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

Waze logo

5 New Waze Features Rolling Out Now: Here Are All the Details

Monday July 13, 2026 3:42 am PDT by
Google today announced that Waze is getting a handful of new features, including some Gemini-powered personalization enhancements for Conversational Reporting. Conversational Reporting already uses Gemini when users report traffic incidents like slowdowns, but now you can use it to suggest map updates like road closures or outdated addresses. Saying something like "The road is closed here"...
Mac Pro Feature Teal

Apple's M7 Ultra Chip Designed to Match a 2019 Mac Pro Feat

Sunday July 12, 2026 8:53 am PDT by
Apple's M7 Ultra chip coming in 2028 is designed to support up to 1.5TB of unified memory, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. However, whether such a configuration is offered may depend on the state of the ongoing memory chip shortage. In 2019, Apple released an Intel-based Mac Pro with up to 1.5TB RAM....
apple silicon 1 feature

Apple Silicon is Taking an Unexpected Turn

Friday July 10, 2026 7:24 am PDT by
Ever since the Mac switched from Intel processors to Apple silicon starting in 2020, each generation of M-series chips has included higher-end Pro and Max variants. If a recent report proves to be accurate, though, that streak will be coming to an end. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple will be releasing a regular M6 chip, but it has no plans to offer higher-end M6 Pro and M6 Max...