Search in Contacts on iPhone SE

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On iPhone SE, I touch the Contacts app, my contacts are listed in alphabetical order with First Name first which is the way I want them listed. However, when I touch Search and the keyboard appears, I enter, for example 'M' if I want to get to Marilyn (the first name of one of my contacts). A list appears, for example, Mary Brown, Mel and Vera Smith, Alan Madson, Ann & John Smith. it is suggesting First Names beginning 'M' and Last Names beginning 'M' but Marilyn is a lot further down the list. Why does it not show ALL First Names beginning with 'M'? Why is it suggesting some Last Names beginning 'M'? If I enter 'Mar' then it WILL bring up Marilyn nearer the top of the list, but it would be far more convenient if I only had to enter 'M'. Has anyone got a solution to this? Thank you.
 
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What settings are in Settings > Contacts? Also, do you use "Nicknames as an option?
 

IWT


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Hi JeffL and welcome.

Go into Settings > Contacts > Sort Order = First, Last. Display Order = First, Last. Short name > First Name only.

That should do it.

Please post back.
 
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'Siri & Search' Siri & Suggestions off, Show App on, FinContacts in Other Apps on. 'Sort Order' First, Last. 'Display Order' First, Last. 'Short Name' off. 'Prefer Nicknames on. Had not been aware of Nicknames within 'Short Name' until you asked, however, Prefer Nicknames is on.
 

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Understood. Entirely up to you, of course.

But with Short Name = First Name only, you will get what you asked for in your first post.

Ian
 
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IWT. I have done what you said but it has made no difference.
 
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Ian, our posts crossed, just read your latest but with Short Name = First Name only, it has made no difference. Do I have to alter some of the other settings for the Short Name = First Name to be successful?
 

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OK. I think, in that case, that you have to enter more than one letter eg Ma instead of just M.

That said: I put just M in my Search field, and it came up with all the first names beginning with M in alphabetical order, THEN, surnames beginning M, again in alphabetical order.

Which is how it should work. Maybe the SE is different??? Oh, and I should just confirm that your iPhone is running iOS 12.1.2 (16C104)?

Ian
 

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Probably another cross post! But here goes.

Sort Order - First, Last
Display Order - First, Last
Short Name - First Name Only

I know I said that before, but these are the settings which I have on my iPhone X and my wife's iPhone 7 and they work, as I said above: I put just M in my Search field, and it came up with all the first names beginning with M in alphabetical order, THEN, surnames beginning M, again in alphabetical order.

Can't think of anything else at the moment unless your are running a different iOS??

PS EDIT I also have Prefer Nicknames ON. For what that's worth.

Ian
 
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Yes it is on IOS 12.1.2 As you say, maybe the SE is different to what you are using. The SE, AFAIK, is supposed to be the same inside as the iPhone 6 but in the 5S case but maybe it's not the same , just similar? Just tried Ma and that brings up Marilyn a little further up the list but still getting Last Names beginning with M appearing, very annoying. Thanks for your help anyway.
 

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You're correct. The SE is supposed to mimic the 6. I don't have a 6 to test, but our 7 and X work as mentioned.

Maybe some clever member will come up with another idea.

BTW, no insult intended I assure you; but these settings assume that ALL your entries in Contacts went in as First Name followed by Last Name.

Ian
 
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I'm envious that you can do that with the X and 7
 
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Ian, yes I did think of that and was 99% certain I'd entered them that way, so checked a few including Marilyn and yes they have been entered in the correct fields. Definitely no offence taken! All avenues have to be explored, the simplest of things taken for granted can be the difference between revolving a problem or not. I would expect anyone asking for help on this forum to be open minded to ANY suggestions! Thank You!
 
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'Siri & Search' Siri & Suggestions off, Show App on, FinContacts in Other Apps on. 'Sort Order' First, Last. 'Display Order' First, Last. 'Short Name' off. 'Prefer Nicknames on. Had not been aware of Nicknames within 'Short Name' until you asked, however, Prefer Nicknames is on.

I have my Contacts Settings set up like this:

Sort - Last, First
Display - First, Last
Short Name - On, First name Only & Nicknames on (which I only just set up this past week that was why I asked.) You can turn it off, if you're not using any Nicknames, and it may be searching those first.
 
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ferrarr, just tried switching off Nicknames but it makes no difference, but thank you.
 
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Maybe reset "All Settings" on the iPhone? But, you should wait for more suggestions from other users here.
 

chscag

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Another suggestion: Sign into your iCloud account, select contacts, and take a look at how they appear there. I have had problems with contacts in iCloud being different from what I had on my iPhone 7+. You may wind up resetting things as suggested by Bob in order to straighten it out.
 

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