Restoring factory settings while keeping contacts? - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hello everyone.
My phone started behaving weird.. it keeps switching to vibrate by itself. I'm not sure yet whats causing this but I searched around and I found that it might be caused be some app. So I'm thinking about restoring factory settings, but I want to keep my contacts intact.
The thing about my contacts is that I spent a lot of time joining people's phone numbers with emails, Facebook accounts.. etc.. I tried to export a backup using Contacts app but it said some info fields might be lost. So I'm wondering if there is a way to keep contacts as s after resetting the device.
Thanks in advance,

Aserar said:
Hello everyone.
My phone started behaving weird.. it keeps switching to vibrate by itself. I'm not sure yet whats causing this but I searched around and I found that it might be caused be some app. So I'm thinking about restoring factory settings, but I want to keep my contacts intact.
The thing about my contacts is that I spent a lot of time joining people's phone numbers with emails, Facebook accounts.. etc.. I tried to export a backup using Contacts app but it said some info fields might be lost. So I'm wondering if there is a way to keep contacts as s after resetting the device.
Thanks in advance,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go into Settings > Accounts and make sure all of the ones you have contacts with are synced and if you have some that are just stored on the phone only, make sure to sync to your Google account.

Will this keep Facebook, and other profiles linked to their contacts in the contact app?
Also, I deleted some Facebook contacts from my contacts app. If I synced Facebook app, will this remove the contacts from my Facebook account,? or re-adding them again to the contact app?

Aserar said:
Will this keep Facebook, and other profiles linked to their contacts in the contact app?
Also, I deleted some Facebook contacts from my contacts app. If I synced Facebook app, will this remove the contacts from my Facebook account,? or re-adding them again to the contact app?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you install the Facebook app back to your phone after factory reset and login. It will ask you to sync your contacts with the Facebook Profiles. In other words. This will link your contacts with the Facebook profiles on your friends list. And no it will not remove the contacts from your Facebook.

Jacobw53 said:
When you install the Facebook app back to your phone after factory reset and login. It will ask you to sync your contacts with the Facebook Profiles. In other words. This will link your contacts with the Facebook profiles on your friends list. And no it will not remove the contacts from your Facebook.
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Click to collapse
But note that when I installed fb app and synced contacts with the fb profiles, most profiles (I believe the ones that had no phone number) were not linked to contacts. I had to use the Join feature in Contacts app to link them one by one. I wouldn't have to do it again, would I?

Aserar said:
But note that when I installed fb app and synced contacts with the fb profiles, most profiles (I believe the ones that had no phone number) were not linked to contacts. I had to use the Join feature in Contacts app to link them one by one. I wouldn't have to do it again, would I?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you would they don't save joined. Most just in case you don't install one of the apps again.
There is no way to do what your looking to do without redoing them.

