Contact Search Extremely Slow After iOS 27.0 Update

Ok, I have solved the puzzle. Here is the solution:

First, back up all your contacts. I did it on MacBook Mac OS 27.

Contacts/File/Export/Export Archive

Second, you need to erase your contacts locally on your phone.

Here is how, and no worries, they are saved on iCloud. You have to rebuild the Data base on the phone.

Before doing this, turn off Lock phone/display

Settings/Display & Brightness/Auto-Lock switch to Never

Go to:

1 Settings/Your Name iCloud/iCloud/See All/Contacts and turn off

It now will ask you to Delete from My iPhone. Do that.

2 Restart phone.

Open Contacts and make sure you have 0 contacts.

3 Go to:

Settings/Your Name iCloud/iCloud/See All/Contacts and turn on

Hop over to Contacts app and watch how it recreates your contact database. I'd leave this open till it's finished.

Voila, it should find everything fast again.

It took me 45 seconds to find a contact I was searching for out of about 9,000. It used to be instant.

A solution was to change the group from an All Contacts search to All iCloud. It is now fast again but Apple needs to fix this.

This helped me quite a bit:

Go to Settings/Contacts app

Up there it shows you the amount of Contact Accounts. I had 7, mostly Gmail and turned them completely off. The only one I left on was iCloud.

We have 15k contacts and it was indeed instantaneous in previous iOS.

Btw, while this doesn't make it ravingly fast as it was before, on the flip side if you use Siri AI your contacts pop up lightning fast. Just ask Siri: Open the contact card for (name). Boom.

Guys, we have the solution thanks to Evan Katz from Macrumors forum

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ios-27-contacts-index-search-bug-and-workaround.2489989/?post=34810451#post-34810451

(Selecting one list instead of All Contacts)

You may try some of these steps. Please check after each step...

1. Having too many apps open may cause this issue, as RAM is being used by other apps, leaving less memory available for proper rendering. Close an app on your iPhone or iPod touch
2. Overloaded system: Too many apps running in the background can cause stuttering. Refresh content in apps you're not actively using on ...
3. Storage issues: Low or fragmented storage can slow down the camera. --> Manage and Clear Storage on your iPhone a… - Apple Community
4. Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve temporary software glitches. Turn off your iPhone, wait for a few seconds, and then turn it back on.
   1. Restart the device. That's it.
   2. Still not solved --> Force restart iPhone - Apple Support
5. If you're using a VPN, disable it and check if the error goes away. Go to Settings > General > VPN & Device Management and turn off any active VPNs. Disabling a VPN only from the iPhone settings may not completely turn it off. To fully disable it, you need to switch it off from the VPN service provider’s app or remove the configuration profile they installed. Only then is the VPN truly off, which can help if it’s causing issues with cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity.
6. Reset Network Settings: Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings: Only network settings are removed.
   1. When you reset network settings, previously used networks and VPN settings that weren’t installed by a configuration profile or mobile device management (MDM) are removed. Wi-Fi is turned off and then back on, disconnecting you from any network you’re on. The Wi-Fi and Ask to Join Networks settings remain turned on.
   2. To remove VPN settings installed by a configuration profile, go to Settings > General > Profiles & Device Management, select the configuration profile, then tap Remove Profile. This also removes other settings and accounts provided by the profile. See Install or remove configuration profiles on iPhone in this guide.
   3. To remove network settings installed by MDM, go to Settings > General > Profiles & Device Management, select the management, then tap Remove Management. This also removes other settings and certificates provided by MDM. See “Mobile device management (MDM)” in the iOS Deployment Reference.
   4. Reset your Network Settings. Tap Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This also resets Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, and VPN and APN settings that you've used before.
   5. 
7. If the issue persists, you can try resetting all settings on your iPhone. This will not erase your data but will reset all personalized settings to their default values. Go to Settings > General > Transfer & Reset > Reset > Reset All Settings and confirm the action. Note that you will need to reconfigure your settings afterward. All settings—including network settings, the keyboard dictionary, the Home screen layout, location settings, privacy settings, and Apple Pay cards—are removed or reset to their defaults. No data or media are deleted.
   1. Reset All Settings: Return iPhone settings to their defaults - Apple Support:- Return iPhone settings to their defaults
   2. You can return settings to their defaults without erasing your content.
   3. If you want to save your settings, back up your iPhone before returning them to their defaults. For example, if you’re trying to solve a problem but returning settings to their defaults doesn’t help, you might want to restore your previous settings from a backup.
   4. 
8. Make sure you have the latest updates installed.
   1. Update Over-the-Air (OTA) —> Update your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support (IN)
   2. Update using iTunes/Finder —> Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (IN)

