The short answer
Confirm you have the right person, compare each changed field with its source, and update only what you know is newer. Keep the notes and history that explain your relationship. A new job title should not erase the conversation you had at their old one.
App feature preview
The iPhone comparison steps below describe a newer mobile build. The version currently on the App Store may differ.
1. Confirm the person before editing
Search by email, phone, and name, then read the existing record. People share names, change companies, and sometimes use several email addresses. An exact email match is useful evidence, but you still need to check that the record belongs to the person in front of you.
A phone or similar-name suggestion is a prompt to compare records, not permission to merge them. If you cannot tell whether two records are the same person, leave both alone until you can confirm. A mistaken update is harder to unwind than a temporary duplicate.
2. Decide which field is actually newer
Compare the saved value with the new one field by field. Ask where the new information came from: a recent conversation, an email signature, an old business card, or your phone’s address book. Prefer a confirmed recent detail over a guess about what looks current.
A fictional example
Maya tells you she moved from North Studio to Fieldwork. Her iPhone contact still lists North Studio and an old work address. Update the company because Maya confirmed it. Ask which email she now prefers before replacing the address you used last month. Keep the note about the project you discussed together.
It is fine to leave a field unchanged when you are uncertain. You can add a brief note such as “Maya mentioned a new role; confirm the preferred email” rather than presenting an unverified address as fact. For a reusable structure, see what to include in a contact note.
3. Preserve the context around the person
Keep the existing notes, tags, List, and follow-up history while correcting contact fields. An old note may still explain why you know someone, even after their employer changes. Add a dated update when it helps you tell the old context from the new one.
Review any pending follow-up reminder. A changed address may affect how you reach out, but it does not change what you promised. If the relationship itself has changed, rewrite the next step explicitly rather than letting stale task wording linger.
Updating in Kontextual
You can open an existing contact and edit its details directly. If you are bringing over one person from iPhone Contacts, the newer iPhone import flow offers another path:
Choose one person in Import from iPhone. A unique exact email match leads to Review update. A possible phone or name match asks you whether to update the existing contact or import a new one. Where values conflict, Keep current is selected until you choose Use iPhone. Read the review form before tapping Update contact.
The import does not set up ongoing sync. Future changes in Apple Contacts will not silently replace the contact you reviewed. To start with a new person instead, read how to import one iPhone contact.