Related

[Q] Contacts won't sync from phone to gmail

I am having trouble syncing my contacts that I inputed on my Atrix to Gmail. Even if the contact is Linked to both Phone and Google, none of the contacts show up on Gmail from my computer, but if I add a contact from my computer, it shows up on my phone. How can I sync from my phone to Gmail? btw, this is my first Android device.
Thanks.
I have exactly the same issue and it's driving me nuts! Creating a new contact on the phone adds it to the "Contacts" group but there doesn't seem to be a way to get that to sync with google/gmail. Have you found a way around this?
Ok, my phone auto syncs it with contacts and gmail, but I think I know why yours isn't.
Open the contact and verify that it has a linked profile to your google account. If it does not, then link it.
If it does, go to settings > accounts > gmail account
Hit the menu button and sync. Log into your gmail account on the desktop version, not mobile version, hit contacts, click all contacts and verify.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
DarrellRaines said:
Ok, my phone auto syncs it with contacts and gmail, but I think I know why yours isn't.
Open the contact and verify that it has a linked profile to your google account. If it does not, then link it.
If it does, go to settings > accounts > gmail account
Hit the menu button and sync. Log into your gmail account on the desktop version, not mobile version, hit contacts, click all contacts and verify.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I create a brand new contact I can't link it to gmail because the contact does not exist in gmail. Your method only works if I have the contact in gmail/google also.
Anyone solve this yet? I'm dealing with 150 contacts or so that were imported from a sim card and trying to figure out how to get them into gmail.
I think I might be able to do export all contacts to a file, then email it to myself, then import all contacts to gmail but I'm trying to avoid CSV errors.
thunderbolt
I am having the same issue in my thunderbolt. I just rooted it and when I went to look for a contact that I added when I got the phone I realized it never was sent to my gmail account and now it is not synced.
Thunderbolt
Through some searching I found that the thunderbolt defaults to a "phone" contact when you enter one on the phone. You have to select it as a Google contact before you even put it in the phone. You can't change this after putting in the contact. I'm glad I found this out early enough so that I only lost one contact.
I had this issue and found how to solve it:
Open ContactsApp->Menu->More->Settings
Here each phone is a bit different but you will be able to choose how to set your new contacts, whether it will be on your phone contacts, a specific gmail account or all.
In My Motorola Atrix, it automatically saves to contacts (and cannot be removed) and if you have more than 1 gmail account it all gets mixed up there and you should add/select the right one.
Hope it helps.
freedom_il said:
I had this issue and found how to solve it:
Open ContactsApp->Menu->More->Settings
Here each phone is a bit different but you will be able to choose how to set your new contacts, whether it will be on your phone contacts, a specific gmail account or all.
In My Motorola Atrix, it automatically saves to contacts (and cannot be removed) and if you have more than 1 gmail account it all gets mixed up there and you should add/select the right one.
Hope it helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is the correct method and set by default on the Atrix.
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk
delta530 said:
I am having trouble syncing my contacts that I inputed on my Atrix to Gmail. Even if the contact is Linked to both Phone and Google, none of the contacts show up on Gmail from my computer, but if I add a contact from my computer, it shows up on my phone. How can I sync from my phone to Gmail? btw, this is my first Android device.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have the same problem only i want my facebook contacts !
firefox3 said:
i have the same problem only i want my facebook contacts !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Make sure FACEBOOK is added under MANAGE ACCOUNTS and then look at DISPLAY GROUPS to select ALL CONTACTS.
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk
jjwatmyself said:
Make sure FACEBOOK is added under MANAGE ACCOUNTS and then look at DISPLAY GROUPS to select ALL CONTACTS.
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Didnt work even when i view facebook it says no facebook contacts ! i have 1,394 friends and before i updated i had them all in my contacts
firefox3 said:
Didnt work even when i view facebook it says no facebook contacts ! i have 1,394 friends and before i updated i had them all in my contacts
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to be clear, we are talking about viewing contacts on your Atrix and not viewing contacts on GMail on your PC. The point being that Motoblur does not push contacts from the various Social Networking accounts to your Google hosted Gmail contacts. I think you already know that but wanted to be sure. Did you try to delete your FB account on the Atrix and re-add. Also, and this should not make any difference, but I do not have the FB app installed. I find it a bit useless.

