Q: Mac Address Book doesn't sync nor accepts manual edits
My Address Book can't be edited on my Mac anymore: no manual edits are saved on any contact. After changing something, and clicking "save", the card automatically returns to its previous state.
In addition, I found I couldn't edit my contacts on iCloud because of "a server error". After a few tries I could edit a contact. But those changes are not reflected on my Mac aftrwards.
R.
Posted on Nov 12, 2011 5:21 AM
Yes, now I have one. It's an iCloud syncing error, and it wipes your edits on your Mac everytime.
This is what I did to fix it.
1. Make a backup of your Address Book, using the vCard option (or both, it doesn’t hurt). Save it for later.
2. In System Preferences -> iCloud, turn Contacts off. I chose “keep on My Mac” those contacts, but nevertheless I got an empty Address Book after a while. And a few minutes later, iCloud contacts were empty and my iPhone also. It is scary at first! Now, before importing that vCard backup…
3. Turn Wi-Fi off. This is important, since your contact-empty iCloud will attempt to wipe your Address Book from your Mac just seconds after importing.
4. Import your vCard backup to Address Book. Just drag it to your blank Address Book window; it asks if you want to import “x” number of cards. Of course, say yes.
5. Turn Wi-Fi on, and then iCloud contacts on again (System Preferences -> iCloud). It will offer to merge your newly populated Address Book with iCloud (which is empty at this point). It should upload every single contact to iCloud, and then to your iDevices. If not, a fifth step would be to import the vCard file to iCloud, but it shouldn’t be necessary.
Hope it helps.
Posted on Dec 1, 2011 5:24 PM