Whether you're resetting, repairing, selling, or trading in your phone, back up your contacts first with this quick checklist — plus how to restore them afterward.
A factory reset wipes everything stored locally on your phone — and that includes any contacts that aren't synced to your Google account, like SIM-only entries or contacts saved directly to the device. Before you tap "Erase all data," it's worth spending sixty seconds on a backup you control.
Here's a simple, reliable way to do it that doesn't rely on assuming Google already has a copy.
Use the Contact Exporter app to capture every contact on the device — regardless of whether it's synced, local, or SIM-based.
Grant contacts permission if this is your first time using it.
Every contact on the phone is written to a single CSV file, on-device, in seconds.
Email it to yourself, upload it to Google Drive or Dropbox, or AirDrop/transfer it to a computer. This step is essential — the reset will erase the file if it stays only on the phone.
With your backup safely stored off the device, proceed with whatever prompted the reset — a factory reset, a warranty repair, a trade-in, or handing the phone to a new owner.
Any contacts already synced to Google return automatically on setup.
Go to contacts.google.com, click Import, and select your saved CSV file to bring back everything else.
Since contacts sync through your Google account, the restored list appears automatically on the device.
Yes. A factory reset wipes all local data, including any contacts stored only on the device. Contacts already synced to a Google account are usually safe, but locally-saved or SIM-only contacts are not.
Google Contacts sync covers contacts saved to your Google account, but not always contacts stored on the SIM card or as "phone-only" entries. A manual CSV export captures everything regardless of where it's stored, giving you a complete safety net.
Sign back into your Google account on the reset phone — synced contacts return automatically. For contacts from your CSV backup, go to contacts.google.com, click Import, and select the file.
Yes, always back up and then factory reset before selling, trading in, or returning a phone — this protects your data and ensures the next owner starts with a clean device.
$1.25 to download, then $1.20/quarter. One tap to a complete CSV backup.
Download on Google Play