If none of the above steps resolve the issue, it is recommended to reach out to Apple Support or visit an authorized service center for further assistance. They can provide specific guidance based on your device model and iOS version.

Unlike some Android devices, contacts are neither stored locally on an iPhone nor in the SIM. They are synced to an email account that you have Google, iCloud, AOL, Exchange, Outlook, Yahoo, or any Other

What is your default Contacts account?

If you have a corporate email account added through a profile on your device, please check with your organization's system administrator.

1. Is this your corporate/organization/enterprise/School Management iPhone? Then please contact the system administrator of your corporate//organisation/enterprise/School Management
2. If it is your device, in that case, do you have any profile installed by your corporate/organization/enterprise/School Management?
   1. Erase the profile added by you. If you have installed a profile on your own, --> Install or remove configuration profiles on iPhone - Apple ...
   2. Please contact the system administrator of the organization who provided the profile to you

As we have 75+ me too's please EVERYONE report it at https://apple.com/feedback

else nothing will be done.

REPORT, don't rant.

UpendraChaubey wrote:

.... iPhone after updating to iOS 27.0?

Not every issue an individual encounters on their device can be attributed to an iOS update. If the update itself were the root cause, then every device running that same version of iOS would exhibit the identical problem. In such a scenario, the forums would be flooded with countless posts reporting the same malfunction, creating an unmistakable wave of complaints that no one could possibly overlook. The absence of such widespread reports strongly indicates that the issue is not systemic, but rather specific to the device in question.

It worked perfectly on IOS 26, now using my phone to make calls or send messages is somewhere between frustrating and useless.

This is weeks in.

I have tried toggling off icloud syncing, turning Siri off/on, restarting, etc.

The IOS27 update broke basic device functionality.

I’ve had the exact same issue. It’s been two or three days and it still takes 10 or 15 seconds to search names they used to have an instantly I called Tech Support. They said it’s sorting through things and I’ll get better and no more than a week. I’m beginning to doubt that it hasn’t gotten any faster and I think it’s a glitch.

It’s slow and near useless. I have contacts with a work and mobile number . Where i used to be able to say for example “ring andy work” and it would ring the listed work number, I now get a “do you want to ring andy or work response “. If you say andy’s work number it’ll say i don’t have a work number for andy.

Moan or rant at https://apple.com/feedback

It’s not a bug

Just turn off the low power mode

connect to charger and leave it

it would be fine after 1 or 2 days

Please don't share any generic suggestions that come to you out of generic troubleshooting. This has no specific reason to do. You've reached until network settings reset! I fail to understand!

None of it helped, by the way.

Adit09 wrote:

Please don't share any generic suggestions that come to you out of generic troubleshooting. This has no specific reason to do. You've reached until network settings reset! I fail to understand!

None of it helped, by the way.

Firstly criticism of someone at their level is inappropriate, however verbose their style.

Secondly you are not the author, just a bystander.

richradin wrote:

It worked perfectly on IOS 26, now using my phone to make calls or send messages is somewhere between frustrating and useless.

This is weeks in.

I have tried toggling off icloud syncing, turning Siri off/on, restarting, etc.

