Top 3 Ways to Fix Contacts Freezing or Locking in iOS 17/18

by Jenefey Aaron   Updated on 2024-09-03 / Update for  iOS 10

When you want to look for someone's phone number, you have to browse the entire contacts list, but with the Contacts Search function, a nice and timesaving shortcut, can help you find the contact immediately and accurately. But, some users have reported that they have met a contact app freezing issue on iPhone during a contact search. If you are experiencing issues with your Contacts application, this article explains what to do when Contact search is not working properly on iPhone 14/13 running iOS 17/18 or ealier.

1. Fix Contact Search Freezing by Hard Resetting

Normally, the first thing came to your mind when you are encountering the iPhone contacts search freezing or hanging issue is hard restart your device. Follow the steps to force restart an iPhone.

  • On an iPhone 8 or later: Press and quickly release the Volume Up and Volume Down button. And then press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo.
  • On an iPhone 7/7 Plus: Press and hold both the Side and Volume Down buttons for at least 10 seconds, until you see the Apple logo.
  • On an iPhone 6s and earlier, iPad, or iPod touch: Press and hold both the Home and the Power/Sleep buttons for at least 10 seconds, until you see the Apple logo.
iphone contacts freezing

After that, Launch the Contacts app, tap Groups, uncheck all contacts and re-check and tap Done.

contact search is not working properly on iphone

Once done, Close the Contacts app and restart it. To do this, double press the home button quickly, swipe up on the Contacts app's preview to close it. Then relaunch it.

2. Troubleshoot Contact Search Hanging by Turning on/off Contacts

The way 1 is not always workable, but no worries, you still have an alternative option, below is how it works:

To get started, we recommend you to back up your iPhone to iCloud including contacts.

Then tap on Settings > Contacts > Accounts.

contact app freezing on iphone

Next, you will see your accounts here. Tap on iCloud. Then scroll down and switch OFF Contacts. It will say Keep on my iPhone or Delete from my iPhone, simply choose Delete from my iPhone. 

ios10 iphone contacts and phone app freezing

Next step is to re-enable the Contacts to ON here.If it says Merge contacts, Confirm and proceed.

Restart your phone and try

3. Fix Contact Search Not Working in iOS 17/18 With Tenorshare ReiBoot

If nothing of above help, then the problem might lie with its operating system, then you can try to put your device into/out of recovery mode with Tenorshare ReiBoot to get the contact search not working issue fixed.

Tenorshare ReiBoot is a powerful program focus on fixing all iOS problems, including app stuck/hanging , black death of screen , boot loop and so on.

Now let's take a look at how it works. First of all, please download and install Tenorshare ReiBoot on your computer and launch it one installation done.

Step 1: After you've launched Tenorshare ReiBoot, connect your iOS device to your computer.

Step 2: When your device is detected by Tenorshare ReiBoot, click the button "Enter Recovery Mode" to put device into Recovery mode.

Step 3: Once the Exit Recovery Mode button is highlighted, hit it and wait your device out of recovery mode. After your contact search function will be back to normal.

contact search freezing on iphone

Note: If enter & exit recovery mode does not repair the Contacts app not working problem, I suggest you to repair iPhone system to througly fix this issue. Click "Repair Operating System" feature and download mataching firmware package to repair iPhone system without data loss.

iphone freezing and deleting contacts

Hopefully these methods work for fixing iOS 17/18 Contacts Search Freezing on iPhone/iPad. ReiBoot is top recommended as it has been rated as the best iOS system recovery software that supports to fix 150+ iOS problems.