Support
Answers to common questions and how to reach us.
Frequently asked questions
How does Cadre access my contacts?
Cadre reads directly from Apple's built-in Contacts database — the same one used by the Apple Contacts app. It doesn't maintain its own copy of your data or sync to any external server. You'll be prompted to grant access on first launch, and you can revoke it at any time in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Contacts.
Does Cadre send my contact data anywhere?
No. All processing runs locally on your device. Two optional features make limited network requests: address verification (via Apple's location services) and website icon fetching. Both can be disabled in Settings > Enhancements. With both disabled, Cadre makes zero network requests.
What is the contact health score?
Every contact gets a score from 0 to 100 based on two factors: completeness (70% weight) — whether key fields like name, phone, email, address, organization, and photo are filled in — and validation quality (30% weight) — whether existing fields pass format and correctness checks. Tap the score badge on any contact to see what's complete, what's missing, and what could be improved.
How does duplicate detection work?
Cadre uses a composite scoring system that weighs phone numbers, email addresses, name similarity, address overlap, and shared organization. Duplicates are grouped with a confidence level: Certain, Likely, or Possible. Cadre detects duplicates across multiple accounts (iCloud, Gmail, Exchange, etc.).
What happens when I merge two contacts?
The primary contact keeps its identity fields (name, birthday). All unique data from both contacts — phones, emails, addresses, and more — is combined. The highest-resolution photo is kept. The duplicate is removed. This writes directly to Apple Contacts and cannot be undone, so review the merge preview carefully. We recommend exporting a backup first.
What are "Suggested Updates"?
Formatting and standardization improvements Cadre has identified — like adding a country code to a phone number, fixing an email typo, or standardizing an address to postal format. You can accept, dismiss, or edit each one. Dismissed suggestions won't reappear. You can disable suggestions entirely in Settings > Suggestions.
I have contacts in multiple accounts. Can Cadre handle that?
Yes. Cadre shows all accounts in the sidebar — iCloud, Gmail, Exchange, local, and any others. You can view contacts from a specific account or across all accounts at once. You can also copy or move contacts between accounts using the context menu or toolbar.
What's the difference between Cadre and Cadre Plus?
Cadre (free) includes browsing, search, editing, per-contact health scores, basic duplicate detection, and 3 merges per month. Cadre Plus ($4.99/month or $24.99/year) adds unlimited merges, 8 smart folders, batch export (VCard + CSV), the library health dashboard, table view, iCloud settings sync, and multi-account copy/move.
What export formats are available?
vCard (.vcf) using the Apple-standard VCard 3.0 format, and CSV (.csv) for spreadsheet use. Both support optional photo inclusion. You can export your entire library or selected contacts. Single-contact VCard sharing is free; batch export requires Cadre Plus.
My contacts aren't showing up.
Check that Cadre has full contacts access in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Contacts. On iOS, "Limited" access means only selected contacts are visible — switch to full access. Try pulling to refresh (iOS) or pressing Command-R (macOS). If contacts appear in Apple Contacts but not in Cadre, the issue is likely a permissions setting.
Can I undo a merge or a deleted contact?
No. Both merges and deletions write directly to Apple Contacts and are permanent. Cadre shows a confirmation dialog before both actions. Always export a backup before performing bulk operations.
How do I manage or cancel my subscription?
Go to your device's Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions. You'll see Cadre Plus listed there with options to change or cancel your plan. If you cancel, you'll retain Plus features until the end of your current billing period.
Still need help?
Email us at [email protected] and we'll get back to you as quickly as we can. Please include your device (Mac or iPhone), the version of Cadre you're running, and a description of what's happening.
You can also reach us through the Something Punny contact page.