WARNING: This app requires a rooted device. It's recommended to backup your contacts before using it. I personally recommend backup to Google account, as it offers to undo changes easily, and I think it backup even photos quite well.
Background
Seeing that the only app that allows to sync your contacts photos is SyncMe, yet it can't sync with WhatsApp (and there is a good reason for this), I've decided to create this app.
What this app does
Its purpose is to sync your contacts photos on the address book with those on WhatsApp.
Download
APK mirror:
https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/androiddeveloperlb/contacts-sync-requires-root/
ApkPure:
https://apkpure.com/contacts-sync-requires-root/com.lb.contacts_sync
Requirements and permissions explanation
WhatsApp app being installed and working well. Tested on version 2.16.306 (build 451445).
A rooted device/emulator. It is needed for getting the HQ contacts images, for auto-granting the other permissions, and for the automation of the entire process.
Internet connection - allows WhatsApp to download the photos. Don't have any app to download stuff in the background. Otherwise it might fail to get the images in one way or another.
Contacts permissions - the app needs to modify your contacts...
Phone and usage-access permissions, so that the app could monitor WhatsApp Internet activity.
Draw on top permission- for allowing to halt the process, and for staying on portrait mode during the process.
Isn't there a non-rooted version?
It is highly possible that I can make one. I started by using accessibility service to handle the automation, and I made it work for a single contact that has a photo.
It will take a long time till I can finish it, but it was a step in the right direction.
However, sadly, Google has recently warned all apps that use accessibility service for purposes that are not for disabled users (many articles about it, including here, here and here) , so for now this work is on hold, till I find out what is really going on.
They might remove the app or even my own Google account, according to these articles. I do not want to take this risk, after so much time working on it.
That being said, I might put here on XDA the app some day. Will take some time though. I may have made progress, but I didn't handle everything that needs to be handled.
In any case, this app is only for rooted devices. If I have non-rooted solution, I might need to make a new app for it.
EDIT: later Google added a form and a policy team to handle accessibility, but it's so messy that it might mean the whole work on such a thing would go away. You can read about my experience of this here. Very frustrating, but I still wish to try it out some day.
Recommended
A good Internet connection
Android 5.0 and above
Have all contacts saved into Google.
How it works
It currently only has 3 simple steps:
- grant permissions (needed only once).
- fetch photos by first checking which are new and then go over each of them.
- sync the photos.
All phases are easy to go by (just press a single button) , and are all automatic and based on things any power user can do anyway, given enough time and patience.
The last step can even be done in the background if you wish.
Do note that as it highly depends on how WhatsApp works, it is possible that one day a new version of WhatsApp will change too much, that it won't work.
If you've found any bug, please let me know.
Why no fully automatic background sync?
This is a bit problematic because :
it works in the foreground, and not the background
if you have a lock screen, the app will need to bypass it, which might be an issue.
it emulates touch operations, so if you are not aware of what's going on, it might have some risks in using it in the background
That being said, you can enable the scheduler feature that will schedule a check if it seems there are new updates that you can sync.
This operation is so efficient that it doesn't require Internet connection and you can safely set it to run every day without worrying about the battery. Just remember to let the app have root access and contacts permission.
Would it work with modded WhatsApp ?
Maybe, as long as the package name of it is the same as the official one (meaning "com.whatsapp"). Last time I checked the GBWhatsapp app (available here, called "GBWAPlus"), it worked fine with it.
Might not work in the future or on other mods.
Why not support more chatting apps? Telegram? Messenger? Viber? Skype? ...
I've spent an entire week finding what can be done with each of the top chatting apps, and failed to find a way to work with them.
Even Telegram, which is supposed to be open sourced, was found too complex to work with, and even if I did manage to work with it, its terms are that my app should be a chatting app too, with all of the basic features of a chatting app.
This will all take so much more time that I can afford for a spare time app, and it's out of the scope for the app to be a chatting app, just to sync photos.
The app says I don't have contacts. How come?
You probably didn't let it to sync with your address book yet. Let it have the permission it needs (mainly Contacts permission), and then run it, then run my app.
If all fail, uninstall and re-install both apps, and grant the needed permission to both, and then run my app.
