diff --git a/Vector/AppDelegate.m b/Vector/AppDelegate.m
index a9a61f6ac8..c61e99525c 100644
--- a/Vector/AppDelegate.m
+++ b/Vector/AppDelegate.m
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@
 
 #import "CallViewController.h"
 
+// Uncomment the following line to use local contacts to discover matrix users.
+//#define MX_USE_CONTACTS_SERVER_SYNC
+
 //#define MX_CALL_STACK_OPENWEBRTC
 #ifdef MX_CALL_STACK_OPENWEBRTC
 #import <MatrixOpenWebRTCWrapper/MatrixOpenWebRTCWrapper.h>
@@ -313,6 +316,9 @@ - (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:(
     // Configure Google Analytics here if the option is enabled
     [self startGoogleAnalytics];
     
+    // Configure local contacts management
+    [MXKContactManager sharedManager].enableFullMatrixIdSyncOnLocalContactsDidLoad = NO;
+    
     // Add matrix observers, and initialize matrix sessions if the app is not launched in background.
     [self initMatrixSessions];
     
@@ -469,9 +475,12 @@ - (void)applicationDidBecomeActive:(UIApplication *)application
         [account resume];
     }
     
-    // refresh the contacts list
-    [MXKContactManager sharedManager].enableFullMatrixIdSyncOnLocalContactsDidLoad = NO;
-    [[MXKContactManager sharedManager] loadLocalContacts];
+    // Check if the application is allowed to access the local contacts
+    if (ABAddressBookGetAuthorizationStatus() == kABAuthorizationStatusAuthorized)
+    {
+        // Refresh the local contacts list by reloading it
+        [[MXKContactManager sharedManager] loadLocalContacts];
+    }
     
     _isAppForeground = YES;
 }
diff --git a/Vector/ViewController/ContactPickerViewController.m b/Vector/ViewController/ContactPickerViewController.m
index 65867c3101..c298b80544 100644
--- a/Vector/ViewController/ContactPickerViewController.m
+++ b/Vector/ViewController/ContactPickerViewController.m
@@ -108,6 +108,37 @@ - (void)viewWillAppear:(BOOL)animated
     [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self selector:@selector(refreshContactsList) name:kMXKContactManagerDidUpdateMatrixContactsNotification object:nil];
     
     [self refreshContactsList];
+    
+    // Handle here local contacts
+#ifdef MX_USE_CONTACTS_SERVER_SYNC
+    if (![MXKAppSettings standardAppSettings].syncLocalContacts)
+    {
+        // If not requested yet, ask user permission to sync their local contacts
+        if (![MXKAppSettings standardAppSettings].syncLocalContacts && ![MXKAppSettings standardAppSettings].syncLocalContactsPermissionRequested)
+        {
+            [MXKAppSettings standardAppSettings].syncLocalContactsPermissionRequested = YES;
+            
+            [MXKContactManager requestUserConfirmationForLocalContactsSyncInViewController:self completionHandler:^(BOOL granted) {
+                if (granted)
+                {
+                    // Allow local contacts sync in order to add address book emails in search result
+                    [MXKAppSettings standardAppSettings].syncLocalContacts = YES;
+                }
+            }];
+        }
+    }
+#else
+    // If not requested yet, ask user permission to access their local contacts
+    if (ABAddressBookGetAuthorizationStatus() == kABAuthorizationStatusNotDetermined)
+    {
+        // Try to load the local contacts list
+        dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^{
+            
+            [[MXKContactManager sharedManager] loadLocalContacts];
+            
+        });
+    }
+#endif
 }
 
 - (void)viewWillDisappear:(BOOL)animated
diff --git a/Vector/ViewController/RoomParticipantsViewController.m b/Vector/ViewController/RoomParticipantsViewController.m
index c38da87bd1..5596e2e059 100644
--- a/Vector/ViewController/RoomParticipantsViewController.m
+++ b/Vector/ViewController/RoomParticipantsViewController.m
@@ -1684,20 +1684,34 @@ - (BOOL)searchBarShouldBeginEditing:(UISearchBar *)searchBar
 {
     self.isAddParticipantSearchBarEditing = YES;
     searchBar.showsCancelButton = YES;
-
+    
+    // Handle here local contacts
+#ifdef MX_USE_CONTACTS_SERVER_SYNC
     // If not requested yet, ask user permission to sync their local contacts
     if (![MXKAppSettings standardAppSettings].syncLocalContacts && ![MXKAppSettings standardAppSettings].syncLocalContactsPermissionRequested)
     {
         [MXKAppSettings standardAppSettings].syncLocalContactsPermissionRequested = YES;
-
+        
         [MXKContactManager requestUserConfirmationForLocalContactsSyncInViewController:self completionHandler:^(BOOL granted) {
-             if (granted)
-             {
-                 // Allow local contacts sync in order to add address book emails in search result
-                 [MXKAppSettings standardAppSettings].syncLocalContacts = YES;
-             }
-         }];
+            if (granted)
+            {
+                // Allow local contacts sync in order to add address book emails in search result
+                [MXKAppSettings standardAppSettings].syncLocalContacts = YES;
+            }
+        }];
+    }
+#else
+    // If not requested yet, ask user permission to access their local contacts
+    if (ABAddressBookGetAuthorizationStatus() == kABAuthorizationStatusNotDetermined)
+    {
+        // Try to load the local contacts list
+        dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^{
+            
+            [[MXKContactManager sharedManager] loadLocalContacts];
+            
+        });
     }
+#endif
 
