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iCal won't sync from iPhone to Mac

Hi there


There are some similar questions here, but nothing seems to quite fit for me. iCal has stopped syncing from my iPhone to Mac, though it does the other way around, & everything else (address book, mail, apps, music) syncs both ways.


I'm using Snow Leopard v10.6.8. I'm not using iCloud or MobileMe, I'm just trying to keep it simple by syncing everything (other than apps) via a cable, & syncing directly to the Mac. I update everything regularly.


I've already tried a no. of things: re-set the Sync Services folder (using instructions here http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2481); cleaned up the calendar using Calendar cleaner, to get rid of corrupt calendar events, etc. (& there were a few, though getting rid of them didn't change anything.


Thanks - if you have any advice for me, could you make it step-by-step, please, as I'm only barely computer-literate.


Ever so grateful 😎


- Debbie

Macintosh, Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Mar 19, 2012 6:33 PM

Reply
169 replies

Mar 21, 2012 8:36 AM in response to Pumpkin4

Hi Pumpkin,


I'm having the exact same thing happen with my iPhone to iMac.


I've just noticed this week that none of my new events added to my iPhone are showing up on my iCal on my iMac, nor are they showing up in the mobileme calendar (that I never use).


I'm also using Snow Leopard v10.6.8 and I'm up-to-date with my iPhone software - 5.1


I'd also like to know if we will be able to keep our iPhone and iMac calendars synced without iCloud?


Thanks!


Bob

Mar 23, 2012 11:18 PM in response to dorseydevice

No, it didn't. Thanks anyway, Bob. I don't use MobileMe at all. I have re-set Sync Services which was a very complicated set of instructions suggested on Apple's support page, but no help.

For the record, Apple, I am VERY unhappy, cos this basically means I can't use my iPhone to add things to my calendar. I've seriously stuffed my life up a couple of times in the last few weeks by double-booking, cos I didn't see (pre-existing) appointments on my Mac's iCal, cos they hadn't synced from my phone. 😠😢

Mar 24, 2012 12:20 AM in response to Pumpkin4

I am having the same exact problem. I found an Apple post that suggested refreshing the sync, but when I go to the preferences for the devices, it is no longer a "button" to push as instructed. I feel sure that this is probably a great fix, except I can't do it!! I need info on how to over-write my iCal (Mac) with what's on my iPhone as a starting point. I know it's the "right" one for now. Then I can back up things and try to futz with it to fix it. Ideas?

Apr 1, 2012 4:00 AM in response to Pumpkin4

It took some time, but I found this and it worked! Whew.... This is such a common glitch you'd think Apple would have a fix for it by now. Anyway, here is what I found and it's all good now, hope it helps someone else. (Courtesy of this website: http://iphonewriter.blogspot.co.nz/2008/05/how-to-fixing-ical-iphone-sync-issues .html)


"You'll know the syncing issue when you see it, because the new events you enter into the Calendar on your Apple iPhone will not appear in iCal. Said another way, you'll enter a new event into your iPhone, use iTunes to sync with your Mac (or MacBook in our case) and the new event on your iPhone will not show up in iCal. Keep trying, synch as you might, iCal and the Apple iPhone just won't get along.


Here's the down and dirty fix:

  1. Open iCal and backup or export your entries. Make a note of the fie name and location, you're going to need them in a minute. Once your backup/export is completed, close the iCal application.
  2. Open Finder and remove everything inside the "Username/Library/Calendars" folder. For instance, if your username is "Joe", then move everything inside the "Joe/Library/Calendars" folder.
  3. Open the iSync application. It's located in the "/Applications/" folder. Once iSync is opened, go into the iSync Preferences (iSync -> Preferences) and push/click the "Reset Sync History" button. Then, close the iSync application.
  4. Re-Open the iCal application and Import (File -> Import) a new calendar. When prompted, use your notes from Step #1 to select the file your created earlier. Once completed, close the iCal application (you should have all of your calendar entries back.)
  5. Open the iTunes application and connect your Apple iPhone to the computer.
  6. Within the Advanced section of the Info tab for the Apple iPhone, check the box the overwrites/replaces the Calendar data on the Apple iPhone.
  7. Click the Apple/Sync button. New, modified and deleted entries should now be syncing correctly.

That's it! You should be all set and iTunes, iCal and our Apple iPhone should all be playing nicely as friends again. We've used the exact method to repair our own Apple iPhone at least once... maybe even twice."

Apr 20, 2012 5:41 PM in response to Pumpkin4

Thanks rorygilmore, that worked for me. Once I opened ical again in your step #4, all the events were there, including the ones on the iphone that hadn't synced over before. So it looked like steps 1-3 fixed it for my situation (snow leopard). I didn't select the overwrite/replace in itunes (step 6 and 7), but have this page bookmarked and ready to follow the rest of the steps if I find that things still aren't syncing correctly. I really appreciate your help and thanks to the original article as well! I hate how every update leads to something not working, without a fix from apple *grumble*

Apr 26, 2012 1:57 PM in response to Pumpkin4

Same thing happened to me and nothing worked. Took my phone & laptop to the genius bar and they fixed it.

Sometimes the calendar folder is corrupt so you have to create a new one.

Library, calendars, drag your folder to desktop to save a copy in case it dosent work and create a new calendar folder (that part I'm not sure how it's done but I know someone will!).

Simple and it fixed my issues!

iCal won't sync from iPhone to Mac

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