The Google Contacts app for Android has been updated and with it comes a new duplicate contact finder. The updated app, version 1.5.16 for those keeping score at home, will give users the ability to search the contacts on their phone, identify any duplicate contacts, then merge them into one. If this sounds familiar, it should. Google Contacts online has had a duplicate contact finding feature for some time now and essentially it works the same as as it does on the Android app. Now, like so many things we do today, you don’t necessarily have to go to the web to sort this part of your life out. You can do it on your phone, which is likely always with you.
Using the new feature is simple. Open up Contacts then use the hamburger menu to open up the menu for the app. The second item you will see is Duplicates. Tap on it and the app will search all
of the contacts on your device for duplicate contacts. Once they are identified, you can merge them into one contact. Much like the web version of Contacts, the app is looking not only at duplicate names but other meta data associated with the contact such as phone numbers, email addresses, physical addresses and the like.
The updated app is in the Play Store now and if you have it installed on your phone, you should have the OTA update at any point now.