How to delete Read-only contacts is not as complex as you think it is if you have the right information.
Many Android users find it difficult to delete read-only contacts that they previously saved on their devices.
It doesn’t seem to be talked about much, so there aren’t many clear references to such a complication.
Read-only contacts are application-based contacts that are stored on a person’s device due to the use of the application(s) such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Facebook Messenger, and Viber.
They are allegedly stored temporarily by the application in the storage of the user’s device.
If the user tries to delete read-only contacts through the usual or conventional means, it will not work and will be reported as an error, even though they may be hidden from view. It will appear in the user’s address book found on the device.
The message “Contacts from your read-only accounts cannot be deleted, but can be hidden” is annoying many users.
But don’t worry. There is a way to delete them, and we’ll show you how in this article.
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How to Delete Read-Only Contacts (Basic Information)
Android maintains several address lists.
There used to be only one address list per device, but today there are thousands of different lists.
In addition to the SIM card, contacts can be saved to phone storage, the cloud, Google, Microsoft Exchange, apps like Messenger or WhatsApp, and many other places.
The contact application from Android manages all approved directories in one place. To avoid duplicate contacts, they will be connected to one contact. This way, the contact becomes read-only.
How to Delete a Read-Only Contact (Steps)
If you try to delete such a contact, you will receive a warning that this is not possible because the contact exists in and is attached to many address lists.
To remove a read-only contact, you must remove the connection. Depending on the version of Android you’re using, there are different ways to approach this:
How to Delete a Read-Only Contact on Android 9 “Pie”
- Open Contacts
- Select the contact you want to delete
- Open the menu
- Tap View Linked Contacts
- Tap Disconnect
- Confirm with Unlink
- Tap the contact you want to delete
- Open the menu
- Tap Delete
- Confirm with the Delete button
How to Delete a Read-Only Contact on Android 8 “Oreo”
- Tap Contacts
- Select the contact you want to delete
- Open the menu
- Tap View Linked Contacts
- Tap Disconnect
- Confirm with Unlink
- Tap the contact again
- Open the menu
- Tap Delete
How to Delete Read-Only Contact on iPhone
Some iPhone users have reported that when they decide to delete some normal iPhone contacts, and it fails, the iPhone pops up with the error message “Not all contacts were deleted – one or more contacts may be read-only.”
If you are also facing the “how to delete read-only contacts” problem on your iPhone? The following steps will help you:
Turn Off iCloud Contacts on iPhone
Go to iPhone Settings -> Apple ID -> iCloud -> Contacts, and turn it off. And select “Delete from My iPhone” in the pop-up window.
Now, you can restart your iPhone, go to iPhone Settings -> Apple ID -> iCloud -> Contacts again and turn on iCloud Contacts. And then delete the contact again; it will work.
Delete It From iCloud contacts
Visit www.icloud.com in your browser, then use your Apple ID and password to log in to iCloud and access Contacts. You will see a list of all iCloud contacts, scroll down to find the contact you want to delete, click Edit, then go down and remove the contact.
If you accidentally deleted some iPhone contacts, you can use the iPhone recovery app to restore those deleted iPhone contacts. It supports exporting and restoring contacts from iPhone with or without iPhone backup.
Delete It From WhatsApp
Some iPhone users report that this contact cannot be deleted because it is associated with WhatsApp contacts. You need to delete this contact from WhatsApp and delete the conversation with this contact.
To delete read-only contact on your iPhone from WhatsApp, open the WhatsApp app and go to the Chat tab to find the WhatsApp chat with that contact, then swipe the chat from right to left and click More… Delete chat in the main WhatsApp chat view.
If you don’t want to lose your WhatsApp chat content, you can use WhatsApp Pocket to back up and export all WhatsApp chat data, including chat messages, media files, and other data, before deleting it.
How to Delete a Cloud Contact When It’s Read-only
Read-only status is for contacts that have been synced to your phone from the cloud. You can’t delete them from your phone, but you can delete them from the cloud by going to Settings > Accounts & Sync> Google and removing the account.
If you have a contact that is set to read-only, this means that the contact cannot be edited and will not be able to receive messages or calls.
It can still be deleted, but it won’t be possible to add it back to your contact list.
How to Delete Read-Only Contacts on Infinix
This is a tough question because there are many ways to delete contacts on an Infinix device.
The first way is to go to the Contacts app and select the contact you want to delete. Then tap the three dots in the top right corner of the screen and select Delete from the phone.
Another way is to go to Settings > Contacts > Menu > Select All > Delete from Phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Can’t I Delete a Contact on My iPhone?
If you have a contact you want to delete but can’t find it on your iPhone, it’s probably because the contact is synced with an email or social media account.
To remove this contact from your phone, you will need to log in to the account from which the contact was synced and delete the contact.
Another way that contact may not be able to be removed is if it has pictures associated with it.
How Do I Delete Phone Numbers From My iPhone?
To delete phone numbers from your iPhone, go to the Phone app and click on the contact you want to delete.
When you find the contact, click Edit, then scroll down until you see “Delete Contact.” Click on it and confirm that you want to delete the number.
How Can I Delete Read-Only Contacts on iOS 14
To delete contacts on IOS 14, go to the contact information page and press the “Edit” button. Press the “Delete Contact” button at the bottom of the screen. Confirm your decision by pressing the “Delete Contact” button.
Where Are My Read-Only Infinix Contacts?
The read-only Infinix contacts are in the “read-only” folder in the “contacts” app.
How Do I Remove Unwanted Phone Numbers?
There are several ways to remove unwanted phone numbers. You can enter your contacts and find the number you want to delete, then tap on the contact to bring up its information.
Next, scroll down to the bottom of the screen and select “Delete Contact” from the list. This will remove them from your contact list but will not delete their actual phone number. Another way is to go to the call list.
How to Get Rid of Duplicate Contacts on iPhone?
You can’t.
The only way to get rid of duplicate contacts is to delete the ones you don’t want.
Conclusion
Deleting your Read-only contacts cannot be done effectively if you do not possess the right information. You can choose any of the above methods that work for you.
Hopefully, this article was helpful. Kindly use the comment section below to ask your questions, and don’t forget to share with others.
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