Mn8ing

Q: iBooks and iCloud: PDFs in a collection does sync between iOS devices

In iBooks I wish to be able to synchronise PDF documents within a collection between my 3 iOS devices.

 

I can create a collection folder on my iPhone 5.  The collection folder name synchronises perfectly to the iPads, but not the content.  The books and PDFs do not synchronise.  I do not wish to use iTunes options that are available as this is not on-the-go cloud based syncing I need, have spent a lot of time trying to resolve to no avail so I am at a loss as to what to do.

 

This official iBooks link http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5544 clearly states "Books will be organized in the same collections on all of your devices. You can read and organize your books with your iPhone or iPod touch while you're on the go, and when you return home to your iPad, you'll find your books in the same organization you created on your iPhone or iPod touch. ". The article goes on to explain the additional options available for "purchased" books.

 

In the AppStore description of the iBooks app, under "iCloud features" it says "Organise your books and PDFs into personal collections that appear on all your devices" and "Keep your bookmarks, highlights, notes, and your current page up-to-date everywhere using iCloud". As these features are listed under the iCloud features section, it is fair to assumes iCloud manages and delivers them. 

 

That seems fairly unequivocal, and is what I need from iBooks and iCloud sync. So all I want is for the products to do what they say they will do.

 

I am using an iPhone 5 with an ipad mini and ipad 2. iBooks is version 3.1, iOS is 6.1.4 and 6.1.3 respectively. I have a paid storage subscription with apple for iCloud. I have Sync Collections an Sync Bookmarks enabled in iBooks settings.

 

Any help greatly appreciated.

iPhone 5, iOS 6.1.3, iPad mini, iBooks, iCloud

Posted on Jun 15, 2013 7:37 PM

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Q: iBooks and iCloud: PDFs in a collection does sync between iOS devices

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  • by King_Penguin,

    King_Penguin King_Penguin Jun 16, 2013 12:53 AM in response to Mn8ing
    Level 10 (134,275 points)
    iTunes
    Jun 16, 2013 12:53 AM in response to Mn8ing

    The 'sync collections' (and similarly 'sync bookmarks') will keep the collections in line with each other if you have the books and PDFs on both devices, but it won't copy books and PDFs over from another device e.g. if you have PDF on one device and you move it into a collection on that device, then if that PDF is also on your other device then it will be moved into the same collection on that second device. You need to put the books and PDFs that you want on each device yourself.

  • by nimy,

    nimy nimy Nov 19, 2013 3:34 AM in response to Mn8ing
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 19, 2013 3:34 AM in response to Mn8ing

    I have the same issue with my iOS devices...

     

    I received a PDF and installed it on my phone, with the hope to find it on my iPad.

     

    The only way for this to sync would be using my MacBook Pro and selecting all book and PDFs.

     

     

    I wantd to ask if anyone managed to get there bookmarks synced. How does it actually sync?

     

    What is the process, does it do it instantly or when you backup over wifi and charged?

  • by King_Penguin,

    King_Penguin King_Penguin Nov 19, 2013 4:05 AM in response to nimy
    Level 10 (134,275 points)
    iTunes
    Nov 19, 2013 4:05 AM in response to nimy

    Bookmarks should be synced between your devices automatically if you have it turned on in Settings > iBooks on your devices and they are online - but I have to exit a book and go back to the bookshelf in iBooks on the device for its position to be copied over to my other devices.

     

    But if the PDF or book isn't on your other device(s) then you will need to copy it over yourself.

  • by nimy,

    nimy nimy Nov 19, 2013 4:23 AM in response to King_Penguin
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 19, 2013 4:23 AM in response to King_Penguin

    Thanks! So I am not crazy :)

     

    I hope it will sync in the future, to make the experience smoother from one device to another.

  • by King_Penguin,

    King_Penguin King_Penguin Nov 19, 2013 4:27 AM in response to nimy
    Level 10 (134,275 points)
    iTunes
    Nov 19, 2013 4:27 AM in response to nimy

    You can try leaving feedback for Apple : http://www.apple.com/feedback/ibooks_ios.html

  • by 1uniqsoul,

    1uniqsoul 1uniqsoul May 11, 2014 12:52 AM in response to King_Penguin
    Level 1 (30 points)
    May 11, 2014 12:52 AM in response to King_Penguin

    King_Penguin, I'm a bit confused as to this process. I have two macbooks with an epub saved and loaded in iBooks library of macbook-A. I can see an ebook that I previously purchased, with the 'cloud' badge in the corner of the ebook, on macbook-A and macbook-B which means that  iCloud has synced the ebook and is available for download on either machine. Should it not work the same for an ebook I've loaded onto my library on macbook-A. In other words, shouldn't iCloud sync my new ebook, which i installed on macbook-A, across macbook-B? and for that matter, any other iCloud enabled device?

