts.

I am going to suspend this thread until I receive my new phone, as this borrowed phone also have other connectivity intermittent problems, and I have wasted many hours (days even), fussing with it.
I how have some of my main contact phone numbers in it, so that will suffice for now.
I am even tempted to return it to the owner and do without a phone until the new one arrives.
Then, I can make a fresh start.
I will return to this thread then, meanwhile, I will continue to answer any posts.

Thanks,
Jim.

 

[svim]

Ahhh, given this phone is having other network-related issues this doesn't even sound like it is a Contacts syncing issue but rather a more comprehensive networking problem (Contacts syncing being just incidental).
But yeah, it does seem pointless to focus so much attention on this temporary issue. As long as your online Google Contacts are good, that's your primary contacts database. Don't forget to delete those other temp contacts files in various locations, they're not necessarily current. And be sure to remove your Google account if you linked to your primary account it and then do a Factory Reset before returning this phone to its previous owner.

 

[Jim0000]

.......................... Don't forget to delete those other temp contacts files in various locations, they're not necessarily current. And be sure to remove your Google account if you linked to your primary account it and then do a Factory Reset before returning this phone to its previous owner.

I will do so for sure.
More when my new phone arrives from China.
Over and out for the time being.

jim.

 

[Jim0000]

I have a borrowed phone. I will be returning it before I receive my new one from China due to major instability problems.
That is not why I am posting here again.
I did a test sync with Google contacts on this borrowed phone to see if my contacts would import ok.
They did not.
Contacts did import, but once again, most phone numbers were omitted, and replaced by email address's.

This is a repeat of my original problem described in the other thread linked to in my opening post above.

What could I be doing wrong?

 

[svim]

Given how the problem doesn't appear to be with whatever phone you're using nor your Google Contacts list data but rather your lack of a reliable and usable online connection (neither WiFi nor mobile data), I would focus on getting that straightened out first. It's not even a matter where you need a high bandwidth connection for something like contacts syncing (it's just some relatively small text data) but it's still an absolute requirement.