     return YES;
 }
diff --git a/Vector/ViewController/SettingsViewController.m b/Vector/ViewController/SettingsViewController.m
index 6924d2d106..2702498e38 100644
--- a/Vector/ViewController/SettingsViewController.m
+++ b/Vector/ViewController/SettingsViewController.m
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@
 #import <Photos/Photos.h>
 #import <MediaPlayer/MediaPlayer.h>
 
+#ifdef MX_USE_CONTACTS_SERVER_SYNC
+
 #define SETTINGS_SECTION_SIGN_OUT_INDEX                 0
 #define SETTINGS_SECTION_USER_SETTINGS_INDEX            1
 #define SETTINGS_SECTION_NOTIFICATIONS_SETTINGS_INDEX   2
@@ -37,6 +39,20 @@
 #define SETTINGS_SECTION_LABS_INDEX                     7
 #define SETTINGS_SECTION_COUNT                          7   // Not 8 because the LABS section is currently hidden
 
+#else
+
+#define SETTINGS_SECTION_SIGN_OUT_INDEX                 0
+#define SETTINGS_SECTION_USER_SETTINGS_INDEX            1
+#define SETTINGS_SECTION_NOTIFICATIONS_SETTINGS_INDEX   2
+#define SETTINGS_SECTION_IGNORED_USERS_INDEX            3
+#define SETTINGS_SECTION_ADVANCED_INDEX                 4
+#define SETTINGS_SECTION_OTHER_INDEX                    5
+#define SETTINGS_SECTION_CONTACTS_INDEX                 6
+#define SETTINGS_SECTION_LABS_INDEX                     7
+#define SETTINGS_SECTION_COUNT                          6   // Not 8 because the CONTACTS and LABS section is currently hidden
+
+#endif
+
 #define NOTIFICATION_SETTINGS_ENABLE_PUSH_INDEX                 0
 #define NOTIFICATION_SETTINGS_GLOBAL_SETTINGS_INDEX             1
 //#define NOTIFICATION_SETTINGS_CONTAINING_MY_USER_NAME_INDEX     1
diff --git a/Vector/ViewController/StartChatViewController.m b/Vector/ViewController/StartChatViewController.m
index d9ae0e4675..3b4ba4cb4e 100644
--- a/Vector/ViewController/StartChatViewController.m
+++ b/Vector/ViewController/StartChatViewController.m
@@ -801,13 +801,15 @@ - (BOOL)searchBarShouldBeginEditing:(UISearchBar *)searchBar
     self.isAddParticipantSearchBarEditing = YES;
     searchBar.showsCancelButton = NO;
     
+    // Handle here local contacts
+#ifdef MX_USE_CONTACTS_SERVER_SYNC
     if (![MXKAppSettings standardAppSettings].syncLocalContacts)
     {
         // If not requested yet, ask user permission to sync their local contacts
         if (![MXKAppSettings standardAppSettings].syncLocalContacts && ![MXKAppSettings standardAppSettings].syncLocalContactsPermissionRequested)
         {
             [MXKAppSettings standardAppSettings].syncLocalContactsPermissionRequested = YES;
-
+            
             [MXKContactManager requestUserConfirmationForLocalContactsSyncInViewController:self completionHandler:^(BOOL granted) {
                 if (granted)
                 {
@@ -817,6 +819,18 @@ - (BOOL)searchBarShouldBeginEditing:(UISearchBar *)searchBar
             }];
         }
     }
+#else
+    // If not requested yet, ask user permission to access their local contacts
+    if (ABAddressBookGetAuthorizationStatus() == kABAuthorizationStatusNotDetermined)
+    {
+        // Try to load the local contacts list
+        dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^{
+            
+            [[MXKContactManager sharedManager] loadLocalContacts];
+            
+        });
+    }
+#endif
     
     return YES;
 }