Most people prefer Apple’s default of sorting contacts by last name, so “Andy Anderson” appears near the start of the list and “Liliana Velasco” toward the end. But some also prefer to display contacts with their last name first, such as “Anderson, Andy” and “Velasco, Liliana.”
It’s worth noting that there are two different settings:
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Sort Order – controls where the contact appears in the list (alphabetical order).
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Display Order – controls how the name is shown once you open the list.
Here’s how to adjust display order:
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On iPhone/iPad: Go to Settings > Apps > Contacts > Display Order and select Last, First.
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On Mac: Open Contacts > Settings > General, and under Show First Name, select Following Last Name.
Tips:
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These settings are per device—if you want consistency, update both your iPhone/iPad and Mac.
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Businesses or teams often prefer “Last, First” for easier searching when you know a client or colleague by their last name.
(Featured image by Adam Engst)
