Bookmarks not syncing, other data does.

Question

Level 1

34 points

Bookmarks not syncing, other data does.

Been using MobileMe and now iCloud for years. Most of my data syncs fine between two desktops, a powerbook, iPhone and iPad, but not my Safari Bookmarks. Since it became iCloud, my bookmarks don't sync well. My iCal updated within minutes or less. With Mobilme I could force a sync whenever I needed to. I can't do this with iCloud. I don't know why just the bookmarks don't sync. All my machines are set up to do the same syncs. What's with Bookmarks? And, where's my manual sync control?

iPad, iOS 5.0.1, MacPro, MacBook Pro, iPad, iPhone

Posted on Jun 7, 2012 3:51 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 7, 2012 4:00 PM in response to JG Here

Bookmark syncing is a little unpredictable at present.

You would be best exporting bookmarks to your desktop on your Mac, turning bookmark syncing on on all your devices and then deleting all your bookmarks from all your devices. Leave things alone for a while and later check that each device still has no bookmarks. Once satisfied that all your devices have no bookmarks, re-import the bookmarks on your Mac and allow them to sync with all your other devices.

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Answer 2

JG Here Author

Level 1

34 points

Jun 7, 2012 9:35 PM in response to Winston Churchill

Thanks, Winston. Thar idea might help me out for today, but if syncing is not working I will be back in the same bad place again within a day. I remember before MobileMe I had to copy my bookmarks file to a thumbdrive and load it into my other machines at least every day twice. Then MobileMe did it for me. Now iCloud won't do that. I'm going backwards!

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Answer 3

Jun 8, 2012 4:27 AM in response to JG Here

Bookmark syncing does work, it's just a bit of a pain to get it to work initially. Once I myself went through the procedure I explained, my bookmarks started syncing and have continued to do so since.

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Answer 4

HotRod34

Level 1

0 points

Jun 9, 2012 7:49 AM in response to JG Here

I was experiencing the same problems with bookmarks not syncing lately, everything else seemed to be syncing just fine. Turning bookmark syncing off and back on in my iMac's iCloud Preferences seems to have it working for now.

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Answer 5

JG Here Author

Level 1

34 points

Jun 9, 2012 10:21 AM in response to HotRod34

Hot Rod,

'For now' is the key phrase here. All that does is 'merge' the bookmarks on your machine with the ones in the cloud. Just that one time, too. I don't believe it is a sync, just a merge.

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Answer 6

Jun 9, 2012 10:28 AM in response to JG Here

For the avoidance of doubt, my bookmarks have been syncing properly for months. If I create a new bookmark today on any of my devices, it soon appears on all the rest, to me that's syncing, not just a merge.

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Answer 7

JG Here Author

Level 1

34 points

Jun 9, 2012 10:33 AM in response to Winston Churchill

You're right, Winston, that IS syncing. But, by unchecking and then rechecking the Bookmarks button in iCloud preferences, it only merges. Merging is self descriptive. Syncing will also merge, but I believe it will also remove bookmarks on the currrent device if they were previously deleted on other devices. That's what true syncing does.

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Answer 8

Jun 9, 2012 11:36 AM in response to JG Here

Then my bookmarks are 'truly' syncing, since I can delete a bookmark on any device and it gets deleted on all others.

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Answer 9

JG Here Author

Level 1

34 points

Jun 9, 2012 12:51 PM in response to Winston Churchill

I hope all of ours are!

I just went through the process you previously recommended. I need to make a few changes and check each devices BM's. Fingers are crossed (but not while I type).

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Answer 10

HotRod34

Level 1

0 points

Jun 10, 2012 6:22 AM in response to JG Here

Since performing this action my bookmarks have been syncing across all my devices. Just created a new bookmark on my iPad and it is now on my iPhone and my iMac.

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Answer 11

Zig3

Level 1

24 points

Jul 9, 2012 5:59 PM in response to JG Here

Mine work fine sometimes and then other times like today they do not sync at all.

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Answer 12

moe-b

Level 1

0 points

Aug 17, 2012 1:01 PM in response to HotRod34

Checking and unchecking bookmark syncing worked for me perfectly, thanks!

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Answer 13

mdz0739

Level 1

0 points

Sep 13, 2012 6:24 PM in response to JG Here

To add to these great suggestions, the timing of bookmark syncing on iOS devices is tied to the "Fetch New Data" settings on them. To see changes the quickest between devices, turn "Push" on and make sure that iCloud fetch schedule is set to "Push".

Here is how to do it on the iPhone 4S (same or similar on iPad):

1. Go to "Settings"

2. Go to "Mail, Contacts, Calendars"

3. Select "Fetch New Data" and set "Push" to "On"

4. Scroll to bottom and select "Advanced"

5. Select "iCloud" and set to "Push"

Regards,

Michael

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Answer 14

ami_ella

Level 1

0 points

Mar 30, 2013 4:27 AM in response to JG Here

I am using a MacPro, a MacBookAir and an iPhone. I had this problem: the Air and iPhon's bookmarks wer syncing, but not the MacPro's.

What solved it for me was to check out of the old MobileMe account and then I unchecked and checked back the bookmarks sync.

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