11 Tips to Fix iPhone Contacts Missing Names in iOS 17

User Concern

“I updated to iOS 17 yesterday, but my iPhone did not display my contacts' names in messages. All I see are their phone numbers. Why is this, and how can I fix it?”

Just like the problem above, many iOS users left the comments complaining that iPhone contact names go missing without any reason after upgrading to iOS 17/16.

It can be frustrating to deal with missing contact names on your iPhone. Don't worry. There are many ways to restore the missing names and in this article, we will show you some of the most effective ones.

Why Isn't My iPhone Showing Contact Names?

There are several reasons for an iPhone displays phone numbers instead of contacts, including:

• Contacts were lost or disappeared after an iOS 17/16 update.
• An error in iCloud syncing may be causing names not to show.
• Names missing after deleting an email account.
• App glitches in Contacts, Messages, Emails, WhatsApp, etc.
• Insufficient space in iCloud or on the iPhone's storage.

How Do I Restore My Contact Names on My iPhone?

To fix the issue of missing names on iPhone contacts, try the following steps, implementing each solution until you find one that works for you;

Tip 1. Restart the iPhone

A simple restart of the iPhone may help resolve the missing contact names issue. It can help to get rid of any system glitches that may be affecting the proper function of the device, including the names in the Contacts app.

To restart, go to Settings > General > scroll down and tap on Shut Down. After powering off the device, wait for 30 seconds before pressing the Power button to restart.

Tip 2. Ask Siri to Show Contacts

As a virtual assistant, Siri can do much more than you can imagine. It could also recognize the contact names. Before proceeding, try this less-common tip.

Tip 3. Refresh Contact Database

Editing a contact or adding more contacts can refresh the contacts database, which may help resolve the issue of missing names. To do that, open the Contacts app and tap on a contact name, then tap on the Edit or + option, make the change, and tap on Done.

Tip 4. Enable Show All Contacts

The contacts' name may not appear when you turn on the "Hide All Contacts" option. If you accidentally enabled this option, you should go to Contacts > Groups to enable the option of Show All Contacts.

Tip 5. Turn Off and Turn On Short Name

If your iPhone contact names disappear without reason, you should check the Short Name option. Open iPhone Settings and go to Contacts > Short Name to turn it off and then turn it back on. You can also turn it off to check whether it works.

Tip 6. Toggle Contacts Off/On in iCloud

If your iPhone contacts are stored on iCloud, minor glitches or improper syncing may be causing the issue. One of the best ways to resolve these minor glitches is to simply toggle contacts in iCloud - turning them Off and then On again.

To do this, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Turn the Contacts toggle off and click Keep on My iPhone. Then, turn the toggle back on and click Merge.

Tip 7. Check Other Contacts Services

If you have synced your iPhone contacts with other services like Google instead of iCloud, look into the steps given below to check whether you can find the contact names from the Google Account.

1. Find the option of Contacts from iPhone Settings.
2. Go to Accounts > Gmail to select your Google account.
3. You can check whether the Contacts is toggled on or not. If not, toggle it On to get your contacts back.

Tip 8. Sign Out of iCloud and Sign Back

If you find that toggling the contacts in iCloud doesn’t work, signing out of your iCloud account and signing in again may resolve the issue.

It is very easy to do; just go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Scroll down and choose Sign Out > Enter your password to confirm. Restart your iPhone and sign in again.

Tip 9. Turn iMessage OFF/ON

The iPhone contact names will also be missing due to a small glitch in the Message app. In this case, you can go to Settings > Messages and disable iMessage. Then restart your device and turn on the iMessage option again.

Tip 10. Reset Network Connections

The network connection error may also cause the contact name missing bug. Thus, resetting the network connection may be a good way to  solve the problem. To reset your network settings, just follow the simple steps:

1. Go to Settings on your iPhone and scroll down to tap General.
2. Find the Transfer or Reseti Phone tab and select Reset > Reset Network Settings.
3. Once you confirm the option, the cellular settings, Wi-Fi networks and passwords, VPN, and APN settings will be erased and reset.

Tip 11. Repair iPhone to Fix iPhone Contacts Missing Names

If all other methods fail, consider a software issue the cause. In this case, you can try a professional iPhone system repair tool, such as FoneGeek iOS System Recovery, which is designed to solve a variety of iOS system problems and iTunes issues. This is a highly effective, very useful program that will help you fix any iOS system issues that may be affecting your device and its contacts.

Download FoneGeek iOS System Recovery and follow the instructions to  fix this problem.

Bonus Tip: Recover Missing Contacts & Names on iPhone

If you have lost not only contact names but also important information like messages, photos, and notes, consider using FoneGeek iPhone Data Recovery. This tool can find and recover iPhone missing contacts, including names, numbers, and emails, as well as view messages and sent contact names. It supports recovery without backup and works with the latest iPhone 15/14 and iOS 17.

It is also very easy to use, allowing you to recover your missing data in just a few simple steps, saving you a lot of time. Download FoneGeek iPhone Data Recovery and give it a try.

Conclusion

We hope that our experiences in fixing the contacts missing names on iPhone issue could be helpful to you. These solutions work for almost all iPhone models, including 15/14/13/12, and even older models.