Overview
Uploading your contacts to YouMail allows Smart Greetings to announce callers by name, helps YouMail recognize safe callers, and prevents important calls from being treated as spam. This article explains how to enable contact permissions, sync contacts, and add contacts manually on both Android and iPhone devices.
Key benefits/use cases
Smart Greetings: Automatically greet callers by name
Spam prevention: Mark known callers as safe
Custom greetings: Assign personalized greetings to contacts
Accurate call handling: Prevent contacts from going straight to voicemail
Automatic syncing: Keep YouMail updated as your device contacts change
How to upload contacts on Android
Uploading contacts on Android ensures that YouMail can identify callers correctly and apply greetings and call-handling rules.
Enable contact access
When installing the YouMail app for the first time, you’ll be prompted to allow access to your contacts. Allowing this permission makes syncing easier.
If you skipped this step:
Open Android Settings
Tap Apps and select YouMail
Tap Permissions
Select Contacts and choose Allow
Sync contacts with YouMail
To upload or resync contacts on Android:
Open the YouMail app
Tap the Menu (☰) icon in the top left corner
Select Settings
Tap Contacts
Select Upload Contacts
Tap Start Sync
Your contacts will now sync with YouMail.
Important: Duplicate contacts (multiple entries with the same phone number) can cause greeting or call-routing issues. Remove duplicates before syncing.
How to upload contacts on iPhone
Uploading contacts on your iPhone lets YouMail greet callers by name and identify trusted callers correctly.
Enable contact sync during app setup
When installing the YouMail app, you’ll be prompted to allow contact access.
Tap Allow when asked to access contacts
Tap OK to confirm
This enables automatic contact syncing.
Enable contact sync after installation
If contact access was skipped during setup:
Open the YouMail app
Tap Settings (gear icon) in the upper left corner
Under "Account & Support," select Data & Privacy
Select App Permissions
Toggle Contacts to On (green)
Sync contacts with YouMail
Once contact access is enabled:
Open the YouMail app
Go to the Contacts screen
If no contacts appear, tap Add Contacts
Select Sync Contacts
Your iPhone contacts will be added to YouMail and will automatically update when you add new contacts to your device.
Add a contact manually (Android & iPhone)
To add a contact directly to YouMail:
Open the YouMail app
Tap the Contacts icon (person icon)
Tap the blue plus (+) button in the bottom right corner
Enter the contact details and save