Editing & Deleting Contacts Groups (=Lists)

NB. The Apple Contacts app will refer to either Contacts-Groups or Contact-Lists: depending upon OSX/ iOS version.

The Contacts app is syncs across iCloud: and provides users a way to easily edit, maintain and arrange groups of contacts.

Using Contacts is completely intuitive: except when it isn’t.

Users who have ever wanted to delete a Contacts-Group – and been unable to – are invited to read on.

Deleting a Group (=List)

Deleting a group appears to be undocumented by Apple: probably because it is assumed to be “intuitive & trouble-free”.

However, when users actually attempt this: be prepared for Contacts to refuse to cooperate. Without providing any reason.

Through trail & error, I have discovered that the key point is simply this: a group cannot be deleted until all contacts are removed from the group first.

In other words, to delete a Contacts-Group/ list:

1. First remove each contact from the Group: using delete (or command-delete). When Contacts requests confirmation, select the remove from group option.
2. After all contacts have been removed: select the group in the sidebar using command-delete (or use Edit-Delete Group option from the menu).

Want to know more?

Check out Apple’s Contacts User Guide.