Using Lists in Contacts on Mac, iPhone and iPad

Lists replace Groups in the Contacts app and since you can now manage them on the iPhone and iPad they are much more useful.

Comments: 24 Responses to “Using Lists in Contacts on Mac, iPhone and iPad”

    Howard Brazee
    1 year ago

    I have my contacts on Google, so that my wife and I have the same list. It has some issues (as you mentioned).

    I can’t edit the distribution list (it’s greyed out) & I can’t share smart lists.

    Julie Armstrong
    1 year ago

    Thanks Gary - I am using contacts for other important information. For example I have a list called appliances and I include all contact information for my fridge, internet, vacuum repair, etc. On the card I include my serial number, account or warranty info. Is there a way to attach a picture or file to the contact card?

    Lynda Farabee
    1 year ago

    apparently this "lists" feature cannot send texts/messages?

    1 year ago

    Julie: Not really, no. Maybe create a folder in your Documents folder to hold images and PDFs and name those files so they are easy to find.

    Geoff
    1 year ago

    I know how to email a group/list but I can’t figure out how to text a list. I can add phone numbers one at a time to a text but I would be so much easier to send. Is there a way to do that?

    tomdaily40
    1 year ago

    Can you transfer lists created on the mac to the iphone? Will they transfer automatically

    Tom Daily
    1 year ago

    I have lists as smart lists on the mac, but they don't appear on my iphone, even though I made the same list title on the iphone.

    1 year ago

    Geoff: No easy way to do it with Messages.

    1 year ago

    Tom Daily: Regular lists transfer automatically if you are using iCloud. Smart Lists do not because there are no Smart Lists in the Contacts app for the iPhone.

    Phil Barber
    1 year ago

    Any ideas why Lists are available on iPhone , iPad, and iCloud but do not show on iMac (all with latest software) contacts are on iMac but not lists. Apple support have been looking at it for a month. Am I the only one with problem.

    1 year ago

    Phil: Are you up-to-date and using Ventura? Are you sure you are looking at the right account in the left sidebar?

    Philip Montrowe
    1 year ago

    Gary, is there a way to specify multiple email addresses for the same contact--i.e. if I have contact Jane Doe and she has a work email address and a home email address, can I have a list that includes two entries for Jane Doe, one with work, and the other with home?

    1 year ago

    Philip: I don't think so, no.

    Phil Barber
    1 year ago

    Hi Gary, Using Ventura 13.1. Apple thought the problem was related to Cliptools so re-created my account from scratch after re installing operating system without any additional software, but the problem is the same on the new account. Have a 1100 contacts on the Mac but 1130 in iCloud . All other apps Calendar , notes etc all syncing. Added new contact from Iphone, Ipad and Mac and they all sync within seconds. Just no lists on the Mac

    1 year ago

    Phil: They thought it was related to MY app? Ugh. Why would they say that? My app have nothing at all to do with the Contacts app and doesn't use iCloud at all. That's so frustrating that they would blame my app for this.
    So what happens if you create a List ON your Mac? Do you see that list? Does that one sync to your other devices?

    Phil Barber
    1 year ago

    I guess they were looking for anything that was different to what they had seen before but the new accountant totally ruled out Cliptools. If I create a list on the mac it stays on the Mac. It doesn’t sync back to iCloud and therefore not to iPad or iPhone. However if I add a contact on the Mac it does sync back. Very frustrating.

    Derek Brown
    1 year ago

    Hi Gary, I don't think this can be done anymore but is there any way to only view selected Lists of Contacts or Contacts with no List? My wife and I share one iCloud a/c across two iPhones with 10 Contact Lists. I use to be able to only select my relevant lists (5 out of 10 lists) in my iPhone & my wife would only select her relevant Lists (5 out of 10) in her iPhone prior to ios 16. We seem to only be able to view one list at a time now?

    1 year ago

    Derek: Yes, I think Lists are one-at-a-time.

    Liz
    1 year ago

    Contacts constantly shows the beachball on my computer (Ventura 13.1) for many years. Updates don't matter. I have to repeatedly quit the app, to reopen it to drag a contact to a list. I'll drag a few and then it just stops. I have to quit the app again, reopen and then I can resume and cards will move. It's as if (1) it constantly is pinging the cloud and (2) gets "tired". Scientific I know. Happens on a friend's laptop too so I know it's not just me. I noticed you didn't seem to get the ball.

    1 year ago

    Liz: I'd talk to Apple Support and get it worked out.

    Bill Scheerer
    1 year ago

    Thanks for the video, Gary! Somehow I completely missed that the management of Groups/Lists was added to iOS and iPadOS 16. It's a decade overdue. Ironically, in the Contacts app on iCloud.com it still uses the Group terminology.

    Jim Tipton
    1 year ago

    I don't understand why a contacts card on a Mac would not include information or a prompt to indicate what lists that specific contact is included in. I see that in iOS, that feature is available. If this is a setting or work around, it has eluded me. If it doesn't exist, hopefully an update fixes it. If you can see who's in a list from the list view, you should be able to see what list a contact is in from the contact view.

    Abe
    5 months ago

    Gary, how do I import multiple contacts into a new Contact List ? I need to create a new list and I don't want to have to type 250 addresses one at a time.

    Mac desktop
    Outlook email

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