JG Here
Level 1 (4 points)
Mac OS X

Q: 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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JG Here

Q: Bookmarks not syncing, other data does.

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Jun 7, 2012 4:00 PM in response to JG Here
    Level 10 (103,402 points)
    Apple TV
    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.

  • by JG Here,

    JG Here JG Here Jun 7, 2012 9:35 PM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    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!

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Jun 8, 2012 4:27 AM in response to JG Here
    Level 10 (103,402 points)
    Apple TV
    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.

  • by HotRod34,

    HotRod34 HotRod34 Jun 9, 2012 7:49 AM in response to JG Here
    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.

  • by JG Here,

    JG Here JG Here Jun 9, 2012 10:21 AM in response to HotRod34
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    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.

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Jun 9, 2012 10:28 AM in response to JG Here
    Level 10 (103,402 points)
    Apple TV
    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.

  • by JG Here,

    JG Here JG Here Jun 9, 2012 10:33 AM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    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.

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Jun 9, 2012 11:36 AM in response to JG Here
    Level 10 (103,402 points)
    Apple TV
    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.

  • by JG Here,

    JG Here JG Here Jun 9, 2012 12:51 PM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    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).

  • by HotRod34,

    HotRod34 HotRod34 Jun 10, 2012 6:22 AM in response to JG Here
    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.

  • by Zig3,

    Zig3 Zig3 Jul 9, 2012 5:59 PM in response to JG Here
    Level 1 (19 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.

  • by moe-b,

    moe-b moe-b Aug 17, 2012 1:01 PM in response to HotRod34
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 17, 2012 1:01 PM in response to HotRod34

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

  • by mdz0739,

    mdz0739 mdz0739 Sep 13, 2012 6:24 PM in response to JG Here
    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

  • by ami_ella,

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