The loss of important information on a smartphone causes panic, especially when it comes to a phone book with numbers of friends, colleagues and delivery services. Flagship device users Honor 10 often wonder if it is possible to get data back after accidentally pressing the “Delete” button or resetting the settings. Fortunately, the operating system Android and the proprietary shell EMUI provide several reliable tools for restoring lost records.
The effectiveness of the process directly depends on how long ago the deletion occurred and whether the synchronization functions were activated in advance. In most cases, if a little time has passed since the deletion, you can get your contacts back without using complex software. It is important to act quickly and not write new information to the device’s memory, so as not to overwrite old data.
In this article we will analyze in detail all available methods: from built-in recovery functions to working with cloud services and PCs. You will learn where to look for the “trash” in your phone and how to properly set up synchronization to avoid similar problems in the future.
Checking the “Recently Deleted” folder in the Contacts application
The simplest and most often overlooked way to return data is to check a special section in the standard application. Starting from certain versions EMUI, the developers have implemented a "Trash" or "Recently Deleted" feature that stores erased entries for a limited time, usually 30 days.
To access this section, you need to open the Contacts application on your Honor 10. In the menu, which is called up by clicking on the three dots or the settings button, you should find the item responsible for managing deleted elements. If you don't see this option right away, it may be hidden in the display settings subsection.
⚠️ Attention: The storage period for recordings in this folder is limited. If you delete them from there manually or more than a month passes, automatic recovery will become impossible without backup copies.
After finding the desired number, just select it with a checkmark and click the “Restore” button. The data will return to the main contact list in the form in which it was deleted. This is the most gentle method that does not require an Internet connection.
Check the “Recently Deleted” folder immediately after detecting a missing number, as the system automatically clears it after 30 days.
Synchronization via Google account and web interface
If If you logged into your account Honor 10 account was logged in Google and enabled contact synchronization, you have a powerful recovery tool. Google services save the history of phone book changes, allowing you to roll back the state of your contact list to any date in the last 30 days.
This method is especially convenient because it can be performed not only from your phone, but also from any computer. You will need to log into the site contacts.google.com under the same credentials as on your smartphone. The web version interface provides access to functions that may be hidden in the mobile application.
- 🔄 Click on the gear icon in the upper right corner of the web interface.
- 📅 Select “Undo changes”.
- ⏳ Specify the time period: 10 minutes ago, 1 hour, yesterday or a specific date.
- ✅ Confirm the action and the contacts will sync back to Honor 10.
After performing this operation on your smartphone, you must force the synchronization to update. To do this, go to Settings → Users and accounts → Google. Make sure the switch next to “Contacts” is active, and then click the sync button.
It is important to understand that rolling back changes will affect the entire list of contacts. If you added new numbers after the date you are rolling back to, they may disappear. Therefore, before the procedure, it is recommended to export the current list to a file .vcf.
Using the Huawei Cloud (HiCloud) cloud service
Owners of brand devices Honor have access to their own cloud storage Huawei Cloud (also known as HiCloud). This service automatically creates backup copies of system data, including the phone book, if the user is logged in Huawei ID.
You can check the availability of a backup copy directly in the smartphone settings. Go to the section Settings → System and updates → Cloud. This displays the synchronization status and the date the data was last saved. If you see that the contacts were synchronized before they were deleted, the restoration will take a couple of minutes.
The restoration process through the settings is as follows: you must select the “Recover from Cloud” item, check the “Contacts” data type checkbox and confirm the start of the process. The phone will download data from the server and merge it with the current list or replace it, depending on the selected mode.
⚠️ Attention: Huawei Cloud service requires a stable Internet connection to work. Make sure you are connected to Wi-Fi to avoid wasting mobile data.
What to do if Huawei ID login is blocked?
If you do not remember your account password, use the access recovery function through the linked email or phone number on the official Huawei website. Without logging into your account, access to cloud backups is impossible.
Recovery through the HiSuite app on a computer
For those who prefer to create local backups on a computer, a proprietary utility is an indispensable tool HiSuite. This app allows you to manage data from your PC and restore it from previously created backups. To get started, connect your smartphone to your computer via a USB cable and run. The phone screen will ask you to allow the connection and enter a confirmation code. After successfully pairing the devices, go to the “Restore” section in the app interface. Honor 10 from a PC and restore them from previously created backups.
