How to Group Contacts on iPhone

Create a list in the Contacts app

1. Open the Contacts app and tap Lists at the top left.
2. Tap Add List. If you use more than one account, choose the account the list belongs to, for example iCloud.
3. Type a name, such as Family or Team, and confirm.

Add contacts to a list

1. Go back to your contacts and touch and hold a person.
2. Tap Add to List and choose the list.
3. To see the group, tap Lists and open it. Touch and hold the list to send a message or email to everyone in it.

Limits

• Adding people one by one takes time if the list is long.
• A list belongs to one account. Depending on the account, for example some Google or Exchange accounts, you may not be able to create lists on iPhone.
• Lists only group people. They don’t tell you when you last talked to someone.

The easier way with Starrise Contacts

Starrise Contacts has lists and tags of its own, on top of the contacts you already have, for work, family, friends or any group you need. See how to organize and tag contacts.

• Lists and tags for any group, free.
• Custom sorting by last opened, last created, city, age and more.
• With Pro, Keep in Touch reminders for the people in a group you want to see more often.

Tips

• Keep lists few and broad: Family, Close friends, Work, Neighbors.
• Create lists in your main account, usually iCloud, so they show up on all your Apple devices.

Sources

Steps checked in October 2026 against Apple’s iPhone User Guide.

• Apple: Edit contacts on iPhone
• Apple: iPhone User Guide

Related

• Tag Contacts
• Sort Contacts
• Organize & Tag Contacts
• Birthdays in iPhone Calendar
• Add a Birthday to a Contact
• Add Notes to Contacts

All guides →