contacts from iPhone are not syncing to iCloud

On your phone, open Contacts and tap Groups. Do you have any non-iCloud groups listed, such as On My iPhone, From My Mac, and exchange account, Google or Yahoo contacts, etc.?

That's the issue. iCloud will only sync contacts in the iCloud account/group, to contacts in non-iCloud accounts/groups. If you want all your contacts to sync with iCloud you'll have to move or copy them to the iCloud account. I can suggest a process for doing this if you're interested.

You're welcome. Setting iCloud to the default account will cause new contacts to be added to the iCloud account, and therefore to iCloud. If you have contacts in your other accounts that are not in the iCloud account, they can be copied there if you wish them to sync with iCloud too. If you want to do this, let me know.

randers4-

Thank you for all of your help.

But, it's still not working for me.

Firstly I'm new to Icloud. I have a feeling that I am missing something basic between Icloud and Iphone. I am at the point were I'm not even sure what to ask. Sorry for all the "possible" over info, but I wanted to be as clear as possible.

Goal:

-Changing from Iphone 3gs to 4s

-Download all info from Icloud to the new 4s

-only 1/2 contacts from 3gs are uploaded to Icloud, hence, 4s doesn't have the contacts

-problem: my computer is so old it (itunes)will no longer sync to either Iphone.

- "Test contact" performed on Iphone 3gs and it did upload to Icloud. So it's on the Icloud website contacts page when I log in.

- I have clicked import SIM contacts and uploaded to Icould. However I'm not sure if it really did it. It did say complete, but who knows.

Iphone 3gs 6.1.2

Groups:

All Exchange √

All Icloud √

Family √

Friends√

Setting> mail contacts calendars>

mail = default Icloud

contacts = default Icloud

Setting > Icloud> = all switched to ON except Notes.

Setting > Icloud> Storage Backup>Manage Storage>Backups>Backup Options = All apps ON, Camera Roll ON---- But no Contacts is there---I find this strange.

About 1/2 of my contacts are missing.

All Exchange contacts are in Icloud

All Friends and Family contacts are in Icloud

If I click on All Icloud the Freinds and Family groups check mark automatically too. So they look to me like they are "under" Icloud All group.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Kind Regards

And just a rant. Why is this so difficult? I see many many posts from people not being able to sync their contacts to Icloud. I would think this would be job # 1 for Apple. I work at Alcatel Lucent and even the tech guys who test all these cell phones couldn't figure this problem out. Anyway.....

Please clarify what contacts are not in iCloud. Your post says "All exchange contacts are in iCloud" and "All Friends and Family contacts are in iCloud" yet "About 1/2 ... are missing".

From what you posted, the only contacts you have are in either your exchange account, or your family and friends groups. If these contacts are all in iCloud it isn't clear to me what is missing.

Hi randers4,

I'm having the exact issue with some contacts not syncing with my iCloud. I would like to move all my contacts to the icloud account. You offered a suggestion on how to do this...I am very interested and would be grateful for directions on this process.

Thanks in advance!

Greg Mora wrote:

I'm having the exact issue with some contacts not syncing with my iCloud. I would like to move all my contacts to the icloud account.

This normally happens when you are syncing some of your contacts with one or more external accounts such as Gmail, Yahoo or an exchange account. If that's the case, you can copy them to iCloud by doing the following:

1. Go to Settings>iCloud, turn Contacts to Off, choose Delete from My iPhone when prompted (any iCloud contacts will still be in iCloud).
2. Download the app My Contacts Backup. (If you have more than 500 contacts to transfer from your other account you will need the “Pro” version.) Use the app to backup the remaining contacts on your device (from the other accounts) as a vCard attachment to an email that you send to yourself. Confirm that you have received the email.
3. Go to Settings>iCloud and turn Contacts back to On.
4. Go to Settings>Mail,Contacts,Calendars>Default Account (in the Contacts section), and set this to iCloud.
5. Go to Settings>Mail,Contacts,Calendars...tap each of the external accounts that you are syncing contacts with and turn off contacts syncing with these other accounts (otherwise you will have duplicate contacts on your device)
6. Open the My Contacts Backup email and tap the attachment to import the contacts from the other accounts back to your device, and to iCloud.

I'm having trouble getting the contacts from my 5S into iCloud...Everything is synced and I did a back up just this morning....also when I went from the 4 to 5S not all the contacts transfered over...tips?

rriggs wrote:

I'm having trouble getting the contacts from my 5S into iCloud...Everything is synced and I did a back up just this morning....also when I went from the 4 to 5S not all the contacts transfered over...tips?

Go to Settings>Mail,Contacts,Calendars>Default Account (in the Contacts section). What accounts are listed there and which one is set as your default? (Don't post your email addresses, just the providers...Gmail, Yahoo, Exchange, On My iPhone, etc.)

the default account is iCloud...I also have a gmail for work and my work server account but default is iCloud. I did another back up just to see...still not syncing

Backing up will not affect syncing; they are separate from each other.

When you open your contacts and tap Groups, do your contacts belong to iCloud account, or one of your other accounts? (Tap the groups so only one is checked, then tap Done. Repeat for all the groups to determine which account your contacts belong to.)

I don't have any groups set up, but when I opened it "facebook" and iCloud were checked...I unchecked "facebook" is that what you mean? I'm still learning Apple- thanks for helping!