How To Restore Contacts From Google

Transferring contacts from one phone to another is challenging. But if you have backed up the contacts on Google cloud services, you can easily restore them. Likewise, if the contacts disappear suddenly or you mistakenly delete them, you can also recover them instantly on your current device. 

However, it is only possible if you backed up or synced your phone to your Google account before losing the data. Else, your contacts cannot be retrieved.

How to Restore Contacts From Google?

Restore Contacts From Google Backup

If your contacts are backed up to Google servers, you can restore them to your phone anytime. But, according to Google, it’s not possible to restore a backup from a higher Android version to a lower Android version.

1. Launch the phone’s settings.
2. Scroll down and tap on Google.
3. Click on Setup and restore.
   
4. Go to Restore contacts.
   
5. Tap on From account and select your Google account to restore the contacts.
6. Select the device with the latest backup.
   
7. Deselect Device storage and SIM card if you don’t want its copy.
8. Then, tap Restore. (Open your notifications panel, and you will see the contacts being restored)
   

Using Google Contacts

Using Google contacts allows you to recover your deleted contacts within 30 days. Once it crosses the specified date, the contacts will be deleted forever, and you won’t be able to recover them.

Recovering Through Trash

You can quickly recover your contacts through trash in just a couple of steps. But, if you have previously deleted the contact from the trash itself, you can’t find such contacts there.

1. Open Google contacts. (Allow permission if prompted)
2. Navigate to Fix and Manage. Then, tap on the Trash.
   
3. Now, select the deleted contact you want to recover. Or, if you want to recover all contacts, long tap on the person’s name, and you need to tap on Three-dots. Then tap Select all.
   
4. Again tap on Three-dots. Then, tap Recover.
   

Recovering From Undo Changes

There’s an important thing you need to know when doing undo changes. The undo changes can help restore the contact but might also remove the newly saved contact. So, if you have deleted the contact within the same time period, you should be careful about following these steps.

1. Open Google contacts.
2. Navigate to Fix and Manage. Then, tap on your Profile icon.
3. And tap on Contacts app settings.
4. Tap on Undo changes. (Select your Google account)
   
5. Now, select the date to undo changes.
   For example: if you deleted the contacts yesterday, you need to select yesterday, or you can also select custom if you don’t remember the date.
6. Then, tap Undo.
   
7. Your deleted contacts will start restoring. Refresh and wait for a while.

Using Gmail

The striking feature of this method is that you can access and download contact through any platform. For instance, you can try this method using a mobile browser, Gmail app, PC browser, or Google app. The only thing you have to do is login into your Gmail account.

• Open the Gmail app.
• Tap on your profile at the top-right corner. Then, tap on Manage your Google account.
• Navigate to Data and privacy.
• Scroll down and select Download your data.
  
• Scroll down and tap on Deselect all.
  
• Then, scroll down again and select Contacts.
• Again, scroll down to the bottom and tap Next step.
  
• After that, select Export once and click on Create export. (Your file will start preparation)
  
• Once the file is fully prepared, it will send a download link to your email address. Then, tap Download your files (You are prompted to enter the password)
• Once the file is downloaded, open your file app.
• Then, find the downloaded file, long tap on it, and Hit Extract.
  
• Open the extracted file (Takeout). Then, tap on Contacts. And tap All contacts.
  
• Click on Save. Your contacts will begin importing. Once the import is completed, it will be restored.
  

Recover Google Contacts on iOS

If you have switched to iOS and want to recover the contacts, there’s an option to do so. However, like the above method, you can only recover it if you have previously made a backup on your Google account.