Key Highlights:
- Offline Access: Google Contacts will soon offer a “Use without an account” option, allowing users to manage contacts locally on their device without a Google account.
- Simplified Disconnection: Currently disabling Google Contacts sync is a cumbersome process. This new feature streamlines the process and removes synced contacts from your device.
- Interface Revamp: A redesigned contact details page is in the works. The three-dot menu with contact options will be relocated to the bottom of the page within the “Contact settings” section.
Google Contacts Embraces Offline Functionality
While Google Contacts is a core app for managing contacts, it has traditionally required a Google account for full functionality. This is about to change. According to an APK teardown by Android Authority, Google is testing a new feature that allows users to utilize the app entirely offline, without a Google account.
This “Use without an account” option resides within the account switcher menu accessible by tapping your profile picture. Selecting this option takes you to the Contacts app’s “Organize” tab and presents a clear explanation of the implications. Most notably, enabling this feature will disable Google Contacts sync and remove any synced contacts from your device. However, the reassuring message emphasizes that these removed contacts remain safely stored within your Google account and can be restored at any time by re-enabling sync.
This new option simplifies a previously convoluted process. Disabling Google Contacts sync currently requires navigating through multiple menus and settings. The upcoming “Use without an account” option offers a single, user-friendly method for going offline while managing your contacts.
Streamlined Interface for Individual Contacts
In addition to the account-optional functionality, Google Contacts is also undergoing a minor interface refinement. The focus here is on the three-dot menu that appears when you open an individual contact. Currently, this menu displays six options at the top right corner of the screen. The upcoming redesign relocates these options to the bottom of the contact details page within a dedicated “Contact settings” section.
This relocation shuffles options like “Share contact,” “Add to home screen,” and “Delete” to a new position. They will now reside alongside existing options like “Reminders,” “Block numbers,” and “Route to voicemail” within the “Contact settings” section. While this undoubtedly frees up space in the three-dot menu, it might necessitate additional scrolling for users with contacts containing numerous details.
Similar to the “Use without an account” option, this interface revamp isn’t yet visible in the publicly available version of the app. However, the possibility of enabling these features through flags suggests their official release in the stable version of Google Contacts might be imminent.