The app used to work before I've switched to a new ROM, and now it doesn't. How come?
Some ROMs mess with how Android handles contacts on the address book. I have no idea why and I have no idea in which way, so sadly I have nothing to do about it other than recommend using better ROMs...
The app fails to sync contacts or crashes even before. How come?
There are some issues related to address book that are out of this app's scope and responsibility.
Here are some possible workarounds:
1. Try to clear data of WhatsApp, of Contacts Storage , of Contacts, restart device, open your Contacts app, let it sync with the address book for some time. Then Try my app again.
2. One user wrote this:
may be suggest him the way it works for me,export contacts from phone to vcf file,delete contacts from hone,through web, import vcf file to google,through phone sync contacts to google,through phone sync contacts to whatsapp, sync photos with your app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
3. Another solution someone wrote is that clearing the data of "com.android.providers.contacts" package name and restart of the OS fixed it.
4. Some users say the app doesn't sync their contacts. I'm still investigating this issue, but for now, you can try to convert all your contacts to be on Google account. Some users said it helped, and some said that moving to another rom helped. Sorry if the app doesn't work for you even after those actions. Hope to find the reason for this.
One user said this helped: backup contacts to vcf file. delete all contacts. Import vcf file in web browser into Google account. Let it sync on device. Use the app.
I have "parallel apps" feature (AKA "cloning" of apps) on my phone , allowing multiple instances of apps. Why can't this app work well when it's turned on?
This feature that some devices have is not native Android feature and can cause real issues and break things. Sadly I couldn't find a way to overcome it (wrote about this here)https://stackoverflow.com/q/49930676/878126. It even doesn't work well in general, not allowing you to put widgets of the second one. Same goes for sharing. Please disable it before syncing using my app. Instead of this cloning feature, you could just use both WhatsApp and WhasAppBusiness.
Tested devices and Android versions
Nexus 5X with Android 6.0.1 , Android 7.0 and Android 7.1.1.
HTC One M8 with stock Android 5.0.2
Nexus 6P Android 7.1.1 DP1
asus zenfone 2 lazer (ze550kl) 6.0.1 stock
Moto G3 with 7.0
Nexus 5 with CM13 (Android 6.0.1).
and more...
App translation
https://crowdin.com/project/com-lb-app_manager
Beta testing
Links for the beta testing group:
- https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.lb.contacts_sync
Articles
https://www.androidrank.org/application/contacts_sync_requires_root_/com.lb.contacts_sync?hl=en
Privacy policy ?
Written on this post.
XDA:DevDB Information
Contacts Sync, App for the Apps & Games
Contributors
AndroidDeveloperLB
Version Information
Status: Testing
Created 2016-11-27
Last Updated 2017-01-04
Reserved
Privacy policy for "Contacts Sync" app
I do not store anything of your device on any server. I don't even have or need a server for this app to function.
Everything this app does, it does locally on your own device.
All that is used is by/for ads of third party companies:
https://www.google.com/adsense/localized-terms?hl=en_US
Can run more than 1 app clone for same aplication?
FabioAreia said:
Can run more than 1 app clone for same aplication?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't understand the question.
The app just syncs your contacts photos, with those that are on WhatsApp.
Wrong thread. Sorry
Enviado do meu Vodafone Smart ultra 6 através de Tapatalk
FabioAreia said:
Wrong thread. Sorry
Enviado do meu Vodafone Smart ultra 6 através de Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you delete the posts then?
If so, how do I do it too? I don't know ...
Updated version. What's new:
1. Fixed super user permissions granting issues.
2. Tweaked fetch images phase by using a safer (yet sadly slower) method. Hopefully will not miss any image now.
3. While fetching images, prevents screen from being automatically turned off, so that it won't fail later.
EDIT: I think I know why the app won't sync with some contacts. This happens in the case of a lot of contacts. I will have to fix this.
Updated version.
What's new:
1. Fixed issue of missing images.
2. Massive speed improvement of syncing phase. On some devices you won't even believe it did anything.
3. From now on, only new images will sync. This is another improvement in terms of efficiency.
No 4.4 compatibility?
Enviado desde mi SM-N910F mediante Tapatalk
david6910 said:
No 4.4 compatibility?
