Contacts in email and on phone

The circles with initials that you see in Mail are contact icons. They do not identify which account stores a contact, so seeing them does not necessarily mean Mail is using only your Google contacts.

Mail uses the Contacts app to look up names and email addresses when you address a message. Contacts can be stored in iCloud, Google, or other accounts.

On your iPhone (iOS 26):

1. Open Settings, tap your name, then iCloud.
2. Tap See All beside Saved to iCloud and make sure Contacts is turned on.
3. Open the Contacts app, tap Lists, and check whether your iCloud contacts appear.

On your Mac

1. Open System Settings, click your name, then iCloud.
2. Click See All beside Saved to iCloud and make sure Contacts is enabled.
3. Open the Contacts app and check whether your iCloud contacts appear in the sidebar.
4. Open Mail and compose a new message. Start typing a contact's name in the To field to see whether the correct email address is suggested.

If your iCloud contacts are missing from the Contacts app, visit iCloud.com/contacts and sign in to check whether they are still stored in iCloud.

If your iCloud contacts appear in Contacts but are not suggested in Mail, verify that iCloud Contacts is enabled and syncing correctly. Also check that the relevant contacts are available in the Contacts app before changing or removing any accounts.

Apple's guides:

• Set up iCloud Contacts
• Contacts User Guide for Mac