Video Demo
Why it matters
Duplicate contacts can split conversation history, tags, list membership, campaigns, sequences, communication preferences, and object-linked data across multiple records. Merging contacts helps maintain a single, accurate contact record for messaging, reporting, filtering, and automation.
Key Concepts
Current Contact: The contact record that is currently open when you start the merge process.
Contact to Merge: The duplicate contact record that will be combined with the current contact.
Merge Contacts: An action that combines two contact records into a single contact.
Search Contact to Merge: The search field used to find a duplicate contact by name, phone number, email, or external ID.
Conversation History: Messages from the merged contact are not deleted during a merge. Previous conversations can still be found by searching for the old phone number in Inbox.
Contact Permissions: Users may need permission to update contacts before they can merge contacts.
Step-by-Step: Merge Duplicate Contacts
Open the contact record you want to keep.
Click the three-dot menu in the contact panel.
Select Merge Contacts.
In the search field, enter the name, phone number, email address, or external ID of the duplicate contact.
Select the matching contact from the search results.
Review the selected contact to confirm it is the correct duplicate.
Click Merge.
Verify that the remaining contact contains the correct phone number and contact information.
View Previous Conversations from the Old Number
If the merged contact had conversation history associated with the old phone number, you can still access those messages:
Open Inbox.
Enter the old phone number in the Inbox search bar.
Select the matching conversation from the search results.
Review the previous messages associated with that phone number.
The merge process does not delete historical conversations. Searching for the old phone number allows you to access messages that were previously associated with that contact record.
Tips and Best Practices
Open the contact record you want to keep before starting the merge.
Search using a phone number, email address, or external ID when names are similar.
Review both contacts carefully before merging.
Merge duplicate contacts before adding contacts to campaigns, sequences, or segments.
Review communication preferences, tags, and contact details after completing a merge.
If a contact has multiple phone numbers, confirm which number should remain as the primary contact record.
Troubleshooting
Issue | Possible Cause | Fix |
Merge Contacts is not visible | The user may not have permission to update contacts | Ask an admin to review your contact permissions |
No contacts appear in search results | The search value is too short or does not match an existing contact | Enter at least three characters and search using a name, phone number, email, or external ID |
The Merge button is disabled | No contact has been selected or search results are still loading | Select a contact from the search results and wait for loading to finish |
The wrong contact was selected | A similar name, phone number, or email was chosen | Clear the selection and search again before clicking Merge |
The merge fails | The selected contact may no longer exist or the user lacks permission | Refresh Contacts, confirm both records still exist, and try again or contact an admin |
I can't find messages from the old number | The messages are associated with the previous phone number | Open Inbox and search for the old phone number to locate the historical conversation |