Regularly backing up your iPhone data is crucial for protecting important information such as contacts. Proper backups ensure your contact list remains safe even if your iPhone is damaged, lost, or stolen. When it comes to backing up iPhone data, most people first think of iTunes or iCloud. However, neither of these methods can back up contacts alone.
If you only need to back up your contacts, the good news is that there are many alternatives to iTunes and iCloud that can meet your needs. This guide will introduce you to six effective methods for backing up your iPhone contacts using iTunes, iCloud, and some simple third-party tools.
Coolmuster iOS Assistant is the perfect tool to back up iPhone contacts to computer or any other external hard drives. It greatly simplifies the task of managing all data on iOS devices. With just one click, you can easily transfer various data between iPhone and PC/Mac, such as contacts, photos, videos, music files, and more, regardless of size or format.
It allows you to preview data details before starting the transfer. In addition to this, iOS Assistant allows users to freely add, edit, or delete contacts on their computer. All in all, iOS Assistant is the perfect app if you want to manage iPhone data easily.
Key features of iOS Assistant:
Here is how to save contacts from iPhone via iOS Assistant:
01Download and install iOS Assistant and connect the iPhone to the computer using a USB cable. Tap "Trust" to continue. When successfully connected and detected by the software, you'll see information about your device on the interface.
02Select the "Contacts" option from the left window. Preview the files and check those contact lists you want to back up. Afterward, hit the "Export" icon at the top of the interface to save your contacts list to the computer.
Video Tutorial:
iTunes (for Windows/macOS Mojave and earlier versions) and Finder (for macOS Catalina and later versions) are official device management tools provided by Apple. They support full-device backups of iPhone data, including contacts. Although this method does not allow you to view the contact files individually, it is suitable for users who wish to back up all their data at once.
To back up iPhone contacts to iTunes:
Step 1. Start by installing the latest version of iTunes on the computer and connect the iPhone to the computer using a lightning cable.
Step 2. Click the iPhone icon in the upper-left corner of the iTunes window.
Step 3. Under the "Backups" section, choose "This Computer", then tap "Back Up Now". Your valuable contact info will be securely stored in iTunes.
To back up iPhone contacts to Finder:
Step 1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac using a USB cable and open Finder on your Mac.
Step 2. Your iPhone will appear under "Locations" in the Finder sidebar. Click on your iPhone in Finder.
Step 3. Under the "General" tab, find the "Backups" section.
Step 4. Select "Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this Mac" and then click "Back Up Now".
iCloud is Apple's official cloud backup service, which supports automatic synchronization of contacts to the cloud. As long as your device is connected to Wi-Fi and synchronization is enabled, contacts will be automatically saved to iCloud, making it easy to restore or switch to a new device.
Here is how to store contacts on iPhone to iCloud:
Step 1. Open your iPhone and go to "Settings".
Step 2. Tap your "Apple ID" avatar at the top to enter the "iCloud" settings page.
Step 3. In the "iCloud" list, find the "Contacts" option and turn it on.
Step 4. Make sure your device is connected to Wi-Fi, and the system will automatically begin syncing your contacts.
You can also make a full iCloud backup to back up all iPhone contents to iCloud, including contacts. To do this, follow the steps below:
Step 1. Open your iPhone and go to "Settings".
Step 2. Tap your "Apple ID" at the top and select "iCloud".
Step 3. Scroll down and tap "iCloud Backup".
Step 4. Toggle on "iCloud Backup" if it's not already enabled.
Step 5. Tap "Back Up Now" to start the backup process.
Step 6. Wait for the backup to complete while ensuring your device is connected to Wi-Fi.
How do I back up my iPhone contacts without iCloud? If you use Gmail or plan to sync your contacts to an Android phone, backing up your iPhone contacts to Gmail is a good option. By adding a Google account and enabling synchronization, you can manage data across platforms.
Here is how to back up contacts on iPhone without iCloud via Gmail:
Step 1. Open "Settings" on your iPhone > "Contacts" > "Accounts".
Step 2. Tap "Add Account" and select "Google".
Step 3. Enter your Gmail email address and password to log in.
Step 4. After logging in, make sure the "Contacts" sync toggle is turned on.
Step 5. After a few minutes, your iPhone contacts will automatically sync to your Gmail account.
If you have a Mac on hand and want to quickly share or save individual contacts, AirDrop is a very convenient method. Although it doesn't support bulk backups, it's very useful for exporting a small number of contacts.
Step 1. Ensure both your iPhone and Mac have AirDrop enabled and are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
Step 2. On your iPhone, open the "Contacts" app and select the contact you want to share.
Step 3. Scroll down and tap the "Share Contact" option.
Step 4. In the sharing options, select "AirDrop". (AirDrop not working?)
Step 5. Choose your Mac from the list of available devices.
Step 6. On your Mac, accept the AirDrop transfer to receive the contact.
Step 7. The contact will be saved to your Mac's "Contacts" app.
iPhone lets you export your contacts directly from the Contacts app, making it easy to create a backup. To export contacts using the app:
Step 1: Open the Contacts app. On iOS 26 devices, tap the > icon; on iOS 18 and earlier, tap the "List" button.
Step 2: Press and hold the contact list you want to export. To export all contacts, select the "All Contacts" list. Then tap "Export".
Step 3: You'll be prompted to share the exported contacts via message or email. Choose the method that works best for you.
There are several ways to export iPhone contacts. Check out the full guide to explore all the options.
Q1. How can I copy all contacts from my iPhone?
You can select all your contacts in the Contacts app and share them via email or message. Alternatively, you can use Coolmuster iOS Assistant to copy all contacts and either back them up or send them to someone else.
Q2. How do I back up iPhone contacts without using iCloud?
Open the "Settings" app, go to "Contacts > Accounts > Add Account", then sign in with an account like Gmail or Outlook. Turn on the "Contacts" toggle to sync your contacts with that account.
Q3. How can I transfer all contacts from my iPhone to my computer?
You can use iTunes or Finder to transfer all your iPhone data, including contacts, to your computer. If you only want to transfer contacts, Coolmuster iOS Assistant is a more focused option.
With the six methods introduced in this article, you can choose the most suitable way to back up your iPhone contacts based on your usage habits and device environment. If you want to export and save contacts in bulk, efficiently, and in a selectable format, we particularly recommend using Coolmuster iOS Assistant. It not only supports contact export but also manages various types of data such as messages, photos, videos, and more, making it a practical tool for iPhone data management.
Related Articles:
Want to Back Up iPhone Contacts to Google? 5 Methods to Achieve It
A Completed Guide on How to Transfer Contacts from iPhone to iPhone
How to Transfer Contacts from PC to iPhone with/without iTunes?
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