The fastest way: use the Contacts app that comes with your iPad

Open the Contacts app — it has a silhouette icon and comes built into every iPad. Tap the plus sign (+) in the top right corner. Type in the person's name, phone number, email address, or physical address in whichever fields you want to fill. Tap Done. That contact is now saved to your iPad and syncs to your other Apple devices if you use iCloud.

You do not need to fill in every field. If you only know someone's email address, enter that and skip the phone number. The app stores whatever you give it. You can always go back and add more information later by opening the contact and tapping Edit.

Key Takeaways

  • The Contacts app is built into your iPad — find it by the silhouette icon and tap the plus sign to add a new person.
  • You can add just a name and one piece of contact information; you do not have to fill in every field.
  • Contacts you add sync automatically to your iPhone, Mac, and other Apple devices if you have iCloud turned on in Settings.
  • If you receive a contact from someone else as a file or message, you can save it directly without typing it in manually.

Adding a contact from an email or message

If someone sends you their contact information in an email or text message, you can save it without typing. In Mail, tap and hold on the sender's name at the top of the message, then tap Add to Contacts. In Messages, do the same with their name.

Some people send contact files — these look like attachments with names ending in .vcf. Tap the file, then tap Add to Contacts. The information fills in automatically. This is faster than typing everything yourself and reduces the chance of spelling mistakes.

Importing contacts from another phone or computer

If you are switching to iPad from an Android phone or another device, you can move your contacts over. The easiest method depends on what you are switching from.

From an Android phone: sign into your Google account on your iPad (Settings > Mail > Accounts > Add Account > Google), and your Android contacts appear in the Contacts app. From a computer: export your contacts as a .vcf file, email it to yourself, then tap the file on your iPad and choose Add to Contacts.

If you have a lot of contacts and this feels complicated, ask the person at the phone store or computer store to help you move them. This is a standard task and takes 10 to 15 minutes. They do this regularly and can walk you through it step by step.

Organizing contacts into groups

You can create groups to organize your contacts — for example, a group for family, one for work, one for your child's school. Tap Edit in the top left of the Contacts app, then tap the plus sign next to Groups. Type a name for the group and tap Done.

To add a contact to a group, open the contact, tap Edit, scroll down to Groups, and tap the group name. You can put one contact in multiple groups if you want — for example, your spouse could be in both Family and Work. Groups make it easier to find people when you have hundreds of contacts saved.

Fixing or updating a contact you already saved

Open the contact and tap Edit in the top right. Change whatever information needs to change — add a new phone number, fix a spelling in the name, add an address. Tap Done when you are finished.

If you want to delete a contact entirely, open it, tap Edit, scroll to the bottom, and tap Delete Contact. This removes it from your iPad and from your other Apple devices if you use iCloud. Deleted contacts cannot be recovered, so make sure you really want to remove them.

Why your contacts might not be showing up

If you added a contact but cannot find it, check whether you have hidden the group it is in. In the Contacts app, tap Groups in the top left. Make sure the groups you want to see have a checkmark next to them. If a group is unchecked, its contacts are hidden from view.

If a contact you added on your iPhone is not showing on your iPad, check that both devices are signed into the same iCloud account. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud on each device and make sure iCloud is turned on. Contacts sync within a few minutes once both devices are set up the same way. If they still do not appear, try signing out of iCloud and signing back in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a contact with just a name and no phone number or email?

Yes. Open Contacts, tap the plus sign, type the name, and tap Done. You can add the phone number or email later by opening the contact and tapping Edit.

What happens to my contacts if I get a new iPad?

If you sign into the same iCloud account on your new iPad, your contacts appear automatically. If you do not use iCloud, you can export your contacts as a file from your old iPad and import them on the new one.

Can I add a contact photo?

Yes. Open the contact, tap Edit, tap the circle at the top where it says Add Photo, then choose a photo from your iPad or take a new one with the camera. Tap Done to save it.

Do I need WiFi to add a contact?

No. Adding a contact to your iPad works without any internet connection. If you use iCloud to sync contacts to other devices, those devices will sync the next time they connect to WiFi or cellular data.