How to delete multiple contacts on iPhone

Managing one's contacts list is important when using Apple devices. Whether one regularly needs to declutter a contacts list that has become unwieldy or desires a one-time removal of several obsolete entries at once, it pays to understand different efficient means of deleting multiple contacts concurrently.

This guide presents two methods for erasing multiple contacts from an iPhone in one step - performing the deletion directly via the mobile device itself or utilizing iCloud syncing through a Mac computer. The goal of both processes is to streamline the elimination of contacts in bulk without tediously removing each single-handedly.

Method 1: Delete Multiple Contacts Directly from the iPhone

1. Open the app on your phone that has all your contact names and numbers saved.

2. Look at the list of contacts and find the people you want to get rid of.

3. To select the first contact you want to delete along with others, press two fingers on that contact. Then, drag your fingers up and down over the additional contacts you wish to remove concurrently. The chosen contacts will appear lighter in colour.

4. Once you've finished picking contacts, take your fingers off the screen.

5. Press and hold on one of the selected contacts. A menu will pop up asking if you want to copy, share, combine, or delete the contacts. Tap the bottom option that says "Delete."

If you need to get rid of a lot of contacts, make a separate list just for those contacts. That makes it easy to select them all together and delete them without looking through every single contact.

Method 2: Deleting Multiple Contacts using Macbook

Deleting contacts from a computer rather than an iPhone directly, or wanting certainty your contact list remains coordinated across all linked devices, know that elimination of numerous contacts can be effortlessly done straight from iCloud using a web browser.

1. To begin, navigate to iCloud.com utilizing your preferred web browser and sign in with your Apple ID login credentials. This will open the iCloud control panel interface hosted online.

2. From here, locate and choose the "Contacts" service icon/listing to access the contact information database associated with your account.

3. Upon entering the contact management view, all existing contacts as well as any created contact lists or categories will be visible.

4. To excise multiple contacts simultaneously, initiate and maintain contact with the Command key on a Mac keyboard and individually click each contact intended for removal from the synchronized storage.

5. When complete, select the “Delete Contacts” button. You will then be presented a confirmation request - clicking “Delete” here will finalize removel of the chosen contacts across all registered Apple devices.

Conclusion

In summary, the iPhone and iCloud contact deletion techniques covered here offer convenient solutions for eliminating large groups of contacts swiftly. Choosing which method aligns best with your preferred access point of contact management. The iPhone route handles bulk removal locally, while iCloud synchronization ensures changes apply everywhere.

FAQs

Is there a method to delete contacts that are not listed together?

Indeed, generate a new contact group, including the scattered contacts intended for deletion within that group, then they can be easily selected and deleted together.

What happens when I delete a contact on my iPhone?

The contact is irreversibly removed from your iPhone and any other iCloud-synchronized devices unless possessed of a backup or synced to an alternative service.

Can you delete all your contacts at once?

Technically, no. However, a large group can be selected and deleted, or iCloud accessed through a computer.