Sometimes the idea (finally) dawns on us that we need to tidy our phones, starting with eliminating long-forgotten clone contacts.
The problem is that many of these clones are read-only contacts, and when you try to remove them ‘FOR GOOD,’ you get a dialogue box that reads something to the effect of “Read-only contacts cannot be deleted.” They can only be concealed.”
What is Read-Only Contacts, and what do they do?
Read-only contacts are those that are added by third-party communication programs such as WhatsApp, Skype, and Messenger, rather than by the user personally.
Because these are read-only contacts, they are retained on your smartphone for a limited time, but you cannot remove them like regular contacts. So, now that you understand what a read-only contact is, you’ll probably want to learn how to delete them as we progress (which is possibly the whole point of why you are reading this article, anyway).
Read-only contacts take up space on your device, and certain undesired contacts may be saved there that can’t be readily erased or removed, which is inconvenient for many individuals.
It’s common to have numerous duplicate contacts for a single contact, which extends your contact list and makes it harder to determine which one is the original.
Method 1: Separate the Contacts
You’ll discover how to erase read-only Android contacts by simply unlinking a specific app in this manner.
The final steps in this procedure vary depending on whatever Android version you’re using.
9.00 or Android Pie
Scroll down in the Contacts app until you find the contract you want to erase.
Select the menu option (3 dots icon in the upper-right corner of your screen), then ‘View Linked Contacts.’
The Unlink button will appear in a pop-up window. You’ve successfully unlinked a certain contact from a specific app.
You must now return to the contact and select the menu option. Click the Delete button, then confirm in the pop-up window.
Android Oreo or Android 8
Select the contacts you wish to delete in the Contacts app, then press the menu option.
Hit ‘View linked contacts’ from the drop-down menu, then tap the Unlink button.
You can now delete the contacts from your contacts list because they are no longer linked. Simply go to Contacts, select the contacts you want to get rid of, and then touch the Delete option.
Method No. 2 Using the Contacts App from Google
We’ll use the Google Contact app to delete a read-only contact in this way. Google Contacts comes pre-installed on the current Android phones, while some Android devices come with a default bespoke Contact app with a greater utility designed by the phone.
To sync and store all of your contacts to your Google account, select the Sync option.
After that, follow the steps below:
Use any browser on your device to go to contacts.google.com. If you haven’t already, sign in using the Google account that you’re using to sync data on your device.
You’ll see a list of contacts saved to your Google account on the new page; scroll down to the contact you wish to delete.
Select Delete from the drop-down menu by tapping the menu button (found on the top-right side of your screen).
In the pop-up window, click the Delete option and confirm the deletion.
Now sync your device’s contacts, and you’ll see
Method #3: Remove the App
You’ve probably figured out that read-only contacts are associated with third-party
communication programs. This approach will teach you how to erase read-only contacts from messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Viber, Imo, Messenger, and others.
As much as we’d like to go into detail, this is the simplest option – all you have to do is delete and reinstall the app associated with those read-only contacts. Those contacts will be removed from your cellphone if you restore them.
Using a third-party app (method #4)
We’ll use a third-party application called Easy Contacts Erase to delete the read-only contacts in this case. It is not necessary to utilize the specific app; any other software accessible on the Google Play Store would suffice. Check to see whether they work and if there are enough favorable user reviews to persuade you to download the app.
After you’ve installed the app on your smartphone, follow the steps below:
To begin, open the app. It will ask for contact information; grant it.
Following that, you’ll see a list of contacts kept on your device; scroll down and choose the ones you wish to delete.
Finally, confirm the pop window by tapping the cross button at the bottom.