added new contact, but don't see it on phone app

[kali89]

WHY would this happen?

in google I found this:

"To keep your contact information up to date across all your devices where you're signed in to your Apple Account, you can use iCloud. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud. Tap See All next to Saved to iCloud, then turn on Contacts."

did all that, Contacts is turned on... now WHY can't I see the new contact?

I would appreciate some help/suggestions..

thank you...

 

[IWT]

Just to clarify for my gentle mind.

May I assume from the choice of platform to tell us your problem, that you added the contact to an iOS Device? iPhone or iPad?

And how did you add the contact? By opening the Contacts App or did you do it via iCloud itself?

My questions may seem simplistic but the more info we have the better.

Ian

 

[Rod]

I'd like to know the answers to those questions too but if we assume that all devices are logged into the same Apple ID and preferences to sync Contacts is ticked in iCloud settings on all devices then new contacts should appear in Contacts on all devices.

The only thing that I can imagine to prevent that would be if that or other devices are not syncing Contacts.

There are a couple of reasons why that might not happen. This is where the answers to Ian's questions would help.

 

[kali89]

thank you for your responses....

I added the contact the way it's usually done, and how I always do it...

I turned iPhone off & on and now the contact does appear
(WHY would this happen? weird....)

but: when I dialed the number it went to WhatsApp, I could only call that no. thru WhatsApp...

now why would that happen?

why do things change sometimes even though you don't change anything in configs?
it drives me nuts...

thank you....

 

[Rod]

It's possible these days with eSIMs, especially if you have more than one, to turn one off or choose the services for each one.
So, my guess is the number you called is an "inactive" SIM but WhatsApp does not require cellular services so it will connect via WiFi (VOIP) or cellular data.

Alternatively maybe your cellular service is dropping out.

 

[Rod]

eSIMs have opened up a whole new can of worms in a way although they are convenient. I understand that in the USA iPhones do not have a SIM tray any more.

Mine is an Australian iPhone 16e and it still has a "tray" so I have an Aust. post paid cellular provider on an eSIM and a physical SIM card for a pre paid Indonesian cellular provider.

My WhatsApp number is my Indonesian phone number complete with international prefix. The phone number is really just an "identifier" for the account. The only time WhatsApp uses it is for security purposes like a OTP via SMS to verify or transfer the account. I still get WhatsApp calls in Australia even if I took the SIM card out it would still work.
This saves me changing my WhatsApp account number every time I change country.

So, in simple terms when I change country I turn one SIM off and the other one on but, wherever I am I still receive WhatsApp calls and messages.
WhatsApp is usually granted access to Contacts so in your case, if the phone number is unreachable it will use WhatsApp.

 

[ferrarr]

I understand that in the USA iPhones do not have a SIM tray any more.

Correct, no trays for SIM cards.