Choose the result you want
Three features. Three different jobs.
Most people use Shared or Call ID. They are independent and configured per provider in Manage Contact Providers.
Use contacts across iPhone
Turn on Shared, then enable Cloud Contacts as an iPhone contact provider. Contacts stay separate and read-only—no copies are made.
Show names for incoming calls
Turn on Call ID for the providers you want. This identifies callers directly from your cloud accounts without adding those people to the Contacts app.
Make editable Apple Contacts copies
Use Sync Contacts, review the proposed changes, and choose Apple Contacts as the writable destination.
Manage Contact Providers
Every connected source—Google, Microsoft, CardDAV, Nextcloud, Fastmail—has independent switches for Shared Contacts and Call ID.
Shared (System Contacts)
Shows contacts in Apple Contacts, Phone recents, and Spotlight searches without making physical copies.
Call ID (Incoming Caller Identification)
Displays caller names and provider labels on incoming calls without saving people to the address book.
Know who is calling. Keep your address book clean.
When a client or colleague calls from your synced Google, Exchange, or Nextcloud account, iOS displays their name and provider source directly on the incoming call banner.
- 1In Cloud Contacts, open Contact Providers → Manage Contact Providers and toggle Call ID for desired accounts.
- 2Open Settings → Apps → Phone → Call Blocking & Identification on your iPhone.
- 3Enable Cloud Contacts. Your phone is now ready for instant on-device caller ID.
Incoming Call
Alexander Wright
+1 (555) 019-2834
Simulated Apple CallKit identification screen
Use Cloud Contacts as system contacts
This creates a separate, read-only contact provider on your iPhone. Your Google, Microsoft, CardDAV, and JMAP sources remain in their native format.
No account mixing. Enabling this view does not upload contacts to iCloud, create duplicate records, or overwrite provider accounts.
- 1
Select the sources in Cloud Contacts
Open Contact Providers → Manage Contact Providers.
- 2
Turn on Shared
Enable Shared beside each provider you want to make available to system apps, then tap Done.
- 3
Enable the iPhone provider
Open Settings → Apps → Contacts → Providers, then turn on Cloud Contacts.
- 4
Check the result
Open the Contacts app and search for a person from a shared provider. Provider records are read-only here; edit them in Cloud Contacts or at their source.
Plain language
What “Base Address” means
If your iPhone shows Base Address or Base Address Book, think of it as Cloud Contacts' main system-visible list.
- It is not a website or CardDAV server address.
- It is not a new cloud account.
- It does not copy contacts into iCloud.
- It contains the providers you selected with Shared.
Switch contacts, not sync
To change which accounts appear on iPhone, return to Manage Contact Providers and adjust only the Shared switches.
Need one master switch?
Turn Cloud Contacts off under Settings → Apps → Contacts → Providers. All provider contacts disappear from system apps, while your in-app selection and sync setup stay ready for the next time you turn it on.
Quick answers
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Call ID identify callers without adding them to Contacts?+
Cloud Contacts uses Apple's native CallKit Call Directory Extension. It compiles a privacy-safe, on-device numeric index of phone numbers and associated provider names (e.g. 'John Doe — Google Contacts'). When your phone rings, iOS checks this local index directly without accessing external servers or modifying your address book.
Does turning on Call ID share my call history or record my calls?+
Never. Call Directory Extensions on iOS have zero access to your microphone, call logs, outgoing calls, or location. Apple enforces strict sandbox privacy: the app only supplies an on-device lookup index, and iOS independently performs matching when a call arrives.
What is Base Address in iPhone Settings?+
Base Address—or Base Address Book in some iOS versions—is the system label for the primary read-only contact container supplied by the Cloud Contacts Contact Provider. It is not a website URL, a remote server address, or an iCloud sync destination.
Does turning Shared off delete or stop syncing a provider?+
No. It only removes that provider from the list Cloud Contacts shares with the iPhone contact provider. The account stays connected, remote synchronization is unchanged, and the source data remains intact.
Why can’t I edit a provider contact in the Contacts app?+
Contacts supplied by a contact-provider app are read-only there. Edit the person in Cloud Contacts or in the original provider; the system view will refresh from that source.
Do I need both Shared and Call ID enabled?+
Only if you want both behaviors. Shared makes selected contacts available to apps that use the system Contacts framework (Mail, Messages, Spotlight). Call ID is a separate list for incoming-call identification.
Can I enable Call ID for work contacts while keeping them out of my personal Contacts app?+
Yes! In Manage Contact Providers, turn Call ID ON for your work provider (e.g. Google Workspace or Exchange) and leave Shared OFF. You will see who is calling during incoming calls without cluttering your personal address book.
Will every messaging app see provider contacts?+
System apps (Phone, Messages, Mail) and compatible third-party apps can search and message provider contacts, subject to standard iOS contact permissions.
System paths can vary slightly by iOS version. See Apple's guides for contact providers and call identification.
One contact library. Your choice where it appears.
Connect your providers, choose what to share, and keep every account under your control.