---
title: "Update a contact"
method: POST
path: "/v1/contacts/{id}"
---

# Update a contact

`POST /v1/contacts/{id}`

Updates an existing contact by ID. Only included fields and relationships are modified.

Supports idempotency via the `Idempotency-Key` header.

**[Required scope](/using-the-api/scopes/):** `contacts:update`

**[Rate limit category](/using-the-api/rate-limits/):** Write

## Path parameters

- `id` string, required — Unique identifier of the contact to update.

## Headers

- `Lightfield-Version` '2026-03-01', required

## Request body

- object
  - `fields` union — Field values to update — only provided fields are modified; omitted fields are left unchanged. System fields use a `$` prefix (e.g. `$email`); custom attributes use their bare slug. Note: `$name` is an object `{ firstName, lastName }`, not a plain string. Call the <u>[definitions endpoint](/api/resources/contact/methods/definitions)</u> for available fields and types. See <u>[Fields and relationships](/using-the-api/fields-and-relationships/)</u> for value type details.
    - object
      - `$email` string[], nullable — List of email addresses for the contact (`EMAIL`, multi-value).
      - `$name` FullName
        - `firstName` string, nullable — The contact's first name.
        - `lastName` string, nullable — The contact's last name.
      - `$profilePhotoUrl` string, nullable — URL of the contact's profile photo (`URL`).
    - object
  - `relationships` union — Relationship operations to apply. System relationships use a `$` prefix (e.g. `$account`). Each value is an operation object with `add`, `remove`, or `replace`.
    - object
      - `$account` object — Operation to modify associated accounts.
        - `add` union — Entity ID(s) to add to the relationship.
          - string
          - string[]
        - `remove` union — Entity ID(s) to remove from the relationship.
          - string
          - string[]
        - `replace` union — Entity ID(s) to set as the relationship replacement, or null to clear supported relationships.
          - string
          - string[]
      - `$files` object — Operation to add or remove file attachments. Supports `add` and `remove` only.
        - `add` union — File ID(s) to attach to this record.
          - string
          - string[]
        - `remove` union — File ID(s) to detach from this record.
          - string
          - string[]
    - object

## Response `200`

OK

- ContactUpdateResponse
  - `id` string, required — Unique identifier for the entity.
  - `createdAt` string, required — ISO 8601 timestamp of when the entity was created.
  - `updatedAt` string, nullable, required — ISO 8601 timestamp of when the entity was last updated, or null.
  - `httpLink` string, nullable, required — URL to view the entity in the Lightfield web app, or null.
  - `externalId` string, nullable — External identifier for the entity, or null if unset.
  - `fields` object, required — Map of field names to their typed values. System fields are prefixed with `$` (e.g. `$name`, `$email`); custom attributes use their bare slug.
  - `relationships` object, required — Map of relationship names to their associated entities. System relationships are prefixed with `$` (e.g. `$owner`, `$contact`).

## Other responses

- `400` — 400
- `401` — 401
- `403` — 403
- `404` — 404
- `409` — 409
- `415` — 415
- `422` — 422
- `429` — 429
- `500` — 500
- `501` — 501
- `503` — 503
- `504` — 504

---

[API](https://skmtc.net/lightfld/apis/api-reference.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.net/lightfld/apis/api-reference/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc-service-staging.skmtc.workers.dev/v1/apis/lightfld/api-reference/versions/93b6c5de5463/schema)