How To Delete Read-Only Contacts

Read-only contacts can be frustrating because they cannot be removed in the normal way. These contacts usually come from apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook, email accounts or SIM card imports. Since they are linked to another source, your phone prevents you from deleting them directly. The good news is that you can still remove them by disabling or deleting their source. Below is a full guide with an introduction and numbered subheadings in the same style as your previous articles.

1. Understand What Read-Only Contacts Mean

A read-only contact is one that your phone does not control fully. It syncs from an external app or account, so the Contacts app cannot change or delete it. These contacts commonly appear on Android phones when accounts such as Google, WhatsApp, Messenger or Exchange email are connected. The only way to remove them is by turning off the syncing feature or deleting the contact from the original source that created it.

2. Identify the App or Account Creating the Read-Only Contact

Before deleting anything, open the contact and scroll down to check its linked sources. You will usually see information like “Linked from WhatsApp,” “Synced from Google,” or “Read-only from SIM.” The linked source tells you where the contact is coming from. Once you know the source, you can remove it at that level instead of trying to delete it from your phone directly.

3. Remove Read-Only Contacts by Turning Off Sync

If the contact is synced from an account such as Gmail, Exchange or Outlook, open your phone’s Settings, then tap Accounts. Choose the account where the contact is stored. Turn off the toggle for Contacts syncing. Once syncing is disabled, go back to your contacts list. Refresh the list or restart your phone. The read-only contacts should disappear because they are no longer being synced into your phone.

4. Delete the Contact from the Original App

For contacts linked to WhatsApp, Messenger or similar apps, open the app itself and delete the contact there if the platform allows it. For WhatsApp, remove the number from your phone’s main address book, then refresh WhatsApp contacts. For apps that sync automatically, clearing app data or disabling contact syncing inside the app settings can also remove the read-only entry.

5. Remove Read-Only Contacts from SIM Card Source

If the contact comes from your SIM card, open your Contacts app settings and select Manage contacts or Import/export contacts. Look for an option such as SIM contacts and edit or delete the entry from there. Contacts stored on the SIM cannot be removed through the main list until they are deleted at their source.

6. Clear Contacts Storage if Contacts Still Remain

If read-only contacts are still showing even after disabling sync, open Settings, go to Apps, then search for Contacts Storage. Choose Clear data or Clear storage. This refreshes the entire contacts database, so your synced accounts will re-import only the permitted contacts. Only do this if you are comfortable letting the phone rebuild your contacts list from scratch.

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