3 Simple Ways to Save a New Contact on Android

Download Article

Add a new contact to your Android phone with just a few taps

Written by Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: January 19, 2025 Fact Checked

Download Article

• Using the Contacts App
|
• Importing from a SIM Card using Google Contacts
|
• Using the Phone Dialer
|
• Video
|
• Q&A
|
• Tips

|Show more |Show less

This wikiHow guide teaches you how to add a new contact to an Android phone or tablet. Be aware that the steps vary depending on the manufacturer and model of your phone, but they are similar enough to follow this generic walkthrough using Google Contacts, which everyone can download and use for free from the Google Play Store.

Quick Steps

1. In the Contacts app, tap +.
2. Choose which account you want to use and where to save the contact.
3. Add the contact's info, including their name, number, email, or picture.
4. Tap Save.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using the Contacts App

Download Article

1. 
   1
   Open the Contacts app. You’ll usually find it on the home screen or in the app drawer. Look for the outline of a person’s head and shoulders on a blue or green background.

   • These steps are specific to Google Contacts, but will also work for the default Contacts app that some manufacturers, like Samsung, use.
   • You can download and use Google Contacts for free from the Google Play Store.
2. 
   2
   Tap

   

   . The color may vary. You’ll typically find it at the top or bottom-right corner of the screen.
   Advertisement
3. 
   3
   Select a location. If prompted, select an account or location for synchronizing your new contact. You’ll usually be able to choose Device (your Android), SIM card, or your Google Account.
4. 
   4
   Enter your new contact’s name and phone number. Here’s how:

   • Tap
     
     next to the contact’s name to choose where to save the contact (e.g. your Google account, your SIM card).
   • Enter the contact’s name, phone number, and/or email address in the labeled blanks.
   • To add a photo, tap the camera icon, then select a photo.
   • To add more details, such as street addresses or notes, tap More fields.
5. 
   5
   Tap Save. It’s at the top-right corner of the screen. On some Androids, this might be a check mark. Your new contact is saved and ready to use.
Advertisement

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Importing from a SIM Card using Google Contacts

Download Article

1. 
   1
   Insert a SIM card into your phone or tablet. Some SIM slots are located along the narrow side of your phone, while others are beneath the battery. Click here to learn how to insert a SIM card into your Android.

   • If your phone has an eSIM, skip this method.
2. 
   2
   Open the Contacts app. You’ll usually find it on the home screen or in the app drawer. Look for the outline of a person’s head and shoulders on a blue or green background.
3. 
   3
   Tap Organize. It's the thumbnail in the bottom right corner. It looks like a book with a bookmark.
4. 
   4
   Tap Manage SIM. You might have to scroll to find this option under the "This device" header.
5. 
   5
   Choose the Google account you want to save the contacts to. Use the drop-down menu at the top next to "Save to" to change which Google account these contacts are saved to.
6. 
   6
   Tap to select contacts, then tap Import. These contacts will be imported to Google Contacts from your SIM card.
Advertisement

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using the Phone Dialer

Download Article

1. 
   1
   Open the Phone app. It’s the phone receiver icon that’s typically on the home screen. If you don’t see it, you should find it in the app drawer.
2. 
   2
   Tap the dial pad icon. It usually looks like 9 small squares or circles. This opens the dial pad.
3. 
   3
   Enter the new contact’s phone number. Once you enter the entire number, additional options will appear.
4. 
   4
   Tap Create new contact. This opens a screen that allows you to enter additional information about the contact.

   • If you’d rather add this new phone number to an existing contact, choose Add to contacts or Add to an existing contact instead. You’ll then be able to select the contact, and choose a type of phone number (e.g. Home, Mobile).
   • You may have to select a location to save your contact. If prompted, choose your SIM card, device, or Google account as suggested.
5. 
   5
   Enter your contact’s personal information. Enter the contact’s name into the first blank. You can also add an email address, street address, photo, and notes.
6. 
   6
   Tap Save. It’s at the top-right corner of the screen. On some Androids, this button might be a check mark. Your new contact is saved and ready to use.

   • You can also tap the caller in your "Recents" list and select Add to Contacts to make them a contact after they've called. You can also tap Add to Existing Contact if you want to update a contact you already have, like adding a new phone number.
Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

• Question

  How do I add contacts to my phone?

  

  Community Answer

  It depends on the model of your phone. Usually, you go to the Contacts section and click the 'plus' button on the top-right corner of the screen. On Android 4.0, use the main menu button (located either at the top or bottom of the screen), and click 'create contacts.'

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 3 Helpful 4
• Question

  I want to search all my contacts. How do I do this?

  

  Community Answer

  Click on the contacts app. Then, enter your search at the top, next to the magnifying glass icon.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 0 Helpful 1
• Question

  How do I add a photo to my new contact if I don't already have one in my gallery? How do I get it from Google Photos?

  

  Community Answer

  First, download the photo from your Google Photos app by clicking the 3 dots on the right hand corner and clicking "save to device". This will save that photo to your gallery. Then go to that contact and add the photo from your gallery.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

Video

Tips

• You can also create a new user account for your phone. Just make a new Google account and make sure you're signed out of yours when the other person is using the phone.
  Thanks

  Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Advertisement