Managing contacts in your Gmail address book can become tedious over time as the list grows. You may end up with duplicate or outdated contacts, spam contacts from newsletters you no longer read, and people you no longer communicate with. When this happens, it’s important to clean up your address book periodically by permanently deleting contacts you no longer need. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to delete all contacts saved in your Gmail address book.
Table of Contents
Back Up Contacts Before Deleting
Before mass deleting contacts, it’s wise to back up your address book so you have a copy if needed. Here’s how:
- Go to Google Contacts and sign into your account
- Click on the options menu (3 vertical dots at top right)
- Select “Export”
- Choose file format (CSV or VCF) and click “Export”
- Save the exported contacts file on your computer
Now you have a backup if needed. Let’s move on to permanently deleting all contacts.
Delete All Contacts in Batches
If you have thousands of contacts, deleting them one by one would be extremely tedious. Fortunately, you can delete contacts in batches to speed up the process:
On Desktop
- Go to Google Contacts
- Check the box next to a contact to select it
- Scroll down and continue selecting contacts
- Once you’ve selected a batch (e.g. 100 contacts), click the menu (3 vertical dots) at top right
- Choose “Delete” to delete the selected batch
- Repeat the process until all contacts are deleted
On Android
- Open the Contacts app
- Tap the menu button (3 vertical dots)
- Select “Select all” to choose all contacts
- Tap the trash icon to delete all selected contacts
Note: Deleted contacts remain in your trash for 30 days before being permanently deleted. To bypass the trash, select “Empty trash” after deleting contacts.
Alternative: Delete All Contacts Via Google Dashboard
If selecting contacts to delete seems too tedious, you can also delete all contacts in one go from your Google Account Dashboard:
- Go to Contacts and select “Delete contacts”
- On the pop-up, click “Delete all contacts”
- Confirm again that you want to delete all contacts
- All your Google contacts will now be deleted with two clicks!
Tips for Managing Contacts Going Forward
Once you’ve deleted all contacts and have a clean slate, use these tips to keep your address book organized:
- Review new contacts before saving: Don’t auto-save new contacts to avoid spam entries.
- Create contact groups: Organize your contacts into separate groups like Personal, Work, Family etc.
- Merge duplicate contacts: Link contacts that are duplicates to consolidate info.
- Delete outdated contacts: Review and remove contacts you no longer communicate with regularly.
- Export backups quarterly: Backup your contacts every 3-4 months in case you need to restore.
Summary
Keeping your Gmail contacts organized and clutter-free takes some work, but it pays off through improved productivity. Follow the steps above to permanently delete all contacts from your address book. Don’t forget to backup contacts first and use the tips provided to keep your address book clean going forward. With a streamlined contact list, you’ll save time and have improved access to the people you actually communicate with.