Enviado desde mi SM-N910F mediante Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean? It doesn't work on your 4.4 device?
Does this sync pictures to google account, so I only have to do the sync once and then the pictures are stored to Google contacts in web?
stunned said:
Does this sync pictures to google account, so I only have to do the sync once and then the pictures are stored to Google contacts in web?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Short answer is yes, but ...
It syncs with all your contacts, whether they are in Google or on the device.
If they are Google contacts, the photos will also be saved on Google's servers.
However, Google tends to save only low quality images, so I think that if, for example, you do a factory reset and get the contacts back, the photos you will have from Google will have low quality.
This is what I saw last time I checked it, using SyncMe app (which I also still use to sync my contacts) , but maybe it changed, because it was a long time ago.
Worked great for me, finally nice work. Any donate button around here? Can't wait to see future improvement for maybe updating just one contact.
Nice
Saved my time, great tool ty.
biglo said:
Worked great for me, finally nice work. Any donate button around here? Can't wait to see future improvement for maybe updating just one contact.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure if I should publish this app on the Play store, so donating is not possible at the moment.
Share the app instead.
Or, try my other app, here.
BTW, there is no update mechanism, so I'd like to know how to add "follow project" for users here, so that they will get a notification on the forum whenever there is a new update.
Anyone knows how to do it?
Okdemir said:
Saved my time, great tool ty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you. Can you please share which device and Android version you've tried it on?
AndroidDeveloperLB said:
Thank you. Can you please share which device and Android version you've tried it on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ofc, i have rooted marshmallow stock rom of asus zenfone 2 lazer (ze550kl)
Okdemir said:
Ofc, i have rooted marshmallow stock rom of asus zenfone 2 lazer (ze550kl)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice. Thanks.
AndroidDeveloperLB said:
I'm not sure if I should publish this app on the Play store, so donating is not possible at the moment.
Share the app instead.
Or, try my other app, here.
BTW, there is no update mechanism, so I'd like to know how to add "follow project" for users here, so that they will get a notification on the forum whenever there is a new update.
Anyone knows how to do it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok I don't have any knowledge on that updating feature, i thought you would have setup a PayPal account for donations.
biglo said:
Ok I don't have any knowledge on that updating feature, i thought you would have setup a PayPal account for donations.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's ok. You can share the app and also try my other app (there you can donate if you wish).
I have just purchased a Huawei P20 Pro and it should be with me any day now.
I have been an iOS user for the past number of years and I have some questions about transferring some stuff.
I read the tutorial here and am wondering if it's really that simple?
I am also wondering if I need this contacts app instead of the one the Huawei has installed (presuming the Huawei comes with one installed!)
Any advice is appreciated!
First things first, what do you want to be transferred? Phone book is simple enough, sync to google account (gmail) wil do.
Whatsapp is slightly more tedious, download the database then export to android whatsapp.
What others do you need transfered?
Photos and videos i assume you can transfer from iphone to pc.. gen from pc to your new phone.
Having said that, this app looks interesting.
https://www.android-iphone-recovery.com/transfer-iphone-data-to-huawei-p20.html
Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk
Hi vash_h
I don’t use a lot of apps. I do think use Whatsapp and it would be nice if I could get all my old messages and pictures.
Hello,
I noticed that sending mass pictures and videos using Samsung messaging always looks pixelated and blurry (More so videos than pictures). I've tried link share and that always fails. What is the best method everyone is using to share their photos and videos in their full and clear resolution? Iam not interested in flashing or rooting my U.S t-mobile branded Note 20 Ultra and really prefer to stay with the stock Samsung messaging as I like all its other features except for this.
Rooting or flashing? Lol. Are you new to phones? Texting is an old fashioned way of sending media. Don't want compression? Don't text. Use WhatsApp, Facebook messenger, google photos to share your media. Texting will compress the heck out of everything.
Sent from my BlackBerry Bold 9900
Yup, WhatsApp
Brava27 said:
Rooting or flashing? Lol. Are you new to phones? Texting is an old fashioned way of sending media. Don't want compression? Don't text. Use WhatsApp, Facebook messenger, google photos to share your media. Texting will compress the heck out of everything.
