---
title: "Save a contact"
description: "Does what Add to contacts and Keep in contacts do in the app, and is safe whatever state the address is in. An address that is not a contact yet becomes one, answered with `201`. One recorded from a send becomes `manual`, and one already saved keeps what it has, answered with `200`. A deleted address is brought back. The body is optional."
url: "https://openemail.uk/docs/api/contacts/save"
area: "API"
category: "Mailbox"
---

# Save a contact

Does what Add to contacts and Keep in contacts do in the app, and is safe whatever state the address is in. An address that is not a contact yet becomes one, answered with `201`. One recorded from a send becomes `manual`, and one already saved keeps what it has, answered with `200`. A deleted address is brought back. The body is optional.

`PUT /contacts/{email}`

## PUT /contacts/{email}

Does what Add to contacts and Keep in contacts do in the app, and is safe whatever state the address is in. An address that is not a contact yet becomes one, answered with `201`. One recorded from a send becomes `manual`, and one already saved keeps what it has, answered with `200`. A deleted address is brought back. The body is optional.

## Example

Needs `contacts:write`. URL-encode the `@`.

**curl**

```
curl -X PUT "$OE/contacts/grace%40example.com" -H "$AUTH" -H 'content-type: application/json' -d '{
  "name": "Grace Hopper"
}'
```

**Response**

```
{
  "object": "contact",
  "email": "grace@example.com",
  "name": "Grace Hopper",
  "source": "manual",
  "notes": null,
  "photoUrl": null,
  "lastSeenAt": "2026-09-20T12:00:00.000Z",
  "createdAt": "2026-09-02T08:00:00.000Z",
  "updatedAt": "2026-09-23T10:15:00.000Z",
  "audiences": [
    { "id": "aud_9f2c4b7e1a0d63d84c5f2e7b", "name": "All contacts", "builtin": "default" }
  ]
}
```

> `name` replaces the stored name and leaving it out keeps it. `notes` replaces the stored notes and `null` clears them. Any other key is a `422` `unknown_parameter`.

> Unlike `POST /contacts`, an address already in the book is not a `409`; unlike `PATCH`, an address not in the book is not a `404`. A new contact joins the default audience.