How to Organize Contacts into Lists on iPhone and iPad - MacRumors
Skip to Content

How to Organize Contacts into Lists on iPhone and iPad

by

In iOS 16 and iPadOS 16, the Contacts app on lets you create multiple lists in which to organize your contacts. Keep reading to learn how it works.

ios 16 contacts merge duplicates
The release of iOS 16 introduced many new standout features for iPhones, like Lock Screen widgets and customization, but it also included plenty of other changes that are a little bit more hidden away in Apple's mobile OS. One such feature is the ability to create contact lists in the Contacts app.

Prior to iOS 16, Apple device users had to use the iCloud website or a Mac if they wanted to create contact lists, but now you can do so right on your iPhone and iPad. It's a great way to organize your contacts into groups such as family, friends, and work colleagues, clients, and so on. Not only does it make contacts easier to find, you can also email everyone in a specific list.

The following steps show you how to create lists in iOS 16.

  1. Open the Contacts app on your iPhone. You can also access contacts using the Contacts button in the Phone app.
  2. Tap Lists in the top-left corner of the Contacts interface. (If you're on ‌iPad‌, it's the sidebar button.)
  3. Tap Add List in the top-right corner, then select an account if required (‌iCloud‌ is the default).
    contacts

  4. Give your list a name, then tap it.
  5. Tap Add Contacts.
  6. Select the contacts you wish to add, then tap Done.
    contacts

  7. You can now contact all the people in the list via email or Messages. To email them, you can tap the Mail icon in the top-right corner of the list. To group message everyone, tap Lists, then long press the list in question and select Message All from the popover menu.
    contacts

Note that you can edit lists or delete them by swiping leftwards across a list in the main Lists screen to reveal edit and trash buttons.

Popular Stories

iphone 16e usb c feature

Apple Begins Selling a $419 iPhone

Monday July 6, 2026 6:29 am PDT by
Apple recently added the iPhone 16e to its refurbished store, with U.S. pricing starting as low as $419 for a model with 128GB of storage. Originally released in February 2025, the iPhone 16e is a lower-end device with a 6.1-inch OLED display, an A18 chip with 8GB of RAM for Apple Intelligence support, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, a 12-megapixel front camera, a USB-C port, an Action...
iOS 26 Home Glass Feature

Apple Intelligence Home Features Require 2TB iCloud+ Plan in iOS 27

Monday July 6, 2026 2:13 pm PDT by
Using Apple Intelligence camera features in the Home app will require an iCloud+ plan starting at 2TB, according to Apple. Apple shared the detail in its notes for the third macOS Golden Gate beta that was released today. In iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 Golden Gate, the Home app is able to generate written summaries for motion alerts from HomeKit Secure Video cameras. It's also able to...
iphone 17 pro black feature

iPhone 18 Pro Battery Capacities Revealed by Regulatory Filings

Monday July 6, 2026 5:41 am PDT by
New Chinese regulatory certification filings appear to confirm the battery capacities of Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. According to new filings in China's C3 database, spotted by the leaker known as "Digital Chat Station" on Weibo, the iPhone 18 Pro is seemingly rated for 4,056mAh in China and 4,288mAh in the U.S., up modestly from the iPhone 17 Pro's 3,988mAh...