To get started, connect your smartphone to your computer via a USB cable and launch HiSuite. The phone screen will ask you to allow the connection and enter a confirmation code. After successfully pairing the devices, go to the “Restore” section in the app interface.
You will see a list of available recovery points indicating the date and time the copy was created. Select the backup file you want, make sure Contacts is checked, and click the Restore button. The app will automatically transfer the data to the device memory.
| Parameter | Google Contacts | Huawei Cloud | HiSuite (PC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storage type | Cloud | Cloud | Local (on PC) |
| Network dependence | Required | Required | Only when connected |
| History storage period | 30 days | Depends on the tariff | Indefinitely (as long as the file is on the PC) |
| Difficulty of use | Low | Average | Average |
☑️ Preparing for recovery via HiSuite
Use HiSuite is the most reliable way, since local copies do not depend on the state of cloud services or account locks. Regular creation of such backups guarantees the safety of data even if the smartphone is completely broken.
Searching for contacts in instant messengers and social networks
Sometimes it is impossible to restore a complete contact card with an address and additional numbers, but you can return the phone number itself. In the modern world, communication often occurs through instant messengers that cache data about interlocutors.
If you corresponded with a lost contact in WhatsApp, Telegram or Viber, find the corresponding chat in the message history. Even if the number is deleted from the phone book, it can be displayed in the messenger as a digital code or the name that you assigned to it inside the application.
In some cases, it is useful to check the call history. If a person called you after you deleted him from your contacts, his number may have been saved in the call log. Open the “Phone” application, go to the “Journal” tab and find the number you need. From there, you can immediately save it to a new record.
This method is not a full-fledged database recovery, but it allows you to quickly return contact with an important person without complex technical manipulations. This is a kind of “folk” method that often helps out in emergency situations.
Messengers and call logs serve as an excellent auxiliary source of numbers when the main recovery methods are unavailable for some reason.
Professional data recovery software
If none of the above methods helped, and there are no backups, you can try using specialized data recovery software. apps such as Dr.Fone, Tenorshare UltData or DroidKit, scan the internal memory of the device in search of deleted files.
The principle of operation of these utilities is based on searching for residual data that has not yet been overwritten by new information. To work, you will need to enable USB debugging mode on Honor 10. This is done through the menu Settings → About phone → Build number (press 7 times), and then in the section System → For developers.
⚠️ Attention: The effectiveness of third-party apps is not 100% guaranteed. On modern versions of Android with memory encryption, the chances of successful recovery without root access is significantly reduced.
The process usually looks like this: you connect the phone to the PC, start scanning and view the found contacts in the app interface. If data is found, it can be uploaded to a file or directly saved to the device. Be careful when choosing software, downloading it only from official developer sites.
Do you need root access for recovery?
Deep memory scanning often requires superuser rights (Root). Obtaining these rights may void your device's warranty and result in data loss if the procedure is unsuccessful, so use this method only as a last resort.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Can contacts be restored if the phone has been reset to factory settings?
Recovery after full Hard Reset is only possible if you have a backup in the cloud (Google or Huawei) or on your computer. Without backup, data stored in the internal memory is considered irretrievably lost due to overwriting of memory sectors.
How long are deleted contacts stored in the Honor 10 trash bin?
The standard storage period for deleted entries in the built-in trash can of the Contacts application is 30 days. After this period has expired, the system automatically cleans the folder and manual recovery becomes impossible.
Is it safe to use data recovery apps?
Using proven software from well-known developers is safe. However, avoid suspicious free utilities that may contain malicious code. Always download apps from official resources and carefully read the license agreement.
What to do if Google synchronization gives an error?
Try clearing the cache of the Google Play Services and Contacts application in the phone settings. Also check if you have enough space in your Google account. If the problem is not solved, try deleting the account from the system and adding it again.
Is it possible to restore contacts from the broken screen of Honor 10?
If the sensor does not work, but there is an image, you can connect a USB mouse via an OTG adapter to control the phone. If the screen is completely black, you can only recover data through cloud services or the HiSuite app, if you previously allowed trust on this computer.