Can I show WhatsApp contacts separately from phone contacts?

If WhatsApp is set up as a synced account on your device, it appears as its own option under Customize in Display preferences, letting you include or exclude it independently.

Does changing the display preference delete any contacts?

No. The setting only controls what is shown in the list. All contacts remain stored in their original accounts and reappear once you select All contacts again.

Why do I see duplicate entries for the same person?

Duplicates usually happen when the same contact is saved in both Google and SIM without being merged. Selecting a single account under Display preferences temporarily removes the duplicate, but merging contacts in your account settings fixes it permanently.

Huawei

Huawei: Choose Which Contacts Account to Show

If your contact list on a Huawei phone mixes SIM entries, Google contacts and messenger numbers into one messy view, the display setting is set to show every account at once. This makes it hard to find people saved only on your SIM or only in Google, especially after switching phones or adding a new account. You can limit the list to a single source instead of scrolling through duplicates.

Updated: 05.08.20264 min5 steps

VersionAndroid 10 · EMUI

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Huawei

Choose Which Contacts Account to Display auf Huawei

On Huawei phones running EMUI, the Contacts app merges every linked source into a single list by default. SIM card entries, Google contacts and numbers synced from messengers like WhatsApp all appear together, sorted alphabetically with no indication of origin.

This is convenient until you need to isolate one source, for example after inserting a new SIM card, switching Google accounts, or troubleshooting duplicate entries that show the same person twice under slightly different names.

To change which accounts are visible, open Open Contacts ➔ Open the menu ➔ Open the settings ➔ Tap on Display preferences. From there, choose between All contacts, Phone, SIM, Google or Customize.

Selecting Customize lets you tick individual accounts, which is the best option if you use several messenger apps or multiple Google accounts and only want specific ones merged into your call and message list.

Switching to SIM or Phone only is useful for a quick check of what is physically stored on the card or device, separate from cloud-synced entries.

Frequently asked questions

Selecting Phone or SIM hides contacts stored in other accounts like Google. Switch back to All contacts or use Customize to bring them back into view.

Compatible devices

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Android 10 · EMUI

Huawei Mate 30 Pro Huawei Mate 8 Huawei Mate Xs Huawei MatePad Pro 5G Huawei MediaPad T1 8.0 Huawei nova 8 Huawei P30 Huawei P40 Huawei P40 4G Huawei P40 lite Huawei P40 Lite E Huawei P40 Pro Huawei Y5 Huawei Y5p Huawei Y6 Huawei Y6p Huawei Y6s

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Huawei: Choose Which Contacts Account to Show

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Choose Which Contacts Account to Display auf Huawei

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