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Samsung

Samsung: Restore Deleted Contacts from Trash

Deleted a contact by accident on your Samsung phone and now cannot find it anywhere? Samsung Contacts does not erase entries right away, it moves them into a trash folder for a limited time. Once that window runs out, the contact is gone for good unless you have a separate backup.

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Step 1 of 7: Tap on **Contacts**

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Tap on Contacts

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Android 11 · One UI 3
Restore Deleted Contacts from Trash – One UI 3: step 1 – Tap on Contacts
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Samsung

Restore Deleted Contacts from Trash auf Samsung

When a contact disappears from your Samsung phone, it usually is not gone for good right away. The Samsung Contacts app moves deleted entries into a trash folder instead of removing them from the system immediately.

This safety net belongs to the Contacts app itself, not to Google Sync or a separate cleaner tool. Entries sit in the trash for 15 days before the system deletes them for good.

To bring a contact back, open Contacts and go to Tap on ContactsOpen the MenuTap on Trash. Inside the trash, open the menu again with Open the MenuTap on Restore or delete contacts, then Select one or more Contacts and confirm with Tap on Restore.

Restored contacts return to your regular contact list with their phone number and other saved details unchanged.

If more than 15 days have passed, the trash will no longer show the entry. In that case, check a Google account backup or a device backup made through Samsung Cloud or Smart Switch instead.

Contacts that were removed only from a linked account but never reached the local trash can sometimes reappear on their own once the account syncs again.

Frequently asked questions

Deleted contacts remain in the trash for 15 days. After that period, the Contacts app removes them permanently and restoring through the app is no longer possible.

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Android 11 · One UI 3

No compatible devices are listed for this version.