Sent from my BlackBerry Bold 9900
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't notice this issue using google messaging in the past. That's why I was trying to see if Samsung messaging somehow was the culprit in this case. I do have WhatsApp and Viber but not FB Messenger so I'll check out those two. I'll just have to convince the people on the other end to download those apps I guess. If RCS messaging was standardized across the board by now this problem would not exist. In the mean time Apple has the capable iMessage without any of these issues. By the way I'm not new to phones and a quick search shows a lot of people having the same challenges..
https://us.community.samsung.com/t5/Galaxy-S10/Blurry-Videos-when-sending-via-messaging/td-p/759653
dj24 said:
I didn't notice this issue using google messaging in the past. That's why I was trying to see if Samsung messaging somehow was the culprit in this case. I do have WhatsApp and Viber but not FB Messenger so I'll check out those two. I'll just have to convince the people on the other end to download those apps I guess. If RCS messaging was standardized across the board by now this problem would not exist. In the mean time Apple has the capable iMessage without any of these issues. By the way I'm not new to phones and a quick search a lot of folks having the same challenges..
https://us.community.samsung.com/t5/Galaxy-S10/Blurry-Videos-when-sending-via-messaging/td-p/759653
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IMessage uses the Internet to send media whereas texting uses the phone network.
Sent from my BlackBerry Bold 9900
Since Mozilla closed their Firefox Send service, I'm using Samsung link share that's built-in.
Nastrahl said:
Since Mozilla closed their Firefox Send service, I'm using Samsung link share that's built-in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I couldn't get it to work as it kept failing. Most likely because I was impatient and trying to share tons of photos and videos to a bunch of people all at once. I wish there was a better option outside of apps (viber, whatsapp etc) that was built in and wouldn't require people to download any of those..
Brava27 said:
Rooting or flashing? Lol. Are you new to phones? Texting is an old fashioned way of sending media. Don't want compression? Don't text. Use WhatsApp, Facebook messenger, google photos to share your media. Texting will compress the heck out of everything.
Sent from my BlackBerry Bold 9900
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I use Whatsapp my photos are really compresse, for example a photo of 13 Mb becomes a photo of 100 kb!!! I can't send the original one. Is there anche trick?
ventolino said:
If I use Whatsapp my photos are really compresse, for example a photo of 13 Mb becomes a photo of 100 kb!!! I can't send the original one. Is there anche trick?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately no. You'll have to upload it to a website with full resolution storage. Imagine if millions of people sent full resolution images, we'd run out of storage in a few minutes lol
Sent from my BlackBerry Bold 9900
Brava27 said:
Unfortunately no. You'll have to upload it to a website with full resolution storage. Imagine if millions of people sent full resolution images, we'd run out of storage in a few minutes lol
Sent from my BlackBerry Bold 9900
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry to break it to you, you are wrong.
ventolino said:
If I use Whatsapp my photos are really compresse, for example a photo of 13 Mb becomes a photo of 100 kb!!! I can't send the original one. Is there anche trick?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Download an app called Telegram, the setup process is same as whatsapp. Now the person you want to send it to should also have the app.
2. Then click on the paperclip icon and select "FILE" then select "GALLERY" choose the picture or video you want to send. This way the images and videos would be sent without compression.
If you got an amazon prime subscription, you get unlimited cloud storage for picture in original format and size with their Amazon Photo app. You may then be able to share link through it
I found the way thanks to an Italian friend. If you need to go to a full resolution file with whatsapp just go to the attachment symbol, select documents and then move to the photo folder and select the file. Obviously it will arrive uncompressed but it will load it in more time.
For sharring videos use app Venlow and you will be surprised.
dj24 said:
Hello,
I noticed that sending mass pictures and videos using Samsung messaging always looks pixelated and blurry (More so videos than pictures). I've tried link share and that always fails. What is the best method everyone is using to share their photos and videos in their full and clear resolution? Iam not interested in flashing or rooting my U.S t-mobile branded Note 20 Ultra and really prefer to stay with the stock Samsung messaging as I like all its other features except for this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you sending to android users? If so just use Nearby Users
Nastrahl said:
If you got an amazon prime subscription, you get unlimited cloud storage for picture in original format and size with their Amazon Photo app. You may then be able to share link through it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I'll definitely look into that.
pcriz said:
Are you sending to android users? If so just use Nearby Users
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apple and Android users.
