Delete Star Contacts on iPhone & iPad in iOS 10

This guide shows you how to remove and delete Star (VIP) contacts from your iPhone or iPad running iOS 10. Star contacts appear in the VIP mailbox in the Mail app, making it easy to filter important emails. Removing a star simply unmarks the contact; it does not delete the contact from your address book. You will need your device unlocked and the Contacts or Mail app accessible.

What You’ll Need

An iPhone or iPad running iOS 10
Your device passcode or Touch ID (if enabled)
Access to the Contacts app or the Mail app

Step-by-Step

There are two main ways to remove a star from a contact in iOS 10: directly from the Contacts app, or from within the Mail app’s VIP mailbox. Both methods achieve the same result.

Method 1: Using the Contacts App

Open the Contacts app on your iPhone or iPad. It is a grey icon with a white person silhouette.
Tap the contact that currently has a star next to its name. The star appears as a small filled-in star icon on the right side of the contact’s row in the list.
Once the contact’s detail page opens, look at the top right corner of the screen. You will see a star icon (filled in yellow/gold).
Tap that star icon. It will change from filled (gold) to an outline (grey/white), indicating the contact is no longer a VIP.
Tap Done in the top left corner to save the change and return to the contact list. The star will no longer appear next to that contact’s name.

Method 2: Using the Mail App (VIP Mailbox)

Open the Mail app on your device.
In the Mailboxes list (the main screen showing Inbox, VIP, etc.), tap VIP. This opens the VIP mailbox, which shows emails only from your starred contacts.
Tap VIP in the top left corner of the VIP mailbox screen. This opens a list of all your current VIP contacts.
Find the contact you want to unstar. Swipe left on their name (from right to left).
A red Remove button will appear. Tap it. The contact is immediately removed from the VIP list.
Alternatively, you can tap Edit in the top right corner, tap the red minus sign next to the contact, then tap Remove. Finally, tap Done.

Common Mistakes

Confusing “Remove” with “Delete Contact”: Removing a star does not delete the contact from your address book. The contact remains in your Contacts app; only the VIP status is removed.
Looking for a star in the wrong place: In the Contacts app, the star only appears on the contact’s detail page, not in the list view (unless you have a very long list and scroll). In the Mail app, the star is not visible in the VIP mailbox list—you must tap “VIP” again to see the contact list.
Forgetting to tap “Done”: If you tap the star in Contacts but do not tap “Done,” the change may not save. Always confirm by tapping Done.
Using the wrong swipe direction: In the VIP contact list, you must swipe from right to left (leftward) to reveal the Remove button. Swiping left to right does nothing.

Tips

Check your VIP mailbox after removal: Once you unstar a contact, their emails will no longer appear in the VIP mailbox. They will still appear in your regular Inbox.
Use VIP for important people only: Keep your VIP list short (5-10 contacts) so the VIP mailbox remains useful for filtering critical emails.
Re-star quickly if you change your mind: Simply go back to the contact in Contacts and tap the star again to re-add them as a VIP.
Sync across devices: If you have iCloud Contacts enabled, removing a star on one device will automatically update on your other Apple devices.

Troubleshooting

The star does not disappear after tapping it: Make sure you tap the star icon in the top right corner of the contact detail page, not the contact’s photo or name. If it still doesn’t respond, force-close the Contacts app (double-tap Home, swipe up on the app) and try again.
The contact still appears in the VIP mailbox after removal: This can happen if the Mail app has not refreshed. Pull down on the VIP mailbox list to refresh, or close and reopen the Mail app. If the issue persists, check that you removed the correct contact—sometimes there are multiple entries for the same person (e.g., work vs. personal email).
You cannot find the VIP option in Mail: In iOS 10, VIP is listed in the Mailboxes screen. If you don’t see it, scroll down—it may be below your regular mailboxes. If you still don’t see it, go to Settings > Mail > VIP and make sure VIP is enabled.
Removing a star from one device does not update another: Ensure you are signed into the same iCloud account on all devices and that Contacts syncing is turned on in Settings > iCloud. Wait a few minutes for the sync to complete.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does removing a star delete the contact?

No. Removing a star only removes the VIP status. The contact stays in your address book with all its phone numbers, emails, and other details intact.

Can I remove multiple stars at once?

No, iOS 10 does not offer a bulk unstar option. You must remove each star individually, either from the Contacts app or the VIP contact list in Mail.

Will unstarring a contact delete their emails from my iPhone?

No. Their emails remain in your Inbox and other folders. Only their appearance in the VIP mailbox is affected.

How do I add a star back to a contact?

Open the contact in the Contacts app, tap the star icon in the top right corner, then tap Done. The contact will reappear in your VIP list.

Why does a contact have a star but I never added it?

If you use iCloud or Exchange, a VIP status may sync from another device or from a previous iOS version. Check your other devices or remove the star as described above.

Does this work the same on iPhone and iPad?

Yes, the steps are identical on both devices running iOS 10. The interface is the same, though the screen size may differ slightly.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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