Make your contacts manageable by creating lists of your contacts
iOS 16 touts a great variety of new features. While the most well-known features, such as Lock Screen customisation, Shared Photo Library, and Passkeys to mention some, were featured in the press however, there are numerous hidden gems that slip unnoticed. Finding these hidden gems can be a delight for itself.
One app which has received quiet updates is the Contacts application. If you look around for it, you’ll see a variety of changes within the Contacts app, ranging from the identification of duplicate contacts to the capability to export all your contacts in one go. Another update to the Contacts app is the addition to Contact Lists. Intriguing, right? Let’s take a look at exactly what these lists contain as well as how to utilize these lists within iOS 16.
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What is a Contact List?
Lists help you manage your contacts, making them easier to locate. There are lists for friends, work and family, for example. Prior to iOS 16 Contacts were able to have Groups which served the same purpose. However, there was a major problem in them. It was impossible to make groups on the iPhone.
You’ll need make a group using the Contacts application on a Mac as well as icloud.com on your computer. After being created on either a Mac or PC the groups will be synced and accessible on your iPhone and iPad.
You can then make use of them to locate contacts quickly or send them a message at once, provided that the contacts have an email address in them clearly. (Previously they would be used to send messages too however, they are no longer. You needed to create groups separately within the Messages app to send the group to send a text.)
However, when it came in managing the team, the task was time to find the way to the Mac or a PC.
Lists serve the same purpose however their main benefit is that you can make and edit them, or delete the list from your iPhone themselves. Like groups, they don’t just let you manage your contacts. You can send emails, or even text all contacts on a list in one go.
The sync also works across all your Apple devices with your same Apple ID. Lists can also be created using your Mac that is running the most recent version of macOS Ventura; lists have completely replaced groups in the current ecosystem. However, if you own devices running older OS versions, the lists that you make using iOS 16 will appear as groups on these devices.
Lists also are responsible for introducing the option of exporting your contact list. They’re all about a piece of positive news.
Now that we have a clear understanding of the definition of what these are, we can look at how we can make use of them.
Adding a Contact List
The ability to add contacts from your iPhone is easy with iOS 16. It is possible to add it through the ‘Contacts’ app and ‘Phone’ application through the tab ‘Contacts.
When the contacts are opened After that, you can tap the “Lists” option located at the top-left on the display.
Based on the accounts you have depending on the accounts you have on your iPhone There could be several lists, such as iCloud, Google, etc as well as the list of ‘All Contacts. There is no way to alter the linked list. However, you can make an entirely new account.
To make a new list, click the Add List option located in the upper-right corner of the screen.
Select the account that you wish to make a list for in the overflow menu.
The new listing will be displayed under the account you chose. Add a name to your list. And then tap ‘Done’ on the keyboard. A blank list will be made.
Add or Remove Contacts from the Contacts List
Add contacts by tapping the list.
After that, select the option ‘Add Contacts’ on the screen.
The contacts in the account will be displayed. You can use the bar for searching to find the contacts you wish to add, or simply browse through the list. Select the contacts you wish to add to them to select them. Then press ‘Done’ in the upper-right corner of your screen.
The selected contacts will be displayed on the screen. To add additional contacts later click the “+ icon located in the upper-right corner, and then select additional contacts.
To delete a contact from the list simply swipe left over the contact and select ‘Remove’ which appears.
Using the Contact List
After you’ve made contacts and you’ve created it, you can make use of it to send emails or text everyone in the list at once. It can be done via the Contacts application itself or from the individual applications.
To send a message or a mail message to all the contacts listed in the Contacts application, open the list screen. After that, press long on the list until you get an haptic response as a menu with haptic feedback pops up.
After that, click the button ‘Email All or “Message All according to the actions you want to perform.
For sending an email message to the group using the Mail application, create an email and, in the “To” section enter your list’s name, then choose it from the results of a search.
To send an SMS message to contacts on the list then open the Messages app and begin with a new message. After that, enter the list name into the field ‘To’ and choose the list from the search results.
Removing a Contact List
To delete a list of contacts from your list of contacts you must open the contacts in the Contacts app as well as the phone app. Then, go to ‘Lists’.
Then, press the long-press button on the list that you wish to remove.
NOTE: Lists for the linked accounts, i.e., iCloud, Google, etc. They cannot be removed. You are only able to erase a list that you have made.
After that, select the delete option in the menu.
A confirmation prompt will pop up. Select Delete from the prompt to delete the contacts from your list.
It is also possible to swipe left from a list and then tap the ‘Delete’ icon in the menus which appear.
Contact lists can help you arrange your contacts according to their social status within your personal life. In iOS 16, you’ll be able to complete this task on your iPhone by itself.