Dense, configurable table
Choose columns, sorting, and row density, then inspect the selected card in a separate detail panel.
Mac 1.6 · iPhone & iPad 1.6 · Now on iPhone
A clearer workspace for Apple Contacts.
Scan thousands of contacts, search long Notes, standardize fields with previewed Bulk Edit, and merge selected contacts field by field. Native on Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
- $24.99 one-time on Mac, $12.99 on iPhone and iPad
- iPhone and iPad in one purchase
- No subscription
- No ads or third-party analytics in the apps
Mac 1.6 · iPhone & iPad 1.6
Compact Contacts is now on iPhone.
Version 1.6 turns Compact Contacts Manager into one universal iPhone and iPad app with the full iPad feature set, and updates the Mac app with layouts that stay put and better phone-number grouping.
- iPhone: four tabs (Contacts, Lists, Clean Up, and Search), rich two-line rows that follow your column layout, swipe actions, long-press menus, multi-selection, and an A–Z scrubber.
- Step-by-step Bulk Edit, Merge Studio with Undo, vCard import, Export Center, and deletion on iPhone, with the same previews and recovery checks as iPad.
- Turn the iPhone to landscape for the dense grid with inline editing. On foldable and other regular-width iPhones, the list and contact detail sit side by side.
- The layout you choose applies to every list and is kept after relaunch. A Smart View can keep its own layout: pick “Smart View Layout” in the Layouts menu.
- Phone numbers in international format are grouped correctly for every country, such as +44, +972, and +51. Stored numbers never change.
- A contact’s additional phone numbers now appear under Phone Numbers in search results.
- Mac: row density stays the same in Favorites, Recents, and Recently Edited, plus a tidier sidebar, a fixed-width Layouts button, a centered contact count, and a distinct Edit Notes icon.
One purchase of Compact Contacts Manager covers iPhone and iPad, so existing iPad owners get the iPhone version at no extra cost. The Mac app, Compact Contacts, is a separate purchase.
Still included on every platform: search results grouped by the field that matched, Bulk Edit cleanup of repeated values, previewed deletion with recovery, and field-by-field Merge Studio.
New in 1.6 · iPhone
The full workspace, now in your pocket.
Compact Contacts Manager runs on iPhone with the complete iPad feature set, in a layout adapted to the phone.
- Rich two-line rows that follow your column layout
- Swipe actions, long-press menus, and multi-selection
- Bulk Edit and Merge Studio as step-by-step wizards with previews
Your system address book stays the source of truth.
- Mac
- iPhone
- iPad
- iCloud
- Exchange
- CardDAV
Built for real address books
See more, find the right records, and change less at once.
Compact Contacts adds an information-dense workspace without creating a new account, CRM, or contact cloud.
Long Notes, faster search
Read, search, and edit accessible Notes. The app indexes Notes separately, shows progress, and keeps the optional index in memory.
Smart Views with real context
Combine All or Any rules and retain columns, sorting, density, and detail layout with the view.
Expanded Bulk Edit
Update names, organizations, labeled values, addresses, birthdays, groups, and Notes. Use text or regex transformations with exact before-and-after review.
Merge Studio on Mac, iPhone, and iPad
Choose values field by field, combine multi-value data, select the destination, and undo eligible merges from encrypted on-device history. On iPhone it runs step by step.
Private by design
No developer contact backend, advertising, third-party analytics, or remote contact search index.
Mac, iPhone, and iPad · Merge Studio
Choose exactly what survives a merge.
Compare the stored value from every source card, choose the destination, and review the merged card before anything is written.
- Field-by-field source choices and combined multi-value fields
- Automatic preview refresh with phone numbers shown separately
- Encrypted on-device Merge History with eligible undo for 30 days
Mac, iPhone, and iPad · Bulk Edit
Standardize repeated fields without guessing.
Apply literal or bounded regular-expression transformations to a selected set and inspect every result first.
- Names, organizations, labeled phones, emails, URLs, relationships, addresses, birthdays, groups, and Notes
- Exact before-and-after values plus safely skipped contacts
- Faster Notes indexing and CSV export for large libraries
Core workflow tour
See the workspace in context.
The short tour covers the table, search, Command Palette, export review, Smart Views, and Bulk Edit. The screenshots above show the cleanup and Merge Studio workflows.
Private by design
Your address book is not our business.
Contact content, search, and optional Notes indexing are processed on your device. Compact Contacts has no developer-operated contact backend, third-party analytics, advertising, or account.
Read the privacy policy →Practical guides
Solve a contact problem, not a keyword puzzle.
Clear explanations for Notes, filters, groups, exports, duplicates, privacy, and choosing the right kind of contact tool.
A Monthly Apple Contacts Maintenance Routine
Once a month, review Recently Edited, open your audit Smart Views, fix a few gaps, remove repeated values, and scan for new duplicates.
Mac Contact Manager Buying Guide: Seven Questions to Ask
Judge a contact manager by where it keeps data, how safely it changes records, how it handles duplicates and Notes, and whether the pricing fits.
Getting Started with Compact Contacts on Mac, iPhone, and iPad
Explore Sample Contacts first, then verify account visibility and practice one narrow workflow before applying a change to real contacts.
A Contact Cleanup Checklist for Mac
Back up, then work from the least to the most destructive step: audit, fill gaps, standardize, remove repeated values, merge, and only then delete.
Why Contact Notes Need Extra Permission on Mac and iPad
Apple only lets approved apps read contact Notes. You need a current App Store build, Contacts permission, and an account that provides the Notes field.
How to Organize Work Contacts on a Mac
Decide which account holds work contacts, make Company and Job Title consistent, then build Smart Views such as Business Contacts and per-company teams.
Straight answers
Before you download.
Does Compact Contacts create another contact account?
No. Apple’s system Contacts database remains the source of truth. The app stores preferences such as Smart Views, not a developer-hosted copy of your address book.
Who handles iCloud, Google, Exchange, or CardDAV sync?
macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and the configured provider. Compact Contacts works with the records Apple exposes and does not claim to operate or verify synchronization.
Do I need to buy the iPhone and iPad versions separately?
No. Compact Contacts Manager is one universal app: a single $12.99 purchase covers iPhone and iPad, and existing iPad owners get the iPhone version at no extra cost. The Mac app, Compact Contacts, is a separate $24.99 purchase.
Can I try the interface before granting access?
Yes. The Sample Contacts workspace contains fictional, temporary, on-device records and does not change the system Contacts database.
Can it merge every duplicate automatically?
No. On Mac, iPhone, and iPad, Merge Studio asks you to choose the surviving fields and destination for one group at a time, then keeps eligible recovery in encrypted on-device Merge History. You can also start from selected contacts. There is no Merge All action.
Compact Contacts for Mac, iPhone, and iPad