Source: https://cli.nylas.com/docs/commands/contacts-groups-list

# nylas contacts groups list

List contact groups and labels.

Written by [Qasim Muhammad](https://cli.nylas.com/authors/qasim-muhammad) Staff SRE

Published February 13, 2026

Updated June 21, 2026

## What does nylas contacts groups list do?

The nylas contacts groups list command displays all contact groups (Google) or categories (Outlook) in your address book. Each entry shows the group name, ID, and member count. Use --json to pipe group data into scripts. Works with Google Contacts, Outlook People, Exchange, Yahoo, iCloud, and IMAP providers.

## Usage

```bash
nylas contacts groups list [--json]
```

## Flags

| Flag | Description |
| --- | --- |
| --json | Output as JSON |
| --no-color | Disable color output |
| --verbose(-v) | Enable verbose output |
| --config | Custom config file path |
| --help(-h) | Show help for the command |
| --limit | Limit results (most list commands) |
| --yes(-y) | Skip confirmations |

## Examples

The nylas contacts groups list command displays all contact groups (Google) or categories (Outlook) in your address book.

### List all contact groups

```bash
nylas contacts groups list
```

### Count contacts per group as JSON

```bash
nylas contacts groups list --json | jq '.[] | {name, member_count}'
```

## Example output

```text
NAME             ID
My Contacts      group_abc123
Starred          group_def456
Work             group_ghi789

3 groups
```

## Troubleshooting

### No groups returned

Not all providers support contact groups. Google Contacts and Outlook People do; some IMAP providers don't expose groups via API.

### Group member count shows 0

Member counts are fetched separately on some providers. Try nylas contacts list --json to see group assignments on individual contacts.

## Related commands

[nylas contacts createCreate a new contact in your address book.](https://cli.nylas.com/docs/commands/contacts-create)

[nylas contacts deleteDelete a contact](https://cli.nylas.com/docs/commands/contacts-delete)

[nylas contacts groups createCreate a group](https://cli.nylas.com/docs/commands/contacts-groups-create)

[nylas contacts groups deleteDelete a group](https://cli.nylas.com/docs/commands/contacts-groups-delete)

[nylas contacts groups showShow group details](https://cli.nylas.com/docs/commands/contacts-groups-show)

[nylas contacts groups updateUpdate a group](https://cli.nylas.com/docs/commands/contacts-groups-update)

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[Manage contact groups from the CLIManage contact groups from the CLI: list, create, rename, and delete groups, then map Google groups and Microsoft contact folders with verified flags.](https://cli.nylas.com/guides/manage-contact-groups-cli)

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Run `nylas contacts groups list --help` for full help output.