After sharing a tip on how to link Exchange and Mobile Me contacts, we were asked to cover how to link Facebook and LinkedIn contacts to your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch as well. Done. Follow on after the break to see exactly what you can and can't link, and some cautions on what you might and might not want to link.
To link your Facebook and/or LinkedIn contacts to your iOS contacts you need to use the free Facebook and LinkedIn apps from the App Store. Chances are you already have them, but if not grab them first:
- Facebook [iTunes link (opens in new tab)]
- LinkedIn [iTunes link (opens in new tab)]
- Launch LinkedIn
- Tap on Connections, middle icon on the left
- Tap on Download All, top right menu bar icon
- Read the warning. It says LinkedIn doesn't upload any of your contact info, only downloads contact info from LinkedIn
- Tap on Download all new connections
Depending on how many connections you have in LinkedIn, it could take a while to download. Once it's done, your LinkedIn contacts should be new or updated in your Contacts app. You can tell by the LinkedIn icon stamped on the bottom left corner of any new or updated contact.
- Launch Facebook
- Tap on Friends, top icon on the right
- Tap on the action button, top right menu bar icon
- Tap on Sync Contacts
- Toggle the Syncing slider to ON
- If you want to sync pictures too, toggle the Replace photos slider to ON
- This scares the $#!+ out of me, so at this point I personally hit Cancel. If you and your friends are okay with this, however...
- Tap Sync Contacts
Again, depending on the size of your contacts, it may take a while to sync. Once it's done, your Facebook contacts should be available as new or updated entries in your Contacts app.
Note: If a you're the friend of a colleague at work and they have a party picture up as their Facetime profile pic, hilarity might ensue the next time you get a business email from them...
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Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.
