Learn how to delete or empty your address books.
Overview
Deleting or emptying your unused address books is a good habit to get into as it keeps your address book lists free of clutter and ensures your contacts are stored in the most up-to-date place. There’s a couple of ways to manage your old address books:
Delete address books
Delete an address book to remove it from your address book list and clear out the contacts inside it.
Cleared out contacts are not removed from your account, and can still be found in any other address books they might be a part of, including All contacts.
Delete address books and contacts
It’s also possible to delete the address book and the contacts from your account entirely.
Emptying address books
Alternatively, you can remove all contacts from inside an address book without deleting it by emptying it.
Emptied contacts are not deleted from your account, just cleared from the address book, and can still be found in the any other address books they might be a part of, including All contacts.
Delete an address book
To delete an address book from you account:
- Go to Contacts > All contacts.
- Select the check box of the address book you want to delete.
- Select DELETE.
- Select DELETE again to confirm.
Delete an address book and contacts
To delete an address book and it’s contained contacts from your account:
- Go to Contacts > All contacts.
- Select the check box of the address book and contacts you want to delete.
- Expand the MORE ACTIONS drop-down menu, and select Delete selected contacts and address books from your account.
- A box displays to inform you that the deleted contacts have been moved to the recycle bin for 30 days, after which their data will be permanently removed. Before you select Delete to commit the action, you'll also be asked to confirm that you understand the conditions.
Empty an address book
To empty contacts from an address book:
- Go to Contacts > All contacts.
- Select the check box of the address book you want to empty.
- Expand the MORE ACTIONS drop-down menu, and select Empty selected address books.
- Select OK to confirm.