Delete All contacts?

I want to delete all contacts and then import a new vcf file. Trouble is, I can’t find a way to delete all contacts. Settings->apps->contacts->storage-> clear cache, clear data does appear to delete something, as the storage drops to zero, but next time I open the contacts app, there are all the contacts again. It appears to reload them from somewhere. I have removed the original vcf file that I had used to load contacts.
I’ve also tried force stop on contacts after clearing data, tried rebooting the phone, etc. Nothing works, the contacts are always restored. I am in airplane mode, I have no accounts set up, so the phone is not synching contacts with any website.
With 500+ contacts, I do not want to delete them one at a time (which does work). Is there any way to bulk delete all contacts? Thanks.
Details: Nexus 6. com.android.contacts version 1.4.22 /e/OS 0.7-20200117377872 Android 7.1.2 Jan 17 2020

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Do you sync your contacts with ecloud or other cloud storage ? Than you should delete the address book there

and also the sync account on your phone under ‘settings / accounts’

@Manoj could you please move this post to ‘addressbook’ or somewhere else ? Because this is a question post, not a HowTo wiki

Sorry about posting in the wrong place, new here. I do not sync anything with anything at this time, as far as I know. I do not have any accounts under settings / accounts except my wireless carrier, and I have not knowingly backed up contacts to my carrier, and I am in airplane mode when trying to delete contacts.

No problem :wink:

Do you have an e.email account ?

I do, but I have not told the phone about it yet. Basically, I just recently installed /e/ and I am not yet looking to sync the phone with anything, I just want to test it. I exported contacts from my old phone to a vcf file, but I didn’t realize how it was going to combine various sets of contacts. I have edited down the vcf on my pc and want to replace everything that is currently in the contacts manager on the phone with just what is in the new vcf file. If I import the new vcf, it will probably just create hundreds of duplicates. There needs to be a way to wipe out the existing list on the phone first. Are contacts stored in a particular file that I could delete directly? I have browsed with the files app, but don’t see anything.

Ok, I found a youtube video that showed how to do it. I will try to recap in case anyone else needs to do this sometime.
Open contacts
long tap a contact – a check box will appear next to it
At the upper left you can see a “1” next to a little arrow. You can check off a few more and you’ll see that number go up with each one you check.
Now if you press the little arrow, you’ll get the option of “select all”. When you’ve done that, the options menu (3 vertical dots) is where you look for the delete command. This will delete all your contacts.
For good measure, I then went to settings-apps-contacts-storage, and cleared cache, then cleared data. I don’t know if this is really necessary, but with no contacts, the app was still using quite a bit of storage.
I was probably asking too simple a question! On the other hand, there are a number of websites out there that suggest clearing the storage to delete all contacts, and I found that did not work by itself. It looks like you can only delete the contacts through the contacts app itself.

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Now we have a HowTo :slight_smile:

Hey there! One year later I got the same problem, without any e.-account at all, and in my FP3+ with /e/ this “little arrow” next to the number when marking a few contacts doesnt appear at all. :frowning:

Also in the system control I cant find that possibility.

Anybody got an idea?

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@rhunault @rana.narin

Sorry for tagging you here, but I saw you on gitlab working on this project “android_packages_apps_Contacts” - maybe you can help? (see post above) Or you might have a clue what I could do?

Thank you very much! :slight_smile:

Hi @bemey it would be better to raise an issue on gitlab if not already done and then request answers or share your suggestions. Dev team members are not expected to come to the forum and directly answer queries.
Why ? Because they team is small and spending time on interacting directly with users on multiple channels and forums will distract them and make them less productive.
On the Gitlab issues can be raised and suggestions or comments if any added. As these issues are assigned to the developers there the interaction is more direct.

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I can confirm on version 1.7.21 contacts it it impossible to “select all” contacts (no arrow) to delete them :frowning:
This is issue when imported used .vcf file (no account assigned)

Storage> Contact> clear data despite warning it does not delete any contacts.

I had to wipe device :see_no_evil: to move on. Better workaround is needed!