Reduce Contacts in Address Book by finding infrequent contacts
Hi
I have it set up to automatically add a person to my address book when replying to a message. It also happens when I send a message to a new person. This allows me to easily send them a second message if I have to. It also means I have accumulated a lot of contacts who I have only contacted once. How do I sort my address book and get ride of the contacts who I no longer need to contact?
-Jamie
Chosen solution
You would need to know who you have not sent an email to in last two years whose email address is in the 'Collected addresses' address book. Then you could locate that person in the address book and delete them.
As sent emails are usually in the 'Sent' folder....
Right click on 'Sent' folder and select 'Search messages'
If you have sub folders then select that checkbox.
Select 'Match All of the following'
'TO or Cc' 'is in my address book' 'Collected'
click on 'Search'
click on 'Save as a search folder' choose a suitable name eg: Collected and location - suggest a sub folder of Sent
This sorts out the difference in sent emails based on whether recipient is in 'Collected' or not.
Open that new search folder to see contents. Set the Sort - 'View' > 'Sort by' Select 'Recipient', 'Ascending' and 'Grouped by sort'
You will then see emails grouped by their name, so it quick to see if any are old - no emails since 2018 Then select old email The TO will be shown in header and it will have a coloured star because it is in an address book. Click on the TO name and from drop down select 'edit contact' It will say the address book it is in Collect and offer option to 'Delete'
Work down through the saved search folder checking recipient for only old mail.
Read this answer in context 👍 0All Replies (3)
Usually the outgoing email address are added to the 'Collected Addresses' address book.
Click on 'Address Book' select 'Collected Addresses' address book. Select contact in list and click on Delete. To select various contacts, press and hold down 'Ctrl' key and click on the various contacts to highlight, then click on 'Delete'.
You can choose whatever address book you desire to collect those email addresses.
In version 68* or earlier Menu app icon > Options > Options > Composition > 'Addressing' tab Select checkbox: automatically add outgoing email addresses to my: select address book name
In version 78* or later Menu app icon > Options > Composition scroll down to 'Addressing' section Select checkbox: automatically add outgoing email addresses to my: select address book name
I don't want to delete ALL of them, only the ones I have not used recently.(i.e. the past 2 years)
Chosen Solution
You would need to know who you have not sent an email to in last two years whose email address is in the 'Collected addresses' address book. Then you could locate that person in the address book and delete them.
As sent emails are usually in the 'Sent' folder....
Right click on 'Sent' folder and select 'Search messages'
If you have sub folders then select that checkbox.
Select 'Match All of the following'
'TO or Cc' 'is in my address book' 'Collected'
click on 'Search'
click on 'Save as a search folder' choose a suitable name eg: Collected and location - suggest a sub folder of Sent
This sorts out the difference in sent emails based on whether recipient is in 'Collected' or not.
Open that new search folder to see contents. Set the Sort - 'View' > 'Sort by' Select 'Recipient', 'Ascending' and 'Grouped by sort'
You will then see emails grouped by their name, so it quick to see if any are old - no emails since 2018 Then select old email The TO will be shown in header and it will have a coloured star because it is in an address book. Click on the TO name and from drop down select 'edit contact' It will say the address book it is in Collect and offer option to 'Delete'
Work down through the saved search folder checking recipient for only old mail.