I actually use link sharing. It sends the file to the cloud for a couple days, and creates a link that you can share. The limit on the file size is 5gb.. View attachment 5115885
Sent from my SM-N986U1 using Tapatalk
Hi.
Wife has Moto G5 Play. Recently got her a Samsung A30S. I had installed SMS Backup and Restore on her phone years ago, was expecting to use that to transfer SMS. Looked at her phone and the app was not there. Checked on Google and the most recent SMS backup was 18 months ago. Tried to reinstall SMS Backup and Restore. Wouldn't install. Looked for Google Play on her phone. It was gone too (!!) I tried installing other apps for transferring SMS and Google Play on my laptop said the apps had been installed, but nothing ever appeared on her phone.
So... how can I get her SMS messages from her old phone to her new one? Is there a way to hook the phones up to my laptop and transfer them that way? Through the filesystem?
Thanks in advance!
Visit the website of Google Play on your laptop, and login with your wife's Google account on the web page.
Then find and install some app for transferring SMS on the web of Google Play.
Now, go to that Moto G5 Play, and make sure that you login with your wife's Google account in Settings - Account. Later, you will find that app on the Moto G5 Play.
At last, take advantage of that app in order to transfer SMS.
Hi James,
Thank you for taking the time to reply with some advice. Unfortunately, the process you describe is exactly what I mentioned in my original post as not working. Sorry if I was unclear (I left off that I was using her Google account). I tried to give as much detail as I could but the bottom line is that Google Play on the web says it has installed apps as I requested but they in fact do not get installed. So I'm hoping to be able to manually copy the SMS file over or possibly get a PC based application that will connect with the phone over USB and do the transfer. Thanks again for your insight... perhaps you know something that will work with these constraints?
Thanks,
Alan
James_Watson said:
Visit the website of Google Play on your laptop, and login with your wife's Google account on the web page.
Then find and install some app for transferring SMS on the web of Google Play.
Now, go to that Moto G5 Play, and make sure that you login with your wife's Google account in Settings - Account. Later, you will find that app on the Moto G5 Play.
At last, take advantage of that app in order to transfer SMS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Different methods to transfer SMS
Hey friend
There are many methods through which you can transfer SMS:-
Transfer messages from Android to Android using Bluetooth
Transfer messages from Android to Android using SMS Backup & Restore
Use the above keyphrases to search on google. I assure you will find a solution
MrTechSonu said:
Hey friend
There are many methods through which you can transfer SMS:-
Use MobileTrans - Phone Transfer[Windows vesion]
Select and transfer desired messages, contacts, call logs from Android to Android via dr.fone - Transfer (Android)
Transfer messages from Android to Android using Bluetooth
Transfer messages from Android to Android using SMS Backup & Restore
Use the above keyphrases to search on google. I assure you will find a solution
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know that software, don't ever install it, if you read what data it collects you'll have goose pumps. It uses adb and sideloads an app while you're using it. Don't ever use it, honestly it's not worth it. (And yes it collects transactions info such as your card number)
Thank You
Raiz said:
I know that software, don't ever install it, if you read what data it collects you'll have goose pumps. It uses adb and sideloads an app while you're using it. Don't ever use it, honestly it's not worth it. (And yes it collects transactions info such as your card number)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks dude,
And I'm really sorry for that dangerous information. I felt really guilty after realizing it. Thanks again for providing the correct information
You can use the Bluetooth that comes with your phone without installing additional tools.
Turn on the Bluetooth on both your phones and have them paired by confirming the passcode.
Once the two phones are successfully paired, you can go to the Messaging app on the Moto G5 phone and choose the text messages that you want to send to the new device.
MrTechSonu said:
Thanks dude,
And I'm really sorry for that dangerous information. I felt really guilty after realizing it. Thanks again for providing the correct information
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't worry now you know
But be careful with Wondershare in general, they're pretty sketchy with their privacy policy, and please take the time to read pricy policies, it's really worth it
i'm having the same problem myself.