How do I add a contact on my Android phone?
Open the Contacts app and tap the plus sign (Add). Check which account it will save to, ideally your Google account, then type the person's name and phone number and tap Save. You can also save a number from your recent calls: tap the number in the Phone app and choose Add to contact or Create new contact.
Steps to check
Open the Contacts app
Find the Contacts app on your home screen or in your list of apps. If you cannot find it, swipe up on the home screen and type Contacts in the search bar at the top.
- Samsung Samsung has its own Contacts app.
- Pixel Pixel phones use the Google Contacts app.
- Motorola Motorola phones use the Contacts app.
Tap the plus sign
Tap Add, which looks like a plus sign. A blank contact card opens.
- Samsung Tap Add (the plus sign).
- Pixel Tap Add at the bottom right.
- Motorola Tap the add button. Fill in as much or as little as you like.
Check where the contact will be saved
Near the top of the new contact you will see which account it will be saved to. Choose your Google account if you can. Google says contacts saved to your Google account sync to all your Android devices, and they show up on a new phone after you sign in.
- Samsung Tap the drop-down menu at the top left and pick where to save it, such as Phone, Samsung account, or Google. Phone means it is only kept on this phone.
- Motorola If you use more than one account, the account for the new contact shows at the top. Tap it to change accounts. To change the default for every new contact, open Contacts, tap your profile picture, then Settings, then Default account for new contacts.
Type the name and number, then tap Save
Tap the name box and type the person's name. Tap the phone box and type the number. You only need one of these to save a contact, but a name and a number together are the most useful. Add an email, address, or note if you like, then tap Save.
- Samsung Tap Add phone number or Add email for more than one. Tap View more for address, notes, and other fields.
- Pixel Tap Add fields for more boxes, such as a street address or notes. Tap Add picture at the top to add a photo.
Or save a number from a recent call
If the person has already called you, or you called them, you do not need to type the number. Open the Phone app, find the call in your recent calls, and save it from there. You can make a new contact or add the number to someone you already have.
- Samsung Phone app → Recents. Tap the number, tap the i (details) icon, then Add. Choose Create new contact or Update existing contact.
- Pixel Phone app → your recent calls. Tap the call, then Add to contact or Create new contact.
- Motorola Phone app → Recent tab. Tap the number, then Add to contacts. Pick an existing contact or Create new contact.
Or save a number from a text message
If someone texts you from a number you have not saved, you can save it from the message list. On Motorola phones, open Messages, touch and hold the number, tap the more menu, then Add contact. Choose where to save it, fill in the name, and tap Save. On other phones, open the conversation and look for an add contact option in the menu at the top.
Still not working?
- If a contact you saved does not show up, the app may be showing only one account's contacts. Our guide on missing contacts walks through how to check this.
- If the contact shows on this phone but not on your other phone or tablet, it was probably saved to the phone only, not to your Google account. On Pixel, open the contact, tap Contact settings at the top right, then Move to another account, and pick your Google account. On Samsung, open Contacts, tap Menu (three lines), Manage contacts, then Move contacts, and choose Google as the new location.
- If you see the same person twice on a Samsung phone, you can merge them. Open Contacts, tap Menu, Manage contacts, then Merge contacts.
- If the phone will not save, make sure you typed at least a name and a phone number or email address, then tap Save again. If it still fails, restart the phone and try once more.
Why this happens
Your phone can keep contacts in more than one place: on the phone itself, on the SIM card, or in an online account such as Google or Samsung. That is why the app asks where to save a new contact.
Contacts kept only on the phone or SIM card are easy to lose when you change phones. Google notes that contacts saved to your Google account show up on a new phone automatically after you sign in, so it is the safer choice for most people.
Normal vs. not
Usually normal
A new contact takes a moment to appear on your other devices, or the phone asks which account to save to the first time you add someone.
Worth a closer look
Contacts you saved to your Google account keep vanishing, or you cannot save any contact at all. That is worth a closer look in your account settings or with the phone maker.
Common questions
- Can I add a photo to a contact?
- Yes. While adding or editing the contact, tap the picture area at the top (Add picture on Pixel). You can pick a photo you already have or take a new one.
- Can I give someone their own ringtone?
- Yes, on most phones. On Samsung, open the contact, tap More, then Change ringtone/vibration. Motorola also lets you set a custom ringtone for a contact. Samsung notes this does not work for contacts saved only on the SIM card.
- How do I put someone at the top of my list?
- Make them a favorite. Open the contact and tap the star. On Pixel, the button is called Add to Favorites. On Samsung, favorites show at the top of your contacts under Favorites.
- Should I save contacts to the SIM card?
- Usually no. A SIM-only contact stays with that small card, and on Samsung phones you cannot give it its own ringtone. Saving to your Google account means the contact comes back automatically when you sign in on a new phone.
Related questions
Sources we checked
- Add or move contacts (Android) (Contacts Help (Google))
- Edit or delete contacts (Android) (Contacts Help (Google))
- Export, back up, or restore contacts (Android) (Contacts Help (Google))
- Manage call history & do a reverse phone number look up (Phone app Help (Google))
- Manage your contacts with ease on your Galaxy phone and tablet (Samsung Support)
- How to manage, save or copy contacts on your phone & sim (Samsung Support (UK))
- Add contacts (motorola edge 2025) (Motorola Help)
- Save recent call as contact (Motorola Help)
Menu names can differ by phone brand and Android version. See our editorial policy for how we check steps.