Updating Contacts with Twitter and Facebook info

Article

Updating Contacts with Twitter and Facebook info

Ask iLounge offers readers the opportunity to get answers to their iPod-, iPhone-, iPad-, iTunes-, or Apple TV-related questions from a member of the iLounge editorial team. We'll answer several questions here each week, and of course, you can always get help with more immediate concerns from the iLounge Discussion Forums. Submit your questions for consideration using our Ask iLounge Submit Form. We reserve the right to edit questions for grammar, spelling, and length.

View the complete Ask iLounge archives...

Q: Somebody at my local Apple Store told me that I can automatically get my contact photos from Twitter and Facebook, but I’m kind of unclear on how this works. I set up Twitter and Facebook in my iPhone settings, but I don’t get any updates to my contacts. Facebook gives me a separate contact list with all of the people on it, but doesn’t update any of my actual contacts. Am I missing something here?

- Dan

A: Although iOS 6 can update some information from Twitter and Facebook such as your contact photos, this process does not happen automatically—you have to initiate it by going into the Facebook and Twitter sections in the iOS Settings app and tapping the “Update Contacts” button.

This feature uses the e-mail addresses and phone numbers in your Contacts to attempt to match users on their respective social networks, so keep in mind that this will only work if the e-mail address or phone number that a Twitter/Facebook user has listed matches what’s already in your Contacts. It’s not uncommon for people to list alternate e-mail addresses when signing up for these social networks.

Also keep in mind that this will also not overwrite any pictures you have already assigned to your contacts manually—it only adds photos to those contacts that do not already have a photo assigned. Further, the Twitter or Facebook username fields won’t be assigned to your contacts if you’re using a service such as Exchange or Google Sync as these don’t support the social media username fields.

Note that you do not need to have the “Contacts” option turned on in the Facebook settings to update your main contacts. As you’ve noted, this simply provides an alternate contact directory pulled from your Facebook account, and is only necessary if you want to have all of your Facebook friends listed in your iOS Contacts app.

The most asked question at iLounge.com:

How do I copy content from my iPod/iPhone onto my computer?

Converting DVDs, web video, TV shows and more:

The Complete Guide to iPod, Apple TV and iPhone Video Formats

Converting DVDs, web video, TV shows and more:

The Complete Guide to iPod, iPhone and Apple TV Video Conversion (Mac)

Converting DVDs, web video, TV shows and more:

The Complete Guide to iPod, iPhone and Apple TV Video Conversion (Win)

Best Speakers?

Best Headphones?

Best Case?

Best In-Car Solution?

Best Battery Extender?

Find more answers in the latest publications in our Library. Free downloads developed by the editors of iLounge!

Ask iLounge Archives:

12-6-13: Syncing multiple iCloud data with a family Mac

12-4-13: iMessages come in from email address instead of phone number

12-2-13: Whether to include specific apps in iCloud backups

11-27-13: Passcode entry field not appearing on iPhone

11-26-13: Custom ringtones assignments don’t sync to iCloud

View the complete Ask iLounge archives...

« Availability of Lightning vs Dock Connector Car Adapters

Retrieving deleted data from an old iCloud backup »

Comments

1

Just re your last comment: ”and is only necessary if you want to have all your Facebook friends listed in your iOs contacts app”, I don’t believe this is quite true any more?

A couple of months ago, my iOS contacts stopped pulling all my FB contacts, I only have about 1/4 of them now. This, apparently, was a change made by FB so that only FB contacts who include addresses or phone numbers in their profile are now synced through to IOS. Previously, this was a great way to get FB photos for all contacts. It also means that I now only have birthdays on my iOS calendar for about 1/4 of my contacts.

Is there a work-around to this new ‘feature’ (thanks FB!!)

Posted by IanB on July 23, 2013 at 12:40 AM (PST)

If you have a comment, news tip, advertising inquiry, or coverage request, a question about iPods/iPhones/iPad or accessories, or if you sell or market iPod/iPhone/iPad products or services, read iLounge's Comments + Questions policies before posting, and fully identify yourself if you do. We will delete comments containing advertising, astroturfing, trolling, personal attacks, offensive language, or other objectionable content, then ban and/or publicly identify violators.

Recent Reviews

Recent Articles

Shop for Accessories: Cases, speakers, chargers, etc.

iLounge

Article