Having issues getting your contacts to sync properly in Facebook? You’re not alone. Many users struggle to get their phone and email contacts to show up correctly in Facebook’s interface. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through the most common reasons contacts fail to sync and show you how to troubleshoot and resolve the problem.
What Does Contact Syncing Mean in Facebook?
When you first join Facebook, one of the prompts you’ll get is an option to sync your phone or email contacts. If you choose to enable contact syncing, Facebook will import the contacts from your device or email account and try to match them up with existing Facebook profiles.
This serves two purposes:
- It populates your Facebook friends list with any contacts who also have Facebook accounts.
- It allows Facebook to suggest new friends for you to follow based on your existing contacts.
Syncing is a one-time process – Facebook doesn’t automatically update your contacts on an ongoing basis. You’ll need to resync if you add new contacts to your phone or email.
Why Won’t My Contacts Sync?
If your Facebook friends list seems empty or you’re not getting friend recommendations from your contact list, chances are the initial sync didn’t work properly. Here are some of the most common culprits behind failed contact syncing:
Outdated Contacts
Facebook will only sync contacts stored locally on your device – if you’re syncing phone contacts, they need to be stored in the handset memory or SIM card. Contacts stored in the cloud won’t transfer over.
Before syncing, make sure your contacts are up to date and stored locally.
Blocked Contacts
Facebook won’t import any contacts you’ve blocked on Messenger or the Facebook app. If you have a lot of blocked contacts, it can seem like your sync totally failed.
Check your blocked users list and unblock anyone you want to sync.
Restricted Profile Settings
In your Facebook profile settings, make sure you don’t have extra restrictions enabled that could block the contact sync:
- Disable “Restricted List” if enabled. This prevents non-friends from interacting with you.
- Make sure “Sync Settings” isn’t disabled. This prevents new contacts from being imported.
- Check that “Sync Contacts” isn’t disabled. This stops the contacts from transferring over.
Wrong Login
When syncing email contacts, make sure you’re logged into the correct Gmail or other email account. If you use different logins for Facebook and email, the contacts won’t match up.
Outdated Facebook App
Check that you have the latest version of the Facebook app installed. Older versions may not support contact syncing correctly.
On Android, visit the Play Store and check for app updates. On iPhone, go to the App Store.
Corrupted Contacts
In rare cases, contacts stored on your device may have become corrupted over time. Try creating a backup of your contacts, then wipe and restore them to your device.
On Android, back up contacts via your Google account. On iPhone, use iCloud.
Facebook Server Issues
During periods of high demand, Facebook’s servers can struggle with the load of new contact syncs. If the initial sync fails, wait a while and try again later.
Check Facebook’s status page to see if there are any reported problems with contact importing.
How to Force Facebook Contact Sync
If your contacts still won’t transfer over after addressing possible issues, you can force Facebook to re-sync your contacts by following these troubleshooting steps:
On Mobile
- Open the Facebook app and tap the hamburger menu.
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Tap “Sync Contacts” then choose your sync source – Phone, Gmail or Other.
- Tap “Sync Now” to force an immediate re-sync.
On Desktop
- Visit Facebook.com and click the down arrow at top right.
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Click “Sync Contacts” in the left menu.
- Choose your sync source and click “Sync Now”.
If the re-sync still doesn’t work, try logging out and back into Facebook before forcing another manual sync.
Other Facebook Contact Sync Tips
Beyond the troubleshooting steps above, keep these other tips in mind for smoother contact syncing in Facebook:
- Double check your contacts for accuracy before syncing. Fix any formatting errors or duplicates.
- Sync a small batch of contacts first to test if the process works.
- Only sync contacts you actually want as Facebook friends. Consider pruning professional contacts.
- Periodically re-sync your contacts as you add new ones to your device or account.
- Troubleshoot your device’s contacts app if you have broader issues beyond Facebook.
- Report bugs via Settings > Help & Support in the Facebook app.
Conclusion
Syncing your existing contacts to Facebook can be a tricky process. Issues like outdated contacts, blocked friends, app problems, and Facebook bugs can all prevent a successful transfer.
By following the troubleshooting steps outlined in this guide, you should be able to force your contacts to re-sync correctly. Just take it slowly, double check your settings, update your contacts, and try again. With some perseverance, you’ll get your friends showing up in Facebook.