Google is making improvements to Contacts, with faster access to basic features

Pre-installed on most Android phones, the Google Contacts app gets a new bar at the bottom of the interface, accommodating the most important settings.

Following the same recipe already used with apps like Gmail and Drive, Google is adding a new bar to the Contacts app interface. Visible at the bottom of the screen, it provides direct access to a tab called Fix & Manage, where you will find various functions that you previously had to look for in the main menu or in the Settings tab.

Much easier to find, these are common options such as Merge & Fix (a section where you can see suggestions for new contacts to save, based on frequently used addresses and phone numbers), the usual options for importing and exporting contacts, restoring contacts saved on Google account, as well as a trash list of recently deleted contacts. You can also access the Settings menu from the Fix & Manage tab, respectively inspect and manage the list of blocked phone numbers. Available only on certain phone models, the emergency contact list also appears here.

The new Google Contacts interface is automatically applied via updates from the Play Store, which is already appearing on most devices that use the Google contact management solution on Android.