# How to find and merge duplicate contacts

Source: https://exportcontacts.com/duplicates/
Updated: 2026-11-14 · By the Contaxo team

> Open **Contaxo** and tap **Duplicates**. It groups contacts that share a name, phone number or email. Delete the extra copies for free, or merge each group into one contact that keeps every number, email and address (Pro). A restore point is saved before every change, so you can undo it.

## What you need

- iPhone or iPad with iOS 16 or later, or an Android phone with Android 7.1 or later
- The free Contaxo app (finding and deleting duplicates is free; merging needs Pro)

## Step by step with Contaxo

1. **Tap Duplicates.** Contaxo scans your address book and shows each group of duplicates with the reason, such as "Same phone number". The first contact in a group is marked **Original**.
2. **Set the matching rules.** Tap **Matching Rules** to choose what counts as a duplicate (name, phone, email) and to leave out unnamed or company contacts.
3. **Delete or merge.** Delete selected copies, delete all extra copies, or tap **Merge** on a group (or **Smart Merge All**) to combine them into one contact.
4. **Undo if needed.** Tap **Undo** in the message right after the change. Later, restore the restore point from Backup Contacts.

## The built-in way (without an app)

- **iPhone and iPad (iOS 16 or later):** when the Contacts app finds duplicates, a **Duplicates Found** card appears at the top of your contacts. Tap **View Duplicates** and merge them. You cannot choose the matching rules.
- **Android:** Google Contacts suggests duplicates under **Fix & manage › Merge & fix**. Samsung Contacts has **Manage contacts › Merge contacts**.

Contaxo adds your own matching rules, the choice between deleting and merging, and an undo with restore points.

## Frequently asked questions

### How does Contaxo decide two contacts are duplicates?

You choose the rules. Contacts are grouped when they share a name, a phone number or an email, whichever rules you turned on. The same number written in a different format still counts as a match.

### What does merge keep?

You end up with one contact that has every phone number, email and address from the copies, without repeats. Then the extra copies are removed.

### Is anything lost when merging?

Some details on the extra copies, such as notes, are not carried over. Before every merge Contaxo saves a restore point, so you can bring the original contacts back.

### Why do I have so many duplicates?

The usual causes are the same contacts synced from two accounts (for example iCloud and Google), importing a backup twice, or a SIM card import. Restoring with Contaxo does not create duplicates because it adds only missing contacts.

## Related

- [How to back up and restore your contacts](https://exportcontacts.com/backup/)
- [How to import contacts from Excel, CSV or vCard](https://exportcontacts.com/import/)

Get Contaxo: App Store https://apps.apple.com/app/id1546550155 · Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.onnex.exportcontacts.excel.backup