The IOS27 update broke basic device functionality.

How many contacts do you have, out of interest? Where are they sync'd?

Thank you for your answer, but I’m sorry to say that it misses completely the point. This issue is not network related, but some mismanagement of databases by iOS 27. And contacts ARE stored in the phone. They work even without network connection.

I’m using an iPhone 16 Pro that worked perfectly before updating to iOS 27. Nothing to do whatsoever with networks: I’m not using Siri, and I have the same number of contacts than a couple weeks ago, with iOS 26. It’s just a basic, annoying bug of iOS 27.

Today I just updated to iOS 27.1 to see if they patched it, but the problem persists.

So, Apple guys, solve this because it’s a basic, annoying, time-consuming problem for your customers, and an image-damaging issue for your company.

Its been weeks now and a small update too. But sorry to say such a basic function is not working. Totally unacceptable . I am using 17 pro max and never had such issue with ios 26

battery drain is also much high now

Bonjour, je souhaite changer le pays/la région de mon compte Apple, mais il me reste seulement 0,20 sur mon solde. Je ne peux pas dépenser cette somme car elle est inférieure au prix d’un article. Pouvez-vous m’aider à vider ce solde afin que je puisse changer de pays/région ?

vanseslas wrote:

Bonjour, je souhaite changer le pays/la région de mon compte Apple, mais il me reste seulement 0,20 sur mon solde. Je ne peux pas dépenser cette somme car elle est inférieure au prix d’un article. Pouvez-vous m’aider à vider ce solde afin que je puisse changer de pays/région ?

Non.

How to write a good question for an iPhon… - Apple Community

I have the same problem. I have 5223 contacts and I synchronise them with "Companionlink". This worked perfect and search was very fast before the update. Now it takes up tot 10 seconds before the search result is shown

Mine is a little of everything not working off and on. Browser pages and apps, mostly though I’m missing calls completely and iMessages. Some will come as text messages. Calls and messages will arrive with no alerts or notifications.

SAW06 wrote:

Mine is a little of everything not working off and on. Browser pages and apps, mostly though I’m missing calls completely and iMessages. Some will come as text messages. Calls and messages will arrive with no alerts or notifications.

How to write a good question for an iPhon… - Apple Community

Well truly the contacts app has become useless. I am having to resort to whatsapp contacts and use whatsapp calls since that remains the fastest way to call anyone now. Wonder if are the Apple guys are even bothered.

Bro it is as widespread as epidemic. Everybody in my office who owns an iphone and updated to ios27 are facing this issue. Only thing is, they just dont have time to come to this forum and report. Dont defend if you dont know the prevalence of this problem

When specifically did you upgrade to iOS 27? Is your device still indexing, syncing and optimizing in the background? Do you have Siri enabled?

How many contacts? 100 or 10,000?

"Apple guys" are not here , they are at https://apple.com/feedback

This is too frustration even after many weeks into the new release. Such a basic thing. Come on Apple.

Masssly wrote:

This is too frustration even after many weeks into the new release. Such a basic thing. Come on Apple.

Read my last post. Apple ain't here. Ain't nobody here but us chickens.

Facing lag issue during searching contact after updating to ios 27. It took about 15-20sec

Same. It started as soon as ios 27 update and still there after 27.0.1.

it is very frustrating.

Apple needs to fix this. Main app can’t run this poorly.

I have 750 contacts on a 14 Pro Max, and the search is always very fast, even with iOS 27.0.1

IOS27

You have only 750 contacts. That's why.

Yes 1000000000%. Almost feels like my contacts are no longer on my phone.

Contact search has been unusually slow and unresponsive at times.

Wow, exact same experience.

A bit happy we’re all of us here, but why would Apple allow such?

contact number search its very slow when it solve

Even i am facing same problem since Updation is done

Yes same problem. Very annoying. And same with predictive email address in emails Outlook and Google