# Update a contact

Source: https://joinsimplesms.com/docs/api/contacts/update
Index: https://joinsimplesms.com/llms.txt

`PATCH /v1/contacts/{id}`

Only the fields sent change. tags and fields replace what is stored; null clears name or notes, and null or an empty string clears any other optional property.

Send your API key as a bearer token: `Authorization: Bearer ssms_sk_...`. Test keys run this endpoint against the [sandbox](/docs/sandbox); see [Authentication](/docs/authentication) for key modes and scopes.

## Path parameters

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `id` | string | Yes |  |

## Request body

JSON (`Content-Type: application/json`).

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `phone_number` | string | No | E.164, US or Canada |
| `name` | string | No | At most 120 characters. Nullable. |
| `tags` | array of string | No | At most 20 items. |
| `fields` | object | No | Up to 20 string values |
| `notes` | string | No | At most 2000 characters. Nullable. |
| `first_name` | string | No | At most 80 characters. Nullable. |
| `last_name` | string | No | At most 80 characters. Nullable. |
| `email` | string | No | At most 254 characters. Nullable. |
| `company` | string | No | At most 120 characters. Nullable. |
| `state` | string | No | At most 40 characters. Nullable. |
| `source` | string | No | At most 60 characters. Nullable. |

## Responses

| Status | Meaning | Body |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 200 | The contact | `Contact` |
| 401 | Missing, malformed, or revoked API key | `Error` |
| 402 | Billable live calls only: the prepaid credit balance cannot cover the call (insufficient_credits); nothing was done or charged | `Error` |
| 404 | Not found | `Error` |
| 409 | phone_number already used by another contact | `Error` |
| 429 | Rate limit or quota exceeded | `Error` |

### 200: `Contact` fields

| Field | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `id` | string | Example: `ct_a1B2c3D4e5F6`. |
| `object` | `contact` |  |
| `phone_number` | string | Example: `+14155550132`. |
| `name` | string | Nullable. |
| `tags` | array of string | Free-form labels; they double as broadcast audiences |
| `fields` | object |  |
| `notes` | string | Nullable. |
| `first_name` | string | Nullable. |
| `last_name` | string | Nullable. |
| `email` | string | Nullable. |
| `company` | string | Nullable. |
| `state` | string | Nullable. |
| `source` | string | Nullable. |
| `import_id` | string | The last import that touched this contact Nullable. |
| `opt_in` | object | Nullable. |
| `opt_in.source` | string | Nullable. |
| `opt_in.collected_at` | string (date-time) | Nullable. |
| `created_at` | string (date-time) |  |
| `updated_at` | string (date-time) |  |
| `consent_status` | `opted_out`, `opted_in`, `no_record` | Only on retrieve |
| `topics` | array of TopicSubscription | Only on retrieve |
| `segments` | array of object | Only on retrieve |
| `segments[].id` | string |  |
| `segments[].name` | string |  |

## Errors

| Status | When |
| --- | --- |
| 401 | Missing, malformed, or revoked API key |
| 402 | Billable live calls only: the prepaid credit balance cannot cover the call (insufficient_credits); nothing was done or charged |
| 404 | Not found |
| 409 | phone_number already used by another contact |
| 429 | Rate limit or quota exceeded |

Every error has the same JSON shape, and `request_id` matches the `X-Request-Id` response header. [Errors](/docs/errors) lists every code and what to do about it.

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "invalid_request",
    "message": "What went wrong, in plain words.",
    "param": "the_field",
    "request_id": "req_a1B2c3D4e5F6g7H8"
  }
}
```

## Examples

### curl

```bash
curl -X PATCH "https://api.joinsimplesms.com/v1/contacts/ct_a1B2c3D4e5F6" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SIMPLESMS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{}'
```

### Node.js

```javascript
import { SimpleSMS } from 'joinsimplesms'; // npm install joinsimplesms

const sms = new SimpleSMS(process.env.SIMPLESMS_API_KEY);

const contact = await sms.contacts.update('ct_a1B2c3D4e5F6', { name: 'Jane D.' });
```

### Python

```python
import os
from joinsimplesms import SimpleSMS  # pip install joinsimplesms

client = SimpleSMS(os.environ["SIMPLESMS_API_KEY"])

contact = client.contacts.update("ct_a1B2c3D4e5F6", name="Jane D.")
```

## Related

- Guide: [Contacts](/docs/contacts)
- [All contacts endpoints](/docs/api#contacts)
- [API reference](/docs/api)