[Q] Backup contacts

I want to do a factory reset so my data works so can someone tell me a easy way to backup my contacts and sms
And if i remember right the market kind of backs up my apps, but if i am wrong please tell me
Not sure about SMS, but Gmail and Verizons Backup Assistant both can backup your contacts.
rednoved said:
Not sure about SMS, but Gmail and Verizons Backup Assistant both can backup your contacts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the backup assistant gives me an error about not connecting to server, and how do i use gmail for it?
There are apps for backing up texts. They all have generic names like SMS backup. I've used them a few times then realized I don't really need to save my texts. Your contacts should be synced to your GMAIL account though.
ERIFNOMI said:
There are apps for backing up texts. They all have generic names like SMS backup. I've used them a few times then realized I don't really need to save my texts. Your contacts should be synced to your GMAIL account though.
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so after i reset my phone how would i retrieve my contacts from gmail
Bigandrewgold said:
so after i reset my phone how would i retrieve my contacts from gmail
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you are at the start-up screen it will ask if you are a new user or have an existing Google account. Once you sign in it will start syncronizing your mail and contacts.
When you make contacts on your phone, you are given a option to make a phone contact or google.contact. always choose google contact. Check options>accounts and sync, make sure all is set to sync, which it is defaulted to sync on its own...doesnt hurt to check.
But when you wipe your phone or get a different android phone, during the setup process you enter your gmail info to setup your phone. Your gmail will sync, you can browse the market...but the best part is that the calander and google contacts will auto download.
So log on to your computer and check gmail and see if your contacts are there, then you should be set
easiest thing to do, and I am amazed noone has mentioned it, is to use an app called MyBackup Root.
You can backup call log, SMS, MMS, Contacts(if you have ones google doesn't save for you), apps, and app data.
I have always preferred this to Titanium Backup
ok, got it all backed up, but where is that factor reset option, i cant find it anywhere but i know i saw it earlier.

[Q] Google Contacts

Where are the Google contacts stored?
The only place I can see them is when I am creating a message and tap add contact. There seems to be all the contacts from my Gmail account many of which do not have phone numbers and some of which I wouldn't want certain family members to see.
I have tried every setting in contacts and accounts I can find but no luck. I have cleaned up my Gmail account contacts and did a sync hoping that would over write them but no luck.
Any help is appreciated.
aussiemax said:
Where are the Google contacts stored?
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Click to collapse
Google Contacts are stored on your phone and Google server if I am not wrong.
Regards.
By default Gmail adds anyone you email to your contacts. This used to be so annoying to most people.
Sign into Gmail on computer, go to settings, general, "create contacts for auto-complete" and check off "I'll add contacts myself".
Now go to your Contacts and start deleting the ones you don't want.
As for where they are stored, they are stored on Google's servers and not necessarily on your phone. Any changes you make either on your phone or via the web are pushed and synced I'm real time.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk
LordLugard
Yep cleaned up the contacts on the gmail account. turned of the auto add. Did a sync still have them on the phone.
ithehappy
I know they are stored on the phone and gmail account but where on the phone??
Can you see all the contacts when you hit the contacts tab in the phone menu?
If not then from within contacts Menu, More, Display Options and select the google contacts, under that there is a few options of what to display.
Why not try this last resort, remove your Google account on the phone and add it again.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk
vessy
You are the man.
Yep need google contacts on in order to see them in Contacts. Then delete them and turn off google contacts again.
Now I can rest easy.
Thank you very much
No problem, glad to help, found out the hard way too!
Feel free to hit the Thanks button.
How to get contacts autofill in gmail
Hi,
I use viewsonic tablet with android 2.2 running. I have a gmail application installed . Whenever I try to send a new email or take a picture and want to send through gmail instantaneously, I get up to emal "To " field. In there it expects me to type the whole email address again. This is even true if I want to send it to my own gmail id. I mean to say that autofill of email addresses doesn't work. All my contacts is synched with gmail account and that show all the contacts which is available through my email account.
Is there a way to get around and get this autofill option enabled?
Thanks
Ravi

[Q] contacts

I'm hoping someone can help me out here. I have noticed that my contacts are all fine when I look them up to call or browse but when I want to send a sms and go to select a contact I have a heap of contacts that shouldn't be there and a lot of them repeat themselves several times. I have cleared all my contacts from my gmail account and from both phone and sim card but they remain in my sms contact and i cant delete them. Its frustrating having to scroll through all the names that shouldn't be there when ever I want to send a sms.
Would a factory reset clear all my contacts?
I am using galaxy s2 with skyrom 8 xxkh3
android version 2.3.4
Do you use Facebook for Android? If so, did you select it sync at all? If so, it syncs all facebook contacts to the SMS area you are talking about. Easiest way to check is by opening the Facebook app then: Menu -> Settings -> Scroll all the way down -> Sync Contacts -> Remove Facebook Data
It's the same with any social media app, like Twitter. Twitter is the same way.
Let me know it worked for ya!
thanks David for your suggestions. I don't have or use facebook. I do have it synced with gmail and hotmail but I have cleaned out both accounts contacts and then synced it again but no change. I have also removed all contacts from phone and the sms contacts still remain.
I cant understand why the sms contact list repeats itself several times
zuesdog said:
thanks David for your suggestions. I don't have or use facebook. I do have it synced with gmail and hotmail but I have cleaned out both accounts contacts and then synced it again but no change. I have also removed all contacts from phone and the sms contacts still remain.
I cant understand why the sms contact list repeats itself several times
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can try backing up your text messages with an app and then clearing data for your SMS application. I'm not sure if it will work, but it's worth a shot.
You can also try using a third party SMS app (like Hsndcent, Chomp, or Go SMS) and see if the problem is only with the stock app.
Sent from my Evo + MIUI using Tapatalk!
thanks for the advice and help
I use a 3rd party sms ap (Go sms)
I will try to work out how to clear my sms data and see if that helps.
Just looked again and I have a contact listed 8 times in sms but the same contact doesn't show up in my normal contacts.
Thanks guys for your help and I will post the outcome
tried to clear the data from my contacts and sms contacts but it only removed a couple of names.
I've just noticed that some of the contacts in the sms list dont even contain a phone number only an email address?
problem solved.
in case others have this issue I will try to explain how I sorted it.
I wiped the data from contacts which made little difference until I rebooted then the contacts that shouldn't be there were gone but Iwas left with double of every contact.
I deleted all the contacts from the sim and that removed the duplicate from the sms......
A little bothered that I cant keep contacts on both sim card and phone. I like to keep them on both as if I needed to change phone my contacts would be there no matter what phone I put the card in. I also like to keep them on the phone as it allows me to store more info and pics of contacts.
If anyone has a fix for this I would be happy to hear it.
Thanks again to the guys who helped me out....and yes you did help!
From the SMS app, go into settings and make sure no show from history options are selected, also same with show email.
Sent from my Inspire 4G using Tapatalk

[Q] No contacts after deleting gmail account???

Could anybody say what is happening with the GMail account. I have my contacts in Outlook and synced them with my phone, then added the gmail account. After deleting gmail account from accounts in settings all my contacts are gone. What the ...???
A also noticed that when I have an existing gmail account I cannot set individual ringtone to a contact. When it's gone everything works. Anyway I don't want this gmail to sync everything, especially my contacts. Does anybody know why the hell on earth this crap is going on? Why can't I just use my contacts without gmail sync and other strange effects.
SonicMZ said:
Could anybody say what is happening with the GMail account. I have my contacts in Outlook and synced them with my phone, then added the gmail account. After deleting gmail account from accounts in settings all my contacts are gone. What the ...???
A also noticed that when I have an existing gmail account I cannot set individual ringtone to a contact. When it's gone everything works. Anyway I don't want this gmail to sync everything, especially my contacts. Does anybody know why the hell on earth this crap is going on? Why can't I just use my contacts without gmail sync and other strange effects.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes happened with me too.
Totally idiotic.
And the worst part?
When I synced back the Google account... The contacts didn't come back properly.
All messed up and duplicates.
Idiotic.
Luckily I had taken a backup few days back and deleted all contacts and restored the backup.
I have totally disabled my contacts sync up with Google.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3
The only way that helped me is to sync my contacts with my outlook without creating gmail account, then set up all personal contact ringtones and only after that create gmail account in the phone without sync options.

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