    I suppose I could transfer the file onto the other machine and load it onto that library as well, but I dont see why it won't sync. Thanks for any help!

     

    Background:

    - Both macbooks devices are signed into same apple ID. I verified this through iTunes and iBooks.

    - Both devices are running Mavericks OS. iBooks vers. 1.0.1

    - In system preferences>iCloud both devices are logged into same apple ID. However, I don't see an option for

      iBooks content to be synced in iCloud.

    - Both macbook-A and B have 'Show Purchases in iCloud' option checked under iBooks>View menu

  • by picas,

    picas picas May 11, 2014 3:19 AM in response to 1uniqsoul
    Level 4 (2,617 points)
    May 11, 2014 3:19 AM in response to 1uniqsoul

    Check in iBooks preferences > Store > Download new purchases auotmatically.

  • by 1uniqsoul,

    1uniqsoul 1uniqsoul May 11, 2014 3:49 AM in response to picas
    Level 1 (30 points)
    May 11, 2014 3:49 AM in response to picas

    Picas,

    No luck. Earlier I added the epub to macbook-B and everything worked fine. Since your suggestion, I removed the test book from both macs. quit the app. Killed the BKagent service on both machines. Started iBooks and readded the book on macbook-A. Then I started iBooks on macbook-B, with no luck.

    I noticed iBooks doesnt make any changes over iCloud until you close the app so I killed the app on both machines, hoping that it would sync the book over iCloud, killed the service and as a test I created a new 'Test' collection. I opened iBooks up again on both machines and the new 'Test' collection showed up on the second machine, but no new book.

  • by picas,

    picas picas May 11, 2014 6:11 AM in response to 1uniqsoul
    Level 4 (2,617 points)
    May 11, 2014 6:11 AM in response to 1uniqsoul

    I did some tests using an original iPad and MacBook Pro and it worked for me. After changing iBooks preferences to 'Download new purchases automatically', new books purchased showed up on the other device, however it did not work for books that I had previously purchased before changing iBooks preferences.

     

    Test it out on a new book and also, don't put the book in a collection until it shows up on the other device.

  • by 1uniqsoul,

    1uniqsoul 1uniqsoul May 11, 2014 11:51 PM in response to picas
    Level 1 (30 points)
    May 11, 2014 11:51 PM in response to picas

    I think the issue for me is, I didn't purchase the book from iBooks. I got it from someone else. And the same thing happens with a pdf book. Probably yours sync because you bought them from iBooks and iCloud carries them over bc theyre associated with the account?

  • by picas,

    picas picas May 12, 2014 12:00 AM in response to 1uniqsoul
    Level 4 (2,617 points)
    May 12, 2014 12:00 AM in response to 1uniqsoul

    The cloud only syncs purchases made with Apple. You can email books from iBooks. You could also consider using an app like Dropbox on each computer (which is available at the Mac App Store).

  • by 1uniqsoul,

    1uniqsoul 1uniqsoul May 12, 2014 12:18 AM in response to picas
    Level 1 (30 points)
    May 12, 2014 12:18 AM in response to picas

    Go figure! I thought iCloud would sync everything that's on it's iCloud enabled apps.

    But yea I've already went the route of making it remotely available in case I need it on one of my other devices. Thanks for your help though!

  • by gdalvia4,

    gdalvia4 gdalvia4 Jun 28, 2014 8:59 AM in response to 1uniqsoul
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 28, 2014 8:59 AM in response to 1uniqsoul

    The simple solution to syncing books or pdfs from mac to ibook on devices is Dropbox.  (download dropbox to your mac and on all devices from app store - log in with the same username and password) Move the pdf or book to your dropbox folder on your mac.  Open dropbox on your device - select pdf file or book - click open with ibooks. 

  • by SCADA-Guy,

    SCADA-Guy SCADA-Guy Nov 11, 2014 2:19 PM in response to King_Penguin
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iPad
    Nov 11, 2014 2:19 PM in response to King_Penguin

    I'll take your word for this business of having to actually copy the PDFs to each device so they can then sync to their respective collections. But that is not the definition of "sync" that I've come to expect from Apple iOS devices. Seriously lame process and a huge disappointment.

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