How to Remove Uploaded Contacts from Facebook Messenger on Your iPhone or iPad

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Unsync your Messenger contacts or block someone with a few taps of the screen

Written by Megaera Lorenz, PhD

Last Updated: June 25, 2024 Fact Checked

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Disabling Upload Contacts in Messenger

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Disabling Upload Contacts in Facebook

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Deleting Uploaded Contacts in the Messenger App

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Limiting Access to Contacts in Settings

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Blocking Someone on Messenger

Deleting Messenger Contacts in iOS

To stop your iPhone or iPad from uploading contacts to Messenger, turn off the Upload Contacts setting in both Messenger and the Facebook app. You can also block Facebook and Messenger from accessing your contacts in your device’s settings. Once done, use Meta Accounts Center to delete all your uploaded contacts.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Disabling Upload Contacts in Messenger

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1
Open Messenger on your iPhone or iPad. It's the blue, purple, and white chat bubble icon with a lightning bolt inside. This opens Messenger to the Chats tab. ^{[1]
X
Research source}
- If you’re not already open to the Chats tab, tap the blue bubble at the bottom left corner of the screen.
- This method will stop your iPhone or iPad from continuously uploading contacts to Messenger, although you’ll also have to turn off this setting in Facebook for it to work fully.
- To actually delete the contacts that have already been uploaded, see Deleting All Contacts in the Messenger App .
2

Tap the ☰ menu. It's at the top-left corner of the Chats tab.

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3

Open Settings . Tap the

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Settings icon at the top of the menu, next to your profile picture.
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Open the Meta Accounts Center. Scroll down to the bottom of the menu and tap the box that says Accounts Center .
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Tap Your information and permissions . It’s under the header that says Account settings .
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Select Upload contacts . This is the last option in the menu.
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Select your Messenger account. On the next screen, you’ll see a list of all your connected Meta accounts. Tap on the Messenger account associated with your iPhone or iPad.
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Tap Upload contacts to turn it off. If this setting is on, you’ll see On next to the Upload contacts option. Tap it to turn it off.
- You’ll have to do the same thing on all devices that are logged into this Messenger account.
- You’ll also need to turn off the Upload Contacts setting in the Facebook app .
9
Use this workaround if these steps don’t work. As of June 2024, there’s a glitch in the Messenger app that may prevent this process from working correctly. Hopefully it will be fixed soon, but in the meantime, here’s how to work around it:
- Open the Facebook app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap the ☰ Menu button in the bottom right corner.
- Scroll down and select Settings & privacy > Settings .
- Tap the Accounts Center box at the top of the menu.
- Tap Your information and permissions in the options under the Account settings header.
- Tap Upload contacts and select your Messenger account from the list.
- If it says On next to Upload contacts , tap it to turn this setting off.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Disabling Upload Contacts in Facebook

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1
Open the ☰ menu in Facebook. Launch the Facebook app on your iPhone or iPad, then tap the ☰ Menu button in the lower right corner. ^{[2]
X
Research source}
- This setting will prevent Facebook from continuously uploading the contacts on your iPhone or iPad. You’ll also need to turn off this setting in Messenger and in Facebook on any other devices connected to the same Facebook and Messenger account.
2

Tap Settings & privacy . Scroll down in the menu and select Settings & privacy .
3

Open Settings . It’s the first option in the expanded Settings & privacy menu.
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Tap the Meta Accounts Center box. It’s at the top of the new screen that will open up when you tap Settings .
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Open Your information and permissions . Scroll down and find this option under the Account settings header. Tap on it to open a new menu.
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Tap Upload contacts . It’s the last option on the menu.
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Select your Facebook account. A list of your connected Meta accounts will open. Select your Facebook account from the list.
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Toggle off the switch next to Upload contacts . If this switch is

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gray, this setting is already off. If it’s

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green, the setting is on. Tap it to toggle it off.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Deleting Uploaded Contacts in the Messenger App

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1

Go to the Chats tab in Messenger. Open the Messenger app on your iPhone or iPad. If you’re not already in Chats , tap the blue speech bubble icon on the bottom left corner of the screen to go there. ^{[3]
X
Research source}
2

Tap the ☰ menu. It’s in the top left corner of the screen.
3

Open the Settings menu. Tap the blue

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Settings icon at the top right corner of the menu that expands, next to your name and profile icon.
4

Tap Accounts Center . You’ll need to scroll down to the bottom of the Settings menu to find it. Tap the Meta Accounts Center box or the See more in Accounts Center link to open your Meta Accounts Center menu.
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Open Your information and permissions . It’s in the list of options under the Account settings header.
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Tap Upload contacts . It’s the last option in the menu.
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Select your Messenger account. If you have several Meta accounts, select the one associated with the Messenger app on your iPhone or iPad.
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Tap Manage Contacts . This will take you to your Facebook account in a browser, where you might be prompted to log in with your email or phone number and password.
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Select Delete all contacts . In the Manage your uploaded contacts page, click the button that says Delete all contacts . There’s no option to delete these contacts individually.
- If you still have Upload contacts turned on in your Messenger or Facebook settings, you’ll need to turn that off to keep the contacts you just deleted from reappearing. Go back to your Accounts Center and make sure that option is toggled off in both accounts.
10
Try this workaround if these instructions don’t work. When we tested Meta’s instructions for deleting your contacts in Messenger, we encountered a glitch that kept redirecting us back to the Messenger Settings menu. While this bug will hopefully be fixed soon, you can also access these settings through the Facebook app if you need to. Here’s how:
- Open Facebook on your iPhone or iPad and tap the ☰ Menu in the bottom right corner of the screen.
- Scroll down and tap Settings & privacy , then tap Settings .
- Tap the Accounts Center box at the top of the menu.
- Tap Your information and permissions .
- Tap Upload contacts . It’s at the bottom of the menu.
- Select your Messenger account .
- Tap Manage contacts . Log into Facebook in your mobile browser if prompted, then tap the Delete all contacts button.
- Go back to the Contact upload screen in your Account Center and make sure Upload